At Denison, we鈥檙e setting you up for a lifetime of best years.
Our transfer pathway offers personalized advising and tailored credit mapping, plus career coaching, internships, a premier alumni network, and immersive learning that opens real opportunities.
#2
happiest
students
Princeton Review
#2
career
preparation
Princeton Review
#4
most
innovative
U.S. News & World Report
94%
alumni satisfaction
A college experience students love
At Denison, students find their people, pursue what excites them, and are supported as they challenge themselves in and out of the classroom. As a transfer student, you’ll become part of a welcoming residential community and gain the experiences and connections that set you up for success.
College should feel like the right fit. At Denison, it can.
Not ready yet?
鈥淚 chose Denison because of its thriving, safe, and close-knit community of students and faculty, as well as its student-athlete experience. My coaches and teammates were super welcoming. Transferring to Denison was the best decision I have ever made.鈥
Adelyn Moore 鈥27
Transferred from the University of Chicago
鈥淪ince transferring, Denison has exceeded my expectations. I鈥檝e met some of my closest friends, joined a band, and received constant academic and career support that feels unmatched to anywhere else.鈥
Andrew McCutchan '26
Transferred from Oberlin College
From the Midwest?
We provide admitted students from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and West Virginia with a $100,000 scholarship over four years.
From Ohio?
We provide admitted students from Ohio with a $100,000 scholarship over four years.
Ready to submit your transfer application? Here鈥檚 how.
With no fee to apply, no additional essay required, and no requirement to submit test scores, there’s nothing to stand in your way. Plus, once admitted, we work closely with every transfer student to map their path and take away the guesswork. You鈥檒l get a clear picture of your credit transfer options and financial aid opportunities.
1. Complete a transfer application
Submit the . After submitting, you鈥檒l receive access to your applicant portal to track materials.
2. Schedule an interview
It鈥檚 not required, but an interview helps us get to know you and provides more context for your application. Contact Chris Taylor to set up a time that works best for you.
3. Submit application documents
- Official college transcripts
- Final high school transcript
- Student conduct report
- Optional arts supplement
- (required): Once you submit your application, you will be emailed a confirmation that includes login information for your online portal. This portal is where you can keep track of your other application materials.
- Interview (recommended): An interview is not required for admission consideration, but we do encourage applicants to complete one as an interview can provide a more personal element to your application. Interviews happen in a number of ways. Please contact Chris Taylor to schedule an informal transfer interview or learn more.
- Arts Supplement (optional): Students who have an interest in cinema, creative writing, dance, music, studio art, or theatre may submit supplementary arts materials for faculty evaluation. If submitted, students will be eligible to receive a departmental scholarship. This is done through the , which is available once the Common or Coalition Application has been submitted.
- Student Conduct Report (required): A completed student conduct report must come from all colleges or universities attended. Your Student Conduct Report will appear in your applicant portal once your Common Application for Transfer has been submitted.
- Official College Transcripts (required): We will use this to recalculate your GPA and evaluate your academic performance and course selection. An official transcript from all colleges or universities attended is required.
- Final High School Transcript (required): We will use this to contextualize your most recent academic performance in college.
We are able to receive transcripts directly from high schools and colleges at admission@denison.edu as well as through the Common Application, SCOIR or Parchment.
Deadline |
Spring (January start) |
Fall (August start) |
|---|---|---|
Application Deadline |
November 15 |
May 15 |
Notification |
Rolling basis in Nov/Dec |
Rolling basis starting in April |
Reply Date |
Two weeks after receiving admission decision |
Two weeks after receiving admission decision |
If a deadline has already passed (Nov. 15 for spring, May 15 for fall), email Chris Taylor to ask whether your intended transfer round is still open.
Still have questions about the transfer process?
Check out our Transfer FAQs below for detailed info, or contact Chris Taylor, our coordinator for transfer admission. Chris can help guide you through the application process 鈥 including scheduling an interview 鈥 and give you an idea of what your Denison experience could be like.
After you apply, here鈥檚 what happens next.
After being admitted, you鈥檒l receive a transfer credit evaluation that shows which credits transfer and how they count toward graduation. Most transfer students also complete a transfer-specific onboarding process, including advising and orientation, so you know what to expect before classes begin.
When can I expect a transfer decision?
Decisions are released on a rolling basis after your application file is complete.
- Spring applicants are typically notified in November/December.
- Fall applicants are typically notified starting in April.
What happens after I deposit?
- You鈥檒l receive onboarding information and next steps for joining the Denison community.
- You鈥檒l work with the Dean of Transfer Students on course registration and planning.
Transfers 101 (FAQ)
Transfer admission and process FAQs
Denison does not publish a single minimum GPA for all transfer applicants. Applications are reviewed holistically, including college coursework, academic trends, and course rigor. Many successful applicants are earning As and Bs in current courses.
Yes. Domestic and international transfer students are eligible for financial aid, and are typically notified of aid at the time of admission.
To apply for aid as a transfer student:
- Merit aid: No additional application beyond the transfer application is required.
- Need-based aid (domestic): Submit FAFSA and CSS Profile by the application deadline.
- International applicants: Submit a Denison Certificate of Finances.
Transferring colleges isn鈥檛 usually 鈥渉ard,鈥 but many students wonder how to transfer colleges successfully. The process is easiest when you (1) confirm deadlines, (2) submit required documents like transcripts and conduct forms, and (3) understand how your credits will transfer and apply to your new degree. The biggest challenges are timing, gathering records from prior schools, and making sure courses count the way you expect.
Apply through the Common App for Transfer. If Denison already has parts of your earlier application (like a final high school transcript or test scores), those may be added to your transfer record.
If you are a former Denison student seeking to re-enroll, .
Yes. Many students transfer after one year (and some transfer after one semester).
You鈥檒l typically apply as a transfer student once you鈥檝e earned college credits after high school, and you鈥檒l submit your college transcript along with any other required materials. Your new school will evaluate your coursework to determine what transfers and how it counts toward graduation.
Yes. About 15 students join Denison each spring semester (January start). Spring transfer students participate in orientation and onboarding programs similar to students who begin in the fall.
Transfer credits FAQs
Denison accepts up to 62 hours of transfer credit (this total includes prior institutions and study abroad credits applied toward graduation).
To earn a Denison degree, you must complete 64 credit hours 最新萝莉社 (often about four semesters of full-time coursework).
Wondering how transfer credits work or whether your previous coursework will count? Every admitted student receives a clear evaluation showing exactly how credits transfer and apply to your degree.
Transfer credits may apply to:
- General education requirements
- Elective credit
- Major/minor requirements (when approved by the academic department)
Important: Academic departments make the final determination about whether a transfer course counts toward a specific major or minor.
Yes. Prospective students can request a conversation with the Dean of Transfer Students about transfer credits.
Admitted transfer students receive a Transfer Credit Evaluation. International students often have credits transferred depending on course content and equivalency.
Transfer student experience FAQs
Yes! New transfer students have regular opportunities to connect with other transfers and student leaders during the semester and during transfer orientation.
Transfer students live where every other student lives: on campus!
Denison views the residential experience, including living with others, as integral to the University鈥檚 educational mission. As a transfer, you will live in any of the buildings designated for returning students. When possible, we try to assign transfer students together and with their entering class year. Once you make your deposit and enroll for courses, more information will be provided on room and potential roommate selection preferences.
Transfer students can graduate on time, especially when transfer credits apply efficiently. It depends on how many credits transfer and how those credits apply (major requirements vs. electives). Graduating on schedule is most likely when your transferred courses meet general education and major prerequisites, you enter with enough credits, and you map a semester-by-semester plan early with an advisor. If more credits come in as electives, you may need additional semesters to complete major or residency requirements.
At the start of each semester, there is an involvement fair where students can sign up for our 160+ student orgs. Spring transfer students can expect to attend the winter involvement fair in January, and Fall transfer students will check out the Fall activities fair on A-Quad during the first week of classes. Students can also join and engage with campus organizations at any time after that.
Transfer students coming in with twelve or more credit hours are welcome to join organizations in Fraternity and Sorority life, too. In general, Denison students are really engaged in co-curricular involvement, and transfer students can expect an equal opportunity to jump into campus organizations.
Yes. Transfer students can study abroad, though it may be more challenging if transferring after the start of junior year.
Keep in mind the 62-credit transfer cap includes study abroad credits applied toward graduation.
Contacts
For questions related to transfer admission:
Chris Taylor
All offers of admission are conditional based on Denison鈥檚 Conditions of Admission policy. Denison University is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in matters of admission, employment, and housing, and in access to and participation in its education programs, services, and activities. No person shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, religion, creed, or disability.