Transfer Applicants

Eligibility

Review these guidelines to determine your eligibility for transfer admission. Please note that the terms high school and secondary school are used interchangeably.

Guidelines

  • Students who have completed courses for college credit in an associate's or bachelor’s degree program since completing high school must apply for transfer admission.
  • Transfer coursework must be completed at an accredited degree-granting institution; coursework completed in vocational, technical, performance or professional programs is not considered.
  • Students must have a high school diploma, the state/country equivalent of a high school diploma, or a GED in order to enroll at Stanford.
  • Students who are dual-enrolled in both high school and college programs should apply for first-year admission.
  • Students who have already earned a bachelor's degree are not eligible to apply for undergraduate admission. If you are interested in applying to a Stanford graduate degree program, please explore the Graduate Admissions website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Stanford does not have a minimum number of required credits or years of study required for admission. However, we have found that our most competitive and well-prepared applicants have:

  • The equivalent of two years of college-level coursework by the time they enter Stanford.
  • Consecutive years of full-time, in-person college study in an associate or bachelor’s degree program (or international equivalent).

A well-prepared applicant will typically be in their second year of full-time, in-person college work when submitting their application to Stanford.

Incoming transfer students may transfer a maximum of 90 quarter units (roughly two years of full-time college or university study) to Stanford regardless of the number of units earned at previous institutions. While transfer students are welcome to apply with more than two years of coursework from a previous institution, note that students are required to complete at least two years of full-time enrollment at Stanford in order to attain a bachelor's degree from the university.

There are no specific courses required for admission to Stanford. Please review our Academic Preparation & Transfer Credit page for more information about choosing courses.

While we do not offer an exchange program for undergraduates, you may wish to explore Stanford Continuing Studies or Stanford Summer Session .

A former Stanford undergraduate who has transferred to another university and then wishes to return to Stanford as an undergraduate must apply again for admission in the same way as any other transfer applicant.

Updated on July 27, 2026 10:28 AM