Transfer Student FAQs

Candidates are welcome to apply for a second bachelor’s degree. We look for students who have recently completed (within the last 5 years) calculus, and two laboratory sciences. All transfer students must enroll at WPI for a minimum of two full academic years in order to complete a degree.

WPI does not offer a spring (January) entrance option for applicants.

First-year candidate; more information for you is here. Should you enroll at WPI, we would start the transfer credit review process (see below information on the transfer credit review process).

Apply as a First-year candidate. WPI transfer candidates are applicants who have fully graduated from high school prior to applying for admission to WPI and are/were enrolled for any length of time as a degree-seeking student at another college or university.

Transfer candidate. If you were an enrolled student at any post-secondary institution for any length of time, you are not eligible to apply as a first-year student. Please contact us at transfer@wpi.edu so we can provide additional guidance.

First-year candidate; more information for you is here. Should you enroll at WPI, we would start the transfer credit review process (see below information on the transfer credit review process).

First-year candidate; more information for you is here.

WPI's transfer policy and information on the process to request completed coursework be reviewed for credit can be found on the Transfer Credit page. After a student has been accepted and final transcripts received, the Office of Admissions coordinates the formal evaluation of credit accepted towards a WPI degree. Please note that the review process for first year student credit evaluation requests will begin after the May 1st enrollment deadline. The review process for accepted transfer students begins typically in mid-April. Students must follow the instructions on the ​Transfer Credit Review Request form to begin the course evaluation process. The completed Undergraduate Transfer Credit Review Request Form, final official transcript(s), and any additional information (course descriptions, syllabi) can be sent to transfer@wpi.edu.

The Transfer Admissions team works with appropriate academic department faculty who evaluate the coursework to determine credit eligibility. In general, courses that are the academic equivalent of a WPI course with a grade of a B or better will be considered for transfer credit. Transfer Admissions will update you, the Registrar’s Office, and Academic Advising on decisions. College-level and lab-based chemistry and biology, calculus, calculus-based physics with lab, engineering science, and most social science and humanities and arts courses are typically considered for transfer credit.

Courses must be taken at a regionally accredited post-secondary institution.  More specifically, courses must be completed on a college campus taught by college instructors.  Early college, early entrance programs, or coursework provided in partnership with a college or university but offered at the high school and taught by high school teachers are not eligible for credit at WPI (with the exception of Project Lead the Way (https://www.wpi.edu/academics/pre-collegiate/lead-the-way).  These high school to college partnership programs include Running Start, ECE, EEP, SUPA, SUNY UHS, and others.  Additional courses that are not transferable include pre-calculus, non-calculus based physics, computer courses in BASIC.  Online coursework is also typically not eligible.  Also, non-credit CEU courses, adult enrichment or refresher course, and CLEP examinations are not recognized for transfer credit. 

*Please be advised that WPI academic departments have created temporary policies to accept transfer credit for online courses taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To view transfer credit equivalencies to date, please view the WPI Transfer Equivalency System.

Vocational, correspondence, pre-college or review courses are not transferrable to WPI. Also, WPI does not accept non-credit CEU courses, adult enrichment or refresher courses, or CLEP examinations. Early college, early entrance programs, or college coursework provided in partnership with a college or university but offered at the high school taught by high school teachers are not eligible for credit at WPI, with the exception of Project Lead The Way (PLTW). Online courses are not typically eligible for credit.

*Please be advised that WPI academic departments have created temporary policies to accept transfer credit for online courses taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We will evaluate AP and IB testing for credit. Generally, WPI awards credit for a 4 or 5 on AP exams and for a 6 or 7 on higher level IB exams. Please have your official score reports forwarded to the Registrar's Office.

WPI has articulation agreements with specified programs at Quinsigamond Community College (QCC). For more information, visit the QCC website on articulation and transfer agreements. WPI is also a member of the Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts (HECCMA).

The timeline varies for each student depending on the type and amount of coursework each applicant has successfully completed. WPI has a minimum residency requirement of two academic years for any student pursuing a degree from the University. A reminder that The WPI Plan includes two large projects as part of a student’s degree requirements. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the all aspects of The WPI Plan, including the academic calendar and IQP/MQP requirements.

WPI is unable to guarantee housing for all upper-class students, including incoming transfers. However, all incoming first year and transfer students are encouraged to complete the WPI housing application form as soon as possible if they would like the option to live on campus. Typically, by mid-May we have a better sense of the options that may be available for upper-class students, which is in advance of the June 30th transfer enrollment deadline. For students who are considering living off campus, many neighborhoods surrounding the WPI campus have options to consider, with June or early July being one of the best times to locate off campus housing for the upcoming academic year.

Transfer students are urged to review the following information about housing options:

Living Off Campus - Includes tips and planning guides for living near WPI

Living On Campus - Includes info on housing selection process and WPI housing application

Please contact the WPI Office of Residential Services (res-services@wpi.edu) directly with any specific questions or concerns.

WPI does not require SAT or ACT scores for transfer applicants. The Admissions Office does require either the TOEFL or IELTS for international transfer students.

WPI offers 2 academic merit scholarships to transfer students: The Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship of $10,000 a year offered to all PTK scholars, and the WPI Transfer Honors Award of $10,000 a year offered to 5 newly accepted transfer students selected each June prior to the enrollment deadline. No additional application is necessary to be considered for either award. More information can be found at www.wpi.edu/+transfer under Scholarships & Financial Aid.

WPI does encourage all students to apply to scholarship programs not affiliated with WPI and will accept those awarded monies. WPI does not match scholarships awarded by other colleges or universities.

As a transfer student, you may be eligible for need-based scholarship and loan funds from a variety of sources. Additional information on how to apply for need-based aid is available through the Office of Student Aid & Financial Literacy. Need-based financial aid is not available for part-time or international (non U.S. citizen) transfer students. International transfer applicants must be able to demonstrate the ability to cover the full cost of tuition and living expenses.

Once a student declines acceptance to WPI as a first-year student and re-applies as a transfer candidate, the student is reevaluated for need-based financial assistance as a transfer student. Transfer students may be eligible for need-based scholarship and loan funds from a variety of sources including WPI, the federal government, and some state and government agencies. WPI does offer the PTK Scholarship and limited WPI Transfer Honors Awards as noted above. Need-based aid is not available for part-time or international (non-citizen) transfer students. Additional information regarding scholarship opportunities and financial aid for transfer students is available through the Office of Student Aid & Financial Literacy as well.

WPI Admissions does not offer interviews, and are unable to offer advanced academic advising or review/consideration of transfer credit. 

We encourage students to visit WPI to better understand the distinct academic programming and specifics of the WPI Plan as they consider WPI. As noted on the transfer admissions page, WPI will be offering transfer specific visit days this Spring, though transfer students are welcome to visit any other day as well.

One-on-one appointments will be available on Tuesdays in the Spring. These appointments are a great opportunity to have a transfer counselor answer your questions about the WPI community and how things work, but will not consist of any advanced academic advising or review/consideration of transfer credit. Click here to book your appointment.

Applicants are welcome to contact us anytime with specific questions or concerns at transfer@wpi.edu, and a member of our Transfer Admissions team will be happy to assist.