A transfer applicant is anyone who has enrolled at a postsecondary institution after obtaining a secondary school diploma in the United States or in their home country.
Applicants may apply online using either the Common Application or the AU Application. You do not need to submit both. There is a US$60.00 fee for all applications.
How to Apply
To be considered for admission to AU as a transfer student, your application and supporting documents must be submitted by the appropriate deadline and must include all of the following:
- Completed application form
- Application essay of 500 words
- Statement of Interest (50-75 words)—for AU application only
- Academic records
- One or two letters of recommendation (optional)
- Demonstrated leadership, volunteerism, community service and extracurricular activities
- Demonstrated English proficiency* (minimum TOEFL iBT 80/ CBT 213/ paper based 550, or IELTS 6.5)
- Completed Certification of Finances form
- Application fee of US$60.00
* International applicants transferring from U.S. postsecondary institutions who have completed English Composition I and II with grades of C or better at an AG-rated, regionally accredited college or university, or with grades of B or better at an AP-rated college, are exempt from submitting scores from these examinations.
Tip: A completed application means that the application form and all other documents listed above, including the Certification of Finances for International Students (CFIS), must be submitted on time by the indicated deadline. Please note that late applications will significantly reduce your chances of being admitted, as well as disqualify you from merit scholarship consideration.
Your Academic Records
To be considered for admission to AU, you must have strong academic credentials, which may include proof of both a rigorous secondary and postsecondary school curriculum.
If you have completed less than one year of full-time academic study at a postsecondary institution in the United States or overseas at the time of application (i.e. you have less than 24 semester credits per the U.S. system of higher education), please submit all of the following:
- Your secondary school diploma and academic credentials (examination results and certificates, transcripts, etc)
- Your postsecondary academic credentials or transcripts
- SAT scores, only if you completed high school in the United States
Please include any examination results such as GCSE, GCE, Bagrut, Tawjihi, French Baccalaureate, CAPE, Attestat, Abitur or Secondary School Leaving Certificates. Contact the international admissions office with any questions regarding submission of documents.
Certain exam results such as, but not limited to, IB, WAEC, GCE, GCSE, and CAPE must come directly from the examination board or authority. Under special circumstances, we will also accept certified copies of these examination results from EducationUSA overseas advising centers.
If you have completed at least one year of full-time postsecondary academic study at the time of application, you need to submit only your postsecondary academic credentials. No SAT scores or secondary school academic records are required.
In either case, please have academic records from each secondary and/or postsecondary school you attended sent directly from those schools to American University. These records should be submitted in their original language and accompanied by official English translations if applicable. You may submit certified or notarized copies of your original official transcripts if your country issues only one copy of your academic documents.
Advanced Credit for Postsecondary Coursework
Courses completed at accredited postsecondary institutions within or outside the United States may be eligible to receive transfer credit.
If you are transferring from a two-year postsecondary institution, the maximum number of credits that may be transferred is 60. If you are transferring from a four-year postsecondary institution or university, the maximum number of credits that may be transferred is 75.
If you have studied at a postsecondary institution outside the United States, please submit course syllabi and descriptions in English to assist in determining the appropriate transfer credit.
Transfer Application Deadlines
Fall Semester
- Priority deadline for all students seeking merit awards: March 1 (preferred)
- Final deadline for students living outside the United States: May 1
- Final deadline for students living within the United States: July 1
Spring Semester
- Students seeking merit awards (pending availability of funding): November 1
- Final deadline for students living outside the United States: September 1
- Final deadline for students living within the United States: November 1
