Transfer / Exchange / Visiting Students FAQ

Your Vassar email address and password, along with required matriculation forms, will be sent to you in mid-June by the Office of Admission. You will need these login credentials to fill out your housing and V-card applications, as well as various other forms online.

Sixteen units are the maximum amount of transfer units allowed. Non-liberal arts, pre-professional, physical education, independent courses and field work courses, online courses, and courses done at unaccredited institutions do not transfer. Also, courses not of a sufficiently high level (e.g., math courses below Calculus) will not transfer, nor will courses graded lower than a “C.”

AP and IB credit can be placed on your Vassar College transcript only upon receipt of the original testing service transcript. Scores of 4 or 5 on AP exams are eligible for one unit of credit. Higher Level IB examinations of 5, 6, or 7 are eligible for one unit of credit. A maximum of two units of credit may be awarded for AP or IB exams.

If you wish to request a transcript, please contact Advanced Placement Services or IB Americas Global Centre.

Non-Recorded Option Limit: Students may elect a maximum of four units of work under the Non-Recorded Option (NRO). For transfer students, this limit is reduced by one unit for each year of advanced standing awarded to the students. In other words, a student who transfers in as a sophomore may elect only three units of work under Non-Recorded Option; a junior may elect only two units of work under Non-Recorded Option.

Ungraded Work includes independent work, ungraded thesis, physical education courses, reading courses, and field work. Pre-matriculation transfer credit is not included. Students may elect a maximum of five units of Ungraded Work. For transfer students, this limit is reduced by one unit for each year of advanced standing awarded to the student. In other words a student transferring in as a sophomore may elect only four units of ungraded work; a junior may elect only three units of ungraded work.

You have been assigned a class year based on the number of transfer units accepted by Vassar. If you feel your class year should be adjusted, you can request this through the Dean of Studies Office. However, you must provide documentary proof of the minimum number of credits required to support this adjustment. Vassar has only one graduation per year in May. Therefore, if you complete 24 units and all other graduation requirements in December, your graduation date and class year will be May of the upcoming year.

Vassar students are required to declare a major by the end of their sophomore year. Hence, transfer students entering as juniors should declare a major immediately; non-junior transfer students should declare as quickly as possible. The sooner you declare a major the sooner you will have a major advisor to help you chart your course toward graduation.