Admissions Policies: Transfer Students and Transfer Credits

Application procedures/requirements

Applications for admission are to be sent electronically. The university will begin accepting transfer applications on August 1 for the summer and fall terms. Applications may be submitted beginning April 1 for the winter and spring terms. To be considered for admission, the following items must be submitted to the Admissions Office, UW-La Crosse, 2320 Student Union, 1725 State Street, La Crosse, WI 54601 USA:

  1. A completed Universities of Wisconsin application.
  2. An official high school transcript if applicant has earned less than 60 transferable semester credits.
    1. Official transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing institution(s) or through an electronic secure document sending service. Transcripts that are marked “Issued to Student” or that are hand delivered by a student will not be accepted unless the transcript remains sealed in the original envelope from the issuing institution(s).
  3. All official college transcripts.
    1. This includes transcripts for credit earned at that applicant’s current institution and any previous institutions (including college credit earned while in high school). Official transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing institution(s) or through an electronic secure document sending service. Transcripts that are marked “Issued to Student” or that are hand delivered by a student will not be accepted unless the transcript remains sealed in the original envelope from the issuing institution(s).
  4. A list of courses in progress, if currently enrolled, with course numbers, titles, and the number of credits for each course.
  5. A non-refundable application fee, unless directly transferring from a Universities of Wisconsin campus within one year.
  6. ACT/SAT scores (optional: ACT/SAT generally not considered if applicant has completed a minimum of 18 transferable credits).

Admission guidelines

All applications receive a comprehensive review. Applicants with at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point average in all previous transferable college level work will be considered stronger candidates for admission. Applicants with a cumulative grade point average between a 2.00 and a 2.24 will be considered for admission on a space available basis. In addition to grade point guidelines, applicants must be in good standing at their previous institution(s) to be admitted to UWL. Applicants who were not admissible as new first years must earn at least 18 transferable semester credits to be considered for admission as a transfer student.

Due to enrollment limitations and the competitive nature of admission to the university, admission consideration will be primarily based on academic preparation. While academic preparation is the primary criterion used in the admissions review process, other non-academic secondary factors may contribute to the strength of an application. These may include qualities such as demonstrated leadership, extracurricular involvement, special talent, personal statement, and/or recommendations.

Admission to the university does not assure admission to specific degree programs. All transfer students must meet the same criteria (i.e., grade point average, course requirements, etc.) for admission to specific majors or programs as continuing students.

Universities of Wisconsin guaranteed transfer admission

Universities of Wisconsin students who intend to continue their undergraduate education at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse will be guaranteed admission provided they meet the following criteria:

  1. Submit a Universities of Wisconsin application to the UWL Admissions Office.
  2. Start college as a first year at a Universities of Wisconsin campus.
  3. Earn a minimum of 24 transferable degree credits.
  4. Be in good standing and earn a minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average.

The Guaranteed Transfer Agreement Program guarantees admission to the institution and does not assure admission to specific degree programs. Transfer students must meet the same criteria (i.e., grade point average, course requirements, etc.) for admission to specific majors or programs as continuing UWL students.

Academic advising and registration

After being admitted to the university, the Admissions Office will evaluate the courses taken to determine the number of credits that will be granted in transfer. This will be used to determine classification as first year, sophomore, junior, or senior. Information will be sent regarding registration and academic advising in April for those students admitted to the summer or fall semester and in November for those students admitted to the winter term or spring semester. In preparing to register, transfer students are encouraged to contact the academic advisor/academic services director for the assigned college or school. College or school assignments are noted in the letter of admission. In the process of academic advising, should a student disagree with how a course(s) transfers or how a course(s) applies toward a program of study, a transfer re-evaluation request may be made. Consult with the academic services director of the college or school in which the student is enrolled. If the student is undecided about a major, the student may talk to an advisor in the Academic Advising Center.

Undergraduate credit for prior learning policies

UW-La Crosse appreciates and values students' learning experiences outside of the confines of UWL's sponsored credit instruction and uses a student-centered approach to recognize, evaluate and award credit for that knowledge. Students may be awarded credit for their university-level learning through a variety of ways including but not limited to transfer coursework, credit by national exam, military experience and training, industry-certified and assessed credentials or licensures, and UWL administered prior learning assessments. These methods of gaining credit for prior learning (CPL) foster educational attainment and can shorten time to degree or credential completion.

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has established a undergraduate credit for prior learning policy to recognize, evaluate and award credit for learning outside of UWL. 

Taking a non-UWL course while at UWL

If a student is currently enrolled at UWL and intends to take course work elsewhere either in a summer term or during an academic year, the student should review the recommended steps before registering for the desired class. The student should complete an "Off-Campus Course Evaluation Form," which is used to evaluate the course for transferability before taking the course.

Students planning to transfer UWL credits to other universities should check with the receiving institution regarding the transferability of credit.