Applying to Haverford: Transfer Admission
We recognize the valuable contribution that transfer students can make to the Haverford community, bringing the benefit of their experience at other institutions and adding to the diversity of perspectives within the student body.
Please read the following information before printing and completing the transfer application.
Eligibility
A student is eligible for transfer admission to Haverford if at least one year has been completed as a full-time student at a college or university by the time of enrollment at Haverford. (Students who have completed one year of full-time university study must apply as transfer students; they may not apply as first year students.)
Transfer students must enroll as full-time students and must spend a minimum of two years at Haverford. The College only awards the bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree, and does not accept applications from students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree.
Admission Process
The transfer admission process is extremely competitive; few students transfer out of Haverford, so we often have room to admit only a very limited number of transfer students. We take great care to review every application thoroughly. Each is read by at least two admission officers before being discussed by the Admission Committee. We pay closest attention to your:
• transcripts (college and secondary school)
• recommendations
• quality of writing as demonstrated in your essay
• extra-curricular involvements and talents
• standardized test scores (See Application Checklist below for required tests.)
We give greatest weight to your academic transcripts. The rigor of the courses you’ve taken, the quality of your grades and the consistency with which you’ve worked give us the clearest indication of how well you will do at Haverford. Standardized tests, recommendations, the quality of your writing, and extra-curricular talents also help the Admission Committee draw fine distinctions among very talented applicants.
While we prefer a professor recommendation, we understand that in some cases your professors may not know you well. If that is the case, please feel free to send an additional recommendation from a teaching assistant, a recent high school teacher, or an employer.
Application Deadline
The admission application for fall enrollment must be sent to us by March 31, and we mail our application decisions by May 15. If admitted, you will need to reply within two weeks of the letter’s postmark. Spring enrollment is not offered.
Deferred Admission
Deferring an offer of admission is not possible. Transfer students are admitted to fill class vacancies that may exist one year and not the next.
Campus Visits
You may do any of the following without making a prior appointment:
• Attend an information session.
• Join an hour-long campus tour given by a student tour guide.
• Have lunch in the student dining center.
• Visit a class.
• Explore on your own schedule. Our campus is open, and you can pick up a map and self-guided tour brochure at the Office of Admission.
Some of these options aren’t available at certain times of the year. Please check our website before visiting: www.haverford.edu/admission/visits.php. Please note that interviews and overnight stays on campus are not available to transfer applicants.
Financial Aid
Haverford’s financial aid is based solely on financial need and meets the full demonstrated need for all admitted students. In most years we are able to conduct our transfer admission process as “need-blind” for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, meaning your financial situation is not considered as part of your admission evaluation. This policy is reviewed each year. Haverford College typically does not have financial aid available for foreign citizens who apply as transfer candidates. For more information on Haverford’s financial aid program, please visit our Financial Aid website: www.haverford.edu/financialaid.
International Applicants
We welcome applications from international students. Currently, about eight percent of our students have grown up or attended high school outside the U.S. Our Admission Committee is familiar with education systems around the world. Regardless of your citizenship or geographic location, you should follow the same application process required of any other student. Please note that Haverford College typically does not have financial aid available for international transfer students because the funding we have for international students is awarded to first-year applicants.
If English is not your first language, we recommend that you take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) – Haverford Code #2289. Please see www.toefl.org for more information.
Residency Requirement
Students who have had more than four semesters of full-time college or university work must still fulfill our two-year residency requirement by completing four full-time semesters at Haverford. Please note that studying abroad for a semester or a year would not count toward that requirement.
On-campus housing is guaranteed for every student, however it is only required of students during their first year at Haverford. (This requirement is automatically waived for veterans and students 23 and older. Others with unusual circumstances may also apply for a waiver.) In general, transfer students are housed with upperclass Haverford students in one of the three north dorms – Jones, Lunt and Comfort. Each of these residence halls is four stories high and houses 70 students, all of whom have single rooms. On each floor, bedrooms are located in clusters of four (with living rooms) or five (without living rooms). All floors are coed, and all residents on a floor share one large bathroom. There are no kitchen facilities; the residents are expected to take the full meal plan and eat in the Dining Center.
Class Registration
Materials including registration instructions will be sent shortly after we receive your enrollment form. Since currently enrolled students will have already selected their classes, transfers choose classes on a space-available basis. However, transfers are generally able to register for all the classes they wish. You may also put your name on a waitlist for any class already full.
IB, AP, and International Exam Dates
If you have taken International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, or international exams (such as GCE exams), we view this as significant evidence of your academic accomplishment and preparation. In addition, some Haverford departments will allow you to forego introductory-level courses in areas in which you have already completed rigorous work. You may also receive up to one semester of college credit. Details about advanced standing and credit are available in the Course Catalog.
Transfer Credits
The Registrar will review your college transcripts and a credit analysis will be sent to you with your letter of admission. Four semester hours or six quarter hours are equivalent to one Haverford credit. There are three primary requirements for transferring credit from another college:
- You must have received, at minimum, a “C” or its equivalent in the course.
- The course can’t have been used to satisfy a high school graduation requirement (e.g., a fourth year of English).
- The course must be substantially similar to coursework taught at Haverford. For example, while courses in engineering, business, journalism, criminal justice, or any other strictly pre-professional program can be quite rigorous, Haverford doesn’t offer courses in these areas so credit will not be transferred. Math courses below the level of calculus don't receive credit either. Occasionally, the Registrar may contact you for clarification of a course description.
First-Year, Guest, and Special Applicant
If you want to be a First-Year Student, a full-time Guest Student for a semester or an entire year, or take an occasional class as a Special Student, you must use a different application for admission.
Application Checklist
Please use this checklist to ensure that you’ve mailed everything that is needed for your application to Haverford by March 31.
You should send:
- Transfer Application with attached Personal Statement and $60 application fee
- Optional: Arts Background Form (see page 2 of this link)
- Optional: Athletic Background Form (see page 2 of this link)
You should ask school or testing agency officials to send:
• Dean’s Form from every college you attended full-time
• Two faculty recommendations (No form is necessary; letters should be on college letterhead and must include your full name.)
• Transcripts from all colleges and secondary schools you have attended
• Score reports for standardized testing: SAT Reasoning Test or ACT, and two SAT Subject Tests. (If you did not take Subject Tests in high school, you do not need to take them now.)
All materials should be sent to:
Office of Admission
Haverford College
370 Lancaster Ave.
Haverford, PA 19041-1392
Phone: (610) 896-1350
Fax: (610) 896-1338
TTY: (610) 896-1436
admission@haverford.edu