Frequently Asked Questions

The Transfer Scholars Network aims to connect talented community college students like you with dedicated admissions staff from up to 16 highly selective colleges and universities nationwide through a virtual online platform. Staff members at the institutions you indicated an interest in will then work with you to ensure you have the resources and supports you need to navigate the transfer admissions process. Ultimately, we are committed to ensuring more talented students continue their postsecondary journey and earn a bachelor’s degree.

At this time, you can only connect with the 16 colleges and universities here that have formally committed to the Transfer Scholars Network. Each of these institutions has committed to expanding access to—and ensuring the success of—community college transfer students from across the country.

We encourage you to work with your dedicated transfer point of contact at your community college to identify a mix of four-year options that align with your needs, interests, and course of study. Even if you feel this particular set of colleges may not be the right fit, we encourage you to still submit your TSN application form. We look forward to announcing additional four-year partners in future admissions cycles.

As a part of their commitment to the Transfer Scholars Network, each of the 16 four-year partners aim to offer generous financial aid packages to all students they admit through the initiative. They also will explore opportunities for additional scholarships to help offset the cost of room, board, and other non-academic expenses, which we know can impact your decision to transfer, especially if you must relocate or move out of state.

The Transfer Scholars Network aims to ensure more talented students from lower-income backgrounds receive the supports they need to continue their higher education journey to (and through) a four-year institution. We envision we can meet this goal by prioritizing students with an annual adjusted gross income no higher than $100,000. That being said, if your income exceeds this threshold and your financial situation is more nuanced (e.g., you have dependents, you live in a high-cost area of the country), make sure to connect with your dedicated advisor at your community college to discuss your eligibility for TSN.

While you will be able to connect with any of the four-year colleges and universities participating in the initiative, you must still submit a formal application to those institutions. Also, please note that joining this initiative does not guarantee admission to a four-year institution.

By submitting a simple, straightforward application form, which you can access here, our four-year partners can better understand your academic achievements, financial circumstances, life experiences, and other accomplishments. With that information, they can provide tailored supports, resources, and insights to help you effectively navigate their application processes.

At this time, our four-year partners consider dual enrollment students who apply to be first-year students. We encourage those in dual enrollment programs to consider transfer options with their community college adviser. Our four-year partners also may consider international or DACA students to be first-year students. Before applying to TSN, please consult our Partners page, where you can find links to each of their transfer admissions webpages with specific admissions guidelines.

Yes! We encourage students early in their community college journey to join TSN. We hope you can use the time to get to know the four-year partners, build meaningful connections, and gain the information and support you need to navigate the transfer admissions process.

Each of the 16 four-year partner institutions will focus on recruiting prospective transfer students who have joined the Transfer Scholars Network. While there is no concrete advantage to applying as a Transfer Network Scholar, we believe that you can use this opportunity to navigate the various barriers that emerge in the admissions process and submit the strongest application possible. Regardless, we also encourage you to list your participation as a Transfer Scholar on your admissions application, which attests to your record of achievement.

We will hold topic-focused webinars for Transfer Scholars Network students, featuring admissions leaders and transfer students from across our four-year partners. Together, they will focus on topics such as financial aid, the application process, credit transfer, and the student experience. Alongside these TSN-sponsored engagements, we will send regular updates to students about webinars, campus visit opportunities, and other virtual events from the 16 four-year partners.

As part of your application, you will be able to indicate interest in any of the participating four-year institutions. We will share your information with staff members from those four-year partners and they will personally reach out to you. As a part of their initial outreach, they will share information about transferring to their institution, and over time, work with you to map out a plan to navigate the transfer application process.

Staff at each of the four-year partners are available via email, phone call, and/or videoconference to provide the ongoing support you need to successfully transfer to a four-year institution.