4 Reasons We're Transfer-Friendly

At St. Edward’s, we don’t just welcome transfer students. We’ve been nationally recognized for helping them thrive. 

Not everyone follows the same path to graduation. We honor the unique talents and perspectives that scholars from all walks of life can bring to our student body by making it as seamless as possible for transfer students to find a home on the hilltop. 

“St. Edward’s meets students where they're at no matter what untraditional path their college journey has taken them,” says Director of Transfer Admissions Tracy Canales.  “Not every transfer student is the same, and we want our students to know we are here to help them succeed. The hilltop offers one-on-one, personalized support to transfer students from the inquiry stage through graduation and beyond.”  

Here are four reasons we’re the transfer-friendly institution for you.

1. We Accept the Texas Core Complete Status

We’re leaders in adopting transfer-friendly policies. St. Edward’s was one of the first private schools in the state to accept the Texas Core Complete Status. Any student who has been certified as Texas Core Complete — meaning having completed the 42-credit hour, general education core curriculum (outlined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board) at a state public college — will have those credits applied to their degree plan at St. Edward’s. 

Beginning your time on campus with a foundation of general education credits means fewer courses to enroll in outside of your chosen major and ultimately a shorter, more budget-friendly path to graduation.

2. We’re Consistently Recognized on the Transfer Honor Roll

Gold is one of our school colors for a reason. We’ve been honored with the gold seal of approval on the Transfer Honor Roll for the fifth time in six years. Created by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (a society and foundation focused on transfer student success), the Transfer Honor Roll recognizes four-year colleges and universities with proven positive outcomes for transfer student success. 

“St. Edward’s sets the standard for how institutions should treat transfer students,” says Ricardo Lefranc ‘24, a first-generation college student whose lifelong dream of attending St. Edward’s (which began when his family first moved to Austin from Nueva Leon, Mexico) was realized when he transferred in 2020. “St. Edward’s gave me a chance to be everything a college student can be. They’re committed to making sure students have the best time possible and become a part of the university legacy.”

3. We Provide Support From Day One

Our Transfer Student Advising Office knows that transfer students need more than just credits to graduate. We support the whole student: from academic readiness to emotional well-being and extracurricular engagement. Our transfer success coaches welcome new students to campus and connect them with resources like peer tutoring, campus involvement plans, and professional development opportunities. 

“More than anything, the transfer student staff makes St. Edward’s very special,” says Sophia Chauvet ‘23, who transferred in 2022. “They are always extending a helping hand, just trying to be the best resource they can be.”

4. We Offer Transfer-Friendly Application Deadlines

We recognize that transferring institutions is a time-intensive process. That’s why we offer transfer student-specific application deadlines that make it easy to begin planning your future at St. Edward’s. Our deadline to apply for the Spring semester is November 15, and submitting all application materials by this date allows you to be considered not only for admission, but for all applicable scholarships and the best financial aid package possible. 

Our Fall transfer student application deadlines can be found here, as well as for tips on how to waive your application fee and keep track of your admissions materials to jumpstart your St. Edward’s journey.