The following outlines the general processing of all Transfer students to the University of West Florida. These procedures are encompassed in UWF Regulation 3.032, Undergraduate Admissions Standards for Transfer Students, as it may be amended.

General Provisions

1. Admission decisions to the University of West Florida (“UWF” or “University”) are made by the University subject to the regulations of the Florida Board of Governors (“BOG”).
2. “Transfer” applicants are those applicants who, prior to admission to UWF, have earned 12 or more semester hours of transferable college credit, as defined in this regulation, since graduating from high school, as evaluated by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
   1. Transfer applicants with fewer than 30 semester hours of transferable college credit must meet the transfer admission requirements set forth below under Transfer Student Admission, and these applicants must also meet the First Time In College (“FTIC”) student admission requirements outlined in UWF Regulation 3.001, Admissions Standards for First Time in College Student Applicants, as it may be amended.
   2. Transfer applicants with 30 semester hours but less than 60 semester hours of transferable college credits must meet the transfer admission requirements set forth below under Transfer Student Admission and must have completed at least one English composition course and one college-level mathematics course that consists of three semester credit hours with a grade of C or higher. High school transcripts may be required to demonstrate completion of the foreign language admission requirement. Students not meeting these requirements must meet the requirements for transfer students with less than 30 transferable semester hours. 
   3. Transfer applicants with 60 or more semester hours of transferable college credits must meet the transfer admission requirements set forth below under Transfer Student Admission.
3. Undergraduate admission decisions for transfer students are determined on a selective basis within curricular, space, enrollment, and fiscal limitations. Satisfaction with minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance. The selection process may include, but is not limited to, such factors as grades, test scores, pattern of courses completed, class rank, educational objectives, past conduct, academic recommendations, personal recommendations, and achievements. Preference for admission in any term will be given to those applicants whose credentials indicate the greatest promise of academic success while enrolled at UWF.
4. UWF does not discriminate in the admission process based upon age, color, disability, gender (sex or gender identity), marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

The minimum admission requirements expected of transfer students are established and are set forth in BOG Regulation 6.004, Admission of Undergraduate, Degree-Seeking Transfer Students, as it may be amended. Satisfaction of the BOG minimum requirements, as outlined below, does not automatically guarantee admission to the University of West Florida. Students seeing to transfer to UWF must:

1. Be in good standing and eligible to return to the last post-secondary institution attended as a degree-seeking student;
2. Have a cumulative 2.0 Grade Point Average (“GPA”) on a 4.0 system. The GPA is calculated using all transferable post-secondary credits;
3. Satisfy the minimum admission requirements for entering FTIC students (see UWF Regulation 3.001) if transferring with fewer than 30 semester hours or if transferring with 30 or more but less than 60 semester hours, having not completed one college-level English composition course and/or one college-level mathematics course that consist of three semester credit hours with a grade of C or higher; and 
4. Demonstrate proficiency to the second level of the same foreign language (or American Sign Language) taken either in high school or at the undergraduate institution(s) attended previously.
   1. Transfer students not meeting the foreign language requirement may be admitted; however, if admitted, such students are required to complete the foreign language requirement prior to UWF graduation.
   2. Transfer students who received an Associate of Arts (“AA”) degree from a Florida public community college, state college, or university prior to September 1, 1989, are exempt from this requirement.

Enrollment Limitations

The admission of transfer students to UWF shall be in accordance with the University’s mission and goals and shall comply with any enrollment limitations established by the BOG or the University.

Specialized Admissions Programs

1. In addition to the requirements for admission set forth in Transfer Student Admission above, applicants seeking admission to specialized admissions programs must meet specific departmental requirements as published in the Undergraduate Catalog. Some academic programs require a portfolio review, audition, or some element of pre-qualification prior to admission to the program. Explanations of these requirements are published in the Undergraduate Catalog by the program. Applicants to a specialized admissions program will receive a decision for general admission to UWF from the Office of Undergraduate Admission and will receive a separate decision for admission to the specialized admissions program from the department.
2. The admissions criteria and procedures for specialized admissions programs at UWF provide equal access to AA degree holders from Florida College System institutions, AA degree transfers from other Florida State University System institutions, and UWF students of equivalent status.

General Application Processing for Transfer Applicants

1. A complete application for admission, including all required documentation and the non-refundable application fee, must be submitted by all students except those who were previously enrolled at UWF in a degree program.
2. Applications for admission are accepted as early as 12 months before the requested term of entry. Complete applications must be submitted and supporting documents (i.e. transcripts and test scores) before the published application deadline date for the term desired. UWF reserves the right to return the application and application fee when the application is received after the published deadline or after any enrollment limit is reached for the requested term of entry. UWF also reserves the right to accept applications for admission after the deadline on a space-available basis.
3. Applications for admission are evaluated using a comprehensive review by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. All decisions are communicated in a letter issued to the applicant by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
4. Admission to UWF is granted for a specific term. Depending upon the number of credits already earned, a student may be required to declare a specific academic program at the time of application. The specific term of entry and the academic program to which the student is admitted are both stated in the decision letter.
5. All official transcripts, test scores, and other credentials must be received directly from the issuing institution or agency. Standardized test scores (e.g., SAT, ACT, TOEFL, CPT, PERT, etc.) may be considered to be official if they are recorded on an official high school transcript. It is the applicant’s responsibility to request official copies of all required credentials and to assure their receipt by UWF. All documents and credentials submitted become the property of UWF. The originals will not be returned to applicants or forwarded to a third party.
6. UWF reserves the right to request validation of an applicant’s test scores (e.g., SAT, ACT, TOEFL, CPT, PERT, etc.) prior to making an admission decision, if deemed necessary.
7. UWF reserves the right to rescind an applicant’s or student’s admission to the University if, upon review, the student's final transcript(s) demonstrates that the student no longer meets the standards for admission.
8. An application that contains false, fraudulent, or incomplete statements may result in denial of admission, denial of further registration, and/or revocation of degree(s) awarded.
9. The University shall evaluate an applicant’s previous conduct to determine whether offering the applicant admission is in the best interest of the University. Applicants with a record of previous misconduct at an educational institution or criminal conduct will be evaluated during the admission process in accordance with UWF Regulation 3.003, Admission of Applicants with Records of Criminal Conduct or of Misconduct at Educational Institutions, as it may be amended.
10. In accordance with BOG Regulation 6.001(9), General Admissions, and UWF Policy SA-12, Immunization Requirements, as they may be amended, once accepted for admission, each student must complete a signed medical history form and must provide either documentation of appropriate immunization or a valid exemption.
11. Applicants may request to change their semester of entry to a different semester. The newly desired semester of entry must be within one academic year of the semester originally requested on their application provided there is no alternative enrollment at another college or university in the interim. For example, an applicant for the Fall 2023 term could change the term of entry to the Spring 2024 term or the Summer 2024 term but not the Fall 2024 term, where one academic year would have elapsed from the original term of entry.
    1. All students wishing to change their entry term must follow the outlined semester change process on the Undergraduate Admissions website in order to submit a new application. The application must be received before the published application deadline for the new desired term of entry.
    2. A new application and application fee are required for applicants who accumulate additional academic coursework between the original semester of entry and the desired semester of entry.
    3. A new application and fee are required for applicants who wish to be considered for admission for a semester that begins more than 12 months after the originally requested semester of entry.
    4. Applicants who request to change their semester of entry will be re-evaluated for admission using the admissions requirements and selection criteria in effect for the new semester requested. Therefore, admission is not guaranteed for the newly requested semester.
    5. Those changing semesters of entry who apply to a specialized admissions program will have their application re-evaluated within the context of the subsequent applicant pool.
12. Applications and documents submitted by those applicants who are either denied or who do not enroll are retained as inactive files for one year only and are then destroyed.
13. UWF will provide reasonable substitution of admission requirements for an applicant as long as the absence of the requirement would not constitute a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program of study to which the applicant seeks admission, as long as the applicant establishes:
    1. that they are disabled as defined in BOG Regulation 6.018, Substitution or Modification of Requirements for Program Admission, Undergraduate Transfer, and for Graduation by Students with Disabilities, as it may be amended, and
    2. that the student's inability to meet the admission requirement is related to the disability.
14. Within curricular, space, enrollment, and fiscal limitations, admission as a junior to the upper division of the University will be granted to any applicant with an AA degree from a Florida public, a post-secondary institution who has not enrolled in a degree-seeking program at any other educational institution since their AA degree was conferred. The admission of such transfer students is governed by BOG Regulation 6.004, Admission of Undergraduate, Degree-Seeking Transfer Students, as it may be amended, and any applicable articulation agreement.
15. Transfer applicants who do not meet the minimum admissions criteria may be considered for admission to the University of West Florida. Such applicants will be evaluated for admission on an individual basis using a comprehensive review of factors, such as but not limited to, a combination of test scores and GPA that indicate potential for success, family educational background, socioeconomic status, geographic location, military service, special talents or abilities, or other special circumstances which contribute to a diverse student body.

Appeal

Undergraduate transfer applicants denied admission may appeal this decision in writing to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. This request must contain reasons why reconsideration is warranted and should highlight extenuating circumstances and/or appropriate alternative evidence of academic achievement, ability, motivation, and responsibility that indicates potential for success at UWF. Student-initiated appeals are heard by the Undergraduate Admissions Appeals Committee. Decisions rendered by the committee are final.

Undergraduate Transfer Credit Processing

The following outlines general information regarding transfer credit. Applicants may also refer to "Transfer Credit" within the undergraduate catalog for additional information.

1. The receipt and evaluation of transfer credits is the responsibility of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. In addition, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions evaluates General Education, Gordon Rule, multicultural, foreign language, and civic literacy requirements necessary for graduation. The department chairperson for the program to which an applicant applies has ultimate authority in determining which courses are applicable to award the requirements for that degree at UWF. Appeals for reconsideration of transfer credit evaluations must be directed to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. In many instances, exact course equivalents are determined after consultation with the departments.
2. UWF will only accept transfer credits from those institutions that are accredited by an institution whose accrediting agency is included on the list of approved accrediting agencies at the time the credits were earned.  Credits from a national accrediting agency will only be considered if the institution participates in Florida’s Statewide Course numbering system (“SCNS”) and which bears the same SCNS course prefix and last three digits as a UWF course. For applicability to a specific degree program, departments may specify that transfer credits must be earned at an institution accredited by a specific accrediting agency.
3. All satisfactorily completed courses from Florida public postsecondary institution or a postsecondary institution whose accrediting agency is included on the list of UWF approved accrediting agencies that participate in Florida’s Statewide Course Numbering System (“SCNS”) which bear the same SCNS course prefix and last three digits as a UWF course will automatically be transferred pursuant to the Florida Statewide Articulation Agreement. If the course is not part of SCNS, courses may transfer after consultation with the appropriate academic departments.  Factors that may be considered in making determinations for transfer of credit and for course equivalents include, but are not limited to, course description, course student learning outcomes, course syllabi, course text and other learning materials, qualifications of the course instructor, the accredited status of the institution originally awarding credit, the time elapsed since the course was completed, and student grades in courses taken at UWF. Applicability of such credits to a degree program will be by the department for which the student is admitted at the time of the student’s admission to the University or readmission in the event the student does not maintain continuous enrollment.
4. Applicants with credits from institutions whose accrediting agency is not included on the list of UWF approved accrediting agencies or an institution that does not participates in SCNS may petition the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for a re-evaluation of the credits earned at such institutions for inclusion in their UWF academic record. In order to be eligible to petition, these applicants must have earned a minimum of 20 credits at UWF with a cumulative UWF GPA of at least 2.0.
5. UWF reserves the right to evaluate specific courses and deny transfer credit. Courses that are remedial, occupational, or vocational in nature are not accepted for transfer credit.                   
6. Applicants who have earned an AA degree from a Florida public higher education institution are automatically awarded 60 semester credit hours. Credits of all other AA degree transfer applicants will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis.
7. Transfer credit will not be awarded for tests taken for the purpose of earning a GED credential.
8. Service school courses will be evaluated with reference to the recommendations of the American Council of Education and Florida Department of Education guidance on postsecondary credit for military courses and occupations when official credentials have been presented. 
9. A maximum of 60 semester hours of nontraditional credit (e.g., military service credits, AP, IB, AICE, DANTES, CLEP, etc.) can be applied to the student's record. No more than 45 credits of any one type of credit can be applied, with the exception of credit from military service schools for which a maximum of 60 semesters may be accepted. For those credits awarded by examination, official score reports from the testing agencies may be required.
10. GPAs for the purpose of admission are computed based on grades earned in courses that are acceptable for transfer credit and are converted to UWF's grading scale upon articulation.
11. Grades earned in transferred courses are not computed in the student’s UWF GPA except for the purposes of admission to specialized admissions programs, awarding of honors at graduation, and class ranking of baccalaureate students.

Deadlines for Applications and Supporting Documents

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