Transfer Students
Students with advanced standing are admitted as transfers. A transfer student is anyone enrolling in Simmons for the first time who has attempted at least 17 college-level credits as a degree-seeking student at another accredited institution, is seeking their first Bachelor’s degree, and is 23 years old or younger. Transfers are accepted for both the spring and fall terms.
Transfer credit is generally granted for courses comparable to those offered by Simmons that were successfully completed with a grade of C or higher at another accredited institution. Credit for a course taken elsewhere with a grade of P can transfer if the Registrar’s office can determine that the P is not equivalent to a grade below a C. To be eligible for the Simmons degree, transfer students must spend at least three semesters at Simmons and earn a minimum of 48 semester hours of credit. Students 24 years of age or older or students seeking a second bachelor’s degree should apply to Simmons using the Dorothea Lynde Dix Scholars admission application. Please see page 12 for details. Students who have completed fewer than 17 college credits must apply as first-year students.
Application Procedure for Transfers
Please note that all admission materials and supporting documentation become the property of Simmons and may not be returned to the applicant at any time.
- Application Form: The Simmons Transfer application or The Common Application should be submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admission by the preferred April 1 deadline for students interested in transferring for the fall semester and November 1 for students interested in transferring for the spring semester. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. Accepted students who apply by the deadline and decide to enroll are required to submit a nonrefundable deposit no later than three weeks after their acceptance to Simmons Students who apply after the deadline will be given a deposit deadline based on the date of decision. Students applying as transfer candidates to begin the nursing program in the fall semester are strongly encouraged to apply by December 15.
- Application for Financial Aid: Refer to application details.
- Secondary School Record: An official transcript from the secondary school showing final grades earned, as well as proof of graduation is required. The applicant should contact their high school directly for this information. This requirement is waived for applicants with an Associate’s degree.
- Tests: Standardized tests are required of each applicant. This requirement may be met by taking either the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or the American College Testing (ACT) Assessment. Students who have completed 32 semester hours of under- graduate work are generally exempt from this requirement. However, all applicants for nursing and physical therapy must submit standardized test scores. For information concerning these tests, visit the College Board website at www.collegeboard.org or the American College Testing Assessment website at www.act.org. International students whose primary language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in place of the SAT or ACT. Scores for tests taken before college entrance may be submitted. In all cases, the applicant is responsible for having the test results forwarded to the Office of Undergraduate Admission.
- College Record: An official transcript from each college attended is required. If a student is enrolled in classes at the time of application, the applicant must file a supplementary transcript with final grades before enrolling at Simmons.
- Midterm Grade Report: The Admission Committee may request that applicants have their current instructors send midterm reports with expected grades to the Office of Undergraduate Admission. A form for this purpose is provided in the transfer application.
- College Recommendations: A recommendation from an academic advisor or dean and a recommendation from a faculty member are required. Both should be from the most recent institution attended. Forms for this purpose are included with the application materials. The Simmons Office of Undergraduate Admission keeps all credentials for one year. Therefore, applicants should notify the office if they have previously applied to Simmons, as some of the required credentials may already be on file. High school recommendations are not typically accepted from transfer students.
- Advanced Placement for Transfer Students
To receive advanced placement credit, a transfer student must have taken the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examination, a Higher-Level International Baccalaureate (IB) course test, or the A-Level test before matriculating at the college they attended as a first-year student, and they must apply for credit no later than the end of their first semester at Simmons. They must also submit the official Educational Testing Service’s verification of their scores to the Office of the Registrar. Please see additional information about advanced placement credit.
Transfer students may also receive credit through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Students may transfer in a maximum of 80 credits via AP exams, CLEP exams, IB courses, A-level exams and coursework taken at another regionally accredited institution.
Second Bachelor’s Degree
Qualified students holding a baccalaureate degree may be admitted to Simmons as candidates for another Bachelor’s degree. They are allowed to apply, up to 80 credits from the first degree toward the second degree. Second baccalaureate degree applicants must apply through the Dorothea Lynde Dix Scholars admission option and, once admitted, are subject to the policies that apply to Dix Scholars.
Merit Scholarship Programs for Transfer Students
Simmons offers academic scholarships up to $15,000 for incoming undergraduate transfer students. These awards are determined by the Office of Admission and are awarded upon review of the admission application. Merit scholarships are renewable for a maximum of four years (eight semesters) of full-time undergraduate coursework. They may not be used for summer sessions, graduate coursework, and may not be combined with other waivers or merit scholarships.
The Simmons Alumnae Scholarship
Simmons Alumnae scholarships are renewable scholarships provided for relatives (typically children, grandchildren, or siblings) of Simmons graduates. The relative must have already graduated from Simmons. A separate application is not required; however, applicants should identify alumnae/us in their admission application.
The Achievement Scholarship
The Admission Committee grants the Achievement Scholarship to a select group of transfer students to acknowledge their academic achievement in both high school and college, as well as their contributions to these communities. Academic achievement, leadership, service, and co-curricular achievements distinguished candidates for this annual scholarship of $15,000. The Achievement Scholarship is renewable for a maximum of four years with satisfactory academic progress. A separate application is not required.
Honors Program
The Honors Program is an interdisciplinary program designed for highly motivated students with strong analytical and writing skills, high levels of creativity, and an eagerness for intellectual challenge. Transfer students entering Simmons as degree candidates have the opportunity to apply for admittance to the honors program. While this program is highly selective, students with excellent combined experience in work and academics are encouraged to apply. Fall transfers must apply for the Honors program by April 1st. Spring transfers should apply during their first semester at Simmons. For more information about how to apply, please write to honors@simmons.edu or contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission.