Section 5: Programme Transfers

Published for 2025-26

Contents

5.1 Requesting a Transfer

  1. Subject to approval by the Departments/ Divisions and Faculties concerned, a student may be permitted to transfer from one UCL programme to another, if certain conditions are met. This includes, inter alia:
    1. Transfer to a different Programme of Study
    2. Change of Route within a programme
    3. Transfer from Integrated Masters to Bachelors, and vice versa
    4. Transfer from a Study Abroad programme to a cognate programme with no Study Abroad requirement
    5. Transfer from a Placement programme to a cognate programme with no Placement requirement
    6. Transfer from a BA programme to a cognate BSc programme (e.g. BA Geography to BSc Geography) and vice versa
    7. Transfer between Masters, PG Dip or PG Cert programmes.

  2. Transfer between programmes cannot be guaranteed. Students must not assume a transfer will be approved and they will remain registered on the current programme until official approval is obtained.

    Definitions

  3. The ‘Current’ Department/ Division and Faculty refers to the programme on which the student is currently registered.

  4. The ‘Receiving’ Department/ Division and Faculty refers to the programme to which the student intends to transfer.

    Making an Application

  5. The online Programme Transfer Form on Portico must be completed for all applications.
  6. For further information see the Students’ web pages.

5.2 Deadline for Transfers 

  1. In order to be compatible with module selection deadlines, Programme Transfers should be made by the following deadlines in the effective year:

    September Starters:
    Term 1, Week 5
    Week 9 in the UCL administrative calendar

    January Starters:
    Term 2, Week 3
    Week 22 in the UCL administrative calendar

  2. For transfers between Integrated Masters and cognate Bachelors programmes, transfers must be completed by the following deadlines:

    Transfer from Bachelors to Integrated Masters
    The Friday before the last day of Term 3, Year 3
    The Friday of Week 40 in the UCL administrative calendar

    Transfer from Integrated Masters to Bachelors
    The day before the start of Term 1 of the Masters year
    The Friday of Week 4 in the UCL administrative calendar

    Please note: Students who transfer to a Bachelors programme after 1 April can only attend a graduation ceremony in the following year.

  3. Transfers for a subsequent year may be arranged at any time but should be made by the above deadlines in the effective year.
  4. A later transfer may be permitted if the Programme Diets are compatible or can be made compatible, and if the student can still meet the requirements of the receiving programme of study.

5.3 Minimum Criteria for Approval

  1. Applications must only be considered if the following criteria are met:
    1. The student should have met the standard entrance requirements of the receiving programme and should not have received a rejection to a previous application.
    2. The receiving Department/Division must have sufficient capacity in terms of student numbers.
    3. The student must have a good attendance record and be demonstrably engaged with their studies.
    4. The student should be able to meet the requirements of any visa under which they are studying.
    5. For transfers from Bachelors to Integrated Masters programmes, the student must have met any Progression Requirements defined in the Portico Progression and Award Rules Tool e.g. minimum levels of performance.

5.4 Approval of Transfers within a Department/ Division 

  1. For transfers within a Department/ Division, the Department/ Division must first assess the application against the Minimum Criteria for Approval in 5.3 above.
  2. If the criteria are met, the Department/ Division must determine whether the student’s learning to date meets the requirements of the receiving programme, or if adjustments to the Programme Diet would be needed:
    1. If the transfer requires no change to the Programme Diet, or only the notional adjustment of modules as compulsory, optional or elective to satisfy the Programme Diet, the Department/Division may approve the application using the online form in Portico.
    2. If there are more substantive differences in the Programme Diets the Department/ Division should forward the application to the Faculty Tutor for consideration enclosing a mapping of the two Programme Diets which flags any discrepancies requiring resolution.

5.5 Approval of Transfers between Departments/ Divisions 

Consideration by the Current Department/ Division

  1. For transfers between Departments/ Divisions applications must be considered by the current Department/ Division in the first instance.

Consideration by the Receiving Department/ Division

  1. The receiving Department/ Division must assess the application against the Minimum Criteria for Approval in 5.3 above. Additional information may be requested from the Current Department/Division to support the receiving Department/Division in making this assessment.
  2. If the criteria are met, the receiving Department/ Division must determine whether the student’s learning to date meets the requirements of the receiving programme, or if adjustments to the Programme Diet would be needed:
    1. If the transfer requires no change to the Programme Diet, or only the notional adjustment of modules as compulsory, optional or elective to satisfy the Programme Diet, the Department/Division may approve the application using the online form in Portico, which will notify the current Department/Division and the current and receiving Faculties.
    2. If there are more substantive differences in the Programme Diets the receiving Department/ Division must forward the application to the receiving Faculty Tutor for consideration enclosing the mapping of the two Programme Diets which flags any discrepancies requiring resolution.

5.6 Transfers Requiring Faculty Approval

  1. If the transfer cannot be approved at Departmental/ Divisional level, applications must be forwarded to the receiving Faculty Tutor for consideration.
  2. After scrutiny of the evidence submitted, the receiving Faculty Tutor must make one of the following decisions:
    1. That the transfer can be approved with no changes to the Programme Diet.
    2. That the transfer can be approved with the notional adjustment of modules as compulsory, optional or elective to satisfy the Programme Diet.
    3. That the transfer can be approved but requires the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to align the Programme Diets.
    4. That the transfer cannot be approved.
  3. If the application is approved, the Faculty Tutor should document the following in the online form in Portico:
    1. Any modules for which RPL is granted
    2. Any approved variations from the standard Programme Diet
    3. Any approved variations in the Progression and Award Requirements and/ or the Classification algorithm which might result from the changes in Programme Diet (e.g. where regulations vary between faculties or departments/ divisions).
  4. On receipt of an approved application, UCL Student Records will amend the student’s record to reflect the new Programme Diet.

5.7 Service Standards for Programme Transfers 

  1. The following service standards apply to all programme transfer requests that are made within published deadlines and must be observed by Departments and Faculties.
    1. All programme transfer requests should be considered, and a decision made and communicated to the student within 10 working days of the initial application.
    2. Where it is identified that there will be an unavoidable delay in processing an application, the relevant Department or Faculty approver must inform the student of the reason for the delay and indicate a new deadline.
    3. Transfers that require referral to UCL Immigration and Visa Compliance due to restrictions associated with the conditions of a Student Visa, or that require referral under the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) may not be concluded within the normal service standard.