Undergraduate Transfer Applicants Requirements
Northwestern University is one of the most prestigious universities on the planet and a highly selective institution. It also has a very high acceptance rate. To be admitted to this university, you must have at least a 3.5 GPA in all your classes and a strong SAT or ACT score.
Application Requirements
The application requirements for Northwestern University are as follows:
- Application deadline: December 1 for fall admission and March 15 for spring admission. Early action applicants must submit their applications by November 1.
- Application fee: $80 ($70 if paid by credit card). The fee is waived if you're applying to an honours program or have been admitted to NU's College of Engineering, law school or graduate program. If you're requesting a fee waiver, please select "Other" under "Payment Method" on the Common Application website and enter your request there.
- You must also upload a copy of your tax return showing that you qualify for this service to be approved (if applicable).
Apply Methods
You can apply to Northwestern using the Common Application, the Coalition Application, or other accepted transfer applications.
The Universal College Application (UCAS) is another popular choice for students planning to attend college in 2019-20. If you use this application, please note that it does not require an essay and does not have a space for additional information about yourself–add your high school transcript and ACT/SAT scores.
The QuestBridge National College Match Program is another option if you want to apply directly to Northwestern through QuestBridge’s partnership with us.
Participation students must apply by December 1; however, you can submit non-binding Early Action applications through November 15 if desired.
English proficiency exams
The English proficiency exam is a requirement for all international applicants whose first language is not English and who have not studied at an accredited university in the U.S., Canada or the U.K. The test should be taken within two years of applying to Northwestern University. The most common tests are the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and CAE (Cambridge Advanced Exams).
The TOEFL can be taken at any time; however, scores are valid for two years only after you take it, so we recommend taking it as early as possible so that you don’t have to worry about submitting additional supporting documentation later on if needed by our office during our review process.
Test scores
Northwestern University requires the SAT or ACT, but not both. The school doesn’t specify a minimum score for either test; instead, you must meet or exceed the average score of admitted students in your state. For example, if you’re applying from Illinois and your GPA is 3.5 or higher (on a 4-point scale), you should aim for at least 1300 on the SAT and 28 on the ACT.
If you’re planning on taking one of these exams more than once during high school–and most people do–then check Northwestern’s retaking test policy: You can only take them four times total before being ineligible for admission consideration at any college or university.
Read the application requirements to see what Northwestern University needs from you.
To apply to Northwestern University’s undergraduate transfer program, you must meet the following requirements:
- Read the application requirements and make sure you can fulfil them.
- Apply to the correct program. If you’re interested in studying at Northwestern as a transfer student, select “Transfer Applicant” when prompted during your application process. This will ensure that your application is directed toward the right location on campus!
- Be ready for submission by reading through all of your supporting documents before submitting them online or by mail (depending on which option suits you best).