Criteria and conditions

Criteria and conditions

There is no automatic right to transfer. A student can only transfer to a different department if that department has sufficient spaces left and is willing to offer a place.

Transfer needing SCC approval

1. Students who have failed on one programme (usually at the end of a stage) and wish to transfer to another programme which is in the same or one of the same departments as the failed programme. (Such a transfer would not normally be permitted. Exceptions might include failure of one route where a route change within the same year is possible).
2. Students transferring after the end of the second year or where the length of the programme is being extended unless the transfer is within the same department(s) and there is no repeat study and no exemption from assessments. Approval is still needed if the transfer is after the start of the third year. 
3. Students seeking exemption from university assessment or wanting to discount modules in order to transfer including students wanting to abandon a sandwich year. 
4. Student seeking to take additional modules where the credit total is affected.
5. Students requesting permission to transfer directly to a new programme of study after the first four weeks of their first year.
6. If the transfer requires repeat study of elements of a programme for which the teaching has already been received.

Undergraduates/Taught Postgraduates

Applicants must demonstrate that they are in good academic standing in their current department, meet the academic criteria and requirements for the new Programme, and the application must be approved and signed by both the original and new department.

When a student transfers to a new programme, it is expected that they will complete its full academic requirements. However, it may be possible, to allow some of the credit previously gained to be transferred. The receiving department will make a decision as to whether the modules already taken meet the learning outcomes of the new programme.

If the student is transferring to a programme which is similar to their previous programme then the Special Cases Committee will expect that any repeat study will be avoided if possible. This means that the student may need to replace modules which they have previously studied with elective modules, if they require repeat study.

If it is not possible for the student to start the new programme until the next available opportunity, the student is expected to take a leave of absence for the rest of the session and a Leave of Absence form must be completed.

• Leave of Absence (MS Word , 98kb)‌
• Leave of Absence (PDF , 260kb)‌

Postgraduates - Research

Applicants must demonstrate that they are in good academic standing in their current department, meet the academic criteria and requirements for the new Programme, and the application must be approved and signed by both the original and new department.

A student enrolled on a research degree programme may request a transfer to a different research degree provided that the transfer takes place before the dissertation, thesis, or other final research is submitted. A coherent and realistic plan for the completion and submission of the thesis within the required period must be submitted.

Tier 4 (Student) visas

If the transfer of programme increases or decreases the length of the student’s enrolment period, please ensure that the student has consulted with an Immigration Adviser before taking this step, as the student may be expected to inform the UK border agency of this change.

UK Visas and Immigration – sponsorship compliance:

Changes must be notified to UKVI within 10 days of the University approving the change in circumstance. Academic Departments must allow time for processing to be undertaken on the SITS Student Record system within this 10 day reporting window. All decisions should therefore be communicated to Registry Services as soon as they are known.

• For more information please see the immigration website

How to apply

How to apply

All transfer of programme must be on the appropriate form. 

• Transfer Form UG PGT (PDF , 126kb)
• Transfer Form UG PGT (MS Word , 73kb)

 If a student wishes to apply for a transfer of programme, they should first approach their supervisor and discuss their options. If the student’s original and new department agree to the programme transfer, the student can then complete Section A on the and forward it to their supervisor and department for completion. The supervisor and department should complete Section B and then forward the form to the student’s new department for completion. The new department should complete Section C and then forward it on approval.

Before the form is submitted please ensure that the following information is included:

• Confirmation that the details the student has entered, including the start date of the proposed transfer are correct
• a signed copy of the Transfer Disclaimer Form
• Postgraduate Research students must also include coherent and realistic plan for the completion and submission of the thesis within the required period
• List any repeat study required or exemptions from assessment requirements
• Information regarding student’s academic standing in the current department

Once all the necessary signatures have been obtained, the completed form should be emailed from the Chair Board of Studies/Executive Committee email address (or the Chair Board of Studies must be copied into the email address for the transfer to be processed) to registry-services@york.ac.uk.

Until formal approval is given, the student will remain registered on their current programme and will be expected to comply with all its requirements, including attendance at all classes.

After the Transfer Request has been approved, the student and department will receive a transfer email confirmation, confirming the dates of the transfer and include any conditions that may apply.

Please note: Registry Services is currently working on a project to replace the Transfer Form with an online approval process and so please be aware in future this process will be subject to change.