Transfer Instructions
Drexel takes into consideration a number of criteria when determining admission, including your college performance in relation to your desired major and essay.
Drexel assumes that you've completed coursework similar to Drexel's curriculum. A reminder that if you have fewer than 24 semester college credits, you will also need to submit your high school transcript and SAT or ACT scores.
Prerequisites and Deadlines
Before beginning your application to Drexel, please review our Admission Prerequisites and Application Deadlines.
Required Materials
Complete an application for Undergraduate Admission. We accept the following applications:
- Full-Time Transfer Programs
- Nursing Accelerated Career Entry
Note: To be considered for our accelerated BSN program, you must already have a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing major. To apply for this program, select "Accelerated Career Entry Nursing" as your application. You should not use the Common Application, but instead use the link below. If you do not already have a bachelor's degree or are seeking our traditional BSN program, select "Undergraduate Transfer Full-Time" as your application using the link below.
If you are interested in part-time studies, visit the part-time application instructions page.
To expedite the application process, please write your full name (no nicknames, please) on all items submitted. U.S. citizens and permanent residents are required to provide their Social Security number to be considered for financial aid. If you need to change your major or co-op selection after submitting your application, please email enroll@drexel.edu or call 215.895.2400.
Drexel applicants must pay a nonrefundable application fee of $50.00 U.S., which should be paid online when you submit your application.
Students who feel that the application fee would be a financial hardship can request a fee waiver with their application. Drexel is also granting application fee waivers to applicants who are living in areas recently affected by natural disasters. Please indicate your status when applying.
Applicants to the Nursing Accelerated Career Entry (ACE) program and part-time applicants are not required to pay an application fee.
All full-time applicants (except nursing ACE) must submit a 250- to 650-word essay with their application. We do not accept essays submitted on paper.
Westphal College of Media Arts and Design applicants should submit a writing supplement instead of the application essay. More information regarding the writing supplement can be found below.
Official transcripts must be sent directly from your college or university to Drexel. The transcript should include all courses in progress. You are required to submit transcripts from each college attended.
If you have fewer than 24 semester college credits, you will also need to submit official transcripts from each high school attended as well as your official standardized testing scores.
Your admission decision may be delayed if you do not send transcripts from all of the colleges and universities where you have completed coursework.
International applicants are required to submit an official academic record (with notarized English translation) from every postsecondary school attended. Applicants may also be required to submit official secondary academic records unless they have completed one year of full-time coursework from an accredited institution. Syllabus/course descriptions must accompany transcripts for evaluation of transfer credits.
Important notes for international applicants:
- A transcript is official only when it is sent directly from an institution to the Admissions Office, or when it is officially signed, stamped in color, and sealed.
- Please use your full name on all documents (should match the name listed on your passport).
All nursing ACE and nursing BSN applicants who have coursework from an institution outside of the United States — except Study Abroad — must have their transcripts evaluated by one of the following agencies:
• World Education Services (WES)
• International Consultants of Delaware
• Educational Credential Evaluators
If you have fewer than 24 semester college credits, you will need to submit standardized test scores, but we offer some flexibility in which test(s) will fulfill our standardized test score requirement. Refer to our Standardized Testing Policy for specific requirements.
International Applicants whose first or native language is not English must take the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE (Pearsons). These scores are only valid for up to two years from the test date. Drexel's TOEFL school code is 2194. Students must submit the TOEFL or IELTS unless:
- You have completed English Composition I and II (and III if attending a quarter institution) earning a grade of C or better from a regionally accredited institution in the United States.
- You have studied at, and subsequently graduated from, a high school or university where English is the primary language of instruction for a minimum of three years.
- You have received a minimum score of 600 on the SAT Critical Reasoning section or a minimum score of 27 on the ACT English section within the last two years.
Applicants who wish to request a waiver of the TOEFL exam based on their high school or university credentials must submit a copy of their official transcript(s) reflecting years of attendance and graduation date. Transcripts may be sent via email to enroll@drexel.edu, fax to 215.895.1285, or mail to the address below.
U.S. Citizens and permanent residents who are interested in Drexel's institutional need-based financial aid are required to submit both the CSS Profile and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Applicants should submit the CSS Profile as soon as possible. Applicants who do not submit the CSS Profile will not be eligible for institutional need-based financial aid.
You can submit the CSS Profile on the College Board website; be sure to list Drexel so that we can receive this information. You can submit the FAFSA online at fafsa.ed.gov using Drexel's FAFSA school code: 003256. You should not wait to be accepted to submit the CSS Profile and FAFSA. The CSS Profile and FAFSA can be started as early as October.
U.S. Citizens and permanent residents who are only interested in need-based aid from the federal or state government only need to file the FAFSA.
International applicants who are interested in Drexel's institutional need-based financial aid are required to submit the CSS Profile. Applicants should submit the CSS Profile as soon as possible. Applicants who do not submit this information will not be eligible for institutional need-based financial aid. You can submit the CSS Profile on the College Board website; be sure to list Drexel so that we can receive this information.
Learn more about How to Apply for Aid.
It is Drexel's expectation that every family fulfill and understand the financial responsibility for educational costs at Drexel. Since you and your family or sponsors must assume responsibility for your student expenses, Drexel requires proof of financial responsibility showing sufficient financial support for education in the United States in order to obtain a student visa for students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Review the information for New International Students on the International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) website to learn about the I-20/DS-2019 application process.
Applicants are encouraged to follow these portfolio guidelines carefully and submit materials that strengthen their application. The portfolio must be completed in SlideRoom.
Required Portfolios
Applicants to the following programs are required to submit a portfolio for admission.
- Animation & Visual Effects
- Fashion Design
- Game Design & Production
- Graphic Design
- Photography
- Virtual Reality & Immersive Media
Optional Portfolios
Applicants to the following programs are not required to submit a portfolio for admission. It is optional.
- Art History
- Design & Merchandising
- Entertainment & Arts Management
- Film & Television
- Interactive Digital Media
- Interior Design
- Product Design
- Screenwriting & Playwriting
Portfolio Guidelines
The Admission Committee is examining your work for originality, creative problem solving, and systematic thinking. Applicants should submit eight to 12 pieces of your strongest and most recent work in a variety of media that demonstrate a balance of technique and concept. Thematic work or a series of pieces is received favorably.
Portfolio contents may include any combination of drawings, paintings, printmaking, photography, graphic design, architectural design, interior design, ceramics, sculpture, fiber art, fashion design, jewelry and metals, furniture, designed objects, animation, computer-generated images, film, video, performance art, audio recordings, websites, video games, sketchbooks, scripts, storyboards, or screenplays.
If the portfolio includes audio, film, video, animation, game design, and interactive work, it may not exceed five minutes of total running time. For collaborative works, it is important to provide credits and describe your role(s) within the creative process. Writers, please submit a minimum of eight to 12 pages of written work of either a single piece or numerous smaller pieces.
The portfolio must be completed in SlideRoom only. Upload the highest possible quality of documentation of your creative work. Media requirements are outlined in SlideRoom for files consisting of images, audio, videos, PDF, or embedded media. If the file is an example of a recording, composition, or mix done in Pro Tools, Logic, Ableton, or GarageBand, please include an in-progress screenshot and a detailed description of your process.
Projects for Students with Limited or No Art Background or Portfolio
If you do not have any background in art or design, you can still apply. For example, you may want to start your portfolio by drawing from life: sneakers, bedrooms, friends, and landscapes are all excellent subjects, or you may photograph and document your day, your life, or an ordinary event in an extraordinary way.
Other examples of creative work may include a mixed-media collage inspired by your dreams, a research-based paper or project, video blogging, online curation, a video game proposal that modifies a children’s board game so that it requires the skill of an adult, a résumé for performing arts or technical theater, business or marketing plans, social media/promotion plans, examining and redesigning an existing product or interior, a narrative outline for a short script or interactive design, or an observational essay of curatorial practice in a museum gallery or public space. When you have eight to 12 projects you want us to see — you have a portfolio! Upload your projects to SlideRoom.
Questions
Should you have questions about the portfolio, please contact the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design at westphal.admissions@drexel.edu.
Portfolio Review Days
Meet a representative of Drexel's Westphal College for a portfolio review and receive helpful feedback prior to submitting your application. We participate in portfolio review days with the National Portfolio Day Association and Preview: The International Portfolio Review Forum.
Applicants to the following programs must submit a writing supplement with their application.
Custom-designed: Please write a 500- to 800-word vision statement/essay describing in detail what you want to study, what you hope to accomplish during your time in the program, and why your educational goals cannot be met by pursuing a traditional Drexel major, a double major, or a major combined with minors. Your vision statement/essay should also include how you expect this program to prepare you for life after college, detailing what career or pursuits the custom-designed major will facilitate and how you plan to impact the world. Finally, the vision statement/essay should contain a plausible plan of study for achieving your goals by drawing upon two or more existing Drexel programs. A sample vision statement can be found on the Custom-Designed Major Prospective Students page. Information about existing programs and courses at Drexel can be found in the University Catalog.
Westphal College - All Majors (listed below): Please write a short essay describing why you are interested in pursuing your major of choice at Drexel University's Westphal College. What have you done that prepares you to study in your major of choice? (Maximum 500 words)
- Animation & Visual Effects
- Architecture
- Art History
- Dance
- Design & Merchandising
- Entertainment & Arts Management
- Fashion Design
- Film & Television
- Game Design & Production
- Graphic Design
- Interactive Digital Media
- Interior Design
- Photography
- Product Design
- Screenwriting & Playwriting
- Virtual Reality & Immersive Media
If you have questions about the guidelines, please contact the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design by email at westphal.admissions@drexel.edu.
Dance majors are required to audition. Auditions can be done live or by video. Visit Westphal College's Dance Auditions page for guidelines and dates.
You may be invited to participate in an interview with custom-designed major staff via telephone or in person. The interview will be an opportunity for you to discuss the appropriateness of the custom-designed major, given your interests, as well as to answer any questions you may have.
Mailing Addresses
| By Postal Mail |
By Express Courier
(DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.) |
Drexel University
Application Processing
PO Box 34789
Philadelphia, PA 19101 |
Drexel University
Application Processing
3141 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2876 |
Admission Decisions
Applications for transfer applicants are reviewed on a rolling basis for all terms. Please check your program of interest to determine which terms the program enrolls.
Check Your Application Status Online
During the admission process, you'll have the opportunity to check your admission status online. Once your application has been processed, you'll receive access to Discover Drexel using your email address and password created during the application submission.
If you are offered admission to Drexel, be sure to review our information for Admitted Students.
Admission Decision Appeals
An applicant who has been denied admission to the University may appeal. Reversal on a decision is rare and, if considered, is done based on changes in the applicant's academic criteria or personal circumstances that could not be considered adequately through the standard admission review process.
An applicant appealing a decision should compose a letter to the Academic Appeal Chairperson stating the reason for the appeal and provide updated documentation. The appeal should be clear and concise, and provide new information. Your letter should not repeat information already presented in your initial application. The appeal should be emailed to the attention of the Academic Appeal Committee Chairperson at enroll@drexel.edu.
Notification of the decision of the committee is final and will be made known to the applicant by mail within two to three weeks.
Notices and Disclosures
Please refer to Drexel's Consumer Information and Student Right to Know page for policies that pertain to all prospective and enrolled students.
Drexel University abides by the provisions of Public Law 93-380, which grants the student the right to examine admission files that are part of the student's permanent "Educational Record." Please note that "Applicants for Admission" are not granted rights under this legislation. Once an "Applicant for Admission" becomes a "Student" by enrolling and attending Drexel, any admission file that becomes a part of the student's permanent "Educational Record" becomes available to the student for review. Applicants should understand that only the transcripts, CEEB, SAT, Achievement Test Score Reports, and those portions of the application generated by the student will become part of the student's permanent "Educational Record" upon enrollment.
No other information or material gathered or submitted in the admission process will be retained as part of the student's permanent "Educational Record." Statements or evaluations provided by any individual do not become part of the student's permanent "Educational Record" and will not be available for the student's review.
All documents that you submit, or are submitted on your behalf, in support of this application for admission to Drexel University become the property of the University and will under no circumstances be released to you or any other party. In accordance with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, all admission decisions are given to the applicant only. No decisions on applications are revealed over the telephone.
Drexel University, in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), publishes an annual report for current and prospective students and employees. This report contains important safety information and crime statistics for the previous three years. These statistics pertain to reported crimes that have occurred on campus in certain non-campus buildings, or properties that are owned or controlled by Drexel University, and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus.
Download a copy of the most recent Annual Security Report [PDF]. Printed copies of this report are also available by calling the Public Safety Administrative Office at 215.895.1550.
For more information about the services provided by the Drexel University Department of Public Safety, please visit the Department of Public Safety website.
Drexel University is accredited through a voluntary, peer-review process coordinated by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). In addition, the International Gateway program is accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA).
You can view further information and disclosures about Drexel University at the Required Information for Students and the Public Provost webpage.