Transfer to SPU

Seattle Pacific has faith in our transfer students. With small class sizes, lowered tuition, and unparalleled professional opportunities in Seattle, you can jumpstart your future here. 

Apply today to see how a nationally ranked university like Seattle Pacific can help you reach your goals.

Transfer applicants have three application options. Please choose one of the following:

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Are You a Transfer Student?

  • If you have completed one or more college courses after your high school graduation, you will apply as a transfer student. If not, follow the admission procedures for incoming First Year students. (Keep in mind: Running Start or other dual-credit high school students will follow the admission procedures for incoming First Year students).
  • If you have completed an associate’s degree from a Washington, Oregon, or California regionally accredited university or two-year college, your degree may fulfill Common and Exploratory Curriculum requirements. Find out if you have a direct transfer degree.
  • Discover how credits from courses you have already taken may transfer into SPU with the Transfer Course Equivalency Guide.
  • If you will have a completed bachelor’s degree before you enter SPU, you will follow the admission procedures as a post-baccalaureate student.

Requirements & Deadlines

While GPA is an important factor in the review process, admission is based on a comprehensive review of each application. The quality of your writing in your application essays, your recommendations, and sometimes your standardized test scores will all impact your result.

Application Requirements

  • $50 application fee.
  • Official transcript* from each college attended.
  • Final high school transcript. Only required for students who have taken fewer than 45 college level quarter or 30 college level semester credits since high school graduation at the time of application.

How GPA affects your admission

You do not need to submit the Secondary School Report (a document completed by your high school counselor) or the Registrar’s Report document completed by your college or university registrar.

Send your transcripts to:
Seattle Pacific University
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
3307 Third Avenue West, Suite 115
Seattle, WA 98119-1922

 

As admissions counselors, we understand that although GPA is important, it does not tell the whole story of who you are. We ask that students have a minimum of 2.5+ GPA because we want each person to be set up for success in our academic programs. If you feel that your GPA is not an accurate representation of your ability and performance, explain why in your application essay. We want to get to know you personally, not just academically. Tell us about the obstacles you’ve overcome and why you connect with the mission and values of SPU.

Transfer Application Deadlines

April 1
(Extended to May 15)

Autumn Quarter Early Action Deadline

July 1

Autumn Quarter Deadline

November 15

Winter Quarter Deadline

February 1

Spring Quarter Deadline

Nursing

For Nursing application deadlines, for transfer and post-baccalaureate students, please refer to the Nursing application website.

Transferring Credits

Interested in seeing how your classes may transfer? Review our Transfer Course Equivalency Guide

Please keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive. If your courses are not listed, we are glad to offer you a preliminary transcript evaluation if you do one of the following:

If you would like a preliminary evaluation of how your credits will transfer to SPU and have met one of the above requirements, please request a transcript evaluation by providing the following information:

  1. Full Name
  2. SPU ID Number (if known)
  3. All College(s) attended (attach unofficial transcripts for each)
  4. If you would like additional class(es) evaluated that are not listed on your transcripts, please provide the course name, number and description for each class.
  5. Intended Major(s)
  6. Intended Quarter of Enrollment

Please allow at least 2 weeks’ notice to process your request. Your request may be submitted via:

Email: transfer@spu.edu
Fax: 206-281-2544, Attn: Transfer Admissions
Mailing Address:
Transfer Admissions
Seattle Pacific University
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
3307 Third Avenue West, Suite 115
Seattle, WA 98119-1922

*Please Note: If you have already received admission to SPU, your transfer work is automatically evaluated by the Office of the Registrar. You can access this information through SPU’s online student information system, Banner. For more information on this process, how to access and review this information, as well as next steps and options for questions, please review this helpful guide.

Common Questions

Typically, a minimum GPA of 2.5 is needed to be eligible for general admission to SPU. Some majors do require a higher cumulative GPA. Please check with your admissions counselor for more information.

No. Students enrolled in college-level courses before graduating from high school must apply as first-year students. However, college credits will transfer under the same policies as for all transfer students.

There is no minimum number of credits needed to transfer. Once you have completed at least one college course after graduating from high school, you are considered a transfer student. SAT or ACT score submission is optional.

A high school transcript is required only if you have completed fewer than 45 quarter credits (30 semester credits) at the time of application. However, if you took three years or more of a foreign language in high school with a “C” grade or better in the final course, this will fulfill our foreign language proficiency requirement. In this case, you should submit your official high school transcript to prove proficiency.

Official SAT or ACT scores are optional. A score of 580 or higher on the math section of the SAT, or 25 or higher on the math section of the ACT, will exempt a student from the math proficiency requirement. In this case you should submit your official test score.

No, transfer students are not required to submit the College Report. Just make sure to submit your official transcripts to complete your application!

Even though SPU does not require Advisor forms, you will still need to complete the Advisor information questions in the Common Application. Follow these steps to complete the Education section:

  • After you log into the Common Application, go to the dashboard and select “Seattle Pacific University”
  • Under the Common Application section, select “Education” from the left
  • In the “Current or Most Recent College” section, use the following contact information to fill out the Advisor questions:
    • Under prefix, select either “Mr.” or “Mrs.”
    • For first name, type “SPU.”
    • For last name, type “transfer.”
    • For job title, type “Advisor”
    • For email address, type “transfertospu@gmail.com”
    • For phone, type “206-281-2021”
  • Fill out the rest of the questions in this section, then click “Continue” to save your changes
  • Continue filling out the rest of the application!

No. In order to receive credit for any of these exams, you must have the testing agency submit official scores directly to SPU. Credit will be awarded using SPU’s transfer policies for exams, found in the SPU Undergraduate Catalog.

Possibly. If you are within 20 credits of earning a DTA associate’s degree at a Washington state two-year school when you transfer to SPU, you may be eligible to participate in SPU’s Reverse Transfer Agreement. Students participating in this program complete their final courses at SPU and transfer them back to their community college. Once the degree at the community college is received, students receive the transfer benefits of the DTA degree. Contact your Undergraduate Academic Counselor to discuss this option.

As an admitted transfer student, your transfer work is automatically evaluated by the Office of the Registrar. You can access this information through SPU’s online student information system Banner. For more information on this process, how to access and review this information, as well as next steps and options for questions, please review this helpful guide.

  • If you intend to transfer directly into SPU’s nursing program for the Autumn or Winter cohort, you must submit a nursing application by January 15. For more information about the nursing program, including deadlines for Spring Quarter, please see our Nursing website.
  • If you wish to apply for the Visual Communication major, you must submit a portfolio no later than the second Tuesday of Autumn Quarter. You must have been accepted into the University and completed the pre-requisites before you can apply. Contact Professor of Visual Communication Karen Gutowsky-Zimmerman (kgz@spu.edu).
  • For any other major, you must complete your first quarter at SPU and fulfill all other application criteria for your major before applying. We offer transfer direct admission to a select group of majors.
  • On-campus housing is guaranteed for students 20 years old or younger at the start of the academic year.
  • On-campus housing may be available to transfer students up to age 24 on a space availability basis.
  • For more information about campus housing, visit Residence Life.

No.

Still accepting applications for fall 2024! Apply now.