Transfer Students - Outside U of M

Group of four students sitting at a picnic table outside.

Attend an Information Session

Prospective students are encouraged to view the Information Session information from the Office of Admissions, and can register for a Transfer Visit Day where they can hear about the overall University and meet with Transfer Admissions Staff.

Eligibility

Prerequisite courses must be completed with a C- or better the Spring semester before entering the Carlson School. Prerequisite courses can be in progress during the Spring you apply. We will not allow prerequisite classes to be taken over the summer prior to the intended starting Fall semester. 

  • Microeconomics
  • Financial Accounting
    • (If your intended major is Accounting or Finance, and you do not take ACCT 2051 at UMN-Twin Cities, you will later need to take a pretest for ACCT 5101 Intermediate Accounting to complete the major. More information here.)
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Applicants are highly recommended to complete a statistics course in addition to prerequisities. (If you have taken a statistics course that trains you to utilize Statistical Software Environment R, please submit that course to be reviewed as equivalency to BA 2551 - Business Statistics in R. You can do so here.)

Scholarships

  • Transfer scholarships for students from outside the University are 2-year awards in the amount of $5,000 each year, totaling $10,000 total.
  • Admitted students are automatically considered for scholarships. There are no separate applications or materials required.
  • Applicants are encouraged to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for best consideration of scholarship awards.
  • The selection criteria can include academic achievements, extracurricular and leadership activities, place of residence, financial need and contribution to diversity.

Transfer Credits

Visit Transferology to determine if your courses have already been evaluated and will transfer to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.

  • Courses that ‘maybe’ transfer will need to be evaluated through our Credit Transfer Evaluation process through the Office of Admissions
  • Courses that transfer as equivalent will be awarded at the University of Minnesota
  • Courses that do not transfer will not be considered or awarded credits.

Application Timeline

Review Transfer Application Timeline

 

 

Apply

HOW to apply

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Though not required, completion of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) at a participating school fulfills the core, theme, and first-year writing portions of the University’s liberal education requirements. Completion must be noted on the official transcript from your current school. Consult a counselor at your current school with questions regarding the MnTC.

Transfer admission is competitive and based on a holistic review of the applicant’s academic record, writing skills, experiences beyond the classroom, and personal essay. Admission consideration factors include but are not limited to:

Academic Factors

Because academic preparation is key to student success in college, the strongest consideration in the decision is given to a student’s academic preparation. The following academic factors are considered:

  • Coursework in preparation for Impact Core (microeconomics and financial accounting)
  • Grades in academic coursework
  • Grade Point Average
  • Rigor of academic curriculum

Context Factors

Individual circumstances are also considered as part of the overall assessment of each application. Enrolling a diverse student body—with students bringing differing experiences, talents, and perspectives to their scholarly community—is essential to achieving the development outcomes of a University of Minnesota education. 

Our holistic review takes into consideration the individual circumstances that make each individual student unique. While we do not consider an applicant's race and ethnicity, we consider the following context factors in our decision review:

  • Evidence of exceptional achievement, aptitude, or personal accomplishment not reflected in the academic record
  • Participation in extracurricular activities related to your intended major
  • Strong commitment to community service, leadership, and educational involvement
  • Evidence of having overcome social, economic, or physical barriers to educational achievement
  • First-generation college student
  • Significant responsibility in a family, community, job, or activity
  • Contribution to the cultural, gender, age, economic, or geographic diversity of the student body
  • Personal or extenuating circumstances
  • Military service
  • Information received in the open-ended questions

No. In order to maintain a fair and equitable review process, we hold all prospective transfer students to the same standard to complete the prerequisite classes as stated above. 

Impact Core (I-Core) is a signature experience of the undergraduate program. I-Core includes foundational courses in business taken together as a 24-credit cohort experience across two semesters. It is during the I-core semesters in which students will declare their major.

Admitted students are automatically reviewed for scholarships. There are no separate applications or materials required. Transfer scholarships are 2 year awards in the amount of $5,000 each year, totaling $10,000. The selection criteria can include academic achievements, extracurricular and leadership activities, place of residence, financial need and contribution to diversity. Applicants are encouraged to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for best consideration of scholarship awards.

After completing the prerequisites, students should continue to complete the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum, or any remaining liberal education courses not met by the Carlson School curriculum: 

  • Biological Science
  • Physical Science
  • Historical Perspectives
  • Arts/Humanities
  • Literature
  • Environment Theme
  • Technology and Society Theme

Students can also take some of the required Impact Core classes that may be found at other places via Transferology.com (HRIR 3021, IDSC 3001, SCO 3001, MKTG 3001).
 

Plan registration as if you have not been admitted. Rest assured, seats are reserved in Carlson classes for all newly admitted transfer students. If admitted, you will register during orientation in the summer.

We assume it will take successful applicants 3 years to complete their Carlson degree once admitted into Carlson. This can be demonstrated by the attached Transfer Planning Guide.

The first page is the classes all Carlson students must take, the second page is the Liberal Education Requirements, and the final page is a transfer sample plan. 

We encourage students to use Transferology.com to see what classes will transfer to our University from their current or previous institutions. They can create a free account, and then input all of the classes they've taken and see how they will match. 

Within Transferology, students can use the "Find a Replacement Course" function to see what classes they can take that will transfer to us before taking them. In that function, they will list the school they currently attend as University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and input specific UMN courses for equivalency, or use the "Requirement Categories" section to match Liberal Education courses and Writing Intensive courses. 

If you are looking to transfer from a college or university not in the United States, you will need to reference International Transfer Credit Evaluation. 

If there are questions, please complete the Contact Us form at the bottom of this webpage to connect with staff in the Office of Admissions, or contact Jacob Osterman, Enrollment and Transition Advisor for the Carlson School at CarlsonUG@umn.edu.

Students should work with their current academic advisor to create a parallel plan as a backup. Admissions is competitive and not a guarantee. Prerequisites can be used towards additional programs at the University. Visit majors.umn.edu to explore business-related majors

Questions?

For any questions in the transfer process please reach out to the Office of Admissions.

Contact us

Contact Undergraduate Program