Transfer Admission Decision FAQs

Q: How will I know when my admission decision is available for review?

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions will send you an email to notify you when your admission decision is ready. When you receive this email, you can view your admission decision online by accessing your StandOut Admissions Network Checklist. For privacy and security purposes, we cannot reveal admission decisions over the phone.

If you are offered admission to the University of Maryland (UMD), you will also receive a general welcome letter from our office in the mail a few days later. Unlike the virtual letter, this hard copy will not include your major or university identification number (UID). 

Q: What if I forgot my password?

If you have forgotten your login information, use the "Forgot Your Password?" link on the login page of StandOut Admissions Network. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions staff does not have access to recover or reset your password, and recovering or gaining access to an application without a password cannot be accomplished over the phone, through email or in person.

Q: I applied for admission to the University of Maryland at Shady Grove. When and how will I receive my decision?

Admission decisions for applicants to Shady Grove are released on a rolling basis. You will receive a letter in the mail notifying you of your admission decision. If you have any questions please email ApplyMaryland@umd.edu with "Attention: Shady Grove" in the subject line.  

Q: What information is included in my admission decision letter?

If you are offered admission to UMD, be sure to review your electronic decision letter carefully as it will include details on your semester of admission, your major, your UID and your resident status (for tuition rate classification purposes).

Q: I applied but did not receive an admission decision. Why?

Review our application deadlines for more information on when application materials are due and when decisions will be released. If you believe that you submitted a completed application and all required documents by the appropriate deadline but did not receive an admission decision by the listed date, please first confirm that all of your application materials were received by our office by logging in to StandOut Admissions Network and reviewing your UMD Checklist. Applications are considered complete when the online application and all required documents have been submitted. All materials must be submitted electronically or postmarked by the appropriate deadline for consideration, and it is the applicant's responsibility to confirm receipt of documents through StandOut Admissions Network. 

If you still believe that you are deserving of an admission decision, please email us with your full name, date of birth and the county and state where you live. In the subject line of your email, please write “Transfer Admission Decision.” Once we receive your email, we will review your application and be in touch with you shortly.

Q: Why wasn’t I admitted to UMD?

We understand you are disappointed that we could not offer you admission to UMD at this time. The undergraduate admissions process is rigorous and individualized, and admission is competitive. Our review process considers 26 factors that allow us to make a decision based on a holistic review of your application. We encourage you to review our admission requirements and the academic profile of the most recent incoming class.

Q: Why was my application placed on hold?

Applications are placed on hold when the Admission Committee reviews a candidate but is unable to provide a final admission decision until additional academic information from the most recent semester is received. Applicants on hold should submit their most recent transcripts at the end of the semester that show the final grades earned. Once the transcripts are received, the application will be re-reviewed by the Admission Committee for a final decision. Students cannot appeal a hold decision.

Q: I was not offered admission to UMD. Can I re-apply?

Yes, you can re-apply to UMD for a different semester. Before reapplying, be sure to review the transfer admission requirements and admitted student profile. Additionally, please refer to the decision letter and follow any recommendations provided prior to re-applying. For priority consideration, be sure to apply by the early action deadline.

Q: Can I appeal my decision?

Appeals for transfer students are considered on the basis of competitiveness and space availability. In order for an appeal request to be considered, students must submit new academic information in addition to a completed appeal form. 

If you have new and significant academic information and would like to pursue appealing your decision, please review our Appeal Requests page for more information.

Q: Can I defer my enrollment to another semester?

Deferral requests are not guaranteed and will be evaluated on an individual basis only if the applicant meets certain criteria. All students interested in a deferral are required to confirm their enrollment and pay the $400 confirmation fee before submitting the deferral request.

The confirmation fee is nonrefundable, so students are encouraged to review the deferral request criteria beforehand. We must receive the deferral request by 10 business days prior to the first day of classes. If you have questiosn about this process, please email ApplyMaryland@umd.edu using the subject line "Transfer Deferral Request Question". 

Q: When will I know more about financial aid and merit scholarships?

For admitted students who applied by the fall early action deadline of March 1 or the spring early action deadline of August 1, financial aid (and merit scholarship decisions for fall applicants only) will be released electronically within two to three weeks following the decision release.

Admitted students who did not apply by the March 1 early action deadline for fall admission are not considered for merit scholarships. Once available, you can view your financial aid status online. Visit the Office of Student Financial Aid website for more information.

Q: I believe my resident status is incorrect. How can I fix this?

If you believe that your resident status is incorrect, please review our residency reclassification policy. To request residency reconsideration, please email oua-residency@umd.edu with the subject line "Recent Transfer Admit Residency Inquiry" and include your full name, date of birth and University ID (UID) in the body of the email. This process is strictly handled via email. Cases are reviewed on an individual basis and depending on the circumstances, can take considerable time to resolve as supporting documentation is often required. Our staff will let you know if/when documentation is needed as your residency is reviewed.

Q: Where can I find my major?

Your academic major is listed at the bottom of your online decision letter which can be found in StandOut Admissions Network.

Q: How do I change my major?

To request a change of major, email us your full name, date of birth, current major and the desired major. Please note "Major Change Request" in the subject line of your email. Once your email has been received, an admissions representative will be in touch with you regarding your request. All change of major requests will be reviewed by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

We discourage major change requests for Limited Enrollment Program (LEP) major applicants placed in Letters and Sciences. It is very rare that these decisions are reversed. If you are requesting to change your major to one that is a designated LEP, it will then have to go through an additional review process. 

Q: How can I see if I’ve already earned credits toward my degree?

Some of the coursework you have completed as part of your high school curriculum, as well as courses taken at other institutions may count towards your UMD degree. Please explore our Transfer Credit Services website to see what coursework is eligible to transfer to UMD. For more information related to credits often taken during high school, please visit the Prior Learning Credit page.

Q: Why was I placed in Letters and Sciences (LTSC) instead of the Limited Enrollment Program (LEP) selected as my preferred major?

If you originally selected an LEP as your preferred major on your application, you may have been placed in LTSC due to the competitive admission criteria for these programs.

LEPs are very popular and require a limit on the number of students they can accommodate. The determination of whether a student will be placed in an LEP is made following our holistic application review process and is based on the requirements of each LEP. As the number of students who have expressed interest in our LEPs has increased, admission into these programs has become more competitive. If you applied for an LEP but were not found admissible, you were placed in LTSC.

Q: What is Letters and Sciences?

LTSC is an advising college that incoming students are generally placed in for one of two reasons; they want to explore several fields of study before selecting a major or they are pursuing entry into one of our LEP majors.

Academic advisors in LTSC will help you explore course possibilities and instruct you on choosing required gateway courses to gain entry to an LEP once all the requirements are met. Because the academic advisors in LTSC are the most adept at helping students gain entry into their preferred major, students are admitted here rather than the second choice major they indicated on their application for admission. To learn more about the resources available to LTSC students, please visit the Letters and Sciences website.

Q: How do I gain entry to my LEP of choice?

As you progress through your educational career at UMD, you will have the opportunity to enter your preferred major as a current student. Each LEP has a series of courses, called gateway requirements, which must be completed before applying to the major. If you are able to successfully complete the gateway requirements, you will be reviewed for placement into the LEP you are interested in. For more information on the specific requirements needed to enter your preferred major, please visit the Limited Enrollment Program website.

Q: Can I change to a non-LEP major at this time?

If, at this time, you are interested in switching to an alternate major, which is not an LEP, you may request a major change by sending an email to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at ApplyMaryland@umd.edu. In your email, please include your full name, date of birth, current major and the desired major. Please note "Major Change Request" in the subject line of your email. Once your email has been received, an admission representative will be in touch with you regarding your request. All change of major requests will be reviewed by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Q: How do I respond to my offer of admission?

To respond to your offer of admission, log in to StandOut Admissions Network, access your UMD Checklist and select Decision Response. Complete the response and, if prompted, submit your enrollment deposit. This nonrefundable $400 deposit will reserve your place in the incoming class and will be applied to your tuition. It may take up to two business days for your confirmation to be processed. Once you submit the form, you will receive an email confirming your UMD enrollment.

Q: How do I update my personal information?

If you need to update your personal information, please email us with your full name, date of birth and any requested updates to your personal information.

Q: I am a recently admitted international student and I need to submit additional documents. Where should I go?

Now that you have been admitted, please review your next steps and visit the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) website. You will not be able to begin your visa application process until you have confirmed your enollment at UMD.

Once enrollment is confirmed, international students must submit all additional materials required for the visa application process to ISSS, not the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Q: When will I hear back about what credits have transferred to UMD?

The transfer credit evaluation process usually begins for newly admitted students two weeks after the receipt of your admission letter. This process can continue, however, throughout your first semester. So, newly admitted students may need to begin their first semester at UMD prior to learning the status of all their prior college credits. Further questions about course credits should be addressed to Transfer Credit Services, which is the office that oversees the evaluation of undergraduate transfer courses for acceptability by UMD. It is the academic department (administering the course content) that completes the evaluation to determine the acceptability of the courses for transfer to UMD. To learn more about the transfer credit process and what courses will likely transfer, please visit the Transfer Credit Services website.

Q: I confirmed my enrollment to UMD. What should I do now?

After you confirm your enrollment to UMD, you will need to register for a New Student Orientation session and are encouraged to explore your housing options. Visit our website for a list of next steps you can take as a newly enrolled Terp!

Q: I am not enrolling at UMD. Is there anything I should do?

We are sorry to hear that you will not be joining us at UMD. To notify us of your decision not to enroll, please use the Decision Response found within StandOut Admissions Network to confirm “NO.” We wish you success in your personal and academic endeavors.