Transfer

Fuzzy dog with Boy in a Hat

Policy Guidelines on Student Requests for Transfer Into the Professional Veterinary Medical Curriculum

Transfers into our four-year veterinary program are extremely rare, and based on openings within our current classes. Individuals who accept a position in a veterinary program should be prepared to remain in that program for its entirety as transferring is not a guarantee. If you wish, you may complete the transfer application process described below. Completed transfer applications will be reviewed by our Director of Admissions and a representative from the Admissions Committee. In the event that a position does open up, an offer may be made to the top applicant in the transfer pool. Completed transfer applications will remain active for one academic year.

Transfer Request (Updated June 2020)

Students seeking to transfer into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University must:

  • Submit a letter of intent to transfer to the Director of Admissions of the College of Veterinary Medicine that includes: a) a well-written explanation of the student's reason(s) for requesting a transfer; b) an indication of the semester and year of the curriculum into which the transfer is requested; and c) the student's legal state of residence (preference is given to students from Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Utah).
  • Provide a letter of character and academic reference (including class rank and cumulative GPA) from the Associate Dean of Students from the veterinary school from which the student desires the transfer.
  • Provide three letters of reference from former instructors who are members of the faculty of the College of Veterinary Medicine from which the student wishes to transfer.
  • Provide official academic transcripts from the student's current veterinary school, as well as all undergraduate and graduate institutions. These transcripts must include courses which will fulfill our prerequisites.
  • Provide proof of completion of all WSU prerequisite coursework.
  • Provide a current curriculum vitae.  Your CV should be expanded to give us a more comprehensive understanding of your experience. It should include:
    • Contact information (legal name, phone, email, current mailing address)
    • Date of Birth
    • Residency information
    • Relevant information/experiences in the 7 experience categories listed on our non-cognitive criteria page

Approval of Transfer Request

The Director of Admissions and/or the Dean of the Veterinary College [with a recommendation from a member or members of the Admissions Committee] will decide whether to approve or deny a request to transfer. Under most circumstances, the decision will be based upon the following factors:

  • The existence of an appropriate vacancy.
  • The approval of the transfer from the sending school.
  • The student's reason(s) for requesting transfer.
  • The student’s academic performance.
  • The level of support communicated in the letters of reference.
  • The student’s citizenship and state residency.
  • The satisfaction of all WSU CVM curricular requirements.