Transfer Students
Transfer students are not only welcomed at Bennington, but they are also an integral part of our community. Bennington values the unique perspectives and contributions that transfer students bring to the community. Approximately ten percent of our student body transferred here from four-year liberal arts colleges, universities, and community colleges from around the nation. For students seeking to create their own course of study and integrate learning with work and other similar experiences, Bennington's engaging community may be the right place.
Transfer Application and Financial Aid Deadlines
Fall Transfer
March 15
Preferred filing date. Applications are accepted until mid-July. Please note that applicants who apply by June will have the most options when choosing fall courses. Please contact us with any questions.
Spring Transfer
November 1
Decision notification by November 30
We require
- A completed Transfer Common Application.
- A short Bennington transfer essay (as part of the Common Application's Bennington Member Page).
- Two Academic Evaluations from college professors. Invite your recommenders via the Common Application.
- The Common Application Transfer College Report (PDF).
- Official transcripts from all colleges attended (excluding dual enrollment courses which have gone toward high school graduation credit).
- The Common Application Mid-Term Report (PDF), if you are applying while currently enrolled elsewhere.
- Complete high school transcript(s). You may choose to use the Final Report form provided by the Transfer Common Application (recommended for students in their first year of college).
- A $60 application fee.
We encourage, but do not require
- An interview. These are one-on-one conversations with an admissions counselor aimed at helping you better understand your transition to Bennington.
- Supplementary materials. When we receive your Transfer Common Application, we will email you instructions for accessing your personal application status page, which you can use to upload supplemental materials.
Optional
- Test scores, such as the SAT or ACT
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should apply as a transfer?
If you have graduated from high school (or earned a high school equivalency) and then gone on to earn college credit, you are a transfer applicant. Please apply as a transfer even if you have withdrawn from your degree program or are not currently enrolled.
Why transfer to Bennington?
Bennington's transfer students tend to be drawn to the College's distinctive approach to education. Here students create their own courses of study, collaborate with their teachers—who are also their advisors—to plan an education with breadth and depth, unified and fueled by their own particular passions. They are challenged throughout their education to explore questions that matter to them, to pursue their curiosities wherever they may lead. By writing and rewriting their plans of study and by discussing evolving ideas with faculty planning committees, students design, chart, and defend their courses of study. Throughout this exceptional process, students learn to develop the structures they need to shape their education—and their lives.
What credits will transfer?
To graduate from Bennington, we require 128 credits and at least two years of full-time campus residence. We accept most liberal arts and performing arts credits, as well as credit granted from technical courses such as computer science. We do not accept more than 64 credits from another degree program. Read more about our credit transfer policy.
