Transferring to Maryland: requirements, credits and deadlines

The application runs through ApplyWeb with an $80 nonrefundable fee paid by credit card. A fee waiver must be requested before you submit.

Source: Maryland transfer applicants, undated page

Send transcripts from every college you attended, and a final official transcript from your current school once in-progress courses are done. Your high school transcript is required only if you have fewer than 30 semester or 45 quarter hours after graduation.

Source: Maryland transfer applicants, undated page

AP, IB and placement tests do not count toward the 12-hour minimum or the 30-hour high school transcript line.

Source: Maryland transfer applicants, undated page

You are expected to have completed an English composition course and a college-level math course. The Common Data Set says this is not required but strongly preferred, at the 100 level or higher.

Source: Maryland transfer applicants, undated page; Maryland Common Data Set 2025-2026, section D, 2025-2026

A letter of recommendation is optional. It can come from anyone, such as a teacher, counselor, coach or mentor, and must be sent by the recommender.

Source: Maryland transfer applicants, undated page

School of Music applicants also submit an online supplement and an audition.

Source: Maryland transfer applicants, undated page

You are responsible for confirming that every document arrived, through the Terps Application Portal. New materials can take up to two weeks to show as received.

Source: Maryland transfer applicants, undated page

The admissions pages give no GPA figure. In the Common Data Set the minimum college GPA field reads "not required; 3.0 encouraged."

Source: Maryland Common Data Set 2025-2026, section D, 2025-2026

The limited enrollment majors are Architecture, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Engineering, Immersive Media Design, Neuroscience and Psychology. The page lists no transfer-specific GPA or course line for them.

Source: Maryland Limited Enrollment Programs, undated page

Maryland Transfer Advantage Program: for students at 13 listed Maryland community colleges. You need 30 college credits or an associate degree after high school, and a 3.0 cumulative GPA from all colleges attended. Credits from other schools can count if your last 15 credits are at a participating community college. You must take part for at least one semester, then apply by the early action deadline. Maryland says participants who finish the program, apply on time and follow all admission policies are admitted. You cannot apply to MTAP and UMD at the same time. Deadlines are June 1 and November 15.

Source: Maryland Transfer Advantage Program, undated page

A course must earn a C- or higher, except that D- or higher is accepted from Maryland public institutions. It must be similar in level, scope, content and expected learning outcomes to a UMD course.

Source: Maryland transfer course evaluation process, undated page

Each course is evaluated as a direct equivalent of a UMD course, a non-equivalent that satisfies general education, or a general elective.

Source: Maryland transfer course evaluation process, undated page

Preliminary evaluations usually show up 2-3 weeks after your admission letter, and the process typically continues through your first semester. You need to send final official transcripts from the school where the credit was earned before you enroll.

Source: Maryland transfer course evaluation process, undated page

Syllabi must be from the term you took the course, in .pdf or .docx. Evaluations must reach Transfer Credit Services directly from the approved department evaluator, so a forwarded email does not count. Transfer Credit Services does not provide advising.

Source: Maryland transfer course evaluation process, undated page

The Common Data Set reports at most 60 credits from a two-year school and 90 from a four-year school, and at least 30 credits to be completed at Maryland for a bachelor's degree.

Source: Maryland Common Data Set 2025-2026, section D, 2025-2026

The Transfer Course Database lists courses that have already been evaluated. A first review happens automatically when you are admitted, and Maryland posts credit to your record only from official transcripts.

Source: Maryland transfer course evaluation process, undated page

The fall early action deadline is March 1 and the regular deadline is June 1. Early action is non-binding, and it gives priority consideration for admission and merit scholarships. An application incomplete on March 1 is considered for the regular deadline.

Source: Maryland transfer applicants, undated page; Maryland transfer application FAQs, undated page

Applications completed after the regular deadline are reviewed on a rolling, space-available basis.

Source: Maryland transfer application FAQs, undated page

Maryland says admission is competitive and holistic, using 23 unique review factors. It names grades earned in academic coursework, trends in your grades, honors, IB, AP and A-level courses, letters of recommendation, the essay and extracurriculars.

Source: Maryland transfer applicants, undated page; Maryland transfer application FAQs, undated page

You select a preferred major on the application, and Maryland says this does not affect admissibility. Limited Enrollment Programs have limited space and more competitive criteria, and the program reviews those applicants separately. Some are placed in Letters & Sciences, where an advisor helps them meet the gateway requirements.

Source: Maryland transfer applicants, undated page; Maryland Limited Enrollment Programs, undated page

Maryland says certain applicants from Maryland public institutions get special consideration and are admitted when space is available, under state transfer policy.

Source: Maryland transfer applicants, undated page

The essay is one of the 23 review factors. Maryland says applicants who have been out of school for several years, or who had a personal circumstance that affected their grades, may address it here.

Source: Maryland essay questions, undated page

The Common Data Set marks the essay as required of all transfer applicants.

Source: Maryland Common Data Set 2025-2026, section D, 2025-2026; Maryland essay questions, undated page