Transfer Requirements at SUNY Plattsburgh

High school graduates who have enrolled at a college or university are considered transfer students. Students can transfer at any time - but to be based on the merits of transfer coursework alone, a student must have completed two semesters of full-time study (approximately 24 credits) at the time of application.

Students who have less than 24 credits will be asked to provide a high school transcript or SOAR and SAT/ACT scores, and must also meet both transfer and freshman admission requirements. For more information, view SUNY Plattsburgh Freshman admission requirements.

The top factors used for considering admission at SUNY Plattsburgh are (in order of relative importance):

• Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) - SUNY Plattsburgh recommends a 2.30 GPA for admission. Some programs (listed below) have specific GPA guidelines that are required for admission. GPA is calculated across all colleges or universities attended - not just the latest college.

• Coursework Completed - Students who are taking competitive, challenging academic programs (as defined by the admissions committee) will be viewed with preference for admission. In addition, courses related to the student's intended program of study will also be reviewed closely during the admission review process.
• Academic Trend - Students who have shown an upward GPA trend on a semester-by-semester basis will be viewed favorably for admission.
• Essay - All applicants are required to submit an untimed essay of at least 250 word essay or an untimed graded paper of at least 250 words. Applicants applying through the Common Application will submit the essay during the application process. Applicants applying through the SUNY Application will need to submit an essay to the Admissions office.
• One letter of recommendation - All applicants are required to submit a recommendation from a school-based counselor and/or teacher.

Special Programmatic Requirements

Some programs at SUNY Plattsburgh have special requirements for admission. These include:

SUNY Plattsburgh at Queensbury Programs

The SUNY Plattsburgh Branch Campus in Queensbury, NY offers four undergraduate programs: Business Administration, Childhood Education, Criminal Justice, and Psychology. As degree-completion programs, students must enter the program with certain prerequisites completed. Read more about Branch Campus Programs.

Criminal Justice at Hudson Valley CC

The SUNY Plattsburgh Extension Site at Hudson Valley offers a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. As a degree-completion program, students must enter the program with certain prerequisites completed. Read more about the Hudson Valley Extension Site Program in Criminal Justice.

EOP Program

Students who wish to enroll in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) are required to submit the EOP Transfer Verification Form in addition to the other documentation required for general transfer admission. Please note: space in the EOP Program is limited and is generally reserved for students who were previously enrolled in an EOP, HEOP, SEEK, or College Discovery Program.

Nursing Program

Admission to the traditional nursing program is highly competitive, with the number of applicants far exceeding the capacity of the program. Learn more about admission to the traditional nursing program.

RN-to BS Online Nursing Program

SUNY Plattsburgh’s Online BS in Nursing is designed for Registered Nurses who have completed an associate’s degree or diploma program in nursing. Learn more about admission to the RN-to-BS Online Nursing Program.

Social Work Program

The Social Work Program at SUNY Plattsburgh requires that transfer students complete an essay and reference letter to gain admission. Download the Social Work Application Form. 

GPA Requirements

As mentioned above, a 2.30 GPA is recommended for admission to most programs. However, some have a higher GPA requirement. These include:

Competitive Admission

• Nursing

2.75 or Higher GPA

• BA/MST Combined Adolescence Education Programs
• BS/MSED Combined Childhood and Special Education Program
• Childhood Education

2.50 or Higher GPA

• Communication Disorders and Sciences
• Nursing (RN-to-BS Option)
• Social Work

2.30 or Higher GPA

• All programs in the School of Business and Economics
• Criminal Justice
• Human Development and Family Relations

The Admission Review Process

The admission review takes into account the student's entire profile. Other factors of consideration include:

• Interview with an Admissions Advisor
• Personal Essay
• Letters of recommendation
• Leadership and community service activities