Rutgers Transfer Acceptance Rate, GPA, and Requirements

Founded in 1766 and the 8th oldest university in the United States, Rutgers University-New Brunswick is the central campus of New Jersey’s oldest and only state university. With over 50,000 enrolled students. 

According to the U.S. News and World Report, Rutgers is no institution to sleep on – they are currently ranked #23 in Top Public Schools in America and #1 in New Jersey Public Schools. 

The school’s student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1 provides for a close-knit learning community, and most classes are under 30 students. 

Rutgers is also one of the most ethnically diverse campuses in the United States. 32.9% of students are White, 25.9% are Asian, 15.8% are Hispanic/Latinx, and 9.4% are African American. Over 10% come from other countries. 

Unsurprisingly, the majority of Rutgers students come from New Jersey. With a transfer student ratio of 27%, Rutgers is an obviously friendly option for those seeking to transfer schools in New Jersey.

Rutgers–New Brunswick offers many exciting programs – the majority of students choose to major in Business/Marketing, Engineering, and Computer and Information Sciences. 

The school’s alumni network boasts an array of successful authors, media personalities, business owners, and politicians, including Chef Mario Batali, actor James Gandolfini, ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen, and Dr. Michael Gottlieb (who discovered AIDS).

Rutgers accepts transfer applications for all three semesters, so now is always a good time to investigate the school and decide if it is the right place to continue your postsecondary studies. 


Rutgers University Transfer Acceptance Rate

Rutgers University
Zeete, Rutgers Honors College, New Brunswick, NJ, CC BY-SA 4.0

The transfer acceptance rate into Rutgers is 61.7% – the school admitted 4,327 students of the 7,014 transfer applications they received, and 2,414 from that cohort enrolled at the New Brunswick campus.

Rutgers–New Brunswick accepts transfer applications for the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Students should have a minimum of 12 credits to be considered transfer applicants. 

The Office of Admissions emphasizes a student’s academic abilities, as evidenced by their grades, cumulative GPA, and completed credits.

The ideal transfer candidate has earned at least 24 college credits (including English Composition I) by the time they enroll at Rutgers–New Brunswick. 

Those transferring from a two-year college may transfer no more than 60 credits, while those applying from a four-year university may transfer up to 90 credits. 

Regardless, enrolled transfers must complete a minimum of 30 credits at Rutgers–New Brunswick to earn a bachelor’s degree.

The school has formed the NJ State-Wide Transfer Agreement, which stipulates that all students having earned an A.A. or A.S. degree from a New Jersey county or community college will enter Rutgers as juniors with 60 credits. 

For all transfers, regardless of origin, the lowest grade earned for any transferable course is a C.


Application Requirements & GPA for Rutgers Transfer Students

While there is no required GPA for students transferring to Rutgers, the ideal transfer applicant has a 3.0+ GPA and no grade declines in their recent coursework. 

They should not have any Ds or Fs within their last semester of classes, and their GPA from their most recent term should be no lower than 2.6. Specific schools, like the Rutgers Business School, prefer a GPA of 3.2 or higher.

Most transfers enter one of four schools: the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, the Rutgers Business School, and the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. 

The vast majority of transfers enter the School of Arts and Sciences. This cohort achieved 650-780 on the SAT (Math), 630-730 on the SAT (Evidence-based Reading and Writing), and 29-34 on the ACT. Their cumulative college GPA ranged from 3.2 to 3.8.

To apply, transfers must submit an online application and a $70 nonrefundable application fee. Within the online application, there is a section to respond to personal essay prompts and explain their reasoning for applying to transfer to Rutgers. 

Candidates should upload all official transcripts from previously attended colleges and an official high school transcript (if they have earned fewer than 24 credits at the time of submitting their application). 

Students are exempt from submitting SAT or ACT scores unless they have earned fewer than 12 college credits, are in their first semester of college, and have graduated high school less than two years before commencing studies at Rutgers.


Rutgers Transfer Deadline

Rutgers University
Tomwsulcer, Rutgers spelled out in hedge on College Ave campus New Brunswick NJ, CC0 1.0

The deadline to apply to Rutgers as a transfer student is February 1 – this is the case for students hoping to begin studies in the fall or summer semesters. Those intending to enroll in the spring semester should apply no later than October 1.

In addition to the School of Arts and Sciences, we also have recent standardized test scores and cumulative GPA statistics for the School of Engineering and Business School. 

Those entering the School of Engineering earned between 700-780 and 640-740 on the SAT Math and Evidence-based Reading and Writing sections, respectively. 

They earned between 31-35 on the ACT and maintained an average cumulative college GPA of 3.5 to 3.9. 

Rutgers Business School transfers also boast impressive academic stats, earning 690-780 on the SAT Math section, 650-730 on the SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing section, and 30-34 on the ACT. 

They maintained a cumulative college GPA of 3.4 to 3.8. As you can see, the middle 50% of admitted transfers enter Rutgers with a GPA significantly higher than the suggested minimum of 3.0.

There are several months between the priority deadline and the notification date. Applicants should take this time to research degree programs, evaluate their financial need situations, and take a tour of the campus, if they have not already done so.


What Is the Decision Date for Rutgers Transfer Students

Students who have applied to Rutgers as transfer students will hear from the school by April 15; at least, this is the case for students applying to begin their classes in the summer or fall semesters. Spring transfer applicants will receive their admission decision by December 1.

Accepted transfer applicants have a short window within which they must respond to the Office of Admissions. Fall and summer transfers should respond by May 1, while spring applicants only have until December 7 to respond. 

It is incredibly rare for transfers to be waitlisted, and even more rare than they will be admitted from a waitlist. 

In the previous year, only three of 29 waitlisted students were admitted, and only to the Mason Gross School of the Arts.

One unique aspect of Rutgers’ admissions is that they offer Maximum Admission Consideration to all applicants. 

If a transfer applicant indicates that they would like to be considered for a different program, they will automatically gain admittance (if they qualify). Admitted transfers can also apply to seek from one Rutgers school to another.


Deciding Whether You Should Apply to Rutgers As a Transfer Student

Many students opt to transfer based on financial need. Rutgers University offers a variety of need-based and merit-based financial aid options, along with scholarships explicitly dedicated to transfer students. 

In the 2019-2020 year, the school awarded over $150 million in need-based funds and more than $47 million in non-need-based funds. 44% of student need was met with an average financial aid package of $14,351, enough to cover entire tuition expenses (and then some) for New Jersey residents.

As of autumn 2022, Rutgers’ Scarlet Guarantee program will provide financial aid for first-year and sophomore undergraduate students. 

In conjunction with the Garden State Guarantee program, all full-time NJ residents who have submitted the FAFSA or NJAFAA will receive four years of tuition and mandatory fee coverage based on their adjusted gross income.

Incoming transfer students will be welcomed with a substantial amount of support. The Transfer Orientation Program is designed to acclimate transfers to the Rutgers community. 

Tau Sigma is a national honor society for transfers that seeks to recognize outstanding academic achievements and promote student engagement via Rutgers clubs.

Transfers can also take advantage of the Transfer Mentorship Program, where they are assigned a former transfer/mentor. 

This person is there to guide them through their transition to Rutgers and answer any questions they might have. 

Additionally, all transfers receive one credit through enrollment in the mandatory Students in Transition Seminar. The course seeks to empower students to be successful in the academic and extracurricular realms.


Recap: How To Apply to Rutgers As a Transfer Student

Applying to Rutgers starts with deciding which school you’d like to enter. While most transfer applicants choose to enroll in the School of Arts and Sciences, there are other options like the Rutgers Business School and the School of Engineering. 

Hopefuls should check each school’s requirements page to learn about minimum GPAs and required supplemental information.

Generally, transfer applicants will submit an online application with a $70 fee. Within the application, they will share their academic and work background, personal essay responses, and an elaboration on why they seek to transfer to Rutgers.

It is essential to submit official transcripts from all colleges the applicant has attended. In some cases, they will need to upload a high school transcript. 

Standardized test scores remain optional unless the candidate has earned a minimal amount of college credit or taken significant time between graduating high school and applying to transfer to Rutgers.

Deadlines are critical, specifically when replying to your admission decision. Fall and summer transfer applicants should submit their application materials in full by February 1. They will receive a notification decision by April 15. From there, they only have until May 1 to respond. 

The response for spring semester transfer applicants is even more narrow. Spring transfer applicants need to apply by October 1. They will receive their admission decisions by December 1, and they only have six days to reply with their decision (by December 7).

We suggest making a checklist of all necessary items and completing them as early as possible. While sending an early application won’t give you an advantage over other students, you can give yourself more time to devote to your studies at your current institution. 

Ultimately, Rutgers wants to accept students who maintain or excel in their studies at their current university before transferring to Rutgers.