Transfer Application Checklist

Transfer Application Checklist

Submit

• Application. You must submit your application online through the Common Application. Princeton's CEEB Code: 2672
• Princeton-specific Questions. In addition to the application provided by the Common Application, all applicants must submit the Princeton-specific Questions. You should submit the Princeton-specific Questions online through their website.
• Graded Written Paper. For transfer applicants, a graded paper may come from a course taken within the last two to three years of schooling. While we prefer that it be in the subjects of either English or history, we will also consider papers from courses in the humanities and social sciences for our transfer applicants, provided they meet all other requirements listed. Please refer to general requirements for the graded written paper.
• Application Fee or Fee Waiver. You may submit a fee waiver one of two ways: 1) Select the fee waiver option on the application. Your counselor or school official must approve your fee waiver request online or submit your fee waiver form by mail or fax. 2) Select one of the following fee waiver options on the Princeton-specific Questions section: Princeton-specific, ACT, College Board or NACAC. All low-income students are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. In addition, all applicants who are serving or have served in the U.S. military are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. If you use the Princeton-specific fee waiver, you do not need to get approval from your counselor or school official.

Request

• Official College Transcripts (from all institutions attended). An official transcript must be sent from the registrar’s office or equivalent at all postsecondary institutions attended.
• Official High School Transcript. An official transcript must be sent by a school counselor or school official.
• Transfer/College Report. The Transfer Report and College Report forms are available from the Common Application website. Please ask your transfer counselor or other school official to complete and submit the form.
• Transfer Mid-Term Report (if currently enrolled). Please send us any in-progress grades you may have at time of application, if currently enrolled at another postsecondary institution. The Mid-Term Report is available from the Common Application website. The Mid-Term Report is self-submitted, and can be sent after the application deadline if you do not have all in-progress grades by that time.
• Two (2) academic recommendations (at least one from a college instructor). Please ask two of your instructors from different academic areas of study to complete and send the recommendation forms, available on the Common Application website. At least one recommendation must be from a college instructor, such as a professor or teaching assistant. The subjects should be in core academic areas, such as English, language, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and math.

Report

• SAT or ACT. Our test optional policy continues to be in place for transfer applicants applying in spring of 2026. Standardized tests are not required for an application to be rendered complete. However, for those who choose to sit for a test should do so by the end of March. When registering for the SAT or ACT, use the following codes to ensure your scores are sent to Princeton: SAT: 2672 and ACT: 2588. Learn more about standardized testing for admission.
• SAT Subject Tests. Princeton does not require SAT Subject Tests. If you chose to sit for a Subject Test (prior to January/June 2021 when the College Board eliminated the test) and wish to submit the score, you may do so.
• English Proficiency Tests: TOEFL, IELTS, DET or PTE Academic (non-native English speakers only).  If English is not your native language and you are attending a school where English is not the language of instruction, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System Academic (IELTS Academic), the Duolingo English Test (DET) or the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic). You are not required to take the TOEFL, IELTS, DET or PTE Academic if English is your native language or if you have spent at least three years at a secondary or postsecondary school where English is the primary language of instruction. Please have your scores sent directly to Princeton: TOEFL: 2672.

Fee Waiver

We want to make sure that Princeton is accessible to all candidates, regardless of their individual family’s financial situation. If you are from a lower-income background, or if the application fee is a hardship for your family, and you are applying for financial aid, Princeton will waive your application fee. Additionally, we will waive the application fee for all candidates who are serving or have served in the U.S. military. You may submit a fee waiver one of two ways:

1. Select the fee waiver option on the Common Application. Your college or school counselor must approve your fee waiver request online or submit your fee waiver form by mail or fax.
2. Select one of the following fee waiver options on the Princeton-specific Questions: Princeton-specific, ACT, College Board or NACAC. All lower-income students are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. In addition, all applicants who are serving or have served in the U.S. military are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. If you use the Princeton-specific fee waiver, you do not need to get approval from your school counselor. Students named QuestBridge Finalists should select the QuestBridge fee waiver.

Upon submission of your Application with the Princeton-specific Questions, the checklist in your Princeton Applicant Portal will reflect that your fee waiver has been granted. Please note that applying for a fee waiver will not disadvantage your application in any way.

Application Confirmation

You may log in to Princeton's Applicant Portal to verify whether we have received all your required application materials. You will receive a confirmation notice when we have received your application.  The confirmation notice will arrive approximately 24-48 hours after you submit your admission application. If your application is incomplete, we will let you know which pieces are missing. Beginning in mid-October, you also may track the completeness of your application online through the Applicant Portal. Please note: You cannot apply for financial aid until you apply for admission. Please review our transfer application dates and deadlines.

If a student has submitted an application on three separate occasions, the Office of Admission generally will not review subsequent applications. In these instances, if an application fee was submitted, it will be returned.

The University's admission process involves a holistic review of each applicant's entire file. No particular factor is assigned a fixed weight; rather, the process involves a highly individualized assessment of the applicant's talents, achievements and his or her potential to contribute to learning at Princeton. Please see the Joint Statement on Common Ivy Group Admission Procedures for more information about admission policies.