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Undergraduate Admission

Transfer applicants

We’re delighted that you are considering transferring to Bentley University! We recognize the decision to transfer is a significant one, and we will work closely with you to make the application process as stress-free as possible. 

Students seeking to return to Bentley to complete their degree after a five year absence should submit the transfer application and fulfill the application requirements by their respective deadlines. Due to changing degree requirements, the undergraduate admission staff will determine which courses taken at Bentley (and elsewhere) will be accepted for credit under the current degree requirements for the term which the student applies. Credit evaluations using the established transfer credit policies will be completed after a student has been potentially readmitted to Bentley and a maximum of 60 credits from all sources combined can be awarded. Courses taken towards major requirements will not be eligible for credit.

Apply online as a transfer student

Test Optional Policy Extended through 2025

The standardized test score requirement for first-year and transfer students remains optional through 2025. This applies to both domestic and international applicants applying for admission for fall 2023, spring 2024, fall 2024, spring 2025, and fall 2025. You may choose to submit standardized test scores if you want them to be considered in the review for admission and scholarship programs. However, if you are not able to submit test scores, or choose not to, your application will not be disadvantaged. Test scores have always been just one of several factors taken into consideration in the admission decision. Your secondary school curriculum and the grades you earn carry more weight in the admission review process as they represent your achievements over a sustained period of time.

If you are a non-native English speaker, you are still required to demonstrate English language proficiency through your results of the TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge English Assessment, Michigan English Test (MET) or Duolingo exam; all of which offer online testing.

Test Optional FAQs

Key Deadlines

Term of EntryApplication and Materials DeadlineDecision NotificationEnrollment Deposit
January 2024November 1Rolling (after November 1)Rolling
Fall 2024April 1Rolling (after April 1)Rolling

 

What you'll need to apply 

Required of all students: 

  • Application form with $75 fee. Bentley accepts transfer applications from the Common App. Please note: the Common Application website is only supported by Internet Explorer 10, FireFox and Chrome. You do not need to enter transcript coursework on the Common Application since official transcripts are required as part of the application process.
  • Official transcripts. Please have all universities/colleges attended submit an official transcript directly to Bentley University by email or U.S. mail. Transcripts written in a language other than English must be accompanied by an officially translated English version and submitted by an outside organization or school official. Additionally, we also require a final, official high school transcript with date of graduation sent directly from your high school indicating final grades for each course. Please note we do require these documents for all transfer applicants regardless of credits completed or years of attendance. If you passed the GED (General Education Diploma) or HiSET (High School Equivalency Test), an official copy of the results must be sent from the testing agency directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admission.
  • A Midterm Report should be submitted once you have taken mid-year exams or completed midterm assignments and the professor has returned those grades. You can submit this form direct to our office by email. It is not required if you are not currently enrolled in college courses.
  • The Transfer College Report should be sent from your college directly to our office by email or U.S. mail. This form is typically filled out by the Registrar's Office and/or the Dean of Students Office indicating a student's academic and disciplinary standing. Please note: we require this form from each post-secondary institution that you have attended, as it will be evaluated by the admission committee during the application review process.
  • An academic letter of recommendation should be sent directly from a college/university professor or instructor to Bentley by email or U.S. mail. You may also submit additional recommendations from a high school teacher or employer, but they are not required. 
  • Standardized Test Scores. The standardized test score requirement for first-year and transfer students remains optional through 2025, which includes academic years fall 2023, spring 2024, fall 2024, spring 2025, and fall 2025. If you have questions about the test-optional policy, please review the Test Optional Policy FAQsIf you have elected to submit standardized test scores, please note we will superscore results and we will only use them to your advantage. Official test scores may be submitted in one of the following ways: 
    • Submitted directly from the testing agency (SAT code: 3096; ACT code: 1783)
    • Included on the secondary school transcript
    • Sent directly by the student's school/college counselor or CBO advisor to ugadmission@bentley.edu or fax +1(781)-891-3414.
  • Homeschool applicants. In addition to all items required of transfer applicants, homeschool students must also submit a school report from their homeschool instructor and transcripts of all secondary schools attended, including non-homeschool options. Transcripts written in a language other than English must be accompanied by an officially translated English version and submitted by an outside organization or school official.  Homeschool high school transcripts should be organized by year of completion, credit system (ex. semester, trimester, quarter or full year) and should include level of study (ex. college prep, honors, advanced or Advanced Placement) and a grading scale
  • English proficiency test. If English is not your first language, please submit official results from one of the following: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Duolingo, Cambridge English Assessment or Michigan English Test (MET). The preferred overall score, and required minimum sub scores are noted below:
Exam TypePreferred Overall ScoreSub Score Minimum Requirement
TOEFL Internet-based9020
TOEFL Essentials10Reading: 10
Writing: 10
Listening: 9.5
Speaking: 9
IELTS76.5
Duolingo120-130Literacy (reading and writing) = 120; Conversation (listening and speaking) = 115; Comprehension (reading and listening) = 125; Production (writing and speaking) = 100
Cambridge English Assessment C1 Advanced or C2 ProficiencyC1-
Michigan English Test (MET) 4-SkillC1 

We do not accept self-reported English Language Proficiency exam scores, nor do we super score results.

Transfer applicants may request a TOEFL/IELTS waiver and we will consider that request on a case-by-case basis. 
The admission committee looks closely at an applicant's qualitative and quantitative coursework when determining waiver eligibility and requires that students have submitted their application, official high school transcript, and official college transcript before requesting a waiver. If you would like to request a waiver please contact us.

Waiver Policy: The English Language Proficiency exam requirement can be waived if you have been attending school in the U.S. (this excludes U.S. territories) for six or more years and have not been enrolled in an English as a Second Language program or a course for a minimum of six years. 

Send your standardized test score results to Bentley directly from the testing agency. Use the code 3096 on your application materials if submitting a TOEFL score.

International Transfer Applicants:

In addition to submitting the above, international transfer applicants who are admitted and elect to enroll will be required to submit the following:

Bentley encourages students to contact EducationUSA which helps international students prepare to come to the U.S., including preparation for visa interviews. 

Additional information for your application

Application Status

Once you have submitted your application, we'll send you an ID number for BentleyConnect, our online portal, which you can use to check the status of your application.

Encouraged Prerequisites

We strongly suggest all applicants complete one of the following: pre-calculus, calculus, finite math or business math.  

Transfer Credit

All courses you have taken at other institutions will be evaluated to determine if they are comparable to course work at Bentley. Learn more about our transfer credit policies. For an estimate of which college courses you've taken (or are currently taking) will transfer to Bentley, try our course equivalency estimator. 

Bentley student Mackenzie Baker smiling
Transferring to Bentley has been beyond anything I could have dreamed of. I've been able to get involved in so many different things, meet so many people and even go abroad.
Mackenzie Baker
Creative Industries Major

Questions?

Contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission

Academic Year Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Summer Hours: Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

Phone: +1(781)-891-2244; +1(800)-523-2354
Fax: +1(781)-891-3414
Email: ugadmission@bentley.edu