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Undergraduate Postgraduate Student Life

Degree Programme Transfers

If you are considering requesting to transfer to a different degree programme, we advise you to contact and discuss this with your Student Adviser or Cohort Lead. It’s important to cover your motivation(s) for changing your degree programme before you proceed.

Transfers within ECA and to programmes elsewhere in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Science (CAHSS) are possible, but a number of factors will be taken into account:

  • Have you completed and passed any core/common courses?
  • What is your academic profile (e.g., have you failed any modules)?
  • Is there space for you on the destination programme?

All students are advised to contact the ECA Student Support Team (ECAStudentSupport@ed.ac.uk) to ask any questions about transferring, to get advice on the process, or guidance on how to apply.

To transfer to another School within the University of Edinburgh but outside of ECA, you will contact the Student Support Team for that School directly. Please be aware that each School has their own transfer criteria and procedures. You will find the relevant School and College on the webpages of your desired degree programme. The full list of programmes can be found here: A-Z of degrees | The University of Edinburgh

Transfer Application Dates

  • End of Week Two for transfers within ECA that: 
    • do not require a repeat year of study,
    • remain within the same subject area,
    • requires a programme transfer in name only.
  • 30th June 2025 for transfers that require a repeat year and/or require a portfolio. An application must be made by the 30th June, in order to be considered. 

Reviews of any request made after the 30th June deadline will start in August and continue on a rolling basis until end of Week 1, Semester 1. If you submit your ECA Degree Programme Transfer Application after the 30th June deadline there is no guarantee that your request to transfer will be processed.

ECA’s programme transfer application submission dates are:

  • 01 November
    • For Students applying for a mid-year transfer.
    • Transfer will be processed by the end of week 2 of semester 2.
  • 01 June 2026
    • For students applying for a summer transfer.
    • Transfer will be processed before the start of the next academic session. 
  • After-01 June
    • For students with August resubmissions and those who missed the 01 June application date.
    • ECA SASS will continue to work on these applications on a rolling basis.
    • Transfer will be processed by the end of week 1 of semester 1.

Application guidance

Please read through our guidance before you make an application to transfer.

  • A formal application is required for all students who would like to be considered for transfer (except new students arriving in Semester 1, in weeks 1 and 2).
  • Students in year 1 and 2 can be considered for transfer
  • Students in year 3 ECA students may be eligible for a programme transfer, you should email ECAStudentSupport@ed.ac.uk to discuss whether a transfer is possible with a Student Adviser.
  • Only one additional year of study can be granted to facilitate a degree programme transfer at Edinburgh College of Art.

Undergraduate/Postgraduate transfers - ECA approval

Transfer requests are reviewed by the Student and Academic Support Service (SASS) and will be approved should you meet the course requirements set out in the Degree Programme Table and the ECA transfer criteria. SASS will consult with the programme and School staff when a concession is required to transfer.

  • The Degree Programme Table is the confirmed framework of a degree programme. It lists the compulsory courses, the elective options, and the credit loads that must be completed to progress and graduate.
  • A concession is requested when a student must deviate from the Degree Programme Table to transfer. For example, a concession is needed to substitute a course you have completed for one you missed or to do a repeat year of study. Be aware that concessions are not guaranteed.

Most transfers take place at the start or end of the academic year - transferring part-way through the academic year is rare. Programme transfers that are in name only, and where no course changes are required, can be granted at the end of a semester.

ECA transfer criteria and eligibility outcome

Once an application has been submitted, SASS will review your case and offer an eligibility outcome. The eligibility outcome will explain whether you are eligible to transfer and what conditions you must meet. It may take up to six weeks to communicate this information.

Criteria considered as part of your case review include:

  • Whether you have the correct entry qualifications to meet the admissions criteria for the degree programme.
  • Whether you have completed the application form fully, including the supporting statement.
  • The year of study you can be permitted to transfer into e.g., year one, year two.
  • Whether a full-time or part-time repeat year is required to facilitate your transfer.
  • Your academic standing and whether you have the credits required to permit a transfer.*
  • Confirmation of whether or not a mini-portfolio is required for assessment as part of your transfer application.

We cannot confirm any transfer request until the eligibility outcome has been met, the progression outcome on the current degree has been published and we’ve had confirmation that there is space on your desired degree programme.

* SASS will not consider your transfer request if you have failed more than 40 credits in your current year of study. Students who have failed, or are likely to fail, more than 40 credits of study in their current programme are advised to speak with their Student Adviser and discuss alternative options.

New Undergraduate/Postgraduate ‘Fresher’s Transfers’ - CAHSS admissions approval

In academic year 24/25 new students can request a degree programme transfer up until the end of Week 2, Semester 1 (Friday 27th of September 2024). These requests are handled by CAHSS Undergraduate Admissions. Students should email cahss.applicantadmin@ed.ac.uk noting your current degree programme and the degree programme you wish to be considered to transfer into. Please email from your student email address.

General transfer advice

To make an informed decision about your programme transfer, we advise you to discuss your transfer with the following key University staff and departments:

  • Programme Director.
    • You can ask them specific questions about the programme you desire to transfer to, they can give you advice about the overall programme, its learning outcomes and career relevance, and it’s always helpful to introduce yourself.
    • When a portfolio is required, they can provide further advice about what is needed.
    • You can find the current Programme Director by looking up the programme on the ECA web pages and scrolling to the staff section at the bottom of the page: ECA website
    • Please note that while the Programme Director can provide valuable information about their programme, they do not approve the transfer.
  • The Fees and Student Support Team can advise you on the financial implications of a programme transfer, for example, where an additional year of study is required to facilitate transfer.
  • You should contact your funding provider to discuss the implications of a transfer on your university funding.
  • Students who require a visa to study must contact the Student Immigration Service to understand whether a programme transfer is possible and if any extra steps are needed.
  • The Advice Place, at EUSA can provide independent and confidential guidance.

Programme specific transfer advice

School of Art and School of Design

When transferring into or between, the School of Art and the School of Design, you will be asked to provide a portfolio as part of your application. The ECA SASS team will contact the relevant students after the deadline for each application cycle, with portfolio requirements and a cut-off date for submission. Please note that there is no online facility to submit your portfolio and the process is conducted over email.

Fine Art MA Hons

If you are studying Fine Art (MA Hons) then you can request to transfer to either Fine Art (BA Hons) or History of Art (MA Hons) at any point until the end of year 2. Some minor academic concessions are required.

Transfers from either Fine Art (BA Hons) or History of Art (MA Hons) degree programmes to Fine Art (MA Hons) are not guaranteed. The Fine Art (MA Hons) programme requires an additional year of study. Students with the correct core courses will be considered and, where possible, ECA will support such transfers.

Architecture MA to BA

If you are a second-year, visa-holding, student wishing to transfer from Architecture (MA Hons) to Architecture (BA), you will apply using the programme transfer request form. We ask students to do this over the summer, before the start of semester 1.

You should consult with the Student Immigration Service before requesting your transfer to receive advice about the implications this may have for your visa.

Please note that, for visa purposes, Architecture (BA) is considered an integrated programme within the Architecture (MA Hons) programme. Architecture (BA) is fully accredited with ARB and validated by RIBA. Further details about the Architecture (BA) programme and the courses taken in the third and fourth years can be found in your programme handbook and the Degree Programme Table: Edinburgh College of Art Degree Programme Tables (DPT)

Students are normally expected to apply for transfers to the BA Architecture programme ahead of the start of the next academic year. It’s exceptionally possible to request this transfer in year 3 of the Architecture (MA Hons) programme, until the end of semester 1. Students must contact the ECA Student Support Team (ECAStudentSupport@ed.ac.uk) to discuss this option.

Should you fail to progress in the Architecture (MA Hons) programme, and have no choice but to transfer to Architecture (BA), you will be advised of this by the SASS team and you should consult with the Student Immigration Service to discuss any implications this may have for your visa.

If you have questions about transferring from Architecture (MA Hons) to Architecture (BA), you can:

ECA transfer form

ECA Degree Programme Transfer Application Form (Microsoft Office form)

For more information, email ECAStudentSupport@ed.ac.uk.