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To be considered a transfer student, you must have previously earned a high school diploma or equivalent and be in good standing at the institution you are currently or most recently enrolled in after high school. 

It is easy and free to apply to John Carroll University! Just follow these steps:

  1. Complete our online application.
  2. Arrange to have complete credentials sent directly to the Office of Admission. 
    • Official transcripts must be mailed or emailed directly to John Carroll from each college or university you attended. We are unable to accept transcripts issued to the student or hand-delivered transcripts.
    • Applicants only need to submit an official high school transcript if they have completed fewer than 24 credit hours at a college or university. 
    • Submitting SAT or ACT scores is optional. 

Some students may be asked to complete the Transfer Reference Form based on their previous educational experience. 

  • This form provides information about your conduct record. You will be contacted by your admission counselor if you need to complete this form as part of your application. Please complete part one with your information, then submit it to the Dean of Students or a judicial affairs administrator at your current or most recent institution to complete part two of the form.

Documents should be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admission or via secure electronic delivery (Parchment or the National Student Clearinghouse) via admission@jcu.edu.

Alternatively, documents can be mailed to the following address:

John Carroll University  Office of Undergraduate Admission 1 John Carroll Boulevard University Heights, OH 44118

John Carroll reviews applications for admission holistically. While we do not have a minimum GPA requirement, a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher is recommended.

Application review is completed on a rolling basis. Once all required information is received, you should have an admission decision within three to four weeks if you are applying for the upcoming semester.


Application review for the spring semester begins in October each year, and application review for the fall semester begins in February each year. 

When you submit your application, you’ll automatically be considered for transfer merit scholarships of up to $22,000 per year. Merit-based transfer scholarships are awarded at the time of acceptance based on your cumulative GPA at the time of application review. For more information about merit-based transfer scholarships and other transfer awards, visit our Scholarships for Transfer Students page. 

Submit your FAFSA to JCU in order to maximize your financial aid opportunities. (JCU’s FAFSA code is 003050).

“Rather than feeling like just a number at a large institution, I felt like I truly mattered at John Carroll. I was able to reach my full potential in the chemistry lab and on the softball field.” – Lauren Cianciolo ’18