Inter-Faculty Transfer

The Faculty of Arts accepts a limited number of transfer applicants from other McGill Faculties.

Important note for Fall 2024 applicants: the eligibility requirements for interfaculty transfer to Arts programs have recently changed. The following are in effect as of Nov 2023.

Inter-Faculty Transfer Deadlines

Degree Application Open Application Deadline - late applications will not be accepted
BA - Bachelor of Arts March 4

June 1

BSW - Bachelor of Social Work March 1 May 1
BTh - Bachelor of Theology March 4 June 1

The effective term of the transfer is the following Fall. Inter-faculty transfers are not possible for either the Summer or Winter terms.

  • BA or BTh: read the steps below regarding how to request Inter-faculty transfer to either the BA or BTh degree.
  • BSW: refer to Transfer to BSW for further information on transferring to the BSW degree.

To review the transfer process in detail, click on the steps below and consult the PDF icon Arts OASIS InterFaculty Transfer checklist. Please note this is the same process for intra-faculty transfers.

Before Submitting an Application

  1. Familiarize yourself with the BA degree, the program options, and the transfer rules and regulations.
  2. Read the information below, thoroughly.
     

Eligibility requirements for an inter-faculty transfer to the BA degree

  • You are a McGill student currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program offered in a different Faculty (including the BA&Sci degree) and will not be graduating from that degree; or
  • You are not currently enrolled but have not graduated from McGill or another university and have simply been absent from McGill.

Additional minimum eligibility requirements:

  • At the time of review of your application:
    • You must have a CGPA of 3.00 or greater in your current faculty, including your current winter term; or
    • Your CGPA is below 3.00 in your current faculty after your current winter term, but you have completed a minimum of 12 credits of Arts courses with grades of B or better (ALL 12 credits must be at B level or better, this is NOT calculated as an average of all Arts grades)
  • Note 1: Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission.
  • Note 2: Arts courses are courses offered/administered by the Faculty of Arts.
  • Note 3: You are not eligible for consideration if:
    • You have graduated or are graduating from your current faculty and would like to complete the BA degree as a 2nd undergraduate degree. If this applies to you, you must follow the Enrolment Services admissions process so as to apply for a new degree.
    • You were never registered in an undergraduate degree program at McGill (for example, you were registered in a program offered by Continuing Studies or you studied at McGill as a visiting, exchange or special student) and wish to complete a BA degree. If this applies to you, you must follow the Enrolment Services admissions process so as to apply.

Applicants must:

Credit transfer:

  • You may retain your pre-McGill advanced standing (a maximum of 30 credits for A-levels, IB, French Baccalaureate, CEGEP, AP exam; a maximum of 60 credits for university transfers)
  • You will retain a maximum of 30 credits of non-Arts or Science courses completed under your previous Faculty. If you transfer from the B.A. & Sc. degree or the B.Sc. degree, you will be permitted to transfer a maximum of 12 non-Arts or Science courses.
  • You will retain credit for all Arts and Science courses completed under your previous Faculty.
  • There are two options to transfer credits. The choice is definitive and must be made at the time you transfer to Arts:
    • Option 1 (default): 
      • Keep your CGPA and all credits completed, including Arts and non-Arts courses (up to 30 credits non-Arts or Science courses or 12 non-Arts or Science courses if you transfer from the B.A. & Sc. degree or the B.Sc. degree).
      • Any advanced standing granted at the time of your original admission to McGill will remain, up to a maximum of 30 credits for non-university advanced standing (for example, CEGEP, IB, French Baccalaureate, A-Levels, Advanced Placement Exams) and up to 60 credits for pre-McGill University Transfer Credits).
      • No credits will be granted for successfully passed McGill Placement Exams.  
      • The CGPA from your previous degree will continue into your BA degree.
    • Option 2: 
      • Restart your CGPA; i.e. a fresh start in Arts.
      • With the exception of any advanced standing granted at the time of your original admission to McGill (up to a maximum of 30 credits for non-university advanced standing for example, CEGEP, IB, French Baccalaureate, A-Levels, Advanced Placement Exams and up to 60 credits for pre-McGill University Transfer Credits), all courses completed at McGill or elsewhere - including Arts courses - will be excluded from the credit totals and the GPA calculations.
      • No credits will be granted for successfully passed McGill Placement Exams.
      • The code “EXC” will be added to all courses completed while you were in your previous degree.
    • NOTE: The Faculty of Arts will NOT approve E-Flags for compassionate grounds of credits completed under a previous degree.


How does transferring from another McGill Faculty to the Bachelor of Arts impact previous courses taken under the S/U grading option?

S/U grades appearing on your McGill record as part of your previous degree are irrevocable and will remain unaltered, which may in turn impact your program requirements in your new BA program. Once you have been admitted to the BA, consult with an adviser to go over your options.

How does transferring from another McGill Faculty to the Bachelor of Arts impact a McGill Exchange or Independent Study Away?

If you have applied to or accepted a nomination to participate in a McGill Exchange or an Independent Study Away for an upcoming academic term of study (Summer, Fall or Winter term), under your current faculty please note that the approval will not transfer to the BA degree. You must indicate this fact in the “Comments” section of the Minerva Inter-Faculty transfer application at the time that you apply. The study abroad term will be evaluated according to Faculty of Arts eligibility requirements and is likely to be revoked.

Summer Independent Study Away:

As your transfer is effective for the Fall term only, a study away program in the Summer term must be administered by your current faculty, including the transfer of credits.

Fall or full year Fall/Winter Independent Study Away:

If you have been approved by your current faculty for an Independent Study Away for Fall or full year Fall/Winter, your term abroad will not transfer to the BA program (ie. you will have to cancel your term abroad). Students must have successfully completed a minimum of 12 credits in the McGill BA degree with a McGill CGPA of 2.70 or greater before submitting an application for an Independent Study Away. Therefore, students will not be able to complete an Independent Study Away in the first year in the BA degree.

Fall or full year Fall/Winter Exchange:

If you have applied to or accepted an Exchange for Fall or full year Fall/Winter through your current faculty, you have to contact the Arts OASIS Study Away Team via the ARTS Oasis Service Desk Portal to determine whether the exchange can be transferred to the BA degree. This must be done prior to accepting the offer of transfer as we cannot guarantee that the transfer of the exchange to the BA degree.

Students will not be able to submit an application for a Winter exchange in the first year in the BA degree.

Students who transfer from another McGill Faculty to the Bachelor of Arts are not eligible to apply for a McGill Exchange until they have successfully completed a minimum of 12 graded McGill credits in the McGill BA degree with a McGill CGPA of 3.00 or greater.

Note: Studies completed at another university MUST be pre-approved in order to be considered for transfer credit. After-the-fact requests for transfer credit will be refused.


Application Process:

Submit a Minerva Application Form

  • Log into Minerva and click on Student Records Menu, then Faculty Transfer/Readmission Menu
    • If you are currently-registered in a non-Arts undergraduate degree, select the "Request for Inter-faculty Transfer" option
    • If you are not currently-registered in a non-Arts undergraduate degree, select the "Request for Readmission" option
    • If you are currently-registered in the Bachelor of Social Work undergraduate degree or the Bachelor of Theology undergraduate degree, select the "Request for Intra-faculty Transfer" option
  • Notes:
    • Submit only one application even if you are considering more than one Arts department for your major or honours program. After you are admitted to Arts you will be able to change your major yourself using Minerva.
    • If you are currently registered in Continuing Studies and you were previously registered in a McGill undergraduate degree program from which you did not graduate, you cannot use the Minerva application form. Instead, you must submit your application to transfer by sending a request via the ARTS Oasis Service Desk Portal.

Include a Study Plan

In the “Comments” field of your application, include your study plan. Your plan should confirm the programs (Major/Minor Concentrations or Honours/Joint Honours programs), the remaining number of credits and an expected term of graduation. The Degree Planning page will help you prepare your study plan.

Submit your supporting documentation

You are required to send transcripts of academic work:

  • If you studied at another university prior to, or during studies in your current faculty and your current faculty is not Arts or Science; or
  • If you will be taking courses at another university during the upcoming summer term; or
  • If you interrupted your studies and during your absence completed courses at another university

To do so:

  • Submit unofficial copies of your transcripts concurrently with your Inter-Faculty Transfer application on Minerva
  • Send the PDF attachment of your unofficial transcripts via the ARTS Oasis Service Desk Portal using your McGill email account or the current email address you provided (if your McGill email account is inactive) with the subject line: INTER-FACULTY TRANSFER DOCUMENT – UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT - YOUR NAME AND McGILL ID NUMBER. An unofficial transcript of studies taken at another institution is acceptable pending receipt of an official transcript.
  • You must make arrangements to have your final, official transcript sent from the institution(s) you attended. McGill accepts electronic final official transcripts sent through a recognized digital credential service provider or directly from the issuing institution(s).

    Recognized digital credential service providers include (but are not limited to):
    • MyCreds
    • Parchment
    • Credentials Solutions
    • Bureau du cooperation interuniversitaire (BCI)
    • National Student Clearinghouse
    • Digitary
    • My eQuals
    • eScrip-safe
  • If it is not possible for documents to be sent via one of the service providers listed above, McGill will accept final official transcripts (in PDF format) sent directly from the issuing institution to officialschooldocs [at] mcgill.ca. Documents that are determined to be unofficial will not be accepted. Transcripts in languages other than English or French must be accompanied by an English or French translation prepared by the school. If your school cannot provide a translation, you must send a translation from a certified translator.


Wait for the Faculty Decision

Faculty decisions are normally made during the months of June and July and will be entered on the Minerva transfer applications. A notification will be sent to your McGill account notifying you of a "change of status" to your application. You must then log onto your Minerva transfer application to read the faculty decision, conditions and any attached documents.

  • Note: In some cases the status may be changed to "file incomplete". Please read the details of what information or documents are missing and promptly follow through as requested. Incomplete applications cannot be processed and will be cancelled.

Accepting the offer

If you are offered admission to Arts, read the conditions of your acceptance in the "External Comments" field of your Minerva application and any attached documents. You must then "ACCEPT" or "DECLINE" our offer by the indicated deadline.

If you Accept our Offer

By accepting our offer, you also accept all conditions outlined in the Minerva module and attached documents. If you accept our offer, we will change your Minerva record to indicate "Bachelor of Arts" for the upcoming academic year within 5 to 8 working days.

Once this change is made, you must log onto Minerva and navigate to "Student Records Menu" and to the "Registration Menu" to do the following:

  • Indicate your Multi-track programs (Major and Minor Concentrations)
  • Make course changes, if necessary
  • Add or change your graduation term, if necessary

If you Decline our Offer

If you decline our offer, or fail to accept it, no activity will occur on your record and by default you will remain in your current faculty.

If you have submitted transfer applications to several degrees and are still waiting to hear from your other applications, PLEASE DO NOT ACCEPT OUR OFFER until you are certain that you wish to transfer to the BA degree. If our offer expires before you have been able to make a final decision, you can send an update via the ARTS Oasis Service Desk Portal once you have decided to transfer to the BA degree and we will renew our offer.

If you Have Been Refused

All decisions are final, and reconsideration is not possible. If your application to transfer has been refused, carefully read the basis of refusal and any recommendations indicated on your Minerva transfer application.

Additional information

If you have additional questions:

  1. Consult the PDF icon Arts OASIS InterFaculty Transfer checklist.
  2. Re-read the information on this website carefully.
  3. If you still have questions, submit a request for assistance via the ARTS Oasis Service Desk Portal
 
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