Admissions
UWRF Admissions
Phone: 715-425-3500
Text: 715-821-9061
Email: admissions@uwrf.edu
Location: 410 S. 3rd St.
Join the Falcon Family
Whatever your reason for wanting a change, we’re thrilled you’re considering UWRF! Being a Falcon means you’re part of a community filled with engaging learning experiences, supportive faculty, world-class facilities and all the guidance, tools and support you need to make the most of your next step.
Guaranteed Scholarships
Our Soar Achievement awards are guaranteed scholarships granted to transfer students based on GPA. If you're eligible, the scholarship is automatically awarded in your admissions offer - no additional application required! Learn more about our Soar Achievement guaranteed scholarships and other scholarship opportunities.
Transfer student GPA eligibility requirements:
- 3.4 GPA: $1,000
Let's Do This!
Ready to apply? (Don’t worry, we’ve made it simple!)
The application is free and we don’t require an essay. The academic accomplishments on your transcript(s) and your background experiences speak volumes about your preparation for UWRF. If we need more information than what’s included in the application, we’ll reach out to you.
1. Complete an online application at apply.wisconsin.edu.
2. Submit official college transcripts*
*Please request an official transcript for each college or university you have attended and have the institution send it directly to UW-River Falls. We prefer that transcripts are sent electronically, when possible. Please have transcripts delivered through electronic transcript service delivered to admissions@uwrf.edu. If sending hard copy transcripts, please request they be addressed to:
UWRF Admissions
410 S. 3rd St.
River Falls, WI 54022
3. Submit official high school transcripts
Prior to enrollment, we'll need a copy of your official high school transcript to verify your graduation as a financial aid requirement. It must have all grades and a graduation date indicated. We're unable to accept transcripts sent by students and are unable to disburse financial aid or scholarships until your official high school transcript is received. If you have less than 12 college credits completed, your high school transcript will also be used in an admission decision.
The Transfer Experience
The key to a smooth and successful transfer experience is good planning. To assist the process, make sure you research degree requirements, communicate with your current adviser (and us!) and don’t be afraid to ask questions!
Associates of Arts (AA) degrees from Wisconsin and Minnesota will grant a waiver of University Requirements AND General Education requirements. Specific degree, licensure and prerequisite requirements must still be completed with individual courses. AA degrees from other states are reviewed individually to see if they qualify for a similar waiver.
Technical Classes and Technical Degrees (AS - Associate of Science & AAS Associate of Applied Science) are reviewed by faculty advisers for course-by-course transfer.
Completed Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) will grant a waiver of General Education and University Requirements (except for a one-credit Health and Fitness for Life course). Specific college, degree, licensure and prerequisite requirements must still be completed with individual courses.
Credit can be earned via a variety of exams. We don’t award credit for these exams when they have been recorded on a previous institution's transcript so you should have the scores sent directly to us from the testing agency.
Have you served? Military Credit is typically accepted for General Education requirements (the Personal Health and Wellness area is often waived for Basic Training completion and the Global Perspectives area may be waived for service overseas) and other baccalaureate courses. To award credit, we must receive an official transcript.
Congrats on being admitted! We've got a series of important to-dos for you now that you're admitted. (Make sure you pay close attention to the items highlighted for transfer students. Click the button to see the full list.
Frequently Asked (Transfer!) Questions
Have questions? We're here to help! We've compiled a list of some of the most frequently asked questions for transfers. Explore below to check out the answers. Have a question that's not answered here? Feel free to shoot us an email at admissions@uwrf.edu and we'll follow up!
We're committed to helping you through the entire transfer process, including determining what credits may transfer. As a transfer student, advisers, department chairs and academic deans work with you individually to help you best apply your credits. Prospective transfer students work with their advisers to make the pieces fit. Explore our resources to ensure you maximize your credit transfer options.
Please note: If your course is not listed in one of the credit transfer tools, it doesn’t mean your credit won't transfer, it may just indicate the credit hasn’t been evaluated yet. You will work with your adviser to transfer in credit that hasn’t been evaluated. Credit exceptions are very common.
An official transfer credit evaluation will be prepared for you by the Registrar's Office upon your admission. Credit from non-accredited institutions may be reviewed by the appropriate department to determine application of transfer credits. A maximum of 72 credits can be accepted from community and technical colleges and a minimum of 30 credits must be completed here at UWRF (with six credits in your major and three credits in your minor).
Transfer students must request an official transcript for each college or university they have attended and have the institution send it directly to UW-River Falls. Prior to enrollment, all students must provide a copy of your official high school transcript to verify your graduation as a financial aid requirement. We are unable to accept transcripts sent by students and are unable to disburse financial aid or scholarships until your official high school transcript is received.
We prefer that transcripts are sent electronically, when possible. Please have transcripts delivered through electronic transcript service delivered to admissions@uwrf.edu. If sending hard copy transcripts, please request they be addressed to:
UWRF Admissions
410 S. 3rd St.
River Falls, WI 54022
For transcripts to be considered official, they must be sent directly to UW-River Falls from the transcript service. We are unable to accept transcripts (even official ones) that were initially sent to you or anyone else as the intended recipient. As a reminder, we will need official transcripts from each institution you have enrolled at.
Students who are 21 years of age or older or graduated from high school at least two years prior to the start of the academic year can choose to live on or off campus. If you’d like to live on campus, please visit the Residence Hall Portal to complete your residence hall contract. Learn more about Residence Life at UWRF.
Commuting Policy: Students that live at a permanent address with their parent(s) or a legal guardian and in a residence that is within the approved commuting zip codes (or within 30 miles as verified on Google Maps), can request to commute. Check out the Exemption Request Form for more information.
Please note: You only need to fill out the Commuter Exemption Request Form for the academic year(s) that you are NOT eligible to live off campus.
You can apply for hundreds of scholarships with a single application, using our Academic Works website. Our system will match you with the scholarships you’re eligible for. Two scholarships to specifically look for as a transfer student are:
- Falcons Fly Higher Scholarship ($500-$2,500): A one-time award offered to students based on academic potential, background, and experiences, financial need, leadership and the potential to enrich our campus community.
- Soar Achievement: A one-time award that's guaranteed to transfer students based on their GPA. To be eligible, transfer students must have achieved an average, cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher from all previously attended institutions to earn a scholarship of $1,000- this scholarship is awarded automatically in your admissions offer if all qualifications are met.
You can apply for scholarships annually- the deadline is February 1.
Your official credit evaluations are typically ready within 7-10 business days after you are admitted. Here's how you can access your evaluation and view your Degree Audit Report (DAR):
- If you haven't already, activate your Falcon Account with your Student ID number.
- Visit students.uwrf.edu.
- On the left hand side, click the "Degree Audit" tile. Sign in using your Falcon ID and password.
- Click on "Select a Different Program."
- Choose your major and catalog year for the semester to start at UWRF.
- Click the red button titled "Run Different Program."
Please note: Pay close attention to steps 4 and 5!
While UWRF does have some online course offerings, the majority of classes you’ll take while pursuing a degree here are in-person. We take a hands-on approach to education by providing you with real world experience and relevant classroom labs and activities. Some classes will have online offerings or a hybrid model but all labs will be held on campus.
We do offer two completely online degrees in Applied Computing and Sustainable Management. Please click on the following links below if these are of interest to you!
You'll register for courses during your orientation session. If you’re transferring to UWRF from another college, you have two options to complete your required in-person Orientation experience.
Option 1: Attend the full Transfer Orientation from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- You may bring up to two guests to your Orientation and they will attend a separate Orientation. You can register your guest(s) on the same form you use to register for Orientation. View the full Transfer Orientation schedule.
Option 2: Attend Express Orientation from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Students who are 25 years old or older or who have at least 60 incoming credits are eligible to attend an abbreviated Orientation session to register for classes. If you’re participating in Express Orientation, you may not bring any guests.
Please note: If you are unable to travel to campus or if traveling to campus would create a financial hardship, please email orientation@uwrf.edu to discuss your circumstances.