Transfer Students

Please Contact Us

We welcome transfer students and are excited to have you join Western Biology! Please reach out to the Biology Department as soon as possible to discuss your transfer equivalencies and the process of applying to the Biology Major or Biology Minor. We are available at biologyadvising@wwu.edu or (360) 650-6165. 

Plan Ahead and Apply Early

Ensuring that you are eligible to enroll in upper-division Biology courses in your first quarter requires some advanced planning. If you are transferring in for Fall Quarter, make sure that you apply for the Biology major or minor at the beginning of Spring Quarter. This gives you the best chance to register for upper-division Biology courses during your Fall Advising & Registration session.

If you plan to start at Western in winter, spring, or summer, submit your application at the start of the quarter before you begin. There is no application review in summer. 

If you are transferring from a community college or other four-year university, you need to check your eligibility to apply to the Biology major.  Almost all upper-division BIOL courses are only accessible to students who have been admitted into the Biology major or minor.  

More information on the application requirements is available here.

Biology pre-majors are given access to the Canvas course during the formal declaration process.

Understanding Transfer Equivalencies

If you’re transferring to Western , it’s helpful to know how your current courses will transfer over, especially if you’re planning to major or minor in Biology.

If you’re transferring from another Washington State community college or university, start by checking out the Transfer Equivalency Guide (TEG). It’s the quickest way to see how your classes line up with Western’s requirements.  

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • If your courses don’t appear equivalent to the prerequisite biology or chemistry classes needed to apply for full major status 161, 162; BIOL 204, 205), please reach out to the Biology Department before you apply. We can help you navigate the equivalency request process and next steps.  
     
  • If your courses are only listed as equivalent when completed as a full series (rather than one-to-one), and you won’t finish the series before applying, contact the Biology Department to talk through your options.
     
  • If you’re transferring from outside Washington State, or if your school isn’t listed in the TEG, you’ll need to work directly with the Biology Department to review your courses.  

To help ensure your courses can be reviewed on time, please submit your Transfer Equivalency Request at least two weeks before the application deadline for full major or minor status.  

When you submit your request, be sure to include a complete course syllabus that outlines lecture and/or lab topics. Unfortunately, syllabi without this information can’t be reviewed. Giving yourself a little extra time to gather these materials will help the process go smoothly and keep everything on track.