Optional Transfer Considerations

There are additional options for students to consider when applying for transfer admission. Review the information below and contact transferadmissions@austin.utexas.edu with questions.

Academic Fresh Start

Texas Residents can have their academic record from 10 years ago or older ignored for admission purposes through Academic Fresh Start. Applicants are required to be a Texas resident at the time of application to exercise Academic Fresh Start, regardless of the source of their credits, which need not be exclusively from a Texas community college or university. Academic credits or degrees awarded (10 years or older) are not expunged or rescinded; instead, they are disregarded to facilitate the establishment of a new transferable GPA. Credits ignored using Academic Fresh Start cannot later be used for any UT Austin degree requirements.

Academic Fresh Start is an irreversible procedure, and students are limited to invoking it only once within the State of Texas. In cases where admission is not granted, Academic Fresh Start will not be implemented; however, students may reapply for this option in subsequent applications at UT Austin or another Texas university. Students who believe they qualify must apply for transfer admission (or readmission) with all required credentials, attend an Academic Fresh Start Info Session, then contact transferadmissions@austin.utexas.edu requesting the academic fresh start contract. Applicants will have until the application deadline to submit their signed academic fresh start contract.

Reverse Transfer

Reverse transfer occurs when universities monitor transfer students’ semester credit hour accumulation and send their transcripts back to the community college students previously attended as they surpass certain credit thresholds. The community college can then award the student an associate degree if the course requirements of a degree program have been met, and can also receive credit for having awarded the degree. Students will need to grant permission to UT Austin to send their transcript to their previous community college (which can be done on the admissions application). UT Austin will send a list of students to the community college each semester to include students eligible for to be awarded their associates degree