Course Transfer process in the Psychology School

This page provides guidance on the course transfer process and a link to the course transfer application form, for students wishing to transfer to a course owned by the School of Psychology only.

Guidance on Course Transfers for Undergraduate Students.

The guidance contains important information about the criteria for considering applications and the implications of transferring, so please read this page fully before proceeding to the application form.

Please note that the application to transfer form is only for students who wish to change their whole degree course effective in the current academic year.

If you wish to remain on your existing course but add or remove a study abroad year, please contact outbound.sussexabroad@sussex.ac.uk

If you are a Psychology student and wish to add or remove a placement year, please contact psychologyplacements@sussex.ac.uk

If you are a postgraduate Psychology student and wish to transfer courses or change a module within your course, please contact psychology-pgt@sussex.ac.uk

If you are an undergraduate Psychology student and wish to change a module within your course, please contact psychology-ug@sussex.ac.uk

If you wish to transfer back to the beginning of a new course (i.e. to year 1 or year 0), please contact studentprogress@sussex.ac.uk. Transfers back to year 2 or 3 can be requested via the online form, but please contact studentprogress@sussex.ac.uk for advice on fees and visas.

Important information for ALL students considering a transfer:

Students on an undergraduate degree may apply to transfer into the same stage of a different degree, or to transfer back to an earlier stage.
You will need to gain 120 credits for each stage of your course to be awarded a degree. If you wish to transfer without restarting your current stage/semester on your new course, you will need to complete all assessments for your current stage/semester to gain the credits required. If you were due to take any trailed assessments from a previous stage, you will still need to take these unless you are restarting the stage to which they originally belonged.
Students on a Foundation course may apply to transfer onto a different Foundation course, or they may apply to transfer onto a degree course for which they meet entry requirements. If you transfer onto a degree course for which they meet the entry requirements. If you transfer onto a degree course for which you have met the entry requirements, you do not need to complete your Foundation course, but may do so if you wish to.
If you transfer back to an earlier stage you will be asked to sign a Learning Agreement (please see Academic Quality and Partnerships for details). University regulations normally allow a maximum of two years to complete a stage of study (for full-time students), including where you have transferred course. The purpose of the Learning Agreement is to monitor and encourage engagement with your new course.
Transfers back to an earlier stage of study may have implications for fees and funding. For further information, please contact studentprogress@sussex.ac.uk. Please note that as a returning student you will not be entitled to university housing and will have to make your own arrangements for accommodation.
If you transfer back to an earlier stage of study any marks and credits achieved will not be retained for progression and award purposes.
Once you are on a degree-level course (i.e. not a Foundation Year) a maximum period of registration applies. For an undergraduate course, this is usually the standard length of your course plus three years.

How can I apply to transfer?

Please email psychology.cao@sussex.ac.uk to make this request.

Please note that you must apply to the School which owns the course that you wish to transfer into. If you are not sure which school that is please enquire with your current School Office.

Please note that you have not transferred until the School confirms that the process has been successfully completed - in the meantime you must continue to attend classes for your current course in case your request is not able to be completed for any reason.

When can I request a transfer?

Course transfers are usually effective from the beginning of Semester 1, or more exceptionally from the beginning of Semester 2 (please note that transfers to a different Foundation course or into stage 1 of a degree course effective from Semester 2 are only possible in limited circumstances – please contact your School Office for further information).

Transfer periods for 2023-24

Transfers for Semester 1 can be applied for from 1st August 2023. Transfers for Semester 2 can be requested from the last day of the Semester 1 teaching period (15th December 2023).

The deadline to apply for a course transfer is the Friday of the second week of teaching in each semester. For the academic year 2022/23 these deadlines are:

Friday 13th October 2023 for Semester 1
Friday 9th February 2024 for Semester 2

Please note that it will not be possible to transfer within the same semester after these deadlines. If you do not wish to continue on your current course and have either missed the transfer window or know you want to restart the stage/start from an earlier stage on a different course, you may be able to temporary withdrawal and return the following academic year to restart the stage/semester on a new course. If you are considering doing this, please seek advice from your Academic Advisor and the Student Life Centre. If you decide that this is what you want to do, please contact studentprogress@sussex.ac.uk to apply for a transfer.

How will my transfer application be considered?

The Admissions Tutor(s) for your requested course will review your entry qualifications and your academic record so far at Sussex. They may approve your application based on this information and your form alone, or they may ask to meet with you to discuss the transfer.

You must meet the entry requirements of the new course and your transfer application may be declined on academic grounds. Your transfer may also be declined if the course you have requested is full. Transfers requested for Semester 2 may be declined where the structure of either your current or the new course would not enable you to complete 120 credits in the stage (i.e. where the course structure includes year-long modules).

What happens next?

You will receive an email to let you know whether your transfer application has been accepted or declined. This usually happens within 2 weeks of submitting your transfer application form.

If your transfer has been accepted, you may then be asked to choose option/elective modules. Please note that spaces on option/elective modules may be limited and some modules may not be available. You will be assigned a new Academic Advisor with your new subject area and your course title and teaching and assessment timetables will be updated. Once you have received your new timetable, you should start attending modules for your new course. If you are in receipt of funding from Student Finance we will inform them that you have transferred course. You should ensure you can receive funding for the duration of the new course before requesting a transfer.

If your transfer request is declined and you require further advice about your studies, you should speak to either your Academic Advisor or the Director of Student Experience in your school. You cannot appeal agaisnt a decision to decline an application to transfer course, as decisions are based on academic judgement.

Important information for Tier 4 visa students only :

If you are studying at the University on a Student Route/Tier 4 student visa, any transfer will be reported to UK Visas and Immigration. Information on how transfers can impact your visa (including the time limit on studying with a Student Visa) can be found here: https://student.sussex.ac.uk/international/visas/during-studies/changes/changes-to-studies
If you are applying to transfer back to an earlier stage of study, or to restart your current stage on a new course, you will need to apply for a new visa before starting the new course. This is because you are changing course and you cannot complete your new course within the same time as your old one. You will need to apply from your home country, so please make sure you do this in plenty of time, so that you can arrive in time for teaching for the new academic year. If you are adding a placement year or year abroad to your course, please contact an International Advisor (https://student.sussex.ac.uk/international/visas#contact) for the different options on applying for a visa extension to cover your final year.
If you are changing schools or if the new course is not connected to your previous course, both you and your school will need to provide us with a justification for the transfer for UKVI purposes.
Once your transfer has been approved and providing that you have enough time to apply for your new visa, the University will consider issuing you with a new CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies).

Important information for overseas (non-EU) students only :

You should note that if you transfer to a degree course in a higher fee band your fees will rise when you begin that course. If your fees are paid by a sponsor, please check with them directly whether the transfer will affect your sponsorship.

Data Protection

Your personal data is processed by the University of Sussex and stored by ‘Campus Management’ (on the University’s behalf) in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation, further detail about the University’s processing activities in relation to personal data can be found in our privacy notice. You can also view Campus Management's privacy notice.

Frequently Asked Questions for Transfers

Can I change my degree course within my current school?: If you wish to transfer to another degree course within the School of Psychology (including adding and dropping a minor) please contact the School office using this email address psychology.cao@sussex.ac.uk. The deadline for this is the end of the second teaching week for each term. If you are transferring from another school, you can only transfer into the first year of psychology.
Where can I request a change of my Placement year?: Please do not use the transfer form to request a change to your placement year. Please contact the placements team directly at psychologyplacements@sussex.ac.uk
I want to change courses restarting from the First year?: Students wanting to change course and restart in the new academic year. Please contact the Student Progress and Records Team studentprogress@sussex.ac.uk for the relevant information as they will be able to advise you regarding this process. If you wish to take temporary withdrawal and restart your first year then please contact a student life advisor at The Student Life centre studentlifecentre@sussex.ac.uk
How do I check the Entry requirements for a Psychology course I want to change to?: To check the entry requirements for the Psychology course that you wish to transfer onto, please refer to the 'Psychology and Cognitive Science' section of the Undergraduate Prospectus. This will give you the information about the entry requirements for each course.
What if I want to transfer to another school?: If you wish to transfer to another course within a different school, we advise that you speak to the new school and request their course transfer form. They will be able to advise you their transferring process.
Transferring onto Psychology with a minor: For information about the Psychology courses available with a minor, please refer to the 'Psychology and Cognitive Science' section of the Undergraduate Prospectus.
Can I transfer into Psychology year 2 from another School?: Unfortunately, in Psychology we do not accept transfers from outside of the School into second year. As the Psychology course is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), students are required to complete all core modules across year 1 and 2.
I still have additional questions relating to a Psychology course?: If you have any other questions regarding the courses within Psychology, then we advise that you contact the Director of Recruitment and Admissions Eleanor Miles at E.Miles@sussex.ac.uk