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Student transfer arrangements

How to transfer to another course or university

It is possible to transfer in a number of different ways. Our guidance will help if you wish to transfer:

  • from one Birkbeck course to another
  • to Birkbeck from another higher education provider
  • from Birkbeck to another higher education provider.

I want to transfer to a different course at Birkbeck

  • You should submit a change of programme request via your My Birkbeck profile. This will need to be approved by the Programme Leader of your current course and the Programme Leader of the course you wish to transfer to.
  • If you are an international student studying on a Student visa, you will also need to speak with the .
  • Changing course can have implications for your tuition fees, your student support and your visa. It is therefore advisable that you seek guidance from our Student Advice team before changing programmes.
  • If you have any queries about your change to your study status you can ask us a question via our online form.

I want to transfer to Birkbeck from another higher education provider

  • Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) allows you to use your existing qualifications and experience towards the entry requirements of a degree, or to exempt you from modules that overlap closely with your existing awards. You can find out more about APL below.
  • Transferring to another institution is a big decision. Before you consider submitting any applications for transfer, please discuss your situation with the relevant people within your current university, such as your personal tutor, academic support services, or welfare support services. 

I want to transfer from Birkbeck to another higher education provider

  • If you are a current student, you should read our guidance on Withdrawing from your studies.
  • In the first instance you should seek guidance from the university you intend to transfer to.
  • In most cases you will need to provide an official transcript of your Birkbeck results to the institution you are applying to. You can request a transcript from our Transcript web page. Please note that there is a charge for this service. You can also download an interim record of achievement from your My Birkbeck profile.
  • If you need any help, please contact our Student Advice team.

Accredited prior learning (APL) and credit points

If you have previously studied at higher education level it may be possible to transfer your completed credits to a programme of study at Birkbeck.

Similarly, if you are studying at Birkbeck and wish to transfer to another university you may be able to transfer any credits gained at Birkbeck to your chosen university.

Module credits

  • When studying at university you gain credit points each time you successfully complete a module. You need to attain a certain number of credits in order to complete an award.
  • Modules taken at Birkbeck are worth either 15, 30 or 60 credits depending on the amount of learning required to complete the module.
  • To achieve an award you will need to achieve the required number of credits for that award, for example:
    • Certificate of Higher Education: 120 credits 
    • undergraduate degree (BA/BSc/LLB): 360 credits
    • postgraduate degree (MA/MSc/LLM): 180 credits.
  • We also offer some stand-alone short courses that do not offer any credit. These are not assessed and are not part of award-bearing programmes. These are called 'non-credit bearing courses'.

Module level

  • Modules studied in higher education are assigned a level depending on difficulty.
    • Level 4 (certificate): equivalent to the first year of an undergraduate degree 
    • Level 5 (intermediate): equivalent to the second year of an undergraduate degree 
    • Level 6 (honours): equivalent to the third year of an undergraduate degree 
    • Level 7 (Master’s): level of study during a Master’s degree. 
  • See the UK government's website for more information on levels of study.
  • See the College Regulations for more information on modules and awards at Birkbeck.

Transferring credits to Birkbeck - accredited prior learning (APL)

  • If you have previously studied at university level, or you have equivalent experience, you may be able to get credit for this on your course at Birkbeck. 
  • For example, if you have previously passed a 30-credit module with similar content on a programme of study taken elsewhere, you may be awarded 30 APL credits for this module on your Birkbeck programme. You would then be exempt from the requirement to complete this module within your new programme.
  • The maximum number of APL credits accumulated at another institution that may be credited towards a Birkbeck award is usually as follows:
    • Certificate of Higher Education: 60 credits
    • Diploma of Higher Education: 120 credits
    • Foundation Degree: 120 credits, of which none may be at level 5 or above
    • Honours degree (BA/BSc/LLB): 240 credits
    • Graduate Diploma: 60 credits
    • Postgraduate Diploma: 60 credits
    • Master's programme (MA/MSc/LLM): 60 credits.
  • It is not possible to gain APL credits if you are studying for the following:
    • Certificate of Continuing Education
    • Graduate Certificate
    • Postgraduate Certificate.
  • You can only get APL credits at Birkbeck for study at the same or lower level of the credit you have previously been awarded. 
  • You can find more detail on APL in our Accreditation of Prior Learning Policy.

How to apply to transfer with credit

  • If you are an undergraduate student studying full-time you will need to submit a new application via UCAS. You should indicate that you are applying for year 2 entry on your form.
  • All other applicants can apply via our online application form (see our course pages for direct links). Please indicate on your application form that you wish to apply for APL credits.
  • You will then be asked to submit evidence of your previous studies in the form of a transcript. This can be uploaded via your My Birkbeck profile.
  • The outcome of any application will be decided in consultation with an appropriate academic member of staff or, where appropriate, referred to the relevant Awards Committee for resolution.
  • If you need any help please contact our Student Advice team.