10 Medical Schools That Accept Transfer Students 2026

Transferring between medical schools is possible, but it's one of the rarest moves in higher education. Most schools that consider transfers only do so when a seat opens through attrition, and nearly all require a compelling personal reason along with a strong academic record.

That said, a number of medical schools maintain published transfer and advanced standing policies, which means they'll genuinely review your application when space allows. The schools below all have documented processes for transfer applicants, and understanding how each one works can help you decide whether a transfer is realistic for your situation.

Do Medical Schools Accept Transfer Students?

Some do, but under narrow conditions. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) advises that schools limit transfer acceptances to students who demonstrate compelling circumstances, and accreditation standards require that any transfer student show academic achievements comparable to the class they'd join. In practice, that means transfers typically happen between the second and third year, require passage of USMLE Step 1, and depend entirely on whether a seat has opened up.

You should also know that many prominent schools accept no transfers at all: Wake Forest, Washington University in St. Louis, Tulane, and the University of Washington all state this explicitly. Even schools with published transfer processes sometimes announce that no seats are available for a given cycle, so treat every listing below as a possibility to investigate rather than a guarantee.

Top 10 Medical Schools That Accept Transfer Students

Each school below publishes a transfer or advanced standing policy, which is itself uncommon. Availability changes yearly, so confirm the current cycle's status directly with each admissions office before applying.

1. Indiana University School of Medicine

Indiana University (IU) accepts transfer applications from Indiana residents enrolled at U.S. or foreign medical schools, and from nonresidents enrolled at U.S. medical schools. That willingness to consider applicants from foreign schools sets IU apart from nearly every other program with a transfer policy.

Transfers are considered for the second and third years only, and third-year acceptance is contingent on a passing USMLE Step 1 score. Admission decisions weigh available space, your undergraduate record, MCAT scores, and your performance in your current medical school curriculum.

2. George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences

George Washington (GW) accepts transfer applicants from accredited U.S. allopathic medical schools for third-year standing only. Applicants must be in good standing, hold competitive undergraduate GPAs and MCAT scores, pass the USMLE, and provide a letter of good standing from their current dean of student affairs.

The number of third-year positions varies from year to year, and in some cycles there's no availability at all. GW communicates each cycle's status on its transfer page, so check before assembling application materials by the February 1 deadline.

3. University of Florida College of Medicine

The University of Florida (UF) considers transfer requests between years two and three from students at other LCME-accredited U.S. medical schools. UF requires a compelling reason; its published examples include a spouse or partner relocating to Gainesville for a faculty or residency position, or a serious illness in a close family member.

Applicants must be in good standing per a dean's letter and must pass USMLE Step 1 before starting clerkships. Students who have already begun clerkships aren't eligible, even if they're willing to restart them, and UF announces cycles when no seats exist.

4. UAB Heersink School of Medicine

The University of Alabama at Birmingham's (UAB) Heersink School of Medicine considers external transfers into third-year positions that open through attrition. Only students with a compelling reason to transfer receive consideration, and applications must include official transcripts, two faculty letters, and a dean's letter confirming eligibility for promotion.

UAB runs its transfer application window from January through March when seats exist, and posts each cycle's status in advance. The school also allows advanced standing applications to its Medical Scientist Training Program under the same criteria plus graduate school requirements.

5. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine

Texas Tech University accepts a limited number of transfers in advanced standing when space is available, with legal Texas residency and U.S. citizenship or permanent residency required. Applicants must be in good standing at their current school, pass USMLE Step 1, and document that they carry no professionalism or disciplinary issues.

Transfer students join the school's multi-campus system and complete their third and fourth clinical years at the Amarillo or Odessa campus. Applications, including a personal statement explaining the reason for the transfer request, are due by May 1.

6. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso — Foster School of Medicine

The Paul L. Foster School of Medicine considers transfer applicants for advanced standing into the third year when space allows. Texas residents receive preference, though out-of-state applicants can be considered within the school's 10% nonresident enrollment limit.

Applicants must complete their second year at an LCME-accredited school before Foster's clerkships begin in mid-May and must pass USMLE Step 1. Students dismissed from or withdrawn from another medical school aren't eligible unless their former school confirms in writing that it would reconsider them for admission.

7. Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University

The Medical College of Georgia  (MCG) considers transfer requests on a case-by-case basis for students facing personal hardship or other compelling circumstances. Applicants must be enrolled and in good standing at an LCME-accredited medical school.

MCG frames its policy around students whose lives changed significantly after starting medical school elsewhere, which is exactly the situation accreditation guidelines contemplate. As one of the country's larger public medical schools by class size, MCG may see occasional attrition-driven openings that smaller programs don't.

8. LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans

LSU New Orleans considers transfer students into the second or third year of its curriculum when class capacity allows, with Louisiana residents receiving first priority. Only students with extraordinary personal or educational circumstances are considered, consistent with AAMC guidance.

Applicants must be in good standing at an LCME-accredited U.S. medical school and meet the same qualifications required of LSU's regular admits. Students entering the clerkship phase must first pass USMLE Step 1, and all transfers must be able to graduate on schedule with their new class.

9. Creighton University School of Medicine

Creighton University's advanced standing policy admits transfer students into its third-year class, generally when a seat opens through student attrition. Applicants must have passed USMLE Step 1, hold a bachelor's degree, and have attended an LCME-accredited medical school after applying through AMCAS.

One distinctive requirement: candidates need a prior affiliation with Creighton, such as previous matriculation in a Creighton academic program. Prospective applicants must contact the admissions office directly to confirm eligibility and seat availability before applying.

10. Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Oklahoma State University (OSU-COM) offers a transfer route for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) students, admitting applicants from other accredited colleges of osteopathic medicine to advanced standing at the start of the third year when vacancies exist. The school doesn't consider transfers from LCME-accredited MD programs, making it a DO-to-DO pathway.

Transfer applicants must be in good standing at their current school, meet OSU-COM's general admission requirements, and submit a written request explaining the reason for the transfer. Admitted students complete their final two years of instruction at OSU-COM.

How We Rank Schools

We rank schools using data from trusted sources like the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and the National Center for Education Statistics, along with each school's published admissions and transfer policies.

• Accreditation: Every school listed holds accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA).
• Published transfer policy: We prioritized schools that maintain a documented, publicly available transfer or advanced standing process rather than handling requests informally.
• Breadth of eligibility: Schools open to a wider applicant pool — out-of-state students, multiple entry years, or foreign-school enrollees — ranked higher than those with narrow residency or affiliation requirements.
• Transparency: We favored schools that clearly communicate seat availability, deadlines, and requirements for each cycle.
• Reputation: We considered each school's overall standing, class size, and track record with medical education.

You can read more about our approach on our ranking methodology page.

Why Med School Transfer Spots Are So Rare

Medical school class sizes are fixed years in advance, tied to clinical training capacity, accreditation requirements, and residency pipeline planning. A transfer seat only exists when an enrolled student leaves — through withdrawal, dismissal, or a leave of absence that removes them from their cohort — so schools can't predict from one year to the next whether they'll have any openings.

Curriculum design adds another barrier. Schools with integrated or nontraditional curricula often can't slot in a student trained under a different structure, which is exactly why Washington University ended its long-running transfer program after redesigning its curriculum. The traditional two-years-preclinical, two-years-clinical structure maps most cleanly between schools, which is why nearly every transfer policy targets the start of year three.

What Counts as a Compelling Reason to Transfer

Schools that require compelling circumstances generally mean serious life changes, not preferences. The University of Florida's published examples set the tone: a spouse or partner relocating for a faculty or residency position, or a close family member's serious illness requiring your presence nearby.

Dissatisfaction with your current school, a desire for better residency placement, or wanting a more prestigious name on your diploma won't qualify anywhere. Admissions committees read transfer requests skeptically because AAMC guidelines discourage anything resembling recruitment between schools, so your stated reason needs documentation and needs to hold up under scrutiny.

How to Choose a Medical School to Transfer To

If a genuine need to transfer arises, a targeted approach beats a broad one. Focus on schools whose eligibility rules you actually meet before investing time in applications.

Check Accreditation and Program Type

Confirm the school holds LCME accreditation for MD programs or COCA accreditation for DO programs, and note that transfer pathways almost never cross between the two. MD students should target LCME schools with transfer policies, while DO students have options like OSU-COM.

Confirm Current-Cycle Availability

Contact each admissions office to verify whether seats exist for your intended entry year. Several schools on this list have closed entire cycles with no availability, so confirming early saves you application fees and wasted effort.

Review Residency and Citizenship Requirements

Many transfer policies carry state residency requirements or preferences: Texas Tech requires Texas residency, and LSU prioritizes Louisiana residents. Match your applications to schools where your residency status keeps you eligible.

Verify Your Step 1 and Standing Requirements

Nearly every transfer pathway requires a passing USMLE Step 1 score and a dean's letter confirming good academic and professional standing. Gather this documentation early, since deadlines often fall between January and May for fall entry.

Compare Tuition and Financial Aid

Transferring can change your cost of attendance significantly, especially if you move from a private school to a public one where you hold residency. Compare tuition, fees, and aid packages at your target school against your current situation before committing.

FAQs About Transferring Medical Schools

Students considering a transfer usually share questions about eligibility, logistics, and downstream effects. These answers cover the concerns that come up most often.

Can You Transfer From a Caribbean Medical School to a U.S. Medical School?

Almost never. Nearly all U.S. transfer policies require enrollment at an LCME-accredited school, which excludes Caribbean programs. Indiana University is a rare partial exception, considering Indiana residents enrolled at foreign medical schools, though acceptance remains highly competitive.

Can You Transfer From a DO Program to an MD Program?

Standard transfer pathways don't cross between osteopathic and allopathic programs; MD schools accept transfers from LCME-accredited schools and DO schools from COCA-accredited ones. A DO student who wants an MD generally must reapply as a first-year student through AMCAS.

Does Transferring Hurt Your Residency Applications?

A well-documented transfer for compelling personal reasons rarely damages residency prospects, since program directors understand life circumstances change. You'll want your application materials to explain the transfer clearly, and strong clinical evaluations at your new school matter far more than the move itself.

Do Your USMLE Scores and Coursework Transfer With You?

Yes, USMLE scores belong to you and follow you to any LCME-accredited school, which is why most programs require Step 1 before clerkships. Your completed preclinical coursework is evaluated by the receiving school, and transfers are structured at the year-three boundary precisely so credits align cleanly.

When Should You Start the Transfer Process?

Begin conversations with target schools in the fall of your second year, since most application deadlines fall between January and May for entry the following fall. Starting early also gives you time to secure your dean's letter, faculty recommendations, and Step 1 score before deadlines hit.

Find the Right Path Forward in Medical School

A med school transfer is a narrow door, but for students with genuine need and strong records, these ten schools keep it open. You can compare medical programs, admissions requirements, and alternative pathways right here on Learn.org as you plan your next step.