10 Vet Schools That Accept Transfer Students 2026

Switching veterinary schools mid-degree is uncommon, but it happens more than you might expect, and a surprising number of vet schools publish exactly how to do it. With only around 35 accredited Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programs in the U.S. and small, tightly managed class sizes, transfer seats open only when a student leaves, so timing and preparation decide everything.

The schools below all maintain published transfer or advanced-standing policies for DVM students. Requirements differ on GPA minimums for vet school, eligible entry years, and which schools they'll accept applicants from, so this article walks through what each program actually asks for.

Do Vet Schools Accept Transfer Students?

Many do, on a space-available basis. Vet school transfer policies share a common core: you must be enrolled and in good standing at your current veterinary college, a seat must exist in the class you'd join, and your completed coursework must align with the receiving school's curriculum up to your entry point. Most schools also require a dean's letter confirming you've never faced academic or disciplinary action, plus faculty and veterinarian references.

Not every school participates: Michigan State's College of Veterinary Medicine states outright that its integrated curriculum doesn't accommodate transfer students, and UC Davis has suspended its transfer program due to space, accepting applications only when third-year seats exist. Even at schools with active policies, curricula rarely match neatly between programs, so transferring often costs you time, commonly up to a year of repeated coursework.

Top 10 Vet Schools That Accept Transfer Students

Every school below publishes its DVM transfer process, which already puts it in the minority. Contact each admissions office about current vacancies before preparing materials, since openings appear and disappear quickly.

1. Louisiana State University 

Louisiana State University (LSU) maintains one of the more open transfer policies in veterinary medicine, considering requests case-by-case from students at both AVMA-accredited and non-accredited institutions. That second category is rare; most U.S. vet schools won't look at applicants from non-accredited programs at all.

Applicants need a minimum 3.2 GPA, current enrollment in good standing, and a clean record with no academic or disciplinary probation. LSU notes that first- and second-year positions are very limited when available at all, and decisions weigh space, your reason for transferring, and how your coursework maps to the LSU curriculum.

2. Iowa State University 

Iowa State University reviews transfer applicants case-by-case and stands out for the effort it puts into protecting your academic progress. When you apply, the college identifies which required courses you're missing relative to your proposed entry rank, then works out how you can make them up rather than automatically setting you back.

Applicants from AVMA-accredited schools must have been in good standing throughout their enrollment, while applicants from AVMA-listed (non-accredited) colleges must rank in the upper third of their class. Students dismissed for academic or disciplinary reasons aren't eligible, and the school offers pre-application transcript evaluations by email.

3. Kansas State University 

Kansas State University (K-State) runs a standing transfer application with two review cycles each year, with deadlines of May 1 and December 1. That predictable schedule is a genuine advantage in a field where many schools only open applications when a seat unexpectedly appears.

Applicants must be currently enrolled in an AVMA-accredited DVM program and submit a letter of intent, transcripts covering all college and DVM coursework, a resume, and a dean's letter on academic and disciplinary standing. Three references round out the file: one veterinarian, one professor or advisor, and one personal reference.

4. Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University publishes clear numeric standards for transfer applicants: good academic standing with a 3.0 GPA or higher and a grade of C or better in all veterinary coursework. The vet school also requires GRE scores taken within four years of the transfer application, a requirement most peers have dropped.

Three letters of evaluation complete the application: one from your academic dean verifying standing, one from a current faculty member, and one from a veterinarian who has employed you. International transcripts are accepted with certified English translations.

5. University of Missouri 

University of Missouri (Mizzou) accepts a limited number of transfers from domestic and international AVMA-accredited veterinary colleges under a formal published policy. Applicants must have completed all coursework equivalent to Mizzou's curriculum up to their entry point and cannot have been previously denied first-year admission to the college.

The school's 2+2 curriculum structure — two preclinical years followed by two clinical years — shapes where transfers land: most successful applicants enter the second year, and the college doesn't accept transfers into the first or fourth years. Missouri is candid that transferring may cost up to a year of academic progress.

6. Washington State University

Washington State University considers transfer applicants who have completed at least one full year of the veterinary curriculum at an AVMA-accredited college. That one-year threshold gives the admissions team a meaningful DVM-level record to evaluate rather than undergraduate grades alone.

The school directs prospective transfers to contact the DVM admissions office first to learn whether open positions exist. As one of the oldest veterinary colleges in the country, WSU pairs its transfer consideration with a deep clinical training infrastructure across the Pacific Northwest.

7. Colorado State University

Colorado State University maintains a detailed transfer policy and is unusually honest about the tradeoffs. The college warns that curricula rarely match between schools, so transfers usually involve losing time, commonly a year, and openings often surface very close to the start of the semester.

One financial detail deserves attention: all transfer students are classified as nonsponsored for tuition purposes regardless of Colorado residency, and state statute locks that classification for the duration of the program. Fourth-year entrants must also complete the school's Capstone III requirement, so read the full policy before committing.

8. Lincoln Memorial University 

Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) accepts transfer students into the first four semesters of its DVM program, with application deadlines of November 1 for spring entry and April 1 for fall. Applicants need a 3.0 or better GPA in veterinary school, all LMU prerequisite coursework, and completed courses that closely parallel LMU's curriculum.

The college recommends emailing your course list before applying so staff can confirm your coursework aligns closely enough to transfer. Decisions rest on vacancy availability and approval from your sending school, and admitted transfers take the full scheduled course load from their first LMU semester.

9. Oregon State University 

Oregon State University runs a transfer pathway aimed at a specific group: students enrolled at AVMA-accredited veterinary programs outside North America who want to finish their DVM in the U.S. Applicants need a 3.0 or higher GPA in their veterinary coursework and completed courses equivalent to the class they'd join.

The process starts with an electronic Transfer Interest Form rather than a full application. When space opens in a class, the college contacts interested students to confirm eligibility and then issues a link to the formal transfer application.

10. Mississippi State University 

Mississippi State University (MSU) fills vacancies in its first- and second-year classes with transfer students on a limited basis. Applicants must have completed coursework equivalent to what MSU students at that point have finished, including comparable surgery laboratory experience where applicable.

The eligibility bar is strict: good academic standing, no failed courses at any point in veterinary school, and no history of dismissal. The college encourages prospective transfers to call before applying, both to check for vacancies and to run a course-equivalency review with admissions staff.

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 American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA COE).
• Published transfer policy: We prioritized schools with documented, publicly posted transfer processes over those handling requests informally or keeping policies internal.
• Breadth of eligibility: Schools accepting applicants from a wider range of institutions or entry years ranked higher than those with narrow restrictions.
• Transparency: We favored schools that state their GPA thresholds, deadlines, and seat-availability process clearly, including honest disclosures about time and tuition costs.
• Reputation: We considered each program's overall standing, clinical training resources, and history in veterinary education.

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

Why Vet School Transfer Seats Are So Scarce

DVM class sizes are capped by accreditation, clinical caseload, and teaching hospital capacity, and most programs enroll between 100 and 160 students per class. A transfer seat exists only when someone withdraws, takes leave, or is dismissed, so schools can't promise openings, and several explicitly warn that some years bring none at all.

Curriculum design compounds the scarcity. Veterinary programs run in lockstep, with each semester building directly on the last, which is why Michigan State declines transfers entirely and why schools like Missouri restrict entry to specific years. The closer two schools' curricula align, the better your odds of transferring without repeating a year.

Transferring From an International Vet School

Students at Caribbean and other international veterinary programs sometimes look to finish their degrees stateside, and a few U.S. schools have built genuine routes for them. Oregon State's transfer pathway specifically serves students at AVMA-accredited programs outside North America, while LSU goes further than nearly anyone by considering applicants from non-accredited institutions.

Accreditation status shapes your options everywhere else. Iowa State considers students from AVMA-listed but non-accredited colleges only if they rank in the top third of their class, and many schools limit eligibility to AVMA-accredited programs entirely. If you're at a non-accredited school, target the handful of programs above that will review your file, and expect a rigorous course-equivalency evaluation.

How to Choose a Vet School to Transfer To

A focused transfer strategy beats a scattershot one, especially when application windows open and close fast. Work through these factors before you commit time and fees.

Confirm Accreditation and Eligibility

Verify AVMA COE accreditation and check whether the school accepts applicants from your current institution's accreditation category. Getting this answer first prevents wasted applications at schools where you're ineligible from the start.

Ask About Vacancies Before Applying

Nearly every school on this list encourages direct contact with admissions before submitting anything. A short email or call tells you whether seats might open for your target year and gets your name in front of the people who track vacancies.

Request a Course-Equivalency Review

Curriculum alignment decides both your admission odds and your entry point, so send your transcript for informal evaluation wherever schools offer it. Iowa State, Mississippi State, and LMU all invite this step, and the answer may steer you toward the school where you lose the least time.

Understand the Tuition Consequences

Transferring can change your cost dramatically. Colorado State classifies all transfers as nonsponsored for their entire program, and other public schools apply nonresident rates until you establish residency. Build the full four-year cost picture at each school, not just next semester's bill.

Prepare Your Documentation Early

Dean's letters, faculty references, veterinarian evaluations, and official transcripts take weeks to assemble, and transfer openings often appear on short notice. Having your file ready lets you move the moment a seat opens.

FAQs About Transferring Vet Schools

Prospective transfer students raise a fairly consistent set of practical questions. Here are the answers that apply across most programs.

Will Transferring Vet Schools Delay Your Graduation?

Often, yes. Colorado State and Missouri both warn that transfers commonly lose up to a year because curricula rarely align perfectly between schools. A pre-application course-equivalency review is the best way to estimate your realistic timeline before committing.

Can You Transfer If You Failed a Course in Vet School?

At most schools, no. Mississippi State requires that applicants have never failed a veterinary course, and Oklahoma State requires C grades or better throughout, so a failure generally means finishing where you are or reapplying as a new applicant elsewhere.

Do You Apply Through VMCAS to Transfer?

No, VMCAS serves first-year applicants, while transfer applications go directly to each school through its own forms and deadlines. Expect each school to require its own fee, document set, and reference letters.

Will You Pay In-State Tuition After Transferring?

Not necessarily, even in your home state. Colorado State locks all transfer students into nonsponsored tuition for the entire program by state statute, and policies vary enough elsewhere that you should get each school's answer in writing before enrolling.

How Do You Find Out If a Vet School Has Open Seats?

Contact the DVM admissions office directly, since most schools don't advertise vacancies publicly. Some programs, like Oregon State, keep an interest form on file and reach out when space appears, so registering early keeps you in the pipeline.

Find Your Path Forward in Veterinary Medicine

Transfer seats in veterinary school are scarce, but these programs publish real processes for students who need to make a change. As you weigh your options, the veterinary program guides and school comparisons here on Learn.org can help you plan your next move with confidence.