Transfer Students

Transferring to Lewis & Clark College

A liberal arts college with a public conscience and global reach, Lewis & Clark is the ideal place to explore the world and find your place in it. We welcome transfer students for the maturity and diversity they bring to the college—so much so that we purposefully reserve places in the incoming class for you. In fact, we welcome approximately 50 transfers to our student body each year, with students coming from both two-year and other four-year colleges.

Our office will consider you a transfer applicant if you complete 12 or more semester credits (18 quarter credits) of college coursework after graduating from high school (or earning a GED) and before your enrollment at Lewis & Clark.

To learn more about Lewis & Clark, please join us for a virtual information session and campus tour. 

If you have specific questions about preparing yourself to transfer to L&C, applying, or transferring your credits, please contact our transfer counselor, Karin Dobbins Sherer, at transfer@lclark.edu.

If you have not yet graduated from high school, please read over our guidelines regarding high school students earning college credits prior to graduation.

Life at L&C

On-Campus Housing

Lewis & Clark is a residential community and all new students, including transfers, are required to live on campus their first four semesters. You are exempt from this policy if you are entering the college with at least 61 semester credits (junior standing), are living with your parent(s) in the Portland area, are married, or are 21 years or older at the time of enrollment. Housing information will be available to admitted students after March 1.

Overseas Study Programs

Transfer students are eligible to participate in Lewis & Clark’s renowned overseas study programs. Due to the timing of the application process to go overseas, students are not able to participate on a study abroad program during their first year at the college. In general, the earlier in your college career you begin at Lewis & Clark, the easier you will find it to spend a semester or year overseas.

Transitioning to Lewis & Clark

Our community recognizes that as a transfer student, your needs differ from those of a first-year student. From working with you in the admission process to welcoming you during our New Student Orientation program, we make every effort to ensure you have a smooth transition.

We have found that the transfer students who are the most successful are those who recognize that, while they are not entering college for the first time, they are entering Lewis & Clark for the first time. We encourage you to ask questions, seek advice from your new community members, and approach your new college experience with an enthusiastic, open mind so you can make the most of the opportunities you’ll find here.