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Mature and Transfer Students

Are you a mature or transfer student looking to advance your education in clinical and non-clinical health fields? York University’s Faculty of Health welcomes mature students, college/university transfers, and 2nd degree applicants to its six undergraduate programs.

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What Type of Applicant Am I? 

College transfer applicants have completed at least two full semesters or one year of full-time academic study at an accredited college and have not previously attended university. Even if you did not complete your college program, studied in another country, or your college studies were from several years ago, the Office of Admission will still require your college transcripts as part of the admissions review process. 

University transfer applicants have completed at least two full semesters or one year of full-time academic study at an accredited university. Even if you did not complete your university program, studied in another country, or your university studies were from several years ago, the Office of Admission will still require your university transcripts for the admissions review process.

2nd Degree Applicants have already completed a university degree and are looking to complete a second undergraduate degree.  2nd degree applicants are still considered university transfer applicants and would follow the same admission procedures as university transfer applicants. Even if you completed your degree in another country or your university studies were from several years ago, the Office of Admission will still require your university transcripts for the admissions review process. 

Mature applicants must meet all the following criteria: 

  • Be at least 20 years old by the end of the calendar year of admission to the University; 
  • have been out of full-time high school studies for at least two years; and 
  • have attempted less than one full year of studies at an accredited college or university. 

Full Time vs. Part Time 

The application process and file assessment are the same whether you plan to study full-time or part-time. 

  • A full-time course load consists of 3 to 5 courses per term (9 to 15 credits) during the Fall and Winter semesters. 
  • A part-time course load consists of 1 to 2 courses per term (3 to 6 credits) during the Fall and Winter semesters. There is no pre-defined study plan for part-time students. 

Please note that the following programs are offered only on a full-time basis: BSc in Neuroscience and the three BScN options – Direct Entry Nursing; 2nd Entry Nursing; and Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN).

How to Apply

Your admission requirements depend on your academic history and the program you are applying to. You can explore program-specific admission requirements and your basis of admission on the Requirements website. 

All applicants—whether high school, mature, university transfer, or college transfer—follow the same admission process and use the same application. The only differences are the specific documents required, which depend on your academic history.

If you have previously attended a college or university — even if you did not complete your program, your studies were many years ago, took place in another country, or your GPA was low — the Office of Admission will still require these transcripts as part of the admissions review process. 

Transfer Credits 

Admitted students with prior studies at accredited colleges or universities will automatically be assessed for transfer credits. Please note that pre-assessments for transfer credits are not available. 

Applicants must apply and be admitted to receive an initial transfer credit assessment (i.e., the number of eligible courses), which will be outlined in their offer letter. 

To complete a full transfer credit assessment (i.e., determining how these credits apply to major, general education, or elective requirements), applicants must first accept their offer and book an enrolment appointment. This assessment will then be completed a few days before their enrolment date. 

General Transfer Credit Eligibility 

  • No transfer credit will be granted for Neuroscience major courses. 
  • No transfer credit will be granted for nursing major courses in the Direct Entry Nursing program. 
  • For the Second Entry Nursing program, no transfer credit (i.e., course credit exclusions) will be granted for any required courses. This program admits only university transfer students, and all admitted students should expect the program to take 2 years (6 terms) to complete. 
  • For the Post-RN for Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN) program, no transfer credit (i.e., course credit exclusions) will be granted for any required courses. Admitted students should expect the program to take 5 terms to complete. 

In addition to the general transfer pathways available with Ontario colleges, the Faculty of Health has established specific transfer credit agreements with select college programs. These agreements may provide the opportunity to receive more transfer credits than the standard pathways from other programs. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Yes, all applicants, including mature and transfer applicants, must meet the required high school prerequisites for their chosen program. 

Transfer applicants to the BSc in Psychology, as well as the BA and BSc in Global Health and Kinesiology and Health Science, may be admitted with a conditional offer if they are missing one prerequisite, which can be fulfilled during their first year of study in the Faculty of Health. 

For the BSc in Neuroscience and the BScN Direct Entry Nursing, all prerequisites must be completed, including meeting minimum grade requirements. 

The BA in Psychology, BHS in Health Studies, BHS in Health Policy, Management, and Digital Health, the Second Entry Nursing program, and the Post-RN for Internationally Educated Nurses do not have high school prerequisite requirements. 

Missing or low high school prerequisites can be completed at any accredited in-person or online high school, such as the Independent Learning Centre (TVO-ILC), CALC Secondary School, Yorkdale Secondary School, Adult High School, or the Dr. Bette Stephenson Centre for Learning, among others. 

Missing or low university prerequisites can be completed at any accredited university, including York University as a visiting student, other universities in Ontario, or open enrolment universities. 

Please note: Applying as a visiting student at York University allows you to enrol in courses, but it does not guarantee that your desired course will have available seats or be offered at your preferred time, as priority is given to degree program students. 

Yes, students with an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution who meet Faculty of Health and University admission policies may pursue a second degree in Global Health, Psychology, Kinesiology and Health Science, Health Studies, Health Policy, Management and Digital Health, and Neuroscience at York University.  

With full-time study (15 credits per term), the Honours BA/BSc/BHS degree can typically be completed in four terms (two years), while the Specialized Honours BA/BSc/BHS degree may take six terms (three years). Transfer credit will be granted in accordance with the University’s residency requirement. Most general education and elective requirements are likely to be waived, allowing students to focus on their major courses and fast-track their studies.  

If you are looking to study nursing as a 2nd degree, we would encourage you to consider the 2nd Entry Nursing program as it is designed for applicants with prior university studies. 

Learn More

Please contact us if you have any questions about applying for Faculty of Health programs, your application status, or your next steps after receiving an offer of admission.

Faculty of Health Recruitment Office
hlthrec@yorku.ca
416-736-2100 x 33164