The Transfer Student Experience

The division of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education offers several academic and community-building programs for transfer students, designed to help this important population develop a sense of belonging within the Vanderbilt community. Following Transfer Student Orientation, new transfer students have the opportunity to receive one-on-one mentorship from their Transfer Student Leader, attend social events for new and returning transfer students, engage in discussions on the Campus Reading, and more.

TRANSFER STUDENT LEADERS

Transfer Student Leaders (TSLs) are rising third- and fourth-year students who support incoming transfers during their transition to Vanderbilt. While the TSLs are all transfer students themselves, they represent a wide range of backgrounds, majors, and experiences on campus. Each TSL guides a group of approximately 8-10 transfer students, known as a transfer group, through Transfer Student Orientation and serves as a peer mentor to their group members throughout the fall semester. More information about the 2023 TSLs can be found on the Transfer Connect webpage.

CONNECTING TO VU

Connecting to VU was launched in fall 2020 as a six-week program designed to build upon the topics introduced at Transfer Student Orientation and encourage long-standing community among transfer students. In 2023, Connecting to VU sessions will invite new transfer students to meet transfers outside their transfer group and develop a stronger understanding of how to leverage the opportunities afforded to them as Vanderbilt students.

Connecting to VU sessions will feature a Vanderbilt faculty member, staff member, or panel of upper-division students who will discuss how transfer students can engage with different aspects of the Vanderbilt experience. Each guest speaker will be an expert in academic planning, experiential learning, health and wellness, or student involvement. The Connecting to VU schedule can be found on the Transfer Student Transition Programming webpage.

THE CAMPUS READING

All incoming students are asked to complete a reflective essay on the Campus Reading prior to the start of classes. Instructions on how to complete this assignment will be communicated over the summer. Expect to receive the book in the summer to read before you arrive. If you have an international mailing address, you will receive a digital copy of the book, along with instructions for completing the assignment.

More information about the Campus Reading and the reflective essay assignment due on August 14 can be found on the Campus Reading website.

TRANSFER CONNECT

Transfer Connect is the student organization that oversees the Transfer Student Leaders (TSLs). The members of Transfer Connect are dedicated to welcoming new transfer students to Vanderbilt and providing opportunities for new transfers to build community with one another throughout their first year at Vanderbilt. The organization accomplishes its mission by hosting social programs, such as ice cream socials, game nights, and speed friending events. Additionally, Transfer Connect aims to help transfer students integrate within the larger Vanderbilt community by building partnerships with other student organization on campus.

TRANSFER STUDENT SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow @TransfersofVU on Instagram and join the Transfer Hub, found within the Vanderbilt Admitted Student Community, to connect with other fall 2023 transfer students and Transfer Student Leaders. Find your personalized invitation link to the Admitted Student Community on your MyAppVU portal. Reminders about summer deadlines and information on fall programming will be posted to these platforms.

Mandatory Immunization and Health Compliance

MANDATORY IMMUNIZATION AND TUBERCULOSIS COMPLIANCE

The Student Health Center maintains a website that outlines the immunizations that you are required to receive before arriving on campus. Tennessee state law and Vanderbilt University regulations dictate that all students comply with the immunization requirements. In addition, students are required to submit a tuberculosis screening survey and testing (if applicable).

Students will not be able to register for classes until their immunization and tuberculosis documents have been received, reviewed, and approved for compliance by Student Health.

IMMUNIZATION AND TUBERCULOSIS COMPLIANCE FORMS

Information regarding the compliance process can be found at vumc.org/student-health/immunization-requirements. Please follow the New Student Checklist for completing a Tuberculosis screening survey, submitting acceptable immunization forms, and uploading your documents to the secure Vanderbilt Student Health portal at vanderbilt.studenthealthportal.com.

For your convenience, the Vanderbilt Student Health Center Immunization Form can be found on
vumc.org/student-health/immunization-requirements. This form contains demographic information, emergency contact information, and detailed required and recommended vaccinations. If you are unable to schedule an appointment with your provider for a pre-college physical exam to have our form completed, you may also submit other official immunization records (those including a physician signature or from a state, county, or previous undergraduate institution) or lab reports showing titer immunity tests. The health information submitted is used to create a medical record at the Student Health Center/Vanderbilt University Medical Center for continuity of care during your time at Vanderbilt University. Forms will NOT be sent to you.

May 15th is a recommended deadline for submitting both the tuberculosis screening survey form (TB testing only if applicable) – AND- immunization documents. The staff at the Student Health Center must review, approve, and communicate that all requirements have been met before the registration period begins—typically in early June.

If you have questions, please contact studenthealth@vumc.org or review the Frequently Asked Questions (https://www.vumc.org/student-health/vanderbilt-student-health-compliance-frequently-asked-questions).

If you have ongoing health problems or chronic health conditions, you should contact the Student Health Center (SHC) at (615) 322-2427 or the University Counseling Center (UCC) at (615) 322-2571 to establish a primary care relationship.

We encourage all students and parents to view our website in advance of arrival on campus
(www.vumc.org/student-health) for the services offered at the Student Health Center.

Immunization documents and tuberculosis screening must be submitted, be verified, and meet requirements in order for students to register for classes. Remember that forms will NOT be sent to you.

Student Health Insurance

DUE BY JANUARY 4

STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE AND INSURANCE WAIVER

All students who have paid the Student Health Fee have access to the Student Health Center. While office visits are free and other services at the Student Health Center have minimal charges, all students are required to have health insurance coverage in the event that hospitalization or care outside the Student Health Center is required.

To ensure that students have adequate coverage, there is a Vanderbilt-sponsored health insurance plan (SHIP) available to eligible students*. The plan is underwritten by Aetna and administered by Academic HealthPlans (AHP). The cost of the policy is automatically billed to your student account unless you submit an approved online waiver by January 4. The online waiver process requires that you submit documentation of other comparable insurance coverage.

*Degree-seeking and non-degree-seeking students (excluding DUS and Consortium students) enrolled in 4+ credit hours, a 0-credit research/dissertation course, or any other course that is considered to equate to full-time enrollment are automatically enrolled in SHIP.

Upon waiver submission, you will receive a reference number that the waiver request has been received. Each waiver is verified for comparable coverage outlined by Vanderbilt University. You will then receive a confirmation email to your Vanderbilt email account of whether your waiver request has been approved. Once it is approved, the charge for the policy will be removed from your student account.

By December, the website for the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) will be live. AHP will email students directly with comprehensive information about the waiver process. You can also visit www.vanderbilt.edu/studentcarenetwork/your-health-insurance to learn more about the plan and the waiver criteria. If you need additional assistance, for the quickest solution visit vanderbilt.myahpcare.com, where you may chat with a live representative or review details regarding your school’s Student Health Insurance Plan and waiver requirements. Representatives are also available by phone at 855.855.2486 or by emailing SHIP@vanderbilt.edu.

Insurance waivers must be completed by January 4, if you do NOT wish to enroll in (and be billed for) the student health insurance plan. It is your responsibility to follow up on your waiver status, and to ensure that all information is received by AHP by the deadline. The waiver can be completed online at https://vanderbilt.myahpcare.com/waiver. Forms will NOT be sent to you.

Student Care Network

Receiving Care on Campus

We understand that the transition to a new college can sometimes be challenging, and our goal is to help you manage this transition well. The following recommendations are designed to help students successfully navigate the transition process.

We encourage you to explore and proactively discover the resources available for a diversity of needs through the Student Care Network and to identify sources of support. To learn more about resources available to Vanderbilt students, please visit the Student Care Network website. Student Care Coordination is also available to help students navigate the Student Care Network.

We also encourage all students to arrive to campus with an understanding of their specific health care needs, including any allergies and associated reactions, and medications, including doses. If you are taking medicine, it is important to ensure you have an adequate supply and/or refills you can access while on campus. If you are currently seeing a health care professional for medical and/or mental health concerns, consider discussing a plan for ongoing care, which may include short-term services on campus and/or long-term care off campus. Contact Student Care Coordination before arriving to campus to discuss your existing health care needs and for assistance in developing a plan for ongoing care.

Housing Application

HOUSING APPLICATION

DUE BY JUNE 1

Applying for housing is easy. The Transfer Housing Application will be available beginning May 1 at 8:00 a.m. CT and is due by June 1. After you obtain your VUnetID and password, and enroll in multifactor authentication (DUO), please visit the Housing and Residential Experience (OHARE) website and log in to the Housing Portal. Once logged in, please click on the Applications menu and complete the Transfer Housing Application. Please see below and visit the transfer student housing website for more detailed information.

 HOUSING OPTIONS AND ROOMMATES

Transfer students are assigned to available vacancies in upper-division residential communities. Typically, transfer students are assigned to traditional double rooms or vacancies in suites/apartments with continuing upper-division students. Due to limited inventory, traditional single rooms will likely not be available. Additionally, opportunities are available for transfer students to join LLCs (Living Learning Communities). All spaces provide transfer students with opportunities to interact with current students.

In order to request a specific roommate, you will need to submit the request by June 1 with your housing application. You will need the VUnetID of your preferred roommate (you do not need their password). Each student in the pair must request the other in order to be considered. If you do not make a specific roommate request, we will assign a roommate to you. Please note that Vanderbilt cannot guarantee that roommate requests will be honored. Only mutual roommate requests are considered.

Factors to consider when searching for a roommate include your sleep habits (are you an early riser?) and study habits (when and where do you plan to study?), how you maintain your living space (tidy or casual), the ways you socialize and recreate, and your cultural interests and preferences. We will attempt to match you on the basis of answers to the living and study habits questions that are a required part of the housing application. Please keep in mind that habits change over time and students interpret questions differently. Because of this, we cannot guarantee that roommates will have similar living or study habits.

The university’s property and liability insurance does not protect you or your guests against loss or damage to personal property or belongings or cover your liability for loss or damage caused by your actions or those of any of your guests. As a resident you are liable to the University and others for loss or damage caused by your actions or those of your guests. You are required to maintain adequate property and liability insurance. More information, including information about fully compliant renters’ insurance that you can obtain, can be found on the Housing and Residential Experience (OHARE) webpage. 

REQUESTS FOR REASONABLE HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS

DUE BY JUNE 1

Transfer students seeking accessible housing accommodations for the 2023–24 academic year due to a physical, psychological, or other disability-related limitation should contact Student Access (SA) prior to June 1.

The SA website provides information for students regarding reasonable accommodations, documentation guidelines, and other information about the office. All students who request an accessible housing accommodation due to a physical, psychological, or disability-related limitation must submit documentation from their diagnosing physician to SA. If SA determines that a housing accommodation is needed for access, they will notify Housing Assignments, and you will be assigned
to a space that meets your SA-approved accommodation.

Please note that Housing Assignments will not accept any documentation or housing requests related to the student’s disability. The office will make every effort to find an appropriate and reasonable assignment as recommended by SA.

Preparing for Classes

COURSE REGISTRATION

After you have applied for housing you can begin to focus on course registration. YES (Your Enrollment Services) allows you to see the class schedule for fall 2023 and to store your class selections in a shopping cart. 

You will receive a registration packet from your school in June that will include the exact dates of your registration windows, information on how to match your class choices to requirements in your school, and how to contact an adviser for assistance in choosing your courses. Please read your registration packet carefully when it arrives and follow the directions and timeline provided. Your packet will either be mailed to your home address or emailed to your VU Gmail address. 

Tutorials, printed instructions, and online help will be accessible from YES to assist you in using the registration system.

OPEN ENROLLMENT

The registration system opens late in July so you can make adjustments to your schedule, if necessary, and ends two weeks after classes start. Open enrollment will begin on July 19, 2023 and close on September 5, 2023 at 11:59pm CDT. Access important dates via the undergraduate academic calendar at https://registrar.vanderbilt.edu/calendars.

REQUESTS FOR REASONABLE ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS

Transfer students seeking academic accommodations for the 2023–2024 academic year due to limitations related to disability should contact Student Access (SA) as early as possible, preferably prior to June 30; however, Student Access reviews requests throughout the semester. All students who request reasonable accommodations should complete a connection form through the Commodore Access Portal. 

To receive reasonable accommodations for a sincerely held religious belief or practice at Vanderbilt University, students and applicants for admission should submit the Religious Reasonable Accommodation Request Form to EOA.

Please keep in mind that the Religious Reasonable Accommodation Request Form must be completed before Vanderbilt can make any accommodation recommendations. The submission of this form will begin an interactive process that will include the student and relevant parties, as Vanderbilt deems necessary. For additional information please visit Religious Accommodations | Equal Opportunity and Access | Vanderbilt University.

The SA website provides information for students regarding reasonable accommodations, documentation guidelines, and other information about making the transition to Vanderbilt.

TRANSFER CREDIT COURSE REVIEW

The External Education Unit will review previous course work for newly admitted students once official final transcripts from any prior institution(s) are received. Courses that are already listed in the Transfer Credit Search tool, available through Your Enrollment Services (YES), will be posted to your Vanderbilt record. For courses taken elsewhere that have not been evaluated by Vanderbilt, the External Education Unit will facilitate the evaluation process for you. In the event that course information cannot be found, the External Education Unit will send you an email to request the necessary information.

Read more about transferring course credits on the Registrar website.

DECLARING YOUR MAJOR

Each undergraduate college has its own guidelines and deadlines for students to declare majors. Incoming transfer students who indicated a planned major on their application are assigned faculty advisers from that department. Students can also refer to the academic advising information and FAQs for each undergraduate school for information:

Blair School of Music

College of Arts and Science*

Peabody College

School of Engineering

*The College of Arts and Science’s Pre-major Academic Advising Resources Office (CASPAR) is available to provide support, advice, and perspective to transfer students who have no major selected. Advisers work with students to ease the transition from high school to college, as well as offer guidance during the major selection process.

DEGREE AUDIT

The degree audit is an online tool that allows students, advisers, and administrators to track students’ academic progress toward completion of degree requirements. The audit is available through the YES suite of applications. Course catalogs can also be accessed for your reference. Class standing is regulated and determined by each undergraduate school.

IMMERSION VANDERBILT

Immersion Vanderbilt is a degree requirement for all undergraduate students. This intensive learning experience provides students with the opportunity to pursue their passions and cultivate intellectual interests in and beyond the classroom. There are multiple experiential learning units for Immersion Vanderbilt and the direction is entirely up to you! Start by making an advising appointment with the Office of Experiential Learning and Immersion Vanderbilt. Next declare and complete your immersive
experience with the guidance of an experience mentor. Finally, working with an Immersion Vanderbilt faculty adviser, complete a final culminating project based on the learning accomplished by your experience.

Make an advising appointment with the Office of Experiential Learning and Immersion Vanderbilt as soon as you can to discuss your options, ideas, and how to get started on your very own Immersion Vanderbilt. Plan ahead to make the most of this opportunity!

Experience, reflect, ideate, and create as you complete your Immersion Vanderbilt. Learn more about Immersion Vanderbilt by following on all social media platforms and the Immersion Vanderbilt website.

Community Standards Mandatory Education

BE SMART–BE SAFE MODULE PROGRAM

Vanderbilt devotes considerable resources to assisting students in making intelligent choices regarding their own health and safety, as well as the health and safety of other students and the larger Vanderbilt community. Among these resources are online education programs designed to provide crucial information about our community’s expectations around topics such as campus safety, preventing sexual assault, making safer and healthier choices about alcohol use, diversity, equity, and inclusion, academic integrity, and protecting vulnerable populations. Student Affairs will contact you via your VU Gmail address with information about the program requirements, access information, and deadlines when the modules are available.

For more information about these requirements, visit the Student Accountability, Community Standards & Academic Integrity website or contact sacompliance@vanderbilt.edu.

Card Services

The Commodore Card is your official Vanderbilt ID. It is used for identification, for access to residence halls, academic buildings, and campus events, and as a debit card for meal plans and other purchases on and off campus. You will receive a digital Commodore Card on your iOS or Android device which you can pre-load prior to arriving at Vanderbilt, so you are all set the moment you step foot on campus. You will also receive a plastic card for some activities such as using Nashville public transit.

PHOTO SUBMISSION FOR COMMODORE CARD

DUE BY JULY 29

Commodore Cards for new students are made in advance of the first day of classes. Your photo is needed for the Commodore Card.

Photos must include a shoulder pose (no hats or sunglasses) on a neutral background with no other people in the photo. The online submission website will be active on May 15. You will need your VUnetID and password to upload your photo. The photo is used for more than just your Commodore Card so remember that your professors will see it on class rosters.

Photos can be uploaded on the Card Services website.

ADD COMMODORE CASH FOR IMMEDIATE USE

You must agree to the terms and conditions of the online Student Account Agreement form within the YES portal to be able to add funds.

1. Go to the Card Serves website and click on “Add Commodore Cash for Immediate Use.”
2. Log on using your VUnetID and password.
3. Select “Add Funds” and follow the prompts.
4. Submit and log off. Funds will be available immediately.

COMMODORE CASH SELECTION

DUE BY JULY 15

Commodore Cash refers to optional funds added to your Commodore Card for debit purchases at dining locations, Munchie Marts, the Vanderbilt bookstore, mail services, laundry, printing and copying, transportation services, off-campus restaurants, sporting venues, and other locations.

Printers that accept the Commodore Card are located across campus. You can conveniently send print jobs from anywhere on campus and then tap your Commodore Card at the printer to release print jobs.

To ensure that funds are ready for your use when you arrive on campus, the deadline for adding Commodore Cash to your Commodore Card, if you wish to do so, is July 15.

The amount you select will be applied to your Commodore Card for BOTH the fall and spring semesters. Funds are fully refundable if not used and will roll over at the end of every semester. These funds will be billed along with tuition, meal plans, and other university charges.

You also must acknowledge the terms and conditions of the online Student Account Agreement form, which is available when logging into the YES portal. Please note that the acceptance of these terms and conditions is mandatory and will be required on an annual basis.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

The Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships (OSFA) is available to all students and families to discuss options for financial assistance. Please visit the Financial Aid website.

• What are my next steps to receive my financial aid? OSFA will communicate with you through your Vanderbilt email address; be sure to check regularly for updates. Review your Financial Aid Checklist on your YES student portal regularly and submit any requested documents as soon as possible. Requested verification documents must be completed online and tax returns must be sent through IDOC (College Board’s Institutional Documentation Service). Financial aid will not pay to your student account if your checklist is incomplete. 
• Will I receive the same financial aid package every year? Your 2022–2023 financial aid offer is for this year only; you must reapply for need-based financial aid each year. If you are not eligible for need-based aid this year, and your financial circumstances change, you may apply for aid in future years. 
• How do I maintain financial aid eligibility? All students receiving institutional need-based aid and/or federal Title IV financial assistance must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards. The course credit hours attempted/completed and your cumulative GPA will be reviewed at the end of each semester. Maximum time frame to receive institutional aid is four years (eight semesters or the equivalent) of full-time enrollment. 
• What if I have an outside scholarship? If you will receive an outside scholarship, you are required to inform the OSFA by completing the Outside Scholarship Notification Form available under Downloads. Scholarships must be taken into account as part of a student’s overall need-based aid and cannot replace what the family is expected to contribute. Scholarship checks must be sent directly to the OSFA.
• How do I get my Work-Study money? Your financial aid offer may include Academic Year Earnings or Federal Work Study. These funds will not be added to your student account; students must earn these funds through a work-study job, and earnings will be paid in the form of a paycheck. There are numerous jobs on campus. Students can find and apply for jobs at HireADore.com. 
• How do I use financial aid to purchase books? If you received financial aid over and beyond your direct costs, you may add these funds to your Commodore Card by July 15 to purchase your books via the Vanderbilt bookstore. Through the Student Registration page of the YES portal, you can order your books and opt to pay for them using your Commodore Card. Although students can use Commodore Cash for books only at the Vanderbilt bookstore, the bookstore matches competitors’ prices through the first week of classes to ensure students receive the best price. 
• Are loan options available? It is our firm belief that families should borrow only when absolutely necessary. Federal Direct Loans and a limited number of private loans are available. Please review loan options and if you want to add a loan to your financial aid award package, request the loan amount by emailing student.loans@vanderbilt.edu.
• Are there resources to help me with financial planning?
  Vanderbilt’s Dore Money $marts program offers a free tool called GradReady. This tool is available to all students and includes information for managing tuition, budgets, and bills.

Office of Student Accounts

STUDENT ACCOUNT AGREEMENT

All Vanderbilt University students are required to acknowledge the terms and conditions of an online Student Account Agreement form when logging into the YES portal. The acceptance of these terms and conditions is mandatory, and it will be required on an annual basis. Failure to agree to these terms will prevent access to the YES landing page. Once the terms have been accepted, a copy of the most recently accepted form will be available for viewing and printing within the YES portal. Please read these terms and conditions carefully.

GUARANTOR AUTHORIZATION AND DEBT REPAYMENT AGREEMENT

A Guarantor Authorization and Debt Repayment Agreement allows Vanderbilt University to release pertinent financial information to the guarantor(s) listed on the form (usually your parents or guardian). Without proper signatures, no financial information can be disclosed to anyone other than the student. You will receive an email from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions with a link to vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts, so you can download and complete the Guarantor Authorization and Debt Repayment Agreement.

FALL TUITION, FEES, AND OTHER CHARGES

DUE BY AUGUST 31

Vanderbilt student account statements are sent electronically to students’ VU Gmail. You are responsible for granting parents, guardians, or other payers access to e-billing.

ACCESS FOR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS

1. Log into your YES landing page and click “Billing Portal.”

2. Click on “My Account” in the side bar. 

3. Click on “Send a Payer Invitation” and complete the information. 

Once completed, the username and temporary password will be sent to your additional payer via email. Simply repeat this process to add more than one additional payer to your account.

In each month that items are posted to the account, an email will be sent to your VU Gmail address and other payers’ email addresses with the subject line “Your Vanderbilt e-bill is now available for viewing.”

You and your other payers can view your bill and make payments simply and securely. Each time an online payment is made, a confirmation email will be sent.

If you prefer to mail your payment, print your e-bill and remit the top portion with your payment. For more information, visit vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts.

The deadline to enroll in our optional, interest-free, monthly installment plan (VANDY Plan) is August 31 for the fall term (5 equal installments beginning on May 15) and December 31 for the spring term (5 equal installments beginning on October 15). For more information, please visit vanderbilt.edu/stuaccts/payments/options-fall.php.

Transfer Student Orientation

This weeklong orientation to Vanderbilt takes place immediately prior to the start of classes. During Transfer Student Orientation (TSO), you will receive a robust introduction to life at Vanderbilt, including informational sessions and small-group discussions that will help you navigate your academic program, campus resources, extracurricular activities, and student life on Vanderbilt’s campus. Through TSO, you’ll also have the opportunity to connect with Transfer Student Leaders (juniors and seniors who transferred to Vanderbilt themselves) and other incoming transfer students.

More information about fall 2023 Transfer Student Orientation will be available on the Transfer Student Orientation website over the summer.