FAQs and Info Sessions

1. Complete 24 credit hours in-residence at UT Austin.
2. Meet the admissions requirements.
3. Submit your completed application in the spring semester.
4. Earn the minimum GPA: CNS Internal Transfer GPA minimum is 3.0; UTeach GPA minimum is 3.0.  

Meeting all minimum criteria stated above does not guarantee admission.  

Preference is given to students pursing a single major that can graduate within four years of entering the University. 

Students that can take 12–15 credit hours per semester with no Q drops as evidence of being able to handle the rigor of CNS courses with grades of B- or better are more competitive.

Continuing to take courses that are in your intended Degree Checklist will help you to stay on track to complete degree requirements.

Please utilize your essay to highlight areas of excellence. 

You can choose from several options to complete the 1 Calculus or Statistics course and 2 Science courses from the approved list to meet the requirements to apply with claimed or transfer credit from another institution, we recommend taking upper-division courses in your intended major.  

Each CNS major has degree specific class options to meet the course requirements to apply for Internal Transfer. 

These courses are a good option to explore if you have met the admissions requirements with transfer or claimed credit.  Additionally, course exploration can help you confirm if your intended CNS major is right for your interests.

Courses not listed on the acceptable course substitutions, cannot be applied to admissions requirements.

No. Students are required to have completed the 1 Math and 2 Science course requirements to be eligible to apply. 

You are eligible to apply if you have met the requirements with transfer or claimed credit.

No. Every student is required to have completed a minimum of 24 credit hours in-residence. 

Internal Transfer into CNS is a competitive application process and preference will be given to students who either completed the Math and Science requirements at UT, or to those who have completed additional Math and Science coursework that meets degree requirements for their intended major. 

It is important to demonstrate success in your intended field of study by earning grades of B- or better in UT Austin Math and Science courses.  

Students who do not complete Math or Science coursework in-residence are not competitive. Select courses (that you meet the pre-requisite for) in your intended Degree Checklist.

No. Do not retake coursework that you have earned credit for to apply for Internal Transfer.  

CNS does not recommend repeating credits previously earned through other institutions or claimed credit. You can view the Acceptable Course Substitution lists for degree specific options. 

The IDA to can help you determine required courses for the major you are pursuing.  

Yes. An appeal essay is required, and you will be prompted to submit in the application. 

Students that apply for an appeal will need to demonstrate the ability to graduate within four years of entering the University and show evidence of earning B- or better grades in Math and Science courses in-residence.

Students wishing to appeal the four-semester/60-hour rule will have the opportunity to submit an appeal essay, outlining their graduation plan in the CNS Internal Transfer application. 

On the application, you will indicate completion of either 4 semesters and/or 60 hours, which will then prompt you to complete the appeal essay.

Successful appeals will demonstrate the ability to graduate within four years of entering the University and preference is given to students pursuing a single major.

No. Students with more than 90 hours are not eligible to apply for internal transfer. We encourage students to discuss other opportunities with their academic advisors including graduate school and certificates available at UT Austin.

UT degree holders are not allowed to apply for internal transfer.

We recommend looking into Graduate School opportunities for alumni. If you are interested in technology, you can explore alternate options such as our online master's programs in computer science and in data science.

The minimum GPA is 3.0. College of Natural Sciences will factor grades from the Spring semester, you can use the GPA calculator to estimate your future GPA. 

No. Information sessions are optional and not required in order to apply. They do provide the opportunity to ask questions about the application process. 

Email any questions to: cns.internal.transfer@austin.utexas.edu and please always include your UT EID.

No. Non-CNS students are only allowed to apply for a single CNS major in each Internal Transfer cycle.

Triple majors are not permitted for the CNS Internal Transfer process.

It depends. Computer Science requires an application for all students, including current CNS majors. 

Environmental Science has a separate application process for all students.

Otherwise, it is often possible for current CNS students to add other, non-restricted majors without completion of an application. Please contact your current academic advisor to discuss your options.

Yes. Students are allowed to keep their present major and still apply for a CNS major if you have 30 completed credit hours in-residence. Be sure to select the simultaneous major option on your application.

Yes. A new application in the next academic year application cycle is required to change to a different major within the CNS for students originally admitted as an Internal Transfer.

However, students cannot change majors in the same cycle they applied and were admitted to CNS (e.g. applicants in spring 2024 admitted for fall 2024 admissions cannot switch majors during the 2024 cycle)

No. Students must complete a minimum of 24 hours in-residence to apply. This usually means at least two long semesters of coursework at UT Austin (fall, plus the spring during which you're applying).

Decisions will be sent in July via Secure Academic Note (SAN).

Undeliverable messages returned because of either a full inbox or use of a "Spam" filter will be considered delivered without further action required of CNS.  Every application decision is final and not eligible for an appeal.

If you have not received acceptance, you may choose to apply again for the following application cycle. This is a good option if you have fewer than 25 credit hours in-residence at UT Austin.

Successful completion of coursework from the Core Curriculum and/or Skills and Experience Flags is ideal as it meets the University requirements for any Undergraduate Degree.

Yes. It is important for you to indicate you were admitted through PACE in your application. Students admitted through PACE are also subject to the 24 hour in-residence requirement. When applying and you indicate you have more than four semesters in-residence, you will be redirected to the appeal form.  

Yes. If you meet the pre-requisite and the course is not restricted. Some courses, such as M 408C, M 408K, SDS 302/302F, or CH 301, are available to non-majors. Most Computer Science courses are restricted.  

You can click on the unique number when viewing the Course Schedule and the course details will be outlined. 

Please email any questions to: cns.internal.transfer@austin.utexas.edu.

Please include your name, and always include your UT EID in your messages. 

CNS advisors cannot meet with non-CNS students.

Unfortunately, due to the volume of applicants, the College of Natural Sciences is unable to support individual meetings or academic advising for prospective Internal Transfer students. 

We encourage you to attend an Information Session that covers the policies and procedures regarding Internal Transfer into CNS and are optional.