Studying in the United Kingdom is an option generally considered by international students when planning their higher education. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), 2,904,425 students were enrolled at UK higher education providers in the 2023/24 academic year.
As a student already studying at a university in Africa, moving to the UK does not always mean starting a degree from the beginning. Some UK universities allow you to apply for transfer admission, which may enable you to continue your studies from a later stage of an undergraduate programme.
However, you should know that transferring between universities is different from applying for first-year admission. The university you want to attend will usually review your academic transcript, the modules you have completed, your grades and how closely your current programme matches the UK degree. The university may also have restrictions on which courses accept transfers and how many places are available.
In this article, we highlight 7 UK Universities That Accept Transfer Students from African Universities. This means that these schools consider transfer or advanced-entry applications from students who have already studied at another institution. This article explains how transfer routes work and outlines the documents you should prepare before applying.
UK Universities That Accept Transfer Students from African Universities
1. University of Hertfordshire
The University of Hertfordshire allows you, if you have started a degree at another university, to apply for advanced entry into the second or third year of an undergraduate programme. The university assesses transfer applications through its Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process. This involves reviewing your previous studies to determine whether the knowledge and academic credits you have earned are relevant to your intended course at Hertfordshire.
To apply, you must meet the academic entry requirements for your chosen programme and provide transcripts from your current or previous institution. You should also state your preferred year of entry when applying through UCAS.
Advanced entry is not available on every course, and the university makes its decision based on the relevance of your previous studies and the availability of places. If you do not qualify for Year 2 or Year 3, the university may consider you for an earlier year or a future intake. If you are studying at a university in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa or another African country, contact the admissions team to confirm whether your course and completed modules are suitable for transfer.
2. University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow considers undergraduate transfer applications from international students for selected programmes listed under its advanced-entry arrangements. You can request entry into the second or third year, depending on the course and their previous academic studies. However, transfer into the final year is not permitted, and the university does not accept transfers into every undergraduate programme.
Your application will be reviewed by the relevant academic school, which will assess your academic history and determine whether your previous studies are suitable for the programme. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. Your application must be submitted through UCAS. You should identify the year of entry you are requesting and provide complete information about your current or previous university studies.
Before applying, check whether your intended degree is included in Glasgow’s advanced-entry options. This is particularly important if you are studying a specialised course, because the university needs to establish that your previous modules provide an appropriate foundation for the later stage of its degree.
3. Kingston University London
Kingston University London considers applications for advanced entry into undergraduate degree programmes. Its international entry guidance explains that applicants with relevant previous university-level study may be considered for entry beyond the first year.
For example, Kingston’s published country-specific guidance states that students with excellent results from a two-year or three-year bachelor’s degree may be considered for advanced entry into undergraduate programmes. Each application is assessed individually through the university’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.
The university considers how closely your previous studies align with its own course curriculum. Having completed a year or more at another university does not automatically mean you can skip the equivalent period at Kingston. The required academic results and English-language qualifications depend on the course and the applicant’s circumstances.
4. University of Westminster
The University of Westminster allows applicants who have already completed part of a degree elsewhere to request advanced entry into an undergraduate course. This advanced entry means joining a programme at a later stage rather than beginning in Year 1.
Whether this is possible depends on the course, your previous studies and the university’s assessment of your eligibility. If you want to request advanced entry, Westminster instructs that you state this clearly in the relevant point of entry section of your UCAS application.
The university also provides guidance on recognition of prior learning, which explains how previous academic experience may be considered. As a student from any African university, you should check your intended course’s entry requirements and contact admissions to confirm whether your previous modules and qualifications can be considered. Some programmes may have additional requirements, such as a portfolio, interview or subject-specific academic preparation.
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5. University of Buckingham
The University of Buckingham explicitly confirms that it accepts transfer students. You must apply as a new student and go through the university’s admissions process, but you may be awarded exemptions for relevant study completed elsewhere. These exemptions are described as transfers with credits. The admissions tutor decides whether your previous academic work is suitable for credit recognition.
One important detail is that Buckingham’s undergraduate degrees typically last two years. Therefore, completing one year at another university does not automatically mean that you will receive a one-year exemption from the Buckingham programme. The university excludes programmes offered by its Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences from its general transfer policy.
If you have completed part of a bachelor’s degree at an African university, you should provide your academic transcript and details of the modules you have studied. The admissions team can then advise whether your previous learning may count towards the degree you want to pursue.
6. Keele University
Keele University offers an Advanced Entry Scholarship for eligible international undergraduate students who start their studies partway through their degree after studying at another institution.
This provides evidence that Keele has a route for you entering an undergraduate programme beyond the first year. The scholarship is separate from the admissions decision, however, and receiving it is not a guarantee of admission.
For the 2026 entry cycle, Keele’s published scholarship terms apply to eligible full-time international undergraduate students starting in September 2026. The university lists exclusions, including Medicine, programmes delivered through the Harper and Keele Veterinary School, top-up degrees and fully online courses.
7. University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews accepts a limited number of transfer applications each year from students who want to move from another higher education institution. The university considers applications from overseas students, but it warns that transfer places are limited and admission is competitive.
You generally need a strong academic record, a valid reason for transferring and the required grades and subject prerequisites for your intended course. St Andrews asks transfer applicants to provide a detailed academic transcript showing the subjects studied and grades obtained.
As an international applicant, you must also submit your secondary-school transcript, while a copy of the course syllabus helps the university determine how your previous studies compare with its own degree programme. Where possible, St Andrews may transfer credits towards the total required for a university degree. However, it does not accept transfers into Medicine or into the final year of a four-year MA or BSc programme.
Transferring from an African university to a UK university is possible, but the options depend on your current course, academic performance and the institution you want to join. Universities such as Hertfordshire, Glasgow, Kingston, Westminster, Buckingham, Keele and St Andrews publish routes or policies through which you may be considered for advanced entry or credit recognition.
The most important thing is to confirm the policy for your specific course and intended entry year before applying. A university may accept transfer applications generally but still require you to start in Year 1 if your previous studies do not match its curriculum closely enough.
Before making a decision, contact the admissions team with your transcript and module descriptions. Ask whether your qualifications can be considered, which year of entry may be possible, what documents you need and whether the course is open to transfer applicants.
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