Transferring to Pepperdine
Pepperdine University admitted 44% of its transfer applicants for fall 2023: 383 of 871. Its deadlines and course rules differ from UC and CSU, so plan for it separately.
Checked against each university’s own pages and Common Data Set in October 2026.
Admission numbers
- Fall 2023 admit rate
- 44%
- Transfer applicants
- 871
- Transfers enrolled
- 115
- ADT admission guarantee
- No
| Term | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2023 | 871 | 383 | 44% | 115 |
From Common Data Set 2023-2024, D2. Counts cover all transfer applicants.
Application dates
| Date | What |
|---|---|
| February 2 (year not listed) | Fall transfer application deadline on Seaver College's transfer page. Transfers apply through the Pepperdine Transfer Application, not the Common App. The page lists no year and its transcript example still refers to fall 2025 applicants. |
| February 15 (year not listed) | FAFSA deadline for fall transfer applicants. Fall decisions are sent April 1 and the enrollment deadline is May 1. |
What you need
- Seaver College states it has no course requirements and no minimum number of completed college credits for transfer applicants. Source
- Pepperdine is test optional for transfers, and applicants receive the same admission and scholarship consideration with or without SAT, ACT or CLT scores. Source
- Transfers submit two essays. One is an educational path statement of about 250 to 650 words, and the other is a 300 to 500 word response on interest in attending a Christian university. Source
- One academic recommendation is required from a college professor or advisor. Applicants with fewer than 30 college units may use a high school core subject teacher or counselor. Source
- Applicants send an official high school transcript showing the graduation date and official transcripts from every college attended, covering all work through the deadline. Source
- The two-year BSN nursing pathway for transfers requires at least 60 completed college units, a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a C or better in prerequisites. Prerequisites include English Composition, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Introductory Statistics, Psychology and Sociology. Source
ADT pathway
Seaver College's transfer page states that students who complete an ADT are not guaranteed admission to Pepperdine. Admitted ADT holders can finish only these majors within two years: Art History, Communication Studies, Economics, English, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and Spanish.
Scholarships and aid
- Seaver College lists FAFSA deadlines of February 15 for fall transfer applicants and October 15 for spring transfer applicants. No year is shown. Source
More from Pepperdine
- Pepperdine admits transfers for spring as well as fall. Seaver College lists an October 1 spring application deadline, November 15 decisions and a December 1 enrollment deadline. Source
- Pepperdine accepts at most 64 semester units from a two-year college, and transfers must complete at least 64 units at Pepperdine for a bachelor's degree, according to its Common Data Set 2023-2024. Source
- Only courses with a grade of C (2.0) or higher transfer to Seaver College. After enrolling, a student can transfer at most 12 units from another school. Source
- Pepperdine was among the 36 private universities named in July 2018 as participants in the ADT agreement between the California Community Colleges and AICCU. Its current Seaver College page says the ADT does not guarantee admission. Source
- A Pepperdine Seaver College TAG document on Moorpark College's website guarantees admission to Moorpark students with at least 30 community college units and a 3.25 cumulative GPA who apply by January 15 for fall. Fine Arts and Nursing majors are excluded. Source
Official links
- Pepperdine transfer admissionseaver.pepperdine.edu
Other private universities
Questions
What is Pepperdine’s transfer acceptance rate?
44% for fall 2023: 383 admitted of 871 transfer applicants, from the Common Data Set 2023-2024, D2.
When is the Pepperdine transfer deadline for fall 2027?
Fall transfer application deadline on Seaver College's transfer page. Transfers apply through the Pepperdine Transfer Application, not the Common App. The page lists no year and its transcript example still refers to fall 2025 applicants.: February 2 (year not listed). FAFSA deadline for fall transfer applicants. Fall decisions are sent April 1 and the enrollment deadline is May 1.: February 15 (year not listed).
Does Pepperdine guarantee admission with an ADT?
Seaver College's transfer page states that students who complete an ADT are not guaranteed admission to Pepperdine. Admitted ADT holders can finish only these majors within two years: Art History, Communication Studies, Economics, English, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and Spanish.