Choosing a university is one of the biggest decisions a young person makes. But it's a decision often made at 17 or 18, when interests, ambitions, and ideas about the future are still developing. What seemed like the perfect choice then might not feel quite right a year or two later.
And that's absolutely fine.
This is the message behind National Transfer Student Week, an annual celebration of students who have taken ownership of their educational journeys by moving between colleges and universities.
At The American University of Rome, we believe that changing direction can be one of the most valuable decisions a student makes. Sometimes, the best next step isn't starting over. It's taking what you've already achieved somewhere new.
A different university. A different perspective.
Students transfer universities for all sorts of reasons. Some discover new academic interests. Others want smaller classes, a different learning environment, or stronger connections between their studies and future careers. Many simply realize they want something more from their college experience.
For students considering an international education, transferring can offer something particularly valuable: the opportunity to experience a new country and culture while continuing to work toward an American degree.
At AUR, students earn U.S.-accredited degrees while studying in one of the world's most extraordinary cities. Rome becomes part of their education, offering opportunities to connect classroom learning with the history, culture, institutions, businesses, and contemporary challenges of an international capital.
It's an environment that encourages independence, curiosity, and the confidence to see the world differently.
Your credits can come with you
One of the biggest concerns for prospective transfer students is whether changing universities means losing academic progress.
At AUR, students can transfer up to 75 eligible credits from previous college or university studies, including community colleges. Our Admissions team provides a free, no-obligation transfer credit evaluation, helping students understand how their completed coursework may contribute toward an AUR degree.
And with entry available in both the fall and spring semesters, students have flexibility in deciding when to make their move.
The aim is simple: to help students build on the education they've already begun, rather than unnecessarily repeating it.
Small classes. Big opportunities.
Moving universities is about more than changing location. It's also an opportunity to find an academic community that better suits your ambitions.
AUR combines the American liberal arts approach with small, discussion-based classes, close relationships with faculty, and an international student community representing more than 60 nationalities.
Students learn alongside people with different backgrounds and perspectives, developing the communication, critical thinking, and intercultural skills that matter well beyond graduation.
Internships, experiential learning, and career development opportunities help connect academic interests with professional possibilities, while life in Rome offers experiences that no traditional classroom can replicate.
For a transfer student, it can be an opportunity to rediscover what makes university exciting in the first place.
Your next chapter is yours to write
National Transfer Student Week is a reminder that there is no single route through higher education. Some students find exactly what they're looking for at their first university. Others discover that their ambitions have changed along the way.
Neither journey is more valid than the other.
What matters is finding an education that challenges you, supports your ambitions, and gives you the experiences and opportunities to grow.
If you're thinking about transferring, perhaps the most useful question isn't simply "Where should I go next?"
It's "What could I make of the opportunity to go somewhere new?"
At The American University of Rome, the possibilities start in Rome and extend far beyond it.
Thinking about transferring?
You don't have to start your education over to start something new. Discover how your existing college credits could count toward an American degree in Rome.