# Internal transfer at Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University: read the rules and windows before you apply

> **The short answer**: Internal transfer at Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University opens after one semester and closes after five for a bachelor’s degree. You may transfer once only, must not have been dismissed after three academic warnings, apply through Student Self Service in the calendar window, and need the receiving college dean’s approval.[^1]

**Key takeaways**

- No transfer before one semester has passed, none after five for a bachelor’s.
- You get one transfer during your whole university study.
- Apply through Student Self Service in the calendar window.
- Applying is not approval: register your schedule in your current college.

![Diagram: row of five semester blocks with a closing door after the fifth](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/internal-transfer-imam-university/internal-transfer-imam-university-cover-en.webp)

A first-year student at a Riyadh college finishes semester four and, in the last week, decides to move to a different major. He opens the calendar and finds the transfer window has not opened yet, and that he must register next semester’s schedule in his current college or lose everything. The student is an example, but the traps are real, and each is written on the Deanship of Admission and Registration’s internal transfer page.

## What does internal transfer mean at Imam University?

It is a move between the university’s colleges, or between programmes in one college, without leaving the university. There are two routes. Moving between colleges needs the approval of the dean of the receiving college, and moving between programmes within one college needs the receiving department’s approval.[^1] Students arriving from other universities use a separate external transfer announcement, and for that the guide is [transferring between universities](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/university-transfer-guide/).

## What are the internal transfer conditions at Imam University?

The Deanship of Admission and Registration lists the conditions on its internal transfer page and says they may be updated when needed, so read the page itself before you rely on this summary.[^1]

| Condition | As the deanship states it |
|---|---|
| Minimum | One semester of your regular study period must have passed |
| Maximum | No request after five semesters for a bachelor’s, or three for a diploma |
| Number of times | You must not have transferred before during your university study |
| Warnings | You must not be academically dismissed for three warnings |
| Approval | The dean of the receiving college, or the receiving department within a college |
| Application period | The period the academic calendar sets for transfers between colleges |
| How to apply | Student Self Service on the university portal |

![Two approval paths: dean for colleges, department within a college](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/internal-transfer-imam-university/internal-transfer-imam-university-inline-2-en.webp)


The deanship adds a line many students miss: submitting a request does not mean approval or that the conditions are met, and you must register your schedule in your current college until a decision arrives.[^1] If you skip that and are then refused, you may end up with no timetable.

## Does each college have its own conditions?

Yes, and the deanship says so. One example from its page: the College of Languages and Translation requires a score of at least 60 on the STEP English test. Another from the College of Engineering: transfer into it from other science colleges requires a cumulative GPA of at least 3.75 out of 5 and completion of 75% of the credit hours required for engineering graduation, around 102 hours.[^2]

That explains why every friend gives you a different answer. A friend who moved into a college with one condition does not stand in for you if your target has three. Ask about the conditions of the college you want, not about someone else’s experience. To weigh two majors against each other before you decide, read [how to choose a major](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/how-to-choose-a-major/).

1. **Count your semesters**: Finish at least one and stay within five for a bachelor’s. A summer term or a semester you withdrew from needs a question to the deanship.
2. **Confirm you have not transferred before**: You get one transfer. If you have used it, an ordinary request will not be accepted.
3. **Read the target college’s conditions**: Check its admission conditions, from language scores to credit hour percentages, against your record.
4. **Watch the academic calendar**: The window is fixed. Set a reminder a week before it opens.
5. **Apply in Student Self Service and register your schedule**: Send the request, then register the semester in your current college as if nothing had happened.

![Five steps for internal transfer](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/internal-transfer-imam-university/internal-transfer-imam-university-inline-1-en.webp)


> **tiswa's take**: Ask yourself first: do I want a different major, or do I want to escape one hard course? It is often the second, and then [add and drop](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/drop-add-guide/) or help from your advisor is enough; [academic advising at Imam University](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/imamu-academic-advising/) shows how to ask for it. A student who spends the only transfer because one course wore them out regrets it later. Transfer if the new direction has been clear to you for weeks, not if you are angry about an exam.

## When does the door actually close?

In three cases. First, when you finish five semesters of a bachelor’s: the window closes even if everything else is in order. Second, when you have already used your transfer. Third, when you are dismissed after three academic warnings, which needs separate handling; the deanship notes that a student who discontinued for the first time can ask to be re-enrolled before applying if the conditions are met.[^1]

Do not forget what a transfer does to your GPA. The courses you took do not vanish, and you may need to repeat some in the new plan. Work out the effect with [GPA calculation](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/gpa-calculation/), and if the motive is a better GPA, read [raising your GPA](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/how-to-raise-gpa/).

Take a second illustrative case. A student at a Riyadh college has finished three semesters with an average GPA and wants a programme in another college that sets no high GPA bar but needs the dean’s approval. Numbers alone will not carry it: the dean decides, and may ask why she wants the move and whether she can finish the plan in the time left. Prepare a written answer of three lines: why this programme, what you studied that supports the choice, and how many semesters you will need afterward. A tidy answer matters more than students expect, because a dean reads dozens of requests in the same window.

Finally, when the decision arrives, check your new schedule: register it as soon as it appears and review which courses were counted. If what was counted differs from what you expected, write to the department before the add and drop period ends, because changes get harder afterward.

Changing college usually means new software and tools, and many have student pricing. Look through the [student discounts in Saudi Arabia](https://tiswa.app/en/deals/) and the [Student Discount Index](https://tiswa.app/en/deals/student-discount-index/) before you pay. [Browse student deals](https://tiswa.app/en/join/)

## Questions

### What does internal transfer mean?

It is a move inside your own university from one college or programme to another. At Imam University you get one such move during your university study.

### How many semesters can pass before an internal transfer at Imam University?

At least one must pass first, and you cannot request after five semesters for a bachelor’s or three for a diploma. Count before you apply.

### Can you transfer more than once at Imam University?

No. The deanship requires that you have not transferred before during your university study, so think before you use your chance.

### Where do you apply for internal transfer at Imam University?

Through Student Self Service on the university portal, in the period the academic calendar sets for transfers between colleges.

### Does applying mean you are accepted?

No. Applying does not mean approval or that the conditions are met. Register your schedule in your current college until a decision arrives.

### Do all colleges ask for the same conditions?

No. The College of Languages and Translation asks for at least 60 on STEP, and engineering sets a GPA and credit hour share for students coming from science colleges.


## Sources

[^1]: Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University: Deanship of Admission and Registration, Internal Transfer, https://units.imamu.edu.sa/deanships/admission/announcements/Pages/transfer.aspx
[^2]: Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University: College of Engineering, Transfer Regulations, https://units.imamu.edu.sa/colleges/en/Engineering/Pages/transfer_college.aspx
[^3]: Saudi Ministry of Education, https://www.moe.gov.sa/