Understanding the needs of UIC’s transfer students

A new research series from the University of Illinois Chicago is providing the most comprehensive look yet at the experiences, strengths and needs of transfer students at UIC.

The six-part series, “Understanding the Needs of UIC Transfer Students,” was led by Sue Farruggia, assistant vice chancellor for assessment and planning in Student Affairs, along with Roniciel Joy Vergara, associate vice chancellor for student engagement; Patricia Francey, director of transfer initiatives; and Daniel Wilson, assistant director of assessment.

The study was supported by the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust through the Bridges to Brighter Futures initiative.

A data-rich look at transfer students

Each year, between 2,000 and 3,000 new undergraduate students transfer to UIC, making transfer students an essential part of the university community.

The research team used a mixed-methods approach, analyzing institutional data, surveys from multiple campus units and interviews with 31 students and 44 faculty and staff to build a comprehensive understanding of who transfer students are, how they experience UIC and what support promotes their success.

“This work is very important at this time, especially given that more students are attending community college and are looking to complete their degrees at four-year institutions,” said Michael Ginsburg, special assistant to the chancellor for Student Affairs.

The findings, available in six detailed reports, explore topics such as academic performance, financial well-being, co-curricular student learning, and campus engagement. Data was disaggregated by key groups, including transfer students from Harold Washington College, one of UIC’s largest transfer institutions.

Key findings: strengths and opportunities

The study found that UIC transfer students are academically strong, with high GPAs and graduation rates. Over 100 different languages are spoken among UIC transfer students. Transfer students were more likely to be adult learners and/or parents and less likely to live on campus.

Transfer students differed in their experiences of belonging and engagement. While more than 60% participated in at least one co-curricular experience, many also shared that they balanced school, work and and family responsibilities.

“Understanding more about our transfer students allows us to provide more specific services, resources and events or programs,” Vergara said. “We can create communication channels directly to our transfer students. When students have like experiences, we have the opportunity to connect them to each other and create a community within UIC.”

Cost was one of the most common factors influencing students’ decisions to attend UIC. Yet, the study found that transfer students had greater unmet financial need than first-year students and were more likely to rely on loans. Many also wanted support navigating financial aid and scholarship applications.

The research revealed that around one-third of transfer students sometimes or never had consistent access to food or housing, and LGBTQ+ transfer students reported higher rates of financial insecurity and stress related to basic needs. Over half of transfer students expressed concern about daily living expenses.

“Given the high level of need among transfer students, it is essential that programs like U&I Care emergency funds, the Pop-Up Pantry and Little Sparks have high levels of support,” Farruggia said. “We also need to make sure that students are aware of all available resources.”

Building pathways for success

The reports emphasize that while transfer students succeed academically, more opportunities are available to help students overcome systemic challenges, including:

• Offering more flexible programming (e.g., hybrid events and online engagement opportunities) to accommodate transfer students balancing work, family and commuting responsibilities.
• Increasing targeted financial aid and scholarships for transfer students.
• Enhancing transfer-specific programming and communication across campus units.
• Creating stronger data systems to track student participation and success.

The Understanding the Needs of UIC Transfer Students series, including individual reports on enrollment, academic success, financing college, co-curricular student learning and campus engagement, is available online. For more information, please email Farruggia at spf@uic.edu.

— Amanda Urbizo-Haukjaer, UIC Student Affairs