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Are there either examples, or a mention of this having happened, of students permanently transferring from one magical school to another in Potterverse?

Canon only please (books/JKR/Pottermore).

Please note that I am only asking about transfers, e.g. you must already be studying in one school. Therefore an example of Malfoys considering sending Draco to Durmstrang is not in scope, since that happened before he attended Hogwarts. Also, guest-studying during Tri-Wizard doesn't count as it wasn't permanent.

Also, if the answer is a "no", please provide evidence (other than "well I read the books before and I don't remember a single case like that", unless you have eidetic memory) from entire canon.

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  • See also the related question scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/28023/can-ones-house-change .
    – b_jonas
    Dec 15, 2012 at 16:23
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    I wonder, if a student transferred to Hogwarts, would he be sorted on the sorting ceremony together with the first years? If so, that would probably attract quite some attention.
    – b_jonas
    Sep 15, 2013 at 14:30
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    You do realize that evidence for a negative makes zero sense, don't you?
    – Chris Pfohl
    Aug 7, 2014 at 17:45

4 Answers 4

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Exchange programmes exist.

In Pottermore Rowling describes the existence of an exchange programme with the brazilian wizarding school of Castelobruxo:

Castelobruxo students wear bright green robes and are especially advanced in both Herbology and Magizoology; the school offers very popular exchange programmes for European students* who wish to study the magical flora and fauna of South America.

You specifically asked for permanent transfer and I have no evidence for that, but the existence of exchange programmes points to compatibility between schools subjects, making the possibility of a permanent transfer far more likely.

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4

Are there canon examples of students permanently transfering from one school to another in Potterverse?

Well, no.

Although I don't see why would it not be possible anyway.

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  • 4
    Could you please confirm the methodology you used to arrive at a "no" (as in, is your "no" a "not in canon because X", or "not in canon because I personally don't remember it in the books")? Thx
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Dec 14, 2012 at 21:39
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    "No" because I don't recall ever seeing this on canon. Sorry, I know this kind of answer sucks.
    – Saturn
    Dec 14, 2012 at 22:28
  • @DVK-on-Ahch-To there is nothing in canon, i have researched for hours
    – ava
    Apr 13, 2021 at 13:42
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It does seem possible to transfer schools or not attend school at all, pre-Deathly Hallows that is. In Deathly Hallows, it is revealed that Hogwarts attendance is mandatory for all British witches or wizards. This could mean that before students could go to school like Drumstrang or Ilvermorny, places outside of their country. Deathly Hallows straight out states that parents had a choice to home school their child, such a choice was revoked during Snape's time as headmaster

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  • Can you provide evidence for your answer?
    – Edlothiad
    Mar 24, 2017 at 18:31
  • @Edlothiad the book outright says it
    – ava
    Apr 13, 2021 at 13:43
  • @ava, in which case that would be very good evidence to add to the answer.
    – Edlothiad
    Apr 14, 2021 at 12:50
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As I mentioned in this answer, in Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets Harry has several classes that appear to have 20 students in them:

  • Potions with Slytherin

Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients.

  • Flying with Slytherin

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground.

  • Herbology with Hufflepuff

About twenty pairs of different-colored ear-muffs were lying on the bench.

Yet in Order of the Phoenix Harry's Defense Against the Dark Arts class with just Gryffindor apparently has 30 students:

"It was murder," said Harry. He could feel himself shaking. He had hardly talked to anyone about this, least of all thirty eagerly listening classmates. "Voldemort killed him, and you know it."

Sounds like there might have been a mass transfer of ~20 students. Perhaps some Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students took seriously Dumbledore's offer at the end of the previous year:

“Every guest in this Hall,” said Dumbledore, and his eyes lingered upon the Durmstrang students, “will be welcomed back here at any time, should they wish to come.

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    This doesn't seem very convincing. We've seen mixed classes elsewhere in the novels. Perhaps some of the Gryffindors were in with other houses.
    – Valorum
    Oct 12, 2018 at 17:00
  • @Valorum But we've never seen them mixed for Defense Against the Dark Arts (at least until sixth year when it's optional).
    – Alex
    Oct 12, 2018 at 17:02
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    Indeed, but to go from "we've never seen it" to "nearly a third of Harry's class are international transfer students" is a huge (and pretty unsustainable) leap to take.
    – Valorum
    Oct 12, 2018 at 17:05
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    And you don't think the author would have mentioned that 66% of the students in his class were transfers?
    – Valorum
    Oct 12, 2018 at 17:12
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    @Valorum I don't think the author was aware of the discrepancy. If she was she wouldn't have made it in the first place.
    – Alex
    Oct 12, 2018 at 17:17

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