Purpose: This study investigates the relationships among cultural intelligence (CQ), personality and transformational leadership in a student population. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of CQ on transformational leadership to see if a relationship exists beyond personality. Design/methodology/approach: Hypotheses are presented and tested on a sample of 465 undergraduate and graduate students who attended a large northeastern US university. Hierarchical regression was used to conduct the analysis, and multiple models were generated to test the relationships posited. Findings: The data showed that CQ affected transformational leadership; however, when examining the subcomponents of CQ, only behavioral CQ had an impact on transformational leadership beyond personality. Research limitations/implications: The surveys were self-reported and cross-sectional, so causality could not be determined. Furthermore, the sample, while diverse, was composed of students. However, scholars will find value in this research because it expands the understanding of CQ. Practical implications: The findings of this research indicate that behavioral CQ impacts transformational-leadership skills. Thus, business educators should consider how to build skills associated with behavioral CQ in students because of the importance of global transformational-leadership skills in the workplace. Originality/value: This research will impact the literature streams of CQ and transformational leadership because it is the first to examine the relationship between the two while controlling for personality.