The problem of heat transfer from an impulsively started translating and expanding circular cylinder is solved analytically using the method of matched inner-outer expansion to the third order. The early stages of the solution for the temperature field are obtained. Typical results are given for selected values of the surface expansion speeds, Reynolds numbers and Prandtl numbers. The effect of different parameters related to the problem of the cylinder surface expansion is investigated and the progression of the local and average surface Nusselt number with time is explored. The results show an increase in the rate of heat transfer with increased cylinder surface speed and that it has no influence on the position of minimum heat transfer over the surface. The results also show that the position of minimum Nusselt number is affected at low Reynolds number only, and that the maximum local Nusselt number reaches an asymptotic value for each surface expansion speed. Comparison between the present third-order solution and the previous second-order solution reveals that the second-order solution cannot properly depict the problem of heat transfer from an impulsively started translating and/or rotating circular cylinder.