Transferring to a new college can be exciting, thrilling, but also nerve-wracking! Whether you are transferring from a community college to a 4-year university or from a university to another university: you must be prepared!
Transferring to a UC
Using the UC Transfer Admission Planner can help you track your coursework, progr
ess toward meeting UC admissions and can also serve as your application for the UC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG).
The basic requirements to transfer to a UC: At least 60 semester (90 quarter) units of UC-transferable credit must be completed. A GPA of 2.4 in UC-transferable units must be earned (or 2.8 if you’re a non-resident). You will also need to complete the following 7-course pattern by the end of the Spring term prior to fall enrollment:
- Two transferable courses in English composition
- One transferable course in mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning
- Four transferable college courses from at least two of the following subject areas:
- Arts and humanities
- Social and behavioral sciences
- Physical and biological sciences
Things to Keep in Mind:
- Each course must be worth at least 3-semester units, or 4-5 quarter units, and be UC transferable. Check ASSIST to see what courses from your community college are UC transferable
- You need to earn a grade of C or a Pass (P) grade in each course
- If you completed Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)you may have already satisfied the 7-course pattern
- If you completed Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)you may have already satisfied the 7-course pattern
Transfer Students
If you have decided on a major but want to keep your UC campus options open, UC Transfer Pathway is for you! With transfer pathways, you choose your intended major and a list of courses that are required will be listed. This will give you clear guidance on what courses you need to take and will be competitive to get into any UC campus.
General education & IGETC
The general education requirements give a broad background to UC undergraduates in all academic disciplines. Although these requirements need to be fulfilled before graduating from UC, it is strongly recommended to start taking general education at community college.
There are two ways to satisfy general education requirements:
-
- IGETC: A series of courses certified by the California community college that you may complete satisfying the freshman/sophomore level general education requirements at UC.
-
- UC campus-specific requirements: Each school and college at every UC campus has its own set of general education classes
Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
Six UC campuses (Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz) offer the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program for California community college students who meet specific requirements. By participating in TAG, you may receive an early review of your academic records and early admission notification.
Transfer Admission Planner (TAP)
UC TAP helps prospective UC transfer students track and plan their coursework.
Transferring to a CSU
To be considered an Upper-Division Transfer Student (UDT) applicant, you will need to have at least 60-semester units (90 quarter transferable units) completed by the time you enter a CSU. You may use ASSIST to see what courses from your community college are CSU transferable.
Admission requirements for UDT students:
-
- Overall college GPA of at least 2.00. Keep in mind that in some high-demand majors and campuses a GPA of 2.00 may not be sufficient to be admitted
- Be in good standing at the last college or university attended
- Have completed 10 general education courses of basic skills courses with a grade of C- or better
-
- Additional information about dates, deadlines, checklist, and application guides can be found here.
The California Community College (CCC) Associate in Art for Transfer (AA-T) and the Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T) degrees are two-year associate degrees that are transferable to the CSU. With the Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT), students who meet the CSU’s minimum eligibility requirements are guaranteed priority admission to a CSU campus.
Admission requirements for ADT:
-
- Have earned or be completing an approved Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) at the time you apply
- Have completed a minimum of 18 semester (27 quarter units) in a major or area of emphasis and an approved set of general education requirements
- Submit your application for admission to CSU campuses by the published deadline
- Submit all requested transcripts and documents by published deadlines
- Meet CSU admission eligibility requirements for the programs to which you are applying
- Comply with any other prescribed admission requirements
Advice for transfer students starting at CC:
- Connect to the transfer center at your CC campus
- Check if your chosen UC/CSU campus has a respective transfer student support center, reaching out can provide clarity on support for transfer students
- First years: the CA College Promise Grant permits enrollment fees to be waived. Making an appointment with an advisor is helpful as they can pinpoint what classes are transferable.
Transferring to a Private
The Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU) comprises 85 independent, nonprofit colleges and universities.
A full list of AICCU institutions with articulation agreements, click here. For information about admission, academic, and course requirements, please refer to this handbook.
Unsure if you want to transfer?
If you are unsure you want to transfer, it is recommended that you choose the AA/AS-Transfer track as this ensures you have an Associates and/or transfer in the near future.
Backwards transferring
Backwards transferring is when a student from a four-year university transfers to a Community College. Here is an article with more information about backwards transferring. To see the requirements for backwards transferring, contact your school as each school has a different process or agreement.
