TRANSFER TO UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (UC)

The University of California is one of two public university systems in the state of California. It consists of nine “comprehensive” undergraduate campuses and one campus devoted entirely to professional health science education, serving a total enrollment of over 200,000 students. In addition to fulfilling its teaching mission, the UC serves as the state’s research institution and engages a number of public service programs and industry partnerships. The UC offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degrees and provides a number of opportunities for post-degree continuing education. 

You can explore UC campus by visiting websites to learn more about how to meet requirements to enter a UC campus as a transfer student, where the campuses are located, which academic programs are offered by each one, how to apply for transfer, and more.

UC Minimum Junior – Level Transfer Admission Requirements

Upper division transfer students will be eligible for admission if they meet the following requirements:

• Complete a minimum of 60 UC-transferable semester units or 90 UC-transferable quarter units.

• While students may complete any number of units at a community college, a maximum of 70 UC-transferable units may be applied toward the total units required for a University of California (UC) baccalaureate degree. Coursework completed in excess of this 70-unit limit may be used to satisfy specific content requirements via "subject credit" but will not increase the total unit count toward graduation. Students are strongly advised to consult with a counselor to monitor their unit totals

• Applicants must obtain a minimum cumulative 2.4 GPA (2.8 for non-California residents) in all UC-transferable coursework.

• Please note that admission to many campuses and programs is highly competitive; therefore, the GPA required for admission may be significantly higher than the minimum eligibility standard

• Complete the following seven-course pattern:

• Two transferable college courses in English composition (UC-E) and one transferable college course in mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning (UC-M).

• Complete four transferable college courses chosen from at least 2 of the following subject areas: Arts and Humanities (UC-H), Social and Behavioral Sciences (UC-B), and/or Physical and Biological sciences (UC-S).

The University of California (UC) grants high priority in the admission selection process to students who demonstrate early completion of major-specific preparation coursework. Students are strongly encouraged to complete lower-division major requirements early in their academic career to enhance their transfer competitiveness.

Students are strongly urged to complete an approved General Education (GE) pattern and obtain GE certification prior to transfer. Effective Fall 2025 and for all subsequent terms, the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) shall serve as the required GE pattern for transfer to both the California State University (CSU) and the University of California (UC). Students must consult with a counselor to verify course alignment with Cal-GETC requirements and ensure compliance with their specific catalog rights.

Application Dates and Deadlines

Admission to the University of California (UC) is generally available for the Fall term at all campuses. Admission for Winter and Spring terms is contingent upon individual campus capacity and specific major availability.  

The UC application is available at: UC Apply Now. 

Additional information is available at UC Transfer Application Guide. 

University of California (UC) Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)

Six University of California (UC) campuses offer guaranteed admission to California Community College students who meet specific requirements: UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. Students may submit a TAG application to only one participating campus. 

TAG Filing Periods

The TAG application must be submitted via the UC Transfer Admission Planner (TAP) during the following windows: