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University of California (UC)

Admission Requirements for Transfer to UC

To establish eligibility as a junior-level transfer at a UC campus, students must:

  • Complete 60 semester (90 quarter) units of UC transferable courses. Note: no more than 14 units may be taken Pass/No Pass
  • Earn a minimum 2.4 GPA (2.8 for non-residents) in all UC transferable courses
  • Complete the following seven-course pattern, earning a grade of ‘C’ or better in each course (all courses must be at least 3 semester or 4 quarter units)
    • English Composition - 2 courses
    • Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning - 1 course
    • Arts and Humanities; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Physical and Biological Sciences - 4 courses chosen from at least two of these three subject areas

Notes: Most campuses require completion of this course pattern by the end of the spring term prior to fall admission; completion of IGETC will satisfy the seven-course pattern; some competitive campuses and/or majors have higher/additional requirements; non-residents require a higher admissions GPA. All IGETC courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. Consult a counselor for details.

UC General Education Requirements

Students may complete one of the following:

  • Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)1.
  • General education requirements of the receiving UC campuses.
1

IGETC is not an admissions eligibility requirement; IGETC is not advisable for some high unit majors; UC San Diego’s Eleanor Roosevelt and Revelle Colleges and UC Berkeley Haas School of Business will NOT accept IGETC.

Major Preparation

Transfer students enter UC having satisfied most of the general education requirements for their degree. However, completing courses specific to a student’s major should be a higher priority than completing IGETC or campus specific general education. In addition to general education, UC is looking for applicants who have completed significant work within their chosen majors.

  • Highly selective majors (e.g. sciences, engineering, psychology) evaluate student applications based on the major-preparation courses you have completed before transfer
  • Course requirements for transfer students are different for each UC campus. Student can find requirements for major-preparation, as well as for IGETC/GE for each UC campus listed at www.ASSIST.org.

Course Sequences

When requirements are stated as a full-year sequence, students should complete the entire year before transferring, not just one semester course.  It is ideal to complete the sequence at one community college.

Priority Application Filing Dates for UC

Fall Semester or Quarter November 1 - 30
Winter Quarter/Spring Semester July 1 - 31

UC Resources