Home Catalog Graduation and Transfer Preparing to Transfer Transfer to UC

Transfer to University of California

Transfer Requirements

Students who plan to transfer to the University of California (UC) system must meet certain requirements.

A maximum of 70 UC-transferable units completed at California community colleges can be applied to a baccalaureate degree. Coursework completed that exceeds the 70-unit maximum may be given "subject credit" after transfer. Consult with a counselor.

Transfer Eligibility

Subject Requirement

If you met the scholarship requirement but not the subject requirement, then you must do all of the following to transfer to a UC:

Take transferable college courses in the missing subject areas
Earn a C or better in each required course
Have a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) in all transferable coursework

Examination Requirement

If you met the scholarship requirement but not the examination requirement, then you must complete a minimum of 12 semester units of transferable work and maintain a 2.0 grade point average in transferable coursework.

Scholarship Requirement

If you did not meet the scholarship requirement, then you must do the following:

Complete 60 units of UC-transferable college credit with a grade point average of at least 2.4 (for California residents) or 2.8 (for non-residents)
Complete the following course pattern, earning a grade of C or better in each course: ¹
- Two transferable courses (three units each) in English composition
- One transferable course (three units) in mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning
- Four transferable courses (three units each) chosen from at least two of the following subject areas: the arts and humanities, the social and behavioral sciences, or the physical and biological sciences

¹ Students who satisfy the California General Education Transfer Curriculum prior to transferring to UC will satisfy number 2 above.

California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)

When you complete the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) pattern, you partially fulfill the 60-unit requirement for transfer to UC and complete the lower division general education breadth requirements. You should request your Cal-GETC certification from the community college you last attended when your final transcript is sent to the UC campus.

The Cal-GETC is best if you have not yet chosen a major or a campus. Once you have selected a major, it is important to begin fulfilling any required preparatory classes for that major. This is especially true for professional or "high-unit" majors. If you are preparing for an engineering or a high-unit science major at a UC campus, then it is not advisable to use the Cal-GETC. Instead you should concentrate on fulfilling the 60-unit admission requirement by completing lower division major preparation courses as well as the basic admission requirements listed above.

Helpful Hints

Connect with a counselor regularly to monitor your transfer progress.
Many courses other than the ones listed in the Cal-GETC will transfer to UC. The units from those other courses will count toward the 60 units required to transfer as a junior. Check the catalog for the transfer status of any course.
Though transfers do not require an associate degree, it is easy to complete one while preparing to transfer. Learn about associate degree graduation requirements.
Check with your counselor about other courses needed for your major. In many cases, it is to your advantage to complete all pre-major requirements as well as general education requirements before you transfer.