Planning to Transfer

Knowing the requirements and planning your community college program around them will maximize your chances for admission to the University of California campus and program of your choice. Meeting requirements in advance will give you more freedom when selecting courses once you enroll at UC. You may also be able to complete your undergraduate education within four years, without having to attend additional terms to meet requirements or take prerequisites.

You should plan on completing at least 60 semester (90 quarter) units before you transfer. Information about transfer selection criteria is available here.

To be considered for fall admission at many campuses, you must plan to complete all courses required for admission no later than the spring term preceding the fall you wish to enter UC.

To learn more about the particular requirements that apply to you, read the appropriate UC campus General Catalog or Transfer Preparation Paths, or use the Exploring Majors tool on the ASSIST website. In addition, you should contact the Admissions Office at the campus you wish to attend as soon as possible to help you with the planning process. Representatives in these UC offices are available to give you precise, up-to-date information about the availability of majors, oversubscribed programs, coursework you need to take, and requirements that relate specifically to your circumstances. They also can refer you to other reliable sources of information and advising.

If your community college has a transfer center, take advantage of its resources. Transfer Center advisers often can provide you with much of the information you need to start planning. UC representatives, as well as representatives from other four-year colleges and universities, visit the transfer centers to meet and advise prospective transfer applicants.

Transfer Credit

As a prospective transfer student, it is important to make sure that the community college courses you take are acceptable to the University of California for transfer credit. All courses you take to satisfy university requirements must be transferable. Most courses in academic subjects are transferable. Vocational courses and personal enrichment courses do not qualify for transfer credit. UC considers transferable community college courses to be comparable to those offered to UC freshmen and sophomores.

Every California community college has an agreement with the University of California, called a transferable course agreement (TCA), that specifies which of its courses receive UC transfer credit. TCAs are available from your community college counseling office or transfer center. In addition, your community college and the UC campus you wish to attend may have additional agreements that specify which transferable courses may be used to meet various college (breadth or general education) and major requirements.

To find out if your college courses are transferable to UC, you can also visit the ASSIST website and select your community college. ASSIST has information about credit for general education/breadth requirements, major preparation, and the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC). The lists are updated throughout the year, so check ASSIST periodically to ensure you have the most current information.

Limits on Transfer Credits

The University of California will award up to 70 semester (105 quarter) units of transferable coursework from a community college, meaning those units will be counted toward completion of your UC degree. Courses in excess of 70 semester (105 quarter) units will not receive unit credit, but will receive subject credit and may be used to satisfy University subject requirements.

Some campuses also limit the total number of transfer units that will be accepted. If your community college work is combined with credit from a four-year institution, different unit limits may apply. Please consult the Admissions Office at the UC campus that interests you.

Additionally, there is a limit to the number of units you can transfer in the following coursework (the courses must be listed on your community college's TCA with UC):

English as a second language courses: A maximum of 8 semester (12 quarter) units will earn transfer credit.

Physical education: activity courses - a maximum of 4 semester (6 quarter) units will earn transfer credit; and theory courses - a maximum of 8 semester (12 quarter) units will also earn transfer credit.

Length of Time to Graduation

Many students who take a full two years of transferable coursework at a community college graduate two years after transferring to UC. To do so, you must select your community college courses very carefully and plan your program to fulfill major and general education requirements. Graduation credit is given for all transferable courses, but a number of specific requirements must be met in order for you to earn your degree.

On the average, upper division California community college students who transfer to UC require 2.4 academic years to earn an undergraduate degree.