University of California
Transfer Basics: UC
For students who plan to apply to a UC, it鈥檚 important to understand the foundation of the transfer process. The UC system primarily admits upper-division transfer students. This means that before transferring, students are expected to complete their freshman and sophomore (lower-division) coursework at the community college. Upon transfer, they will enter the UC as a junior (upper-division student).
To qualify, students must complete 60 transferable semester units (or 90 quarter units). These units are earned by successfully completing courses that fulfill the following categories:
- General Education (GE) requirements 鈥� Courses that cover a broad range of subjects (such as English, math, science, social sciences, and humanities) such as the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)
- Major Preparation requirements 鈥� Courses required for the intended major. Completing as many of these as possible greatly strengthens admission chances, as UC campuses give priority to students who are well-prepared in their field of study.
- Elective courses 鈥� Additional transferable courses taken to help students reach the minimum 60 transferable unit requirement.
In addition, students must maintain a minimum GPA (varies by campus and major, typically 2.4 for California residents, though competitive campuses/majors often require much higher).
By planning carefully鈥攂alancing GE, major preparation, and electives鈥攕tudents will be on track for a smooth transfer and stronger admission prospects at the UC.
4 essential courses with a grade of "C" or better:
- Written Communications (English)
- Critical Thinking
- Communications
- Mathematics
Applying to a UC
Applying to UC is a lot simplier than you think. That's because you can apply to as many campuses as you like鈥攚ith just one application.