UC Transfer

The University of California is one of two public university systems in the state of California. There are ten UC campuses that educate over 200,000 students. The UC system not only provides an exceptional education to many thousands of students, it also 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.

The following information can help you 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, and how to apply for transfer.

UC Transfer Admission Information
Assist.org
IGETC (General Education)
Transfer Admission Planner (TAP)
TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee)
UC Application
Transfer Checklist

UC Transfer Admission Information

Minimum UC Transfer Eligibility Requirements

  • 60 UC-transferable units
  • 7 UC-transferable GE courses completed with "C" grade or better and comprised of:
    • 2 courses in English Composition
    • 1 course in Mathematical Concepts/Quantitative Reasoning
    • 4 additional courses from at least two of the following disciplines: Arts & Humanities; Social/Behavioral Sciences; Physical/Biological Sciences
  • 2.4 GPA for California residents

Note: Highly selective majors may have different minimum requirements. Work with a counselor to determine what courses are best for you.

Recommended UC Transfer Guidelines

  • 60 UC-transferable
  • Lower division major preparation done
  • IGETC or campus-specific GE completed (for low-unit majors) 
    or
    The 7 required courses above (high-unit majors)
  • 3.0+ GPA for California residents (may be higher for selective campuses and/or majors)

Students should place highest priority on achieving minimum transfer eligibility and on completing major preparation courses. Some majors require that students complete major preparation courses before they transfer. When UC campuses receive more applications than they have room to admit, they typically select the applicants who are most prepared for their majors.

After students have planned their courses for major preparation, they can think about General Education. GE is not required for admission; however, it is required for graduation from UC.

Students should work with a counselor and a UC advisor to know how to prepare for their majors. This consultation will guide students to take the appropriate general education course work. Make an appointment with a College of Marin counselor by calling (415)485-9432 or make an appointment through the MyCOMportal. 

For more information, go to the UC Transfer Admission Requirements website.

UC Transfer Pathways

21 of the most popular UC majors now have clear pathywas to transfer:

For more information on what it takes to transfer for any of those majors, visit UC Transfer Admission Major Preparation
And be sure to meet with a counselor to create an educational plan that supports your transfer goals.

Assist.org

Assist.org helps you find community college courses that are transferable to a UC or CSU campus and how those transferable courses might be used to satisfy major preparation or general education.

To access UC and CSU transferable course lists as well as general edcuation and major preparation recommendations and requirements:

  1. Start by selecting College of Marin (or another community college)
  2. Select the UC or CSU of your choice to view articulation agreements between the two institutions.
  3. Select By Major to view major prerequisites. The articulation agreements between schools will appear with the first selected school in the right hand column and second selected school in the left hand column.
  4. Select By Department to view department course equivalencies.

To Explore Majors Offered at UC and CSU Campuses:
Assist also provides information about majors offered at UC and CSU campuses. To explore majors, choose a specific major that interests you and a campus you are considering attending.

  1. Click on the green Explore Majors and then click Majors.
  2. To see a list of UC and CSU schools that offer the major you are interested in, choose a field of study from the drop down menu on the first screen. On the next screen, choose a specific discipline from that field of study.
    • A list of all UC and CSU schools offering that major will appear. The school names will be listed after the major’s title. Click on the school name to access the articulation agreement with COM, to be provided with a link directly to that specific program’s website, and to get information on if IGETC is recommended or not.
  3. Click University of California Campuses from the top yellow ribbon to see a list of majors at each UC campus.
  4. Click California State University Campuses from the top yellow ribbon to see a list of majors at each CSU campus.
  5. Click California Community College Campuses from the top yellow ribbon to see which majors are offered by CSU and UC.
    • Choose an Area of Study and click on Continue and then choose a Discipline and click on Continue.
    • In the right hand column, you can clink on MP, or major preparation, to see the prerequisites that you need for a specific major at a CSU or UC.

IGETC (General Education)

2020—2021 Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum

IGETC (Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum) outlines courses a student may take at a community college to complete the lower-division general education requirements and UC and CSU schools. IGETC is not an admissions requirement and is not recommended for all majors. Students majoring in STEM fields such as Engineering, Biological and Physical Sciences or majors that require extensive lower-division preparation are not encouraged to follow IGETC. Make an appointment with a College of Marin counselor to see if IGETC is the right path for you.

TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee)

College of Marin offers a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) to six University of California campuses: Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. To be eligible, students must have already completed at least 30 UC-transferable units with a 2.8 to 3.4 UC-transferable GPA. Please note that certain UCs and majors may have additional requirements. You can see a basic breakdown of the requirements by institution below. For more detailed information, please visit the campus' website. 

     UC Davis TAG Requirements

     UC Irvine TAG Requirements

     UC Merced TAG Requirements

     UC Riverside TAG Requirements

     UC Santa Barbara TAG Requirements

     UC Santa Cruz TAG Requirements

Students may apply for a Transfer Admission Guarantee to only one UC campus. Applications are submitted online September 1 to 30. Students must also complete and submit the regular UC application by November 30 indicating their TAG school as well as any other UC campuses they would like to apply to.

For the most up to date information, visit the University of California Transfer Admission Guarantee webpage for specific requirements and to begin the online TAG application.

Transfer Checklist

Fall Semester Transfer

UC Transfer Checklist – Download printable PDF

August/September

  • Meet with your counselor to finalize transfer admissions eligibility
  • Gather transcripts from all colleges attended (unofficial is fine)
  • Confirm university application periods
  • Draft personal statement
  • Submit UC TAG application between September 1-30
  • Attend transfer workshops (UC and CSU application, UC Personal Statement, and UC TAG)

October

  • Have your personal statements reviewed in the Writing Center, by your counselor, or in the Transfer & Career Center
  • Attend transfer workshops
  • Visit Preview Days & take campus tours. Search for local university Preview Days through the Transfer Events Calendar

November

  • Attend Transfer Day and ask your questions to university and college representatives directly
  • Priority application filing period for Fall term to UC campuses is November 1-30. Apply at UC Apply Online
  • Attend transfer workshops
  • Visit Preview Days & take campus tours. Search for local university Preview Days through the Transfer Events Calendar
  • Submit admission applications as appropriate

December

  • Research housing and any other resources or services you need
  • Research scholarship opportunities for next academic year
  • Develop a timeline reflecting important deadlines from present to entering the university

January

  • Research/Apply for scholarships, housing, etc.
  • Apply for Financial Aid (priority deadline is March 2)
  • Update your application by January 31st with your Fall semester grades
    • Establish your student account
    • Log in and update your grades
    • Be sure to check the account regularly to comply with other requests as they may arise  

February/March

  • Submit documents as requested
  • Apply for Financial Aid (priority deadline is March 2)
  • Research/Apply for scholarships, housing, etc.
  • Apply for College of Marin graduation
    • Not sure if you are eligible to earn a degree? Make an appointment with your counselor

April/May

June/July

  • Submit Student Intent to Register (SIR)
  • Request General Education Certification through COM's Enrollment Services Ofifce
  • Request official transcripts from each college attended (high school if necessary)
  • Sign up for transfer student orientation (bring unofficial transcripts)
  • Register for classes (usually done at orientation)
  • Submit immunization records, residency forms, etc., as requested by university