University of California Information

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There are 9 undergraduate UC campuses across the state of California. They offer a variety of programs and opportunities for students to reach their educational goals.  To be prepared for transferring to a UC campus you may review the admission eligibility requirements and major preparation at the UC campus that you are interested in.  The University of California System admissions web page provides information about freshman and transfer admissions, policies and regulations, campuses profile, research, more.

 

Preparing for Admission to a UC Campus

To apply to UC campuses, you may prepare by understanding the requirements, and admission process, and make a plan.   The following is Admission related information and planning tools to transfer to UC campuses.

At this website you will find a brief summary of the transfer process and the recommended steps to transfer to a UC campus

The minimum Transfer admission requirement is to complete 60 UC transferrable units that includes:

  • The 7 Course pattern (two English courses, one Transferrable Math, and 4 more courses form Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences) - all courses must be passed with letter grade of C or higher.  
  • Minimum GPA of 2.4 for resident students and 2.8 for non-resident students. The Grade Point Average (GPA) is one of the factors that UC will consider when they review and evaluate your UC application.  The  overall transfer GPA requirement is based on UC transferrable courses only. Here is how UC will calculate UC transfer GPA.
  • Complete major preparation courses ( see ASSIST.ORG)

Click here to read more about the  UC minimum admission requirements, and the admission requirements by each UC campus.

Students on a visa status may visit this website to learn about the admission requirements and documents they may need to apply as an International student.   

 The admission requirement  for international students who are:

  • Transferring from a California community College is the same as residents students - However, they may demonstrate English language proficiency similar to freshman students.   This requirement can be fulfilled  by completing two English courses  with grade of B or higher for Community College transfer Students.
  • Applying as freshman from an international institution must follow the requirements:
    • Completed a secondary school/high school
    • Never attended a university
    • Have a GPA of 3.4

Completion of major preparation courses is one of the most important factors in the evaluation of the admission application.  So, it is important for students to select their major and take required courses before applying to a UC campus. 

You may use this link to explore available majors at each UC campus, and meet with your counselor to explore your options.

To graduate from a UC campus, you must complete general education requirements.  Students may complete part or all of the Lower Division general education courses at a community college depending on their major and course plan.  

  • What is IGETC - Community Colleges and UC campuses have developed a General Education pathway that allows students to meet the lower division General Education courses at a community College.  This General Education pathway known as Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC).   Some of the California Private Colleges and Universities may accept IGETC certification to fulfill their General Education requirements.
    • IGETC is divided into 6 Areas that will give students a broader perspective on different disciplines:
    • Area 1 - English Communication ( 1A - English Composition, 1B - Critical thinking, and 1C - Oral Communication for CSU bound students)
    • Area 2 - Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
    • Area 3 -   Arts and Humanities (3A - Arts, 3B - Humanities, 3C - Arts  or Humanities)
    • Area 4 - Social and Behavioral Sciences:  Three courses from at least two disciplines. 
    • Area 5 - Physical and Biological Sciences  (5A - Physical Science, 5B- Biological Sciences)
    • Area 6 - Language Other Than English (LOTE) - UC Requirement only

 

  • IGETC requirements at UC  campuses - you may explore the website to learn about the IGETC requirements by each UC campus.  This website will guide you whether you need to complete IGETC before transferring.
  • IGETC worksheet at Cañada College - This worksheet lists courses that you may take at Cañada College to meet all or part of the IGETC

The completion of IGETC may be certified at the time of transfer to verify that the lower division of General Education Course have been met.  The IGETC can be full certification or partial certification: 

  • Full IGETC means completion of all  the requirements for each categories  in IGETC (37 semester units)
  • Partial IGETC is defined as completing all but two (2) courses on the IGETC.  These two courses can't be from Area A and Area B.

Completion of full or partial IGETC is not required for Admission, but it is required for students to complete the 7 course pattern. (See the Minimum Admission Requirements).

 

IGETC for STEM Majors - Among STEM programs only Chemistry, Biology and Environmental Science allow for IGETC for STEM. 

The IGETC for STEM requires: 

  • All Courses in Area 1 (except area 1C for UC bound Students)
  •  One course from Area 2
  • One course from Area 5
  • One course in Area 3A
  • One  course in Area 3B
  • Two courses from Area 4 from two different Disciplines

Students who will complete IGETC for STEM will complete the remaining of the requirements after transfer: one course in Area 3, one course in Area 4, and one course from Area 6 for UC bound students, who have not satisfied this requirement through proficiency.

 

Additional Information about IGETC:

You may find more information about IGETC requirements here.

Here, you may find IGETC requirement for each UC campus and their programs. 

Note:   Some program such as Engineering, Biological Sciences,  physical and natural sciences do not recommend IGETC. 

Language other Than English (LOTE) is one of the UC graduation requirements.  However, transfer students who plan to fully complete IGETC must also fulfill area 6, Language Other Than English proficiency.  This is to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English.  To demonstrate proficiency in a LOTE, one of the following must be completed:

  • Successful completion of one of the following  courses: SPAN 110, 120, 122, 131~, 132~, 140~, 145~, 150~, 152~, 162~
  • Successful completion of two years of high school in one language (grade of C- or higher) – must be verified by an official high school transcript
  • Successful completion of a course at a college or university (with a grade of C or higher) - must be verified by an official transcript
  • Successful completion, grade of C or higher (2.0), of two years of formal schooling at sixth grade or higher in an institution where the language of instruction is not English.

Note: to receive verification of language proficiency using a transcript from an institution where the language of instruction is not English, you must complete a LOTE Verification Request Form and submit it to the Admissions Office with a copy of your transcript from the institution.

  • Satisfactory score of 3 or higher, on College Board Advanced Placement examinations in Languages Other Than English (see the AP and IB Chartsto learn about exams that Applies to area 6A of IGETC)
  • Satisfactory score of 5 or higher, on International Baccalaureate higher level examinations in languages other than English
  • Other – Please consult with a counselor
  • The Pathway Programs provide students with a set of courses that prepares them for one of the 20 majors available at any of the nine UC undergraduate campuses.
  • Transfer Pathway Guide - is an online tool that shows a single set of courses in one of the pathway programs that you can take at community college and be prepared for the major at all UC camp[uses offering the program.   
  • Transfer Pathways +refers to a path where students complete a program by following one of the UC Pathways and UC TAG requirements. 
TAG is an opportunity to secure your admission to one of the 6 campuses offering the TAG program. It is basically a contract between you and the UC campus to follow the admission and TAG criteria set by the UC campus.  More information about the requirements and how you may be eligible is available on the Transfer Guarantee Agreement page of the Transfer Center website.

It is important to know and understand about the academic and credit policies at UC to plan and complete the courses in accordance to the requirements.  For example it is important to know of  the following policies for the purpose of admission and receiving credits toward bachelor degree:

  • Course Repeat policy - student may repeat a course with substandard grade, and the first passing grade will be accepted.  
  • Number of units can be transferred - 70 UC transferrable units
  • Grading Policies - the Courses for IGETC must be completed with "C" or higher, and  only total of 14 units can be Pass/no pass
  • Receiving credits for AP and IB exams
  • Policies on taking courses that are sequential 

For detail information about these policies, you may visit the "Transfer Credit Practices" website.

As you are planning your courses, you may need to know that all UC campuses accept admission application for Fall term.  However, the following three campuses also accept application from transfer students mid academic year:

  • UC Irvine - for Winter term
  • UC Merced - for Spring term
  • UC Santa Cruz - for Winter term

Please note that only some majors, but not all, will be open for mid-year admission.  You may find a recent list of available majors for these three campuses for Winter/Spring 2023 at their websites.  The availability of major may change year to year.

 

Important Date And Deadlines - Visit this webpage for the latest information of the important dates and deadlines.

Fall Admission

  • The Admission Application deadlines are:
    • The Admission Application will be open on August 1st
    • The  application submission period is October 1st to November 30th
    • The application Update period  December 15th to January 31st
    • UC TAG application deadline for fall 2023 - September 1st -30th
    • Deadline to accept admission Offer - June 1st
  • Transcript Deadline
    • The deadline to file the final transcript is July 1st
    • The Deadline to file additional Documents such as AP exam is July 15th

 

Winter/Spring Admission - Only applies to UC Merced, UC riverside, and UC Santa Cruz

  • The  application submission period is July 1st to July 31st
  • Deadline to update application for Winter/Spring 2023 is September 15th, 2022
  • UC TAG application deadline for Winter/Spring  2024 - May 1st - 30th
  • Check with each campus for deadlines for application update, accepting the admission offer, and submission of your final transcript

 

Application Information, and Guideline to Apply 

The following you will provide you with information about UC application, application fees, online application, personal Insight Questions, guideline to complete a UC application, and how your application will be reviewed.


Before starting your UC application, you may learn about the application process, and gather documents you may need to complete the application. 

It is important to enter the information accurately when entering your coursework, AP and IB Exam (if any), annual income, residency status, etc.  The link above will provide you with detail information.

  • Application fee for California Residents is $70 per Campus, and for International Students and non-immigrant students is $80 per Campus.
  • UC may waive application fees up to four campuses to  qualified students . International Student and non-immigrant students are not qualified for application fee waiver.
  • Student's eligibility for application fee waiver will automatically determine by entering the family size and income in the "about you" section of the  application.

UC Admission application is available online, and you can start here.   You may file one application to apply to one or several UC campuses.

Students who complete the Transfer Admission Planner (TAP) and/or filed out a TAG application, may upload the transcript entry to the Admission Application.

As part of the Admission Application, students are required to answer 4 questions, which give more in depth information about themselves and who they are to UC.  One question is required for all transfer students, and  the other three questions can be selected from a list of seven questions.

Each question must be answered in 350 words and all have equal value.

UC provides several guidelines to assist students to complete the application:

UC has a comprehensive review of the applications.  So it is important to answer all questions on the UC application completely and accurately.   To be a stronger applicants and have strong application, you should know about the factors that UC campuses will take into consideration.  This UC web explains the comprehensive review factors and process in general and by each campus. 

 

UC Campuses and Admission Selection Criteria by Campus - in this section you will find list of programs at each campus, transfer Admission information, admission selection criteria, and profile of each campus.

 

UC Transfer Planning Tools 

If you are considering to transfer to a UC campus, you may start an account with the UC system through the Transfer Admission Planner (TAP) as early as your first term at Cañada College.  This online tool not only helps you to track your courses, it also provides greater support as the  UC may provide you with additional information about your program and upcoming events. Please consult with your counselor at Cañada College to plan your courses.

The Transfer Pathway Guide is a tool that provides you partial or full list of community college courses that are aligned with the courses in the pathway majors.  

 

UC Campus Resources

The UC campuses will provide a wide range of support services for students who are transferring from a community college.  This may include summer programs prior to your enrollment, peer mentor program, Transfer services, EOP, and more.  To get acquainted to the campus, you may take advantage of these support services before and after transferring to UC. 

You may learn more about the Mentorship programs at each UC campus.  These programs will help you to become familiar with the campus before or at the time of your transfer to a UC campus.

UC campuses supports AB 540 and undocumented students to find academic, financial, legal, health and social support both on and off campus.  Here is a list of contact information and offices at UC campuses in support of undocumented students. 

Each UC campus has its own forms and policies to establish residency for tuition Purposes. The following web pages will inform you of the residency requirements for tuition and fees, and the appeal process for each campus:

 

Cost of Attendance, Financial Aid  and Scholarships

As you plan your courses and are academically getting ready to transfer,  you may also plan your finances to pay for UC.  To do so, you need to know the cost of attendance at each UC.

There are financial aid resources available for eligible students to cover the cost of attendance.  You may learn about the type of available funds, how it may apply to you, and get an estimate of your financial aid.

UC offers grants and scholarships to help students with the cost of attendance. The following are some of the Scholarships offered by UC campuses:

Karl S. Pister Leadership Opportunity Program - One of the scholarships that UC Santa Cruz offers is Karl S. Pister Leadership Opportunity Program that is specific to Cañada College students.  This scholarship provides $20,000 that will be distributed over 2 years to a nominated student. To apply you may complete an online application.  

For the eligibility criteria, a list of required documents, and accessing the online application visit the Pister Leadership Scholarship website.  

The Deadline for the year of  2023 will be announced in December 2022.