What exactly are the transfer mandates in place for California community colleges? I'm trying to prepare for my transfer to a UC, and I need to know if there are specific courses or requirements I have to fulfill first.
California community colleges have an agreement with the University of California (UC) system known as the "Transfer Admission Guarantee" (TAG) program. Seven UC campuses participate in TAG for Californian community college students — UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. If you meet certain criteria, you can receive guaranteed admission to one of these campuses.
In the TAG program, you'll need to:
1. Complete a set of specified courses with a certain GPA for your intended major by the end of the spring term before you transfer.
2. Complete at least 60 semester/90 quarter units of UC-transferable credit by the spring term prior to fall transfer.
The exact courses and GPA required for your intended major depend on the UC campus, as there are variances between campuses and majors. Usually, you'll be expected to complete coursework in English and Math with a "C" grade or higher.
Also, California community colleges have "IGETC" or "Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum," which offers a pathway to fulfill lower-division general education requirements for all UC campuses. Completing the IGETC isn’t a requirement for admission, but it helps to streamline your path to a UC school.
Moreover, Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) programs exist within certain majors. They guarantee admission into the CSU system, but do not guarantee into specific campuses or majors.
Keep in mind that UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego do not participate in the TAG program, but they still admit a large number of transfer students each year.
UC representatives often visit community colleges to assist with the planning process, so look out for those opportunities. And consult with your community college counselor regularly as they're there to help you navigate the requirements and make this process go smoothly.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.