How do transfer credits work from a community college to a UC?

I'm wondering how the transfer of credits from my community college to a UC works. Do all my credits transfer, or are there specific ones that carry over? I'm trying to plan my coursework accordingly.

Transferring credits from a community college to a University of California (UC) school involves some specific steps. Generally speaking, most, if not all, of your community college credits should transfer to the UC schools, provided that the classes are transferable and you have earned a grade of C or better.

The UC system and California Community Colleges system work together in a program called Assist System. This program has an online tool where you can check course articulation agreements for each UC campus. The tool shows which community college courses meet the requirements for specific university courses.

The classes that UC schools accept for General Education (GE) requirements and major preparation can vary. For major preparation, there's also the "IGETC" (Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum), a series of courses prospective transfer students can complete to satisfy lower-division general education requirements at any UC campus.

You should work closely with your community college advisors to ensure that the right classes are being taken for transfer. You'll want to have a clear understanding of whether your credits will directly meet a certain requirement (like fulfilling a specific major requirement) or if they will transfer as elective credits.

Make sure you also consult the admissions office or a transfer advisor at the intended UC school for any specific queries regarding course credits. It can be helpful to have a course syllabus or detailed course description on hand when doing so.

Again, powered by ASSIST, there is also a TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee) program that offers guaranteed admission to students at all nine undergraduate UC campuses, if certain criteria are met. But take note, that TAG requirements vary by campus.

So while your credits will largely transfer, the way they apply to your degree may differ. Proper planning and frequent consultation with your advisor can ensure that your community college coursework will apply meaningfully to your UC degree.