Do community college credits expire for CSU transfer?

I'm considering transferring to a CSU in the future, and I've taken a few classes at a community college. How long do these credits remain valid, and is there a deadline for transferring them?

The good news is that community college credits do not technically 'expire'. Once you have earned these credits, they become a permanent part of your academic record. However, the use of these credits towards meeting the admission eligibility or specific course requirements for the transfer can change over time.

In general, each California State University (CSU) campus decides on the acceptability of coursework from other colleges and universities. CSU typically accepts transfer credits from regionally accredited institutions. And in California, most community colleges have articulation agreements with the CSUs, which outline how courses taken at the community college can be used to satisfy subject matter requirements at the CSU.

Just keep in mind that the relevance of coursework may change — especially in rapidly evolving fields. Even if the credit remains valid indefinitely, if the material covered in the course evolves significantly, a course taken several years ago may no longer fulfill a specific course requirement for a degree program at a CSU. For this reason, it's always a good idea to consult with an academic advisor from your community college or from the CSU campus you're considering, to ensure your older course credits will still apply to your intended degree program.

Also, there's no hard deadline for transferring credits per se, but there are application deadlines for transfer admission that you'll need to respect. If you're planning to transfer, make sure to apply during the application period in order to get your credits evaluated and transferred smoothly. You can find this information through the CSU's application portal.