How many community college credits needed to transfer to UC?

I'm preparing to transfer from community college to a University of California campus and I've heard various things about the credit requirements. What's the deal with the minimum credits needed?

For transferring to a University of California (UC) campus from a community college, the minimum unit requirement is 60 semester (or 90 quarter) units of transferable credit. Upon transferring, you must have completed at least these many units to be considered a junior.

Remember that while meeting this threshold is crucial from a credit standpoint, equally important is ensuring that your courses align with the major requirements of the UC campus and specific program you're targeting. The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) can be a valuable roadmap for building your class schedule since it outlines a program of courses that California Community College students can follow to fulfill lower-division general education requirements at any UC campus. You might also want to consider pursuing an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) which guarantees admission to a UC campus (though not necessarily to a specific campus or major) to students who have completed a specific pattern of coursework.

Keep in mind that not all credits are treated equally. Not every class you take at community college will transfer to a UC campus. Hence, it's essential to work closely with your community college advisor or counselor to ensure you're meeting necessary criteria and your classes will properly transfer over.

Lastly, understanding the UC's comprehensive review process for transfers could be beneficial. This process considers a range of factors, including performance in academic courses, the rigor of your course load, and your demonstrated interest in the major to which you're applying. So, along with amassing the needed credits, focusing on these additional aspects will also help your transfer process.