To transfer from a California community college to the University of California, a student needs at least 60 semester (90 quarter) units of UC transferable courses with at least a 2.4 GPA (2.8 for nonresidents), the UC seven course pattern or Cal-GETC, and the lower division courses for the intended major, all planned on ASSIST.org. Six UC campuses also offer a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) filed in September. Most campuses and majors expect well above the minimums, so the plan matters from the first semester.
The UC transfer minimums
From UC’s transfer requirements:
- Units: 60 semester or 90 quarter units of UC transferable coursework.
- GPA: at least 2.4 for California residents and 2.8 for nonresidents. Most campuses and majors require more.
- Seven course pattern: two English composition courses, one math course in mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning, and four courses from at least two of arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and physical and biological sciences, finished by the end of the spring before fall enrollment. Cal-GETC also satisfies this.
- Major preparation: the courses each campus requires or recommends for the major, with the grades it sets.
Cal-GETC, the general education pattern
Students who started at a California community college in fall 2025 or later follow the California General Education Transfer Curriculum, which replaced IGETC for them. According to UC’s Cal-GETC page, it is 11 courses and 34 semester units:
| Area | Courses | Semester units |
|---|---|---|
| 1. English communication | 3 | 9 |
| 2. Mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning | 1 | 3 |
| 3. Arts and humanities | 2 | 6 |
| 4. Social and behavioral sciences | 2 | 6 |
| 5. Physical and biological sciences | 2 | 7 |
| 6. Ethnic studies | 1 | 3 |
- Courses need a C or better.
- Cal-GETC is not a UC admission requirement, though some campuses and majors prefer it.
- UC’s general education page notes that engineering and the biological, physical and natural sciences generally do not recommend Cal-GETC or IGETC; those students should put major prerequisites first.
- Students who were enrolled before fall 2025 may be able to finish IGETC instead; ask a counselor.
The Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UC’s TAG page explains that a TAG is a written agreement guaranteeing admission to one of six participating UC campuses if the student completes the agreed courses and GPA.
- When to file: September 1 to 30 for fall admission (May 1 to 31 for the winter or spring terms that some campuses offer), through the UC Transfer Admission Planner.
- Then apply: a TAG does not replace the UC application. File that from October 1 to November 30.
- Keep the terms: finish the remaining courses and meet the GPA in the agreement. Each campus publishes its TAG criteria and some majors are excluded.
ASSIST: the course map
ASSIST.org is the public site where California’s community colleges, the University of California and the California State University publish which courses transfer and which satisfy major requirements at each campus. Use it every term:
- Look up the agreement between your college and each target campus for your major.
- Take the listed equivalents, not courses with similar names.
- Save the agreement for the year you started, and recheck it each spring.
- Bring it to every counseling appointment.
If the California State University is on the list too
Community colleges offer the Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T). The CSU’s ADT page says it is no more than 60 semester units and gives guaranteed priority admission to a CSU campus, though not necessarily a particular campus or major. Students who transfer into a similar CSU program can finish the bachelor’s degree within 60 more semester units if they complete the required courses. Read how the CSU application and impaction work.
A two year transfer plan
- First semester: choose a likely major, meet a counselor, pull ASSIST agreements for two or three campuses and map four semesters.
- First year: English composition and transfer math early; protect the GPA with a manageable load.
- Summer before year two: check TAG criteria and gather what you need for the September filing.
- September: file the TAG if eligible.
- October and November: submit the UC application and Cal State Apply by November 30.
- Spring: finish the seven course pattern or Cal-GETC and major preparation with strong grades.
Struggling with a term? Our GPA recovery planner shows what it takes to lift a transfer GPA.
Where a mentor helps
Transfer students juggle classes, work and family, and the plan lives across ASSIST, a counselor’s notes and several campus websites. A mentor helps the student keep one written plan, register on time, stay on track for the GPA in a TAG and handle deadlines without last minute scrambles. Learn more about mentoring for transfer students and mentoring for community college students.
- A semester by semester course map kept current with the counselor.
- Weekly routines that protect grades while working.
- Reminders and check-ins around the TAG, UC and Cal State Apply deadlines.
- Support adjusting to a university after the transfer.
Mentoring is not tutoring, test prep or admissions consulting, and no one can promise admission. Blackburn Mentoring works one on one by video nationwide and in person in Los Angeles, including families across Los Angeles County. Book a free 20 minute intro call to talk through your plan.
Students at a Los Angeles County community college can read about community college to UC transfer in Los Angeles, including the LA College Promise.
Related
- Mentoring for transfer students
- Starting at community college, then transferring
- Transfer agreements and admission pathways explained
- Transfer credits explained
- Transfer shock
- GPA recovery planner
Common questions
What GPA do I need to transfer to UC from community college?
The UC minimum is a 2.4 for California residents and 2.8 for nonresidents in UC transferable courses, but most campuses and majors admit students well above it.
How many units do I need to transfer to UC?
At least 60 semester or 90 quarter units of UC transferable coursework.
What is Cal-GETC?
The general education pattern for California community college students who started in fall 2025 or later: 11 courses, 34 semester units, in six areas. It replaced IGETC for those students and is not itself a UC admission requirement.
When do I file a UC TAG?
September 1 to 30 for fall admission, through the UC Transfer Admission Planner. It is offered at six UC campuses, and you still file the UC application from October 1 to November 30.
What is ASSIST.org?
The public site where California public colleges and universities show which community college courses transfer and which meet major requirements at each campus.
Does an Associate Degree for Transfer guarantee admission to a CSU?
It gives guaranteed priority admission to a CSU campus, though not necessarily a particular campus or major.
This guide is general information, not official admissions advice. Dates and rules can change; the official UC and CSU sites and your counselor decide.
Get started
Want help turning this into a plan for your student? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or book a free intro call.
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