Admission as a Transfer Student

The University of California defines a transfer applicant as a student who has been a registered student in a regular term at a college, university or in college-level extension classes since graduating from high school. Summer session attended immediately following high school graduation is excluded in this determination. If you are a transfer applicant, you may not disregard your college record and apply for admission as a freshman.

California residents must meet the requirements that follow. If you are not a California resident, see UC Freshman Eligibility for Non-California Residents.

UC Davis gives highest priority to transfer applicants from California community colleges. To apply to majors in the College of Biological Sciences, College of Engineering and the College of Letters and Science, students must be junior-level applicants with a minimum of 90 quarter (60 semester) units of transferable coursework, including courses planned or in progress. In the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, junior-level applicants will be given highest priority, but lower-division applicants may be considered if space allows.

Meeting the transfer eligibility requirements for UC qualifies you for admission to a UC campus, but does not guarantee admission to UC Davis. Due to limited enrollment space, transfer applicants who are admitted generally well exceed UC eligibility criteria. Foremost is the applicant's academic performance and preparation for the selected college and major. To be competitive, you must maintain a GPA of 2.800 or higher. In some cases, personal characteristics, experiences and circumstances will also be considered.

Applications far exceed the number of spaces available in majors such as biological sciences, biotechnology, communication, engineering, international relations, psychology and viticulture and enology. Applicants must complete specific lower-division preparation courses with a specific GPA in the major and an overall required GPA. To see our selective majors and their specific requirements for admission, please see http://admissions.ucdavis.edu/admissions/tr_select_majors.cfm.

UC Transfer Eligibility for California Resident

To be eligible for admission to UC as a junior transfer student, you must fulfill both of the following criteria:

1. Complete 90 quarter (60 semester) units of transferable credit with a minimum 2.400 GPA. No more than 21 quarter (14 semester) units may be taken Pass/No Pass.

2. Complete the following seven transferable college courses, earning a grade of C, or better, in each course:

• Two courses in English composition;
• One course in mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning;
• Four courses chosen from at least two of these subject areas: arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and physical and biological sciences.

Each course must be worth at least 4-5 quarter (3 semester) units. Completing the IGETC before transferring to UC may satisfy the required seven-course pattern for UC eligibility, depending on the courses you take. For more information, see http://www.assist.org.

Alternatives for UC Transfer Eligibility

If you were eligible for admission to UC when you graduated from high school—meaning you satisfied the subject, scholarship and examination requirements, or were identified by UC during the senior year as Eligible in the Local Context (ELC)—you are eligible to transfer if you have a C (2.000) average in your transferable college coursework.

If you met the Scholarship Requirement in high school, but did not satisfy the 15-course Subject Requirement, you must take transferable college courses in the missing subjects, earn a C or better in each required course and maintain a 2.000 GPA to be eligible to transfer.

UC Transfer Eligibility for Non-California Residents

The eligibility requirements for nonresident transfer applicants are very similar to those for residents. Nonresidents must have a GPA of 2.800 or higher in all transferable college coursework.

Transfer Credit

Coursework from other colleges and universities is considered transferable if the applicant completed the course at an institution that is recognized by the University of California. In addition, the coursework must be comparable to courses offered within the University of California.

A total of 105 quarter (70 semester) transferable units toward a university degree may be earned at a community (two-year) college. You can find information about transferable credit from California community colleges at http://www.assist.org. Only subject credit will be granted for courses taken in excess of this amount.

If you have completed 120 quarter (80 semester) units or more of transferable community and/or four-year college units, your admission is subject to approval by the respective dean for majors in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Biological Sciences and College of Letters and Science.

Advanced Placement Examinations

If you take a College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examination and score 3, 4 or 5, you will be awarded college credit. The credit will become part of the minimum 180 quarter units you need in order to receive a bachelor's degree. The credit from the AP Examinations may also be used to satisfy specific degree requirements.

See College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examination Credit to learn how many units you may receive for an AP Examination; see the Credit Toward Degree column heading. How those units will be applied toward specific degree requirements in each college is explained for each exam category and in the notes below each exam listing. Please note that the courses for which AP credit has been granted may not be used as a substitute for courses required as part of the UC Davis General Education Requirement; see General Education Requirement.

In general, you may not earn university credit for college courses that duplicate credit already earned through AP. There are, however, a few exceptions to this general rule. Since it is often difficult to know exactly which UC Davis course you should take when you have earned AP credit, you should talk with an academic adviser in your major department or dean's office before selecting and enrolling in classes.

International Baccalaureate Examinations

UC Davis recognizes the International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations for college credit. Higher Level examinations presented with scores of 5, 6 or 7 receive degree credit and in specific instances are deemed comparable to various lower-division courses. Students completing the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma with a score of 30 or above will receive a maximum of 30 quarter (20 semester) units. The credit will apply toward the minimum 180 quarter units needed to receive a bachelor's degree.

See International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level Examination Credit, to learn how many units you may receive for an acceptable IB examination. The table also specifies which UC Davis lower-division course an IB examination is comparable to. Please note that the courses for which IB credit have been granted may not be used as a substitute for courses required as part of the UC Davis General Education Requirement; see General Education Requirement.

In general, you may not earn university credit for college courses that duplicate credit earned through IB. Similarly, students will not receive duplicate credit for comparable AP Examinations if granted IB credit. Additionally, each college may have special restrictions on the use of IB examinations. Please check with your dean's office and department adviser to determine any restrictions in their use toward breadth requirements and lower-division major course requirements.

Limited Status

Students in limited status are those whose special attainments qualify them to take certain courses in the university toward a definite and limited objective. To apply for limited status admission, you must either have a bachelor's degree (but not be a candidate for an advanced degree), or have completed a substantial amount of college work with a satisfactory grade point average. You must submit a UC undergraduate application with fee. As a limited status student you will be expected to maintain a certain scholarship average during a predetermined time of enrollment.

Application filing dates are the same as those for new undergraduate applicants. Fees for limited status students are the same as those for new applicants. You will not be admitted to limited status for the purpose of raising a low scholarship average.

Admission to the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences requires the approval of the Undergraduate Admissions director and the dean of the college.

The College of Biological Sciences, College of Engineering and the College of Letters and Science do not accept limited status applicants.

Second Baccalaureate

If you have a bachelor's degree substantially equivalent to one that is granted by the University of California, you may be allowed to enroll as an undergraduate seeking a second bachelor's degree. Admission in this category will depend upon a superior academic record and clear evidence of a change in objective.

Admission to the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and College of Engineering requires the approval of the Undergraduate Admissions director and the dean of the college. You must submit a UC undergraduate application with fee.

Application filing dates are the same as those for new undergraduate applicants. Fees for second baccalaureate students are the same as those for new applicants.

The College of Engineering will consider applicants if their first degree is not in engineering and if they complete the lower-division engineering program at a California community college. The College of Letters and Science and the College of Biological Sciences do not accept second baccalaureate applicants.

Special Status

The special status classification is for applicants 21 years of age or older who have not had the opportunity to complete a satisfactory high school program or who have not completed a substantial amount of college work, but by reason of special attainment or background may be prepared to undertake certain courses at UC Davis toward a definite and limited objective.

You will not be admitted to special status for the purpose of fulfilling requirements for admission as a regular student. Conditions for admission are determined by the Undergraduate Admissions director and are subject to approval by the dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Admission is for a specified time only and a prescribed scholastic average must be maintained. You must submit a UC undergraduate application with fee.

Application filing dates are the same as those for new undergraduate applicants. Fees for special status students are the same as those for new applicants.

The College of Engineering, the College of Letters and Science and the College of Biological Sciences do not accept special status applicants.

UC Intercampus Transfer

If you are an undergraduate student currently or previously registered at another UC campus and have not since been registered in another institution, you may apply for transfer to the UC Davis campus. Filing dates, the application, fees and admission requirements are the same as those listed for new applicants.