Transfer Credit FAQ

Transferability refers to whether a course taken at another institution can be accepted for credit at UC Davis. This determination is made by the Undergraduate Admissions Office for incoming students and the Office of the University Registrar for continuing students. 

UC Davis awards credit for college courses completed at U.S. colleges and universities accredited by one of the seven former regional accrediting agencies or at a university recognized by the Ministry of Education (or higher-education authority/appropriate government agency) in another country that offers university-level academic degree program courses comparable to a U.S. associate's or bachelor's degree.

Eligible transfer coursework should be substantially similar to those offered by the University of California.

Credit is not awarded for: 

  • Work or volunteer experience, vocational or technical training, personal enrichment courses.

  • Remedial academic or pre-baccalaureate courses.

  • College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) or DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) exams. 

  • Courses that repeat material previously completed at another college or university level institution.

  • Math, science or foreign language course(s) that are less advanced than a course you have already completed.

  • Courses or programs that are not part of that university’s degree program.

  • Coursework from an international junior/community college program that is technical or vocational, or which does not lead to further academic study at a university in the international country.

These criteria are not exhaustive and are subject to change without notice. Transferability determinations are made by Undergraduate Admissions (for new and incoming students) and the Office of the University Registrar (for continuing students).

For more information and additional considerations, please refer to the UC Statement of Transfer Credit Practices.

Pre-Evaluation of Transfer Credit

UC Davis does not offer pre-evaluation of transfer credit. This includes coursework from four-year colleges or universities and out-of-state two-year institutions. For information on how California Community College courses articulate to UC Davis courses, review ASSIST. 

Coursework completed at institutions other than the California Community College system, may be eligible for transfer credit. Final determination of transferability can only be made after receipt and review of official transcripts.

Articulations & Equivalencies

Articulations refer to transferable California Community College (CCC) courses that are articulated to UC Davis coursework. While transferability of CCC coursework is determined by the UC Office of the President, the specific articulations are established by UC Davis academic departments. Approved articulations are listed in ASSIST.

Equivalencies refer to transferable non-California Community College courses that are considered equivalent to UC Davis courses.  Department faculty review the courses to determine an equivalency to UC Davis courses. If an equivalency is approved, the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) applies it to the student record. Equivalent courses fulfill the same degree requirements as the UC Davis course, such as major prerequisites or general education requirements. You can find some equivalency decisions for non-California community college (CCC) courses listed on the Transfer Evaluation System (TES).

Transferable courses without an approved equivalency are considered elective credit and denoted as TR. This means the transferable credit may apply towards degree requirements, usually via exception, but it does not equate to a UC Davis course.

To request an equivalency review, contact the department that offers the course you wish to request an equivalency to. Keep in mind that even if an equivalency is approved, it will only be posted to your record if the course is also deemed transferable.

ASSIST

ASSIST is the official statewide database for California Community College (CCC) articulations. It shows how courses completed at a CCC may:

  • Transfer to UC Davis.
  • Apply to UC Davis majors.

Use ASSIST to check:

  • Transferability — Whether a course is accepted for credit at UC Davis.
  • Articulation Agreements — Which course at UC Davis the course articulates to.

How to Use ASSIST

Checking Transferability
  1. Visit ASSIST.
  2. Use the search criteria on the right-hand side of the ASSIST homepage.
  3. Select the academic year the course was taken.
  • Transferability may vary depending on the academic year it was taken at the CCC.
  • Interactive menu to search for transferable courses
  1. Choose the CCC where you took the course.
  2. Select UC Transferable Courses.
  3. Select View Transferability List.
  4. Select the department or prefix of the course.
  5. Find your subject code, and then locate the course on the list.
  • If listed, the course is transferable.
  • If not listed, the course is not transferable and you will not get credit.
Checking Articulation Agreements
  1. Visit ASSIST.
  2. Use the search criteria on the left-hand side of the ASSIST homepage.
  3. Select the academic year the course was taken.

  • Articulation agreements may vary depending on the academic year it was taken at the CCC.

    Interactive menu to search for articulation agreements
  1. Under Institution, select your CCC.
  2. Under Agreements with Other Institutions, and then select UC Davis.
  3. Select View Agreements.
  4. Search by Department (recommended)
  5. Select the “At (the CCC where the course was taken)” radio button
  6. Select your course subject and locate the course on the list.
  • If listed, the course has an articulation agreement.
  • If not listed, no articulation agreement exists.
  • If the course does not have an articulation agreement, check the transferability column to determine if the course is eligible for UC Davis as general credit.

Transfer Evaluation System (TES)

The Transfer Evaluation System (TES) assists both students and staff in managing and understanding transfer credits. It serves as an interactive resource for course data from various institutions of higher education.

How to Use TES

  1. Visit UC Davis TES.

  2. Select the first letter of the name of the school from the alphabetical list or use the search field to locate the school.

    TES website index to look up an institution

  3. Select the school’s name to display the list of courses in the database.

    List of institutions on the Transfer Evaluation System website

  4. Find the course name in the left column; the right column displays the UC Davis equivalent.

    Equivalency list between Bellevue College and UC Davis on TES

  5. Check the beginning and end dates indicating the valid dates of equivalency.

    Orange arrow pointing to the beginning and end dates on TES

Special Types of Transfer Credit

Simultaneous Enrollment

Per UC Davis Regulation A553, full-time students may not earn transfer credit for courses taken at non-UC institutions during the same academic term they are enrolled at UC Davis unless they receive prior approval from their Dean’s Office. Without this approval, no transfer credit will be granted.

Steps to Request Approval

  1. Meet with your advisor. Discuss your course plan and confirm it may apply to your degree.
  2. Submit petition via OASIS. Complete the “Simultaneous Enrollment at Another University” form located under Student Forms & Petitions.
  3. Dean’s Office review. Your petition will be reviewed for approval.
  4. Submit your transcript. After you complete the course, send your official transcript to Undergraduate Admissions.
  5. Credit evaluation & processing. If the course is determined to be transferable, the Office of the University Registrar will finalize and post the credit.
    Petition Denial: Petition approval is not guaranteed. If the petition is denied, no credit will be awarded even if the course is completed.
    Summer Session Exception: No prior approval is needed for summer courses, but transferability rules still apply. Consult your advisor before enrolling and send transcripts to Undergraduate Admissions after completing the course.

Petition Denial

Petition approval is not guaranteed. If the petition is denied, no credit will be awarded even if the course is completed.

Summer Session Exception

No prior approval is needed for summer courses, but transferability rules still apply. Consult your advisor before enrolling and send transcripts to Undergraduate Admissions after completing the course.

General Education Credit

Per Academic Senate Policy 522(D)6, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) credit cannot be used to fulfill General Education (GE) requirements.

GE credit is not automatically granted for elective transfer credit (e.g., TR1, TR2). To explore eligibility, students should consult their academic advisor.

To request GE credit, submit the General Education Credit Request Form in OASIS. The petition is reviewed by your college's Dean’s Office. To check the status of a GE petition, check OASIS under the Forms and Petitions tab.

UC Davis Special Programs

Established UC Davis Special Programs are not processed as transfer credit and do not follow the standard transfer credit evaluation process.

For questions about how credit is posted for these programs, see Special Programs or contact the Records & Special Programs team at ourenrollment@ucdavis.edu.

Appeals

If your transfer credit request has been denied, you can petition a re-review. UC Davis does not have a formal petition process for appealing denied credits, but you can reach out to us for assistance at OURtransfercredit@ucdavis.edu. While the decision may not be overturned, we will carefully reconsider your case. Please include all relevant additional information to support the review request.

Please review the UC Statement of Transfer Credit Practices to better understand the reason for denial prior to requesting a re-review.

If the courses were taken before you were admitted to UC Davis, we may need to work with Undergraduate Admissions, which can take additional time.

Submitting Transfer Credit

Prospective Undergraduate Students

Prospective students to UC Davis who are interested in bringing in courses from other institutions or credit by examination (e.g., AP Exam), should refer to Undergraduate Admission's website on how to submit transcripts and exam scores. Prospective students may also reference ASSIST to see how specific California Community College courses articulate to UC Davis courses, to learn about any potential Selective Major requirements for transfer students.

New First Year & Transfer Students

Important Enrollment Deadlines

  • July 1 – Last day to submit official transcripts (including IGETC or CalGETC certifications and international records) to Undergraduate Admissions

  • July 15 – Last day to receive official test scores

  • September 1 – Last day to receive final transcripts for any summer coursework

IGETC/Cal-GETC Submission Reminder – If you indicated on your application that you intend to submit an IGETC or Cal-GETC certification, please be sure to have it sent. If your plans have changed and you no longer intend to submit the certification, update your status in your MyAdmissions portal as soon as possible.

Incoming student’s credit is processed through the end of Fall term and will not appear in OASIS until it is processed.

Transfer Credit Evaluation Process Overview

Credit Posting

Current & Continuing Undergraduate Students

Current and continuing students should submit transcripts as soon as grades are available from the transferring institution. Once received, your official transcript will be reviewed for transferability and your student record will be updated with any transferable coursework. 

Transcripts may be submitted in one of two ways:

  • Electronically – Refer to the options listed at Transcripts and exam scores. This is the quickest and preferred method.

  • By Mail – Transcripts must be sealed in an official institutional envelope and mailed to:
    Undergraduate Admissions
    University of California
    One Shields Avenue
    Davis, CA 95616-8507

Allow 6-8 weeks for the credit to be processed and reflected in OASIS.

Graduate & Professional Students

Graduate Students should submit transcripts directly to the Office of Graduate Studies, following the instructions outlined under Transcript Requirements/Submitting Final Transcripts.

Professional School Students should contact their program advisor or admissions counselor for specific transcript submission procedures.

Transfer Credit FAQ

  • When will I see my transferred courses in OASIS, My Degree, or other systems?
  • For new students, your credit is posted by your second term at UC Davis, but typically by November for those arriving for Fall quarter.  
    For current students, your credit is posted by the end of the current term. Seniors who have filed to graduate and need transfer credit posted will receive priority to ensure their graduation is not negatively impacted.
  • How do I fix an error on my record?
  • For new/transfer students, if you feel a course from one of your transcripts is missing from your UC Davis record or units are short, contact Undergraduate Admissions. 
    For current students, if you have identified an error on posted credit (e.g., incorrect unit amount), contact your advisor so that they can work with the Office of the University Registrar for a correction. 
  • If ASSIST.org displays that I can have a different UC Davis equivalent, how do I update my record?
  • If you would like a different valid UC Davis course equivalent based upon  ASSIST  (e.g., MAT 021A instead of MAT 016A), contact your advisor so they can confirm this supports your pathway towards graduation, and work with the Office of the University Registrar to make the change. 
  • I believe one of my elective credits (e.g., TR) should have a UC Davis equivalent, how do I fix that?
  • If you feel a course should have a UC Davis equivalent, then you must work with your advisor to begin the review process. The course needs to be reviewed by the appropriate departmental faculty; e.g., a Math course goes to the Mathematics department. Be prepared to provide relevant documentation such as a course syllabus and course description. 
  • If the department said my TR course is not equivalent to a UC Davis course, what can I do?
  • The department has complete and sole authority over equivalency decisions. However, you may work with your college-level advisor to see if any of your elective credits could be assigned General Education (GE) credit to assist in completing GE requirements. This work is conducted alongside your advisor and through the General Education Credit Request form in OASIS.
  • If I completed a series of transfer courses across multiple CCCs, why was I not awarded the complete UC Davis series?
  • California Community College courses seen on ASSIST, strictly apply to the individual college listed. If you started a series at one California Community College (CCC) and completed it at another, you are not automatically awarded the complete series at UC Davis. It does not matter if both CCCs are within the same district. This is to ensure you were taught the necessary topics, breadth, and depth of content throughout the series of coursework to be successful at UC Davis. However, to have this manually changed, you may petition the appropriate department. If you need assistance to get started, speak with your advisor. 

    Example: if you took a two-course Physics series at two CCCs within the same district (e.g., one at Sacramento City College and one at American River City College), you may have expected to receive the following at UC Davis: PHY 007A, 007B, & 007C. Since you did not take both transfer courses at the same institution, you cannot be automatically granted the completed PHY 007 series. However, you can request approval from the Physics department for this to be manually changed. 
  • I do not see my question here, what do I do?
  • If you are uncertain on how to proceed with a concern or action, or if you have more questions, reach out to your advisor. They will guide you or initiate any required actions to ensure your needs are met. If you are a prospective student, contact Undergraduate Admissions.