Transfer Credit FAQ

This page provides information for students considering transferring credit from other colleges or universities. 

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.

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. 

Additionally, 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, will not receive transfer credit.

It is important for students who wish to transfer UC Davis credit to another institution to review the transfer policies of that school carefully. For more please select the block that applies to you and refer to the FAQ section, below.

Prospective Undergraduate Student

Prospective applicants to UC Davis who are interested in bringing in courses from other institutions or credit from examination (e.g., AP Exam), should refer to Undergraduate Admissions. Prospective students may also reference ASSIST when reviewing or taking California Community College credit to later bring to UC Davis, and/or any potential Selective Major requirements (for transfers) to know what coursework to take before applying. 

New/Transfer Undergraduate Student

Students must submit all transcripts to Undergraduate Admissions by the posted deadlines. Transfer credit is evaluated by the Undergraduate Admissions office for both incoming freshmen and transfer students. 

After evaluation, the Office of the Registrar posts all transferable credit by the end of the student's first term. Once posted, the student will see the result in OASIS and My Degree by the next day. 

Current Undergraduate Student

In accordance with Academic Senate policy A553, full-time students currently attending UC Davis must receive prior approval from their Dean's Office before enrolling at a non-UC institution to transfer in credit; this does not include summer terms. It is imperative the students speak with their advisors to ensure they are approved for simultaneous enrollment elsewhere and the coursework will apply toward their UC Davis degree. Without prior approval from the Dean’s Office, no transfer credit can be posted to the student’s record*.  

The Office of the University Registrar evaluates transcripts and posts the credit before the end of the current term. Students should send their transcripts with final grades as soon as possible to Undergraduate Admissions. Those students who have applied for graduation receive priority for processing to ensure their graduation is not negatively impacted.

*Students do not need approval to have resulting transfer credit posted if participating in an Independent Study Abroad program. However, it is still strongly recommended to engage with advisors to help plan, assess, and coordinate through the process to ensure the best possible outcome. 

Summer Transfer Credit

Students planning to take coursework at a non-UC institution during the Summer do not need prior approval but are strongly encouraged to speak with their advisors before attending another school to discuss the courses’ applicability towards satisfying UC Davis degree requirements. Students should submit their official transcripts to Undergraduate Admissions so that the Registrar's Office can evaluate and process the credit.

Graduate or Professional Student

Prospective and current graduate-level students should contact an admissions counselor or advisor in their program to discuss/initiate the transferring of credit.   

Non-Professional School Graduate Students can see Graduate Studies Transfer Coursework for more information. 

Transfer Credit FAQ

  • Where do I send my transcripts?
  • All transcripts for undergraduate students go to Undergraduate Admissions (Transcripts & Test Scores).  
    Graduate students send transcripts to Graduate Studies (Transcript Requirements/Submitting Final Transcripts).
    Professional School students should reach out to their respective advisor or admissions counselor.
  • 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 know what can be transferred to UC Davis?
  • UC Davis does not provide pre-evaluations of credit or transcripts. Instead, reference ASSIST.org specifically for any California Community College credit, and the UC Statement of Transfer Credit Practices for guidance on all sources of transfer work, to help you assess the transferability of your credit. Remember to stay in constant contact with all of your advisors and counselors when planning to transfer credit to/from UC Davis. 
  • 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. 
  • What is the TR course number on my transfer credit?  
  • Transfer credit with a TR in the course number area denotes elective credit. This means you received transferable credit that may apply towards degree requirements (usually via exception by your advisor), but it does not equate to a full UC Davis course. 
  • 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.