University of California System (UC)

UC Junior-Level Transfer Requirements

As a junior-level transfer applicant, you must complete the following requirements before enrolling at a UC campus. 

(Some major preparation and general education courses may also count toward these).

1. Complete the 7-Course Pattern (by end of spring before fall enrollment)

You must complete: 

• English Composition
  1. Two transferable English composition courses
• Math
  1. One transferable course in mathematical concepts & quantitative reasoning
• Additional Courses (4 total)
  1. Choose course from at least two different subject areas:
     1. Arts & Humanities
     2. Social & Behavioral Sciences
     3. Physical & Biological Sciences

Important Notes

• Each course must be UC-transferable and at least 3 semester units
• You must earn C or better (or Pass equivalent to C)
• AP scores of 3, 4, or 5 may be used
  • Only ONE English course may be satisfied by AP
• Completing IGETC or campus GE usually satisfies the 7-course pattern

2. Unit Requirement

• Complete 60 semester units of UC-transferable credit
• Maximum 14 units may be Pass/No Pass

3. UC GPA Requirements

• Minimum 3.0 GPA (CA resident)
• Minimum 3.4 GPA (non-resident
  • Learn more about how your GPA is calculated at the UC: UC GPA Requirement per Major

4. Major Preparation

• Complete required/recommended courses for your intended major
• Earn minimum grades required by the campus/major

5. Campus-Specific Requirements

Some UC campuses or majors have additional selection requirements.

👉 Always check the campus website and meet with a counselor or the Transfer Center for the most current guidance. 

If you’ve decided on a major but want to keep your UC campus options open, consider completing a UC Transfer Pathway – a single set of courses you can take to prepare for your major on any of our nine undergraduate campuses. Not only will you have clear guidance on what courses you need to take, but you’ll have a competitive edge to get into any UC campus and be well positioned to succeed once you get here.

The Transfer Pathways include:

• Anthropology
• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Business administration
• Cell biology
• Chemistry
• Communication
• Computer science
• Economics
• Electrical engineering
• English
• History
• Mathematics
• Mechanical engineering
• Molecular biology
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Political science
• Psychology
• Sociology

Pathways give you a clear roadmap to prepare for your major and be well positioned to graduate on time from any UC campus. Check out UC's Transfer Pathways Guide to see what courses at Barstow Community College will fulfill specific expectations of a Transfer Pathway.

If you are interested in transferring to a University of California campus, then the Transfer Admissions Guarantee (TAG) Program may be right for you. The TAG program offers students guaranteed admission to one of the six participating UC Campuses (Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz). 

By participating in TAG, you may receive early review of your academic records, early admission notification and specific guidelines about major preparation and general education coursework. 

The TAG matrix provides a list of participating campuses and campus-specific requirements to qualify. Remember you can only submit a TAG application for one UC, so choose wisely! 

How to pursue the UC TAG

1. Use the UC Transfer Admission Planner to complete the TAG application and review it with your community college counselor and/or UC Campus TAG adviser.
   • You’ll need to submit your TAG Application between Sept. 1-30th for the fall term and May 1-31 for the winter/spring term (only UC Merced and UC Riverside participate in the winter/spring TAG program).
2. Fulfill all remaining coursework and GPA requirements in your TAG agreement.
3. Fill out the application for admission to UC and submit it Nov. 1-30th. 

Learn more about UC the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) by clicking on your colleges of interest below:

• UC Davis
• UC Irvine
• UC Merced
• UC Riverside
• UC Santa Barbara
• UC Santa Cruz 

You can also watch this instructional video that will walk you through the entire UC TAG Application by clicking HERE! 

The University of California (UC) offers a comprehensive selection of undergraduate degree programs. Click on your UC campuses of interest below to view a list of available majors:

UC Davis

UC Irvine

UC Los Angeles

UC Merced

UC Riverside

UC San Diego

UC Santa Barbara

UC Santa Cruz

The Transfer Center schedules several campus tours throughout the academic year. All of our campus tours will be on our Events & Workshops page.

However, you can still take a virtual tour by clicking on your campus of interest below:

UC Davis

UC Irvine

UC Los Angeles

UC Merced

UC Riverside

UC San Diego

UC Santa Barbara

UC Santa Cruz

A variety of financial aid sources are available to help you pay for college. Financial aid can come from:

• Federal
• State
• School
• private sources

For more information on the different types of financial aid available at the UCs, check out our Financial Aid webpage.

Learn more about federal grants, loans, and work-study jobs and how they can help fund your education! 

Housing Options

The UC's offer many different options when it comes to housing for transfer students. It is important to look into your housing options as you plan for transfer. Below is additional web links and contact information for each UC campus. 

Last Updated: 04/29/2021

Childcare Options

The UC's offer childcare options for transfer students with children. Make sure to look into each campuses options and eligibility requirements. See links below for full details. 

Last Updated: 04/29/2021

The UC's promote an inclusive environment for students with disabilities. They equip students with appropriate accommodations and services to achieve their individual academic goals. Each campus is dedicated to supporting students and collaboration with the campus community to remove barriers to educational access and embrace the University's values of equity and inclusion. Click on each campus link below for more information. 

• UC Berkeley
• UC Davis
• UC Irvine
• UC Los Angeles
• UC Merced
• UC Riverside
• UC San Diego
• UC Santa Barbara
• UC Santa Cruz

Last Updated: 04/29/2021

Many of the UC's offer Transfer Student Centers that provide assistance to students who transfer with navigating the academic and cultural landscape, and offer programs and services that focus on supporting students in successfully transitioning to a 4-year university. In addition, many of these centers assist students in building connections and exploring and pursuing academic and career goals. Click on each link below for more information on each campuses center. 

• UC Berkeley
• UC Davis
• UC Irvine
• UC Los Angeles
• UC Merced
• UC Riverside
• UC San Diego
• UC Santa Barbara
• UC Santa Cruz

Last Updated: 04/29/2021

Want to talk directly to your future UC campus? Reach out to the admissions office of the college you're interested in to learn more using the UC Campus Directory! 

One of the most important items you need to remember as a transfer student is that you apply for transfer to a UC almost an entire year in advance. For instance, if spring 2026 is your last semester at Barstow Community College you will apply for Fall 2026 admission to the UCs between October 1-December 1, 2025.

Also keep in mind that not all UC's open for spring application. You can check to see when applications are open at the UC website. 

Before you start your UC application, make sure to have the following information ready:

• Unofficial transcripts. You will enter:
  • Courses you've completed
  • Courses currently in progress
  • Courses you plan to take
    • Campuses may later request official transcripts if needed.
• Your Social Security number, if you have one.
• Your citizenship status
• Annual income information
  • Parent income (if you are a dependent student)
  • Your income (if you are an independent student)
• Personal Insight Question (PIQ) Responses
  • We strongly recommend writing your responses in a Word or Google document first, then copy and past them into the application.

UC Personal Insight Questions

There is a lot more to the UC application than just coursework and grades. The UCs also require transfer students to respond to Personal Insight Questions. 

All transfer applicants must answer:

• 1 required question, and
• 3 of the 7 additional questions

Each response has a maximum of 350 words.

You may choose any three questions, but select ones that best reflect your experiences, achievements, and goals so UC campuses get a clear picture of who you are. 

Required Question

Please describe how you have prepared for your intended major, including your readiness to succeed in upper-division courses once you enroll at the university.

We strongly recommend using the UC Personal Insight Questions: Guide for Transfer Applicants when preparing your responses.

• English Version
• Spanish Version

The Barstow Community College Transfer Center offers multiple workshops to assist students in completing the UC admissions application. Check out our Events & Workshops page for a list of current workshops.

Ready to get started on your admissions application? Utilize the multiple resources listed below to help you complete the application. However, be sure to schedule an appointment with the Transfer Center so that we can check your application for errors prior to you submitting it. You can schedule an appointment with the Transfer Center by sending an email to transfer@barstow.edu.

• UC Admissions Application Website
• UC Undergraduate Admissions Application Guide (PDF)
• Instructional Videos on Completing Each Section of the UC Admissions Application

You've been offered admission to a UC - congratulations!

But you're not done yet. Next, you must submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), pay your confirmation deposit, and complete the required Next Steps for admitted students. 

Click on the link below for the university that you received an offer of admission to in order to see the next steps:

UC Berkeley

UC Davis

UC Irvine

UC Los Angeles

UC Merced

UC Riverside

UC San Diego

UC Santa Barbara

UC Santa Cruz

The table below is a list of the University of California Housing and Financial Aid websites and phone numbers.

The UC campuses review each applicant's record thoroughly, and admission decisions are rarely reversed. However, students who are not admitted may request a review of the decision if they believe there was an error in the evaluation or can provide new and compelling information not included in the initial application. Each campus has specific procedures to handle such appeals. Contact the campus admissions office for information.