Transfer Applicants

Welcome! We’re excited that you’re interested in becoming a Bruin. This page will take you through the basics and lead you to the detailed information you need.

Beginning Your Application

You may apply for admission as a transfer if you meet the following criteria:

• You graduated from high school and completed college-level coursework in a regular session at any college or university since your graduation.

Note: You cannot disregard your college record and apply as a first-year student. We do not accept applications from students seeking second baccalaureate degrees.

To begin the application process, use the University of California's online application (UC Application).

Admission Considerations and Requirements

When it comes to reviewing transfer applicants, we carefully balance consideration of the full range of faculty-approved criteria to gain a complete sense of each student’s achievements. Some factors are more easily quantifiable than others.

Good preparation and a strong academic performance make you a more competitive candidate during the admission review process. The average GPA of admitted transfer students is above 3.5 and admitted students have completed most or all major prep courses. We give highest priority to applicants from California community colleges. We admit students for fall quarter only.

We consider the following criteria:

Academic Requirements

• Junior-level standing (60 semester or 90 quarter transferable units completed) by the end of the spring term before you transfer
• UC transferable GPA of 3.2 or higher
• Completion of major preparation requirements by end of spring prior to transfer
• Completion of the following course requirements by spring prior to transfer:
  • Two transferable courses in: English composition, critical thinking and writing
  • One transferable math course with a prerequisite of intermediate algebra or higher
  • Four transferable college courses in at least two of the following subject areas: arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, physical and biological sciences

  Personal Factors

  Examples include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Employment while attending school
  • Involvement in campus organizations and community service
  • Family responsibilities
  • Significant improvement in academic performance over time
  • Military service
  • Other opportunities or challenges that may have shaped your educational experience

  Transfer Student Profile

  Are you curious about admit rates from past years? Find out how many transfer students apply, are admitted, how many enroll and in which majors, amongst other stats.

  Dates and Deadlines

  You can start working on your application when it becomes available on August 1 and submit it October 1–December 2.

  October 1 – December 2

  Application filing period

  Filing period expected to be available on or before December 1 for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Dream Act Application for all applicants ; filing period opens for GPA Verification Form (required for California residents only for Cal Grant consideration)

  Application update period opens for transfer applicants to report final fall grades and in-progress or planned coursework (priority deadline is January 31)

  Deadline for applicants to submit their financial aid application (FAFSA), Dream Act, and Cal Grant GPA verification forms

  Late April

  Transfer admission decisions released

  Deadline for admitted transfer students to submit Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)

  Deadline for final official transcripts to be submitted to the admission office; must be postmarked or electronically submitted on or before this date

  Deadline for official AP/IB examination results to be submitted to the admission office; must be postmarked or electronically submitted on or before this date

  Applying to a Major

  When you apply to UCLA as a transfer student, you must apply to a specific major. Every major has preparatory requirements for transfer students. Transfer admission is dependent on the successful completion of this coursework along with a competitive GPA. Transfer students must complete their major preparation requirements by the end of spring prior to transfer.

  Supplemental Applications

  If you are applying to a major within any of the following professional schools, you must submit the UC application by December 2 and the supplemental application by the stated deadline.

  • School of the Arts and Architecture
  • Herb Alpert School of Music
  • School of Nursing
  • School of Theater, Film and Television

  Applicants who select programs in these schools as their alternate major will be reviewed for their primary major only.

  Intercampus Transfers

  If you’re interested in transferring to UCLA from another UC campus, you must apply for admission to UCLA and go through the same process as any other transfer applicant.

  To be considered for admission to UCLA, you must leave or have left your previous UC campus in good academic standing. We also encourage you to complete the General Education (GE) requirement of the UC campus you currently attend before you transfer. If you do this, you’ll be exempt from UCLA's GE requirement.

  Resources for Transfer Students

  • California’s statewide transfer information site, ASSIST provides UC Transfer Course Agreements, selected Major Preparation Articulation Agreements for all California community colleges and Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) course lists.
  • Through a multi-faceted approach with efforts at the student, faculty and administrative levels, CCCP works to increase the academic preparation and competitiveness for community college transfer students, particularly those who are first generation, low-income or historically underrepresented.
  • STOMP is a volunteer student organization. Its goal is to provide outreach services that motivate and inspire students who are enrolled at California community colleges to consider the University of California as a practical option for transfer.
  • View how your coursework is articulated from your school to UCLA. Click on the link that says Search for a Replacement Course to find equivalents to UCLA courses.
  • Please note: Transferology is an advisory tool only, and doesn’t guarantee transferability. Actual course transferability is subject to change without notice, at the discretion of the UCLA Registrar’s Office and Undergraduate Admission.
  • If you already have a major in mind, learn about a single set of courses you can take to prepare for your major. Transfer Pathways provides you with a clear roadmap to prepare for your major and be well positioned to graduate on time.
  • Students who participate in this program are certified after completing the honors or scholars program at their community college, which helps enhance their ability to transfer to UCLA.

  Frequently Asked Questions

  Does UCLA send out early acceptances?

  No. Transfers are notified of admission in late April.

  Can I apply to UCLA as an undeclared major?

  No. Transfer students must apply to a specific major. UCLA policy requires all transfer students declare their major by the time they reach junior standing. Transfer applicants are also expected to complete lower-division preparation coursework for their intended majors before transferring.

  What is the minimum (or maximum) number of units I can transfer to UCLA?

  Transfer students must be at junior-level standing (60-86 semester units or 90-129 quarter units) by the end of the spring term prior to the fall that they are applying for. Keep in mind that the units used to determine junior-level standing have to be transferable.

  Please note: UCLA will only allow up to 70 semester or 105 quarter units from transferable lower-division coursework to be applied toward your degree once you’re admitted. Therefore, transfers with more than the 86 semester or 129 quarter maximum number of units from two-year colleges will still be considered as junior-level. UC courses and upper-division courses from four-year institutions will not be capped (at 70 semester or 105 quarter units). Those units can put you at risk of exceeding the maximum for transfer eligibility and becoming senior-level.

  Can I sit down with a counselor and plan the courses I should be taking?

  Due to the high volume of prospective applicants, we’re unable to meet individually with students upon request in order to evaluate previous coursework or help plan future courses.

  Transfer students must declare a major and are considered for admission based on the major-specific preparation courses completed. The UCLA Transfer Admission Guide outlines the major prerequisites we expect to be finished no later than the spring term prior to transfer.

  If you’re currently attending a California Community College, you can contact the transfer center there or the UCLA Undergraduate Admission counselor assigned to your school. We also encourage you to visit ASSIST to see which courses are transferable between your community college and UCLA.