Are you an international student in the United States who wants to transfer to the University of California? If you want to study at one of its campuses but are hesitant because of the transfer process, this article is for you. This easy-to-understand guide focuses on transfer admissions at UCLA and UC Berkeley.
Students at California Community Colleges can apply to UCLA or UC Berkeley as transfer students after completing UC-transferable coursework and meeting campus and major requirements. Most UC campuses focus on junior-level transfers, which typically means completing at least 60 semester or 90 quarter units of UC-transferable credit before enrollment. If admitted, students complete their remaining undergraduate requirements at UCLA or UC Berkeley and earn a University of California degree from the campus they attend.
Guidelines Regarding Transfer Admission Guarantee
The University of California’s Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) is available at six UC campuses: Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. UCLA, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego do not offer TAG.
- You may submit a TAG to only one participating UC campus, but you can still apply to other UC campuses through the regular transfer application.
- Each participating campus has campus- and major-specific TAG requirements, including course, GPA, and deadline requirements.
- TAG is not required for transfer admission. Junior-level transfer students from California Community Colleges receive priority consideration at UC, but UCLA, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego do not guarantee transfer admission.
General Requirements for Transfer Admission Guarantee
Remember that every participating campus differs in its requirements for guaranteed transfer admission, but the general requirements for the Transfer Admission Guarantee usually include the following:
- Completion of UC-transferable units toward junior standing, including at least 60 semester or 90 quarter UC-transferable units by transfer and at least 30 semester or 45 quarter UC-transferable units at one or more California Community Colleges for TAG.
- Completion of UC English and math requirements and the seven-course pattern by the required deadlines.
- Meeting the participating campus’s required TAG GPA for your major. TAG GPA requirements vary by campus and major and may range from 2.7 to 3.6, so check your intended campus and major carefully.
- Completion of required major preparation and any other campus- or major-specific TAG conditions.
UC Berkeley Community College Transfer Services (CCTS) and UCLA Transfer Alliance Program (TAP)
UCLA’s Transfer Alliance Program is an admissions partnership with participating California Community College honors or scholars programs. Completing the participating honors or scholars program and receiving TAP certification gives applicants priority consideration for UCLA College majors and selected majors in public health, public affairs, and education and social transformation. UCLA also notes that, effective May 2026, one-year transfer students are not eligible for TAP certification.
The CCTS program is a transfer-preparation and advising program that is open to students from any California Community College who are interested in transferring to UC Berkeley or another UC campus. UC Berkeley notes that CCTS is not part of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, so students should not treat it as a guarantee of admission.
While Berkeley and UCLA do not offer guaranteed transfer admission, UC gives junior-level transfer students from California Community Colleges priority consideration. UCLA gives additional priority consideration to eligible TAP-certified applicants in participating majors. If you are denied admission to UCLA or UC Berkeley, you can apply again in a later cycle if you are still eligible, or you can consider a participating TAG campus if you meet that campus’s TAG requirements.
Financial Aid at UCLA and UC Berkeley
Financial aid for international students at UC campuses is limited, especially at the undergraduate level. UCLA states that it does not award scholarships or financial aid to undergraduate students who are not US citizens or permanent residents, and UCLA Financial Aid & Scholarships says international students are typically not eligible for most aid through that office. Same goes for UC Berkeley as well
FAQs: California Community Colleges
What are the Different California Community Colleges?
There are 116 California Community Colleges serving about 2.2 million students. Each community college offers different programs, transfer advising, honors options, and support services, so contact the colleges you are interested in before applying.
Rather than choosing a community college by size alone, look closely at its transfer outcomes and advising support. Santa Monica College is a major transfer college and reports that it has been California’s No. 1 transfer college to the UC system for 35 consecutive years. It sent 995 students to UC campuses in the 2024-2025 academic year, so it is an excellent option to research if you want strong transfer counseling and UCLA or UC transfer experience.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each community college. Larger community colleges may offer extensive counseling, honors programs, and transfer resources, while smaller community colleges may offer more accessible leadership opportunities and smaller academic communities.
We hope this article on transferring to UCLA and UC Berkeley was helpful. If you are interested, check out the Guide to Studying in the US and Available Programs for International Students!
