Transfer Preparation Programs
What's the best way to be academically prepared when you transfer to UC San Diego? While there isn’t one comprehensive answer, there are several programs that can help.
- Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
- Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
- UniversityLink
These programs range from guaranteed admission (when certain requirements are met) to completion of your lower-division General Education (GE) requirements at a community college before attending UC San Diego.
- Knowing the requirements and planning your community college program around them can maximize your chances for admission to UC San Diego.
- Completing GE requirements in advance gives you more flexibility in selecting courses once you enroll at UC San Diego.
- Finishing the requirements ahead of time can help you complete your undergraduate education within 4 years.
- Whether or not you participate in a transfer preparation program, you must meet UC San Diego's admission requirements.
- Each of UC San Diego's six undergraduate colleges has its own GE requirements. Take these variations into account when choosing your community college courses.
- You are not required to complete all GE courses for admission to UC San Diego, but GE credits can help you earn your degree faster.
- Visit the ASSIST website for information on transferable courses.
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) is a series of California community college courses that meets UC San Diego lower-division general education (GE) requirements for four of the six undergraduate colleges.
Following IGETC can make your path to graduation easier, once you transfer. There are some majors where completion of a lower-division sequence of courses is required. Generally, though, through IGETC, your required courses will be out of the way and you can concentrate on your major field of study.
If you plan to follow the IGETC, consider:
- This curriculum is a series of courses that meet GE requirements at UCSD's Muir, Marshall, Sixth, and Warren colleges.
- Students who follow IGETC are also welcome at Eleanor Roosevelt and Revelle Colleges, but additional coursework may be required to fulfill GE requirements.
- Partial IGETC is another possibility, allowing you to clear some of the GE requirements-if you are choosing a major that requires some lower-division coursework once you get to UC San Diego, this may be a good option for you. Partial IGETC certification may be completed after transferring to UC San Diego.
Post-completion requirements:
- For full IGETC certification, all required courses must be completed prior to transferring to UC San Diego.
- If you are participating in the TAG program, full IGETC certification is required.
- After completing the full IGETC program, you must request and receive certification from a community college:
- submit the certification to your UC San Diego undergraduate college, in time to permit the necessary academic advising
- the deadline is July 15 for fall quarter applicants; applications are not accepted for any quarter other than fall
To find out what courses are in the IGETC, contact the transfer center at your community college and check the ASSIST Web site for details on IGETC course agreements.
Prospective transfer students are encouraged to plan ahead and complete as many courses as possible to prepare for their chosen major.
UCSD's academic departments specify courses you must take during the first two years of college to prepare for upper-division study in your major.
Begin coursework in your major as soon as you have selected one. We advise you to complete all lower-division major courses before you enroll at UC San Diego.
- See the UCSD General Catalog for a list of major prerequisites or the departmental website for a specific major.
- UCSD has established major preparation articulation agreements with many California community colleges. Visit the ASSIST website to find out how your coursework might transfer to UC San Diego.
- Check Impacted Majors for information about which majors have limited enrollment.
- Some majors admit students to pre-major status only. See Majors With Pre-major Status to find these majors.