UniversityLink

UniversityLink is a pathway to a premier four-year university by way of community college.

To participate in UniversityLink, you must attend one of these local partner community colleges:

• Cuyamaca
• Grossmont
• Imperial Valley
• MiraCosta
• Palomar
• San Diego City
• San Diego Mesa
• San Diego Miramar
• Southwestern

Benefits

• Guaranteed admission to UC San Diego
• Assessment of your academic skills
• One-on-one admissions advising to ensure you take the right steps toward transferring
• Assistance with choosing courses to fulfill major-preparation requirements
• Workshops for college and transfer success
• Financial aid and scholarships information
• Advising from a UC San Diego Admissions Officer
• Invitations to special events at UC San Diego

Eligibility

You are eligible for UniversityLink if your family income is less than $40,000 per year and you are a high school senior planning to attend one of the UniversityLink local partner community colleges; or your family income is less than $40,000 per year and you are a first-year student at one of the UniversityLink local partner community colleges. Applicants are required to complete a FAFSA to determine income confirmation.

If you are not eligible to file a FAFSA but qualify for AB540, you should submit the California Dream Application. You are not eligible if you have completed college coursework at a non-partner college after graduation from high school or after completion of your GED.

-OR-

You are also eligible for UniversityLink if you are a student veteran, active duty service member or current/former foster youth attending one of the UniversityLink local partner community colleges, regardless of first-time college status. You may participate in UniversityLink at any time.

International students are not eligible for UniversityLink.

Applying to UniversityLink

Complete and submit the online UniversityLink application during the spring of your senior year in high school or during the first year at a partner community college.

Scholarships

Learn about scholarships administered by UC San Diego for new transfer students.

Admission Requirements

As part of the UniversityLink program, you must complete a minimum of 60 UC-transferable semester units (90 quarter units) by the end of spring term prior to fall enrollment at UC San Diego. You must also earn a cumulative 3.5 UC GPA by the end of fall term prior to fall enrollment at UC San Diego and maintain a 3.5 UC GPA through the end of spring term prior to fall enrollment at UC San Diego.

• 2 English composition
• 1 mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning
• 4 courses from at least 2 of the following areas:
  • Arts and humanities
  • Physical and biological sciences
  • Social and behavioral sciences

Note: Both of the UC English composition courses and the UC math course must be completed by the end of fall term prior to fall enrollment at UC San Diego.

Program Recommendations

These are the recommended actions you should take as part of the UniversityLink program to help you become successful in the UniversityLink process. UC San Diego will not verify completion of program recommendations:

• Submit an online UniversityLink application during the spring of senior year in high school or during the first year at a partner community college.

• Participate in one UniversityLink orientation program to understand eligibility requirements and program expectations.

• Connect once a year with a UC San Diego Admissions Officer at your community college to ensure you are on track with program requirements, coursework and major preparation.

• Participate in a UC application workshop/UC San Diego campus tour where you will meet UC San Diego staff and students.

• Create a UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP) form during your first year at the partner community college and meet with a community college advisor.

• Apply to UC San Diego no later than 3 years from the time of beginning your studies at a local partner community college.

• Attend UC San Diego’s Fall Showcase prior to applying to UC San Diego. Check the Events page for updates.

Selective Majors

• Biological Sciences

• Data Science

• Engineering

• Public Health

UC San Diego does not admit transfer students as undeclared. Therefore, if you are not admitted into your first choice selective major and you have not selected an alternate non-selective major, you will not be admitted to the university.