Transfer FAQs

The UTC can assist you in making well informed decisions as you navigate the university transfer process.  To get started, we encourage you to attend one of our University Transfer Workshops.    

California State Universities (CSU) have a 2.0 minimum GPA requirement (2.40 for non-California residents) at the time of application in all transferable units and have maintained this GPA standard are eligible to apply.

Universities of California (UC) have a 2.4 minimum GPA requirement (2.8 for non-California residents) at the time of application in all transferable units and have maintained this GPA standard are eligible to apply.

Universities that cannot accommodate all eligible students will select students for admissions who have achieved higher GPAs.  

California independent colleges as well as out-of-state colleges and universities GPA requirements will vary depending on the individual school.

You will need to complete at minimum 60 transferable units prior to transferring to a CSU and UC as an upper-division (junior) transfer student.  Campuses require these units to be completed by the end of spring semester prior to fall transfer.

California Private and Out-of-State Universities will vary.   

The priority filing period are as follows:

• Fall Admission
  • CSU: October 1 – November 30
  • UC: October 1 – November 30
• Winter | Spring Admission
  • CSU: August 1 - August 31 (if open)
  • UC: July 1 - July 31 (if open)

CSU Application Dates and Deadlines

UC Application Dates and Deadlines

For application filing periods for a California independent college or university or an out-of-state school, it is best to contact the specific school for more information.

Most universities require you to apply using an online application. 

CSU Application

UC Application

For California Private and Out-of-State Universities, we encourage you to visit the university website for admission information.

We recommend you attend an University Application Workshop and have a transfer counselor review your application before you submit it. 

When comparing programs at different universities, consider some of the following questions:  

• Is the program accredited?
• Does the school have a graduate program?
• Are there a diverse number of courses to choose from within your major? 

Also talk with AHC faculty who teach courses related to your selected major to get ideas about universities. 

Don’t forget that the school also needs to be a good fit for you, for example:

• campus physical setting
• campus size
• climate
• student activities and organizations
• distance from home

The UTC offers University Road Trips every fall and spring to different universities, so that you can begin to answer these questions. The UTC also has a variety of reference materials to assist you in your research.

Your chances of getting accepted will depend on a variety of factors.  These factors can include:

• completion of general education (GE)
• major preparation
• competitive grade point average (GPA)
• quality of the applicant pool during the term you are applying
• major impaction
• extra curricular activities

In most cases, an associate degree is not required to transfer.  However, while following the lower-division general education pattern and major preparation courses for transfer, most students will complete an associate degree.  

AHC offers Associate Degrees for Transfer which will give you priority consideration to a CSU.  Please see your counselor for more information.

General education (GE) requirements are designed to expose you to a breadth of courses that broaden your knowledge and perspective as well as develop critical thinking and communication skills.  This group of classes is typically required of all degree candidates regardless of your major. 

There are two general education patterns to choose from when you are planning on transferring:  

• California State University General Education (CSUGE)
• Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC). 

The one you follow will depend on the school in which you plan to attend.  Some high unit majors do not require completion of your general education pattern prior to transfer.

Major preparation courses are based on the program the student plans to pursue, e.g. biology, nursing, etc.  Each program has specific requirements for the intended major and in some cases must be completed prior to transfer.  See a transfer counselor for information regarding your major and/or visit www.assist.org.

General Education (GE) certification is one way to satisfy lower-division GE requirements at the California State University (CSU) and the University of California (UC) campuses, as well as a few California independent colleges and universities.

In many cases, it can also enhance your chances of being accepted. Upon completion of the prescribed pattern and filing a petition, the CSUGE and/or IGETC certification will be posted to your AHC official transcript. When you are admitted to the four-year university, you will have your AHC transcript sent, where an evaluator will note that you have been GE certified. Upon enrollment at the four-year university and acceptance of the certification, you will no longer be required to complete any additional lower division GE course work. This saves you time and money!

All you need to do is make an appointment with a counselor to complete a petition for certification. You should do this when you are enrolled in your last courses needed to complete the certification.