Transfer Selection Criteria — UC Santa Barbara

College of Letters and Science

Students are selected primarily on the basis of academic preparation and performance, as assessed by review of grades earned in UC-transferable coursework and strength of academic preparation for the intended major.

Some students are selected on the basis of academic and personal achievement, potential and experience, as assessed through a comprehensive review of all information provided on the application, including academic performance, and academic and personal information as described in the comprehensive review factors.

PLEASE NOTE: Applications are almost never accepted from senior-level applicants, those students with 90 or more transferable semester units. (The colleges of Engineering and Creative Studies make occasional exceptions.) A maximum of 70 transferable semester community college units will be counted as part of the unit evaluation to determine senior standing. There is no limitation on units awarded from four-year universities. Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate units earned prior to high school graduation do not apply to the limit, for admission consideration, of 90 transferable semester units.

Biological Sciences

The number of students who can be admitted to these majors is limited. At minimum, students must complete one year of general chemistry with laboratory and one 2- to 3-term sequence in general biology with laboratory with a GPA of 2.70 or better in these courses. Year-long sequences in calculus, general physics with laboratory, and organic chemistry with laboratory are highly recommended. For information, consult the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology and the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology.

Business Economics, Economics and Economics/Mathematics

Transfer students who wish to declare the Business Economics major must complete the following four courses with a 2.75 GPA before admission: one microeconomics course, one macroeconomics course, one statistics course and one calculus course. Transfer students who wish to declare the Economics or Economics/Mathematics major must complete the following four courses with a 2.75 GPA before admission: one microeconomics course, one macroeconomics course and two calculus courses.

PLEASE NOTE: In addition to the courses listed above, Business Economics, Economics and Economics/Mathematics majors have additional pre-major requirements. Once admitted to UCSB, students who have not yet completed all of the pre-major requirements must complete the remaining courses with a UC GPA of 2.85 or better. Transfer grades from a non-UC school will not be used in the 2.85 GPA calculation. Transfer grades will be used only as a criterion for admission to UCSB in one of the economics majors. For information, consult the Department of Economics: (805) 893-2981, 893-7441 or 893-2982.

Computer Science, B.A.

Applicants are selected based on the criteria described for the College of Engineering (below) and must select the Computational Geography, Computational Economics or Computational Biology emphasis.

Performance Majors

Admission to performance majors—Dance (B.A. and B.F.A.), Theater and Music—is determined by audition.

College of Engineering

Students are selected primarily on the basis of academic preparation and performance, as assessed by review of the following: grades earned in UC-transferable coursework, amount of engineering preparatory coursework completed and grades earned in preparatory coursework.

Applicants must complete all required units and prerequisites by the end of the spring term preceding enrollment at UCSB.

College of Creative Studies

Students are selected on the basis of academic and personal achievement, potential and experience, as assessed through a comprehensive review of all information provided on the application, including academic and personal information, as described in the comprehensive review factors; as well as special talents, outstanding achievement and capacity for excellence in one of the eight academic areas within the college, as assessed by faculty review.

All applicants must submit a College of Creative Studies application, available directly from the college, in addition to the regular UC undergraduate application. Applicants must submit work in evidence of talent or letters of recommendation with the Creative Studies application.

For more information, visit the UC Santa Barbara Prospective Transfer website.