2025–2026 UC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG): A Pathway to Secured Admission for Community College Students

For students aiming to transfer from a California Community College (CCC) to a University of California (UC) campus, the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program offers a valuable opportunity to secure early admission to one of six participating UC campuses. For the 2025–2026 academic year, this program continues to provide eligible students with a clear, structured, and supportive transfer pathway.

🔹 What Is TAG?

The UC TAG program guarantees admission to students who meet specific academic and programmatic requirements. While not all UC campuses offer TAG, six campuses currently do:

• UC Davis

• UC Irvine

• UC Merced

• UC Riverside

• UC Santa Barbara

• UC Santa Cruz

This program is especially appealing to students who want certainty in the highly competitive UC transfer process. TAG provides peace of mind—offering a guaranteed spot at a UC campus, provided all eligibility requirements are met.

📌 General Eligibility Criteria for TAG (Fall 2025 Entry)

To be considered for a TAG, students must meet shared eligibility criteria including:

• Completion of at least 30 semester / 45 quarter UC-transferable units by summer 2025

• A total of 60 semester / 90 quarter UC-transferable units (junior standing) by the end of spring 2026

• Completion of at least one UC-E (English) and one UC-M (Math) by fall 2025

• Submission of the TAG application via the UC Transfer Admission Planner (TAP) from Sept 1–30, 2025

• Completion of the UC Application from Oct 1–Nov 30, 2025

• Submission of the Transfer Academic Update (TAU) by Jan 31, 2026

• Maintenance of a minimum 2.0 GPA in all UC-transferable courses during the final year, with no grades lower than C

Note: Students who have previously attended a UC campus or already earned a bachelor's degree are not eligible for TAG.

🎓 Campus-Specific TAG Highlights (2025–2026)

Each UC campus sets its own GPA thresholds and major-related requirements:

• UC Davis: Minimum GPA ranges from 3.2 to 3.5, depending on the college. Certain majors like Computer Science and Landscape Architecture are excluded.

• UC Irvine: Requires a minimum 3.4 GPA. Majors in Business, Dance, Music, and all majors in the School of Information and Computer Sciences are excluded.

• UC Merced: Open to all majors, with GPA thresholds ranging from 2.8 to 3.0. Public Health requires IGETC completion.

• UC Riverside: Accepts TAG for fall and winter; GPA thresholds vary by college and major. Engineering and Business majors have higher GPA cutoffs.

• UC Santa Barbara: TAG only applies to College of Letters & Science majors without pre-major status; minimum 3.4 GPA.

• UC Santa Cruz: Requires 3.0 GPA and offers TAG for all screening majors (e.g., Computer Science B.A./B.S.).

✨ Why Choose TAG?

While TAG does not limit your ability to apply broadly, it gives eligible students a guaranteed path to a high-quality public university. Students who use TAG can still apply to other UC campuses or even non-UC institutions, maximizing their options.