Prospective Transfers

Ceremony celebrates xučyun ruwway, UC Berkeley’s newest housing for graduate students

January 22, 2025

As a Native American, McKalee Steen said she often has felt “misunderstood or not seen” in college and in search of community among students who often “are ignorant to what your background might be.”

But on Wednesday in Albany, at a celebration of UC Berkeley’s newest graduate student residence, the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma citizen and Berkeley’s Graduate Assembly president expressed pride in the name of the housing complex — xučyun ruwway (HOOCH-yoon ROO-why) — that’s spelled out above the main entrance.

“Even though these are just words on a building, it’s powerful to...

How do I declare my major after I arrive?

Transfer students are currently admitted to the College of Letters & Science as “undeclared” and must apply (i.e. complete major declaration requirements) to the major they wish to declare. The process to declare a major is different for each L&S major.

Once you arrive on campus, you will work with your Undergraduate Major Adviser (UMA) to learn about the process to declare your major.

For the 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26 academic years, L&S is piloting a program that will offer direct admission into...

Will the courses completed for UC 7-Course Pattern automatically satisfy L&S Degree Requirements?

Students completing University of California 7-Course Patternwill automatically satisfy the UC Entry Level Writing Requirement. Completion of two 7-Course Pattern English composition (UC-E) courses will guarantee satisfaction of one half of the Reading & Composition (R&C A). We highly recommend that students complete UC-E courses that articulate to R&C A and R&C B in...

If I am not completing UC IGETC/Cal-GETC, do I need to complete pre-approved courses for all L&S GE requirements?

If you are not planning to complete UC IGETC/Cal-GETC, it is not required to complete articulated courses for all L&S GE requirements; however, we strongly recommend that at the very least you complete courses (or have acceptable exam scores) that will satisfy Reading & Composition, Quantitative Reasoning, and Foreign Language...

I am transferring from an institution outside of the California Community College system. What guidance would you offer in selecting courses for degree progress?

Applicants from outside of the California Community College system must complete the same minimum requirements for admission as noted on the Berkeley Admissions website. We advise you to use assist.org by selecting any one of the California Community College campuses and reviewing the approved UC Berkeley courses in the UC transfer eligibility, general education, and major of interest agreements. We recommend that you use these...

I am transferring from another UC. Do you honor a UC Reciprocity letter confirming completion of GE at my current UC campus?

We will review letters of reciprocity from your current UC campus for consideration for completion of L&S GE. Letters from UC colleges and schools that are comparable to L&S, or are liberal arts in nature, tend to be the most successful in achieving full reciprocity.

I am not completing UC IGETC/Cal-GETC, will I still qualify for admission review?

UC IGETC/Cal-GETC are no longer required for admission eligibility. If you complete the following minimum requirements, you will qualify for admission consideration:

University of California 7-Course Pattern,

Minimum 60 UC-transferable semester (90 UC-transferable quarter) units,

Major preparation courses as advised in...

I received a score of 3 on an AP English exam. Will this score satisfy Reading & Composition (R&C)?

A score of 3 on an AP English exam may be acceptable to satisfy requirements for UC 7-Course Pattern or UC IGETC/Cal-GETC; however, if you are not completing the full certification for UC IGETC/Cal-GETC, a score of 3 (which can satisfy one of the two courses for the 7-Course Pattern UC-E English composition requirement) will not satisfy the R&C requirement. A minimum score of 4 or higher is required to satisfy the R&C requirement as published on the ...

How do I use Assist.org to choose courses that will satisfy L&S degree requirements?

Selecting courses that satisfy requirements for both 7-Course Pattern and L&S General Education requirements will automatically satisfy these requirements upon admission.

We strongly recommend that prior to transferring to Berkeley you complete articulated courses as published on assist.org for these L&S General Education requirements:

Reading &...