Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG): Your Backdoor to the UC System

The Transfer Admission Guarantee is exactly what it sounds like: meet specific requirements at a California Community College, and six UC campuses will guarantee your admission. Not "strongly consider." Guarantee. It's one of the most underutilized pathways in California higher education.

Which UCs Participate in TAG?[1]UC TAG, 2025

Six of the nine UC undergraduate campuses offer TAGTransfer Admission Guarantee: a UC program guaranteeing admission to qualified CC transfer students:

UC Campus	TAG Available	Approximate TAG GPA Minimum
UC Davis	✅ Yes	3.20–3.80 (varies by major)
UC Irvine	✅ Yes	3.40–3.80 (varies by major)
UC Merced	✅ Yes	2.80
UC Riverside	✅ Yes	3.00–3.40 (varies by major)
UC Santa Barbara	✅ Yes	3.20–3.60 (varies by major)
UC Santa Cruz	✅ Yes	3.00–3.50 (varies by major)
UCLA	❌ No	–
UC Berkeley	❌ No	–
UC San Diego	❌ No	–

The three most selective UCs (UCLA, Berkeley, and San Diego) do not participate. But the six that do include excellent campuses. UC Davis and UC Irvine are both top-10 public universities nationally. UCSB is a top-35 national university. This is not a consolation prize.

The Big Rule: You Can Only TAG One Campus

You can TAG exactly one UC campus. Choose carefully. You can still apply to as many UCs as you want through the regular transfer application (and you should), but the TAG guarantee applies to only one.

GPA Requirements by Campus

GPAGrade Point Average: a numerical measure of academic performance requirements vary not just by campus but often by major. Here are the general minimums and notable specifics:

UC Davis TAG

General minimum: 3.20
Higher GPA majors: Many STEM and popular majors require 3.40–3.80
Notable exclusions: Some engineering majors, computer science, and nursing are TAG-ineligible
All TAG-eligible majors listed on UC Davis admissions site

UC Irvine TAG

General minimum: 3.40
Competitive majors: Business, nursing, computer science require higher GPAs (up to 3.80)
Notable exclusions: Some majors in engineering, nursing, and business are TAG-ineligible
UCI has specific course requirements per major

UC Merced TAG

General minimum: 2.80
Most accessible TAG option in the UC system
Virtually all majors are TAG-eligible
Growing campus with increasing program offerings

UC Riverside TAG

General minimum: 3.00
Higher GPA majors: Business (3.40), engineering (3.20–3.40)
Broad major availability

UC Santa Barbara TAG

General minimum: 3.20
Higher GPA majors: Economics (3.50), STEM fields often 3.40+
Notable exclusions: Some College of Engineering majors
Limited TAG spots in certain majors

UC Santa Cruz TAG

General minimum: 3.00
Higher GPA majors: Computer science (3.40), some engineering majors (3.20–3.50)
Relatively accessible with good program breadth

UC TAG GPA requirements by campus, 2024–2025 cycle

Eligibility Requirements

Beyond GPA, TAG has specific requirements you must meet:

Basic Requirements

California Community College enrollment. You must be enrolled at a CCC at the time of TAG submission.
Completed 30 semester units (45 quarter units) of UC-transferable coursework by the TAG deadline.
Will complete 60 semester units (90 quarter units) of UC-transferable coursework by spring before transfer.
Complete required English and math courses (varies by campus).
No more than one gap semester (excluding summer) from CCC enrollment.
Good standing. No academic or disciplinary probation.

Course Requirements

English: Typically two transferable English composition courses
Math: One transferable math course (statistics, calculus, etc., depending on major)
Major prerequisites: Each campus and major has specific prerequisite courses that must be completed or in progress. Use ASSIST.org to find exact articulation agreements between your CC and target UC.

Who Cannot TAG

Students currently at a four-year university
Students who have already earned a bachelor's degree
International students (at most TAG campuses, check individually)
Students who previously attended a UC campus

The TAG Timeline

Date	Action
September 1–30	TAG application opens and closes. Submit through the UC Transfer Admission Planner (TAP).
October 1–November 30	UC Transfer Application opens. Apply normally to your TAG campus AND any other UCs.
November 30	UC application deadline.
February–April	TAG decisions released (usually confirmed if requirements are met).
June 1	Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) deadline.

Critical: The TAG application (September) is separate from the UC application (November). You must submit both. Missing the September TAG window means no guarantee, though you can still apply as a regular transfer.[1]UC TAG, 2025

TAG Success Rates[2]UC Infocenter

TAG works. The acceptance rate for TAG-eligible students who meet all requirements is effectively 90–98% at participating campuses. The small percentage who don't make it typically failed to complete prerequisite courses or let their GPA drop below the minimum after TAG submission.

Compare this to regular transfer acceptance rates:

Campus	Regular Transfer Accept Rate	TAG Accept Rate (Eligible)
UC Davis	~55%	~95%+
UC Irvine	~40%	~93%+
UC Merced	~90%	~98%+
UC Riverside	~70%	~97%+
UC Santa Barbara	~40%	~93%+
UC Santa Cruz	~60%	~96%+

The difference is dramatic. At UC Irvine, going from a 40% chance to a 93%+ guarantee is the difference between anxiety and certainty.

Strategic Considerations

Which Campus Should You TAG?

TAG the campus where the guarantee matters most. If you have a 3.9 GPA, you'll likely get into UC Davis or UCSB without TAG. Use your TAG on the campus where admission is least certain, typically UC Irvine or UC Santa Barbara for most strong applicants.

If your GPA is lower (3.0–3.4), TAG UC Santa Cruz, Riverside, or Merced to lock in your UC admission while applying broadly to other campuses.

TAG + Regular Applications

You should TAG one campus AND apply to multiple UCs through the regular application (up to all nine). TAG secures your floor; regular applications are your reach.

A common strategy:

TAG: UC Irvine or UC Santa Barbara (secure a strong option)
Regular applications: UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego (reach), plus your TAG campus and others

The IGETC Shortcut

Complete the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) at your community college, and you'll satisfy lower-division GE requirements at most UC campuses. This is separate from TAG but pairs perfectly with it. IGETC completion strengthens any transfer application.

Common TAG Mistakes

Missing the September deadline. TAG closes September 30. There are no extensions.
Not checking major eligibility. Popular majors like CS and business are TAG-ineligible at some campuses.
Assuming TAG means you're done. You must maintain your GPA and complete all courses listed in your TAG agreement. Slip below the minimum and the guarantee is void.
Forgetting to file the UC application in November. TAG alone is not an application. You must also submit the standard UC transfer application by November 30.
Not using ASSIST.org. This tool shows exactly which CC courses map to UC prerequisites. Use it religiously.

The Bottom Line

TAG is a genuine guarantee from six quality UC campuses. If you're at a California Community College, there is no reason not to explore it. The combination of TAG (for security) plus regular UC applications (for reach) is arguably the smartest transfer strategy in the country.

Start planning early, use ASSIST.org to map your courses, hit the September TAG deadline, and follow through with the November UC application. The path from community college to a UC degree is well-paved, you just have to walk it.