Economics transfer to UC
What every UC campus expects economics transfers to finish before they apply, where TAG applies, and how selective UCLA is (16% for fall 2025).
Checked against official UC and campus sources in October 2026.
The shared course list
UC’s Economics Transfer Pathway lists the community college courses that prepare you for this major at every campus. Finishing it doesn’t guarantee admission, and campuses add their own rules below.
| Course | Status |
|---|---|
| Microeconomics (one course) | Required |
| Macroeconomics (one course) | Required |
| Single variable calculus (one-year sequence, STEM version encouraged) | Required |
UC does not expect statistics at the community college, but some campuses may require it after transfer.
Check your courses
Paste the course titles from your transcript or education plan and see which items on the list they cover.
Campus by campus
TAG lines come from UC’s TAG matrix for fall 2027. ASSIST shows which of your college’s courses count at each campus.
| Campus | TAG | Extra rule | Courses |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | No TAG | None listed | ASSIST |
| UCLA | No TAG | Economics applicants must be admitted directly to the major. | ASSIST |
| UC San Diego | No TAG | None listed | ASSIST |
| UC Irvine | 3.40 | None listed | ASSIST |
| UC Davis | 3.20 | A selective major. Summer courses before transfer don’t count, and no prep grade can be below C. | ASSIST |
| UC Santa Barbara | 3.40 | None listed | ASSIST |
| UC Santa Cruz | 3.00 | None listed | ASSIST |
| UC Riverside | 2.80 | None listed | ASSIST |
| UC Merced | 2.80 | None listed | ASSIST |
UCLA’s numbers for this major
- Fall 2025 admit rate
- 16%
- Applicants
- 1,517
- Admitted GPA, middle half
- 3.91–4.00
UCLA reports these for Economics (pre-major), against 26% for its community college applicants as a whole. UCLA reviews you for your first-choice major only, unless you’re a TAP student.
Your odds at every campus
Estimates for Economics at all nine campuses at the GPA you set.
Questions
What classes do I need to transfer to UC for economics?
UC’s Economics Transfer Pathway lists 3 items, including microeconomics (one course), macroeconomics (one course), single variable calculus (one-year sequence, stem version encouraged). Check each course on ASSIST for the campuses you apply to.
Can I get a TAG for economics?
Yes, at all six TAG campuses: UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz.
What GPA do you need to transfer to UCLA for economics?
UCLA admitted 16% of 1,517 transfer applicants to Economics (pre-major) for fall 2025, and the middle half of admits had GPAs of 3.91–4.00.
Is economics a selective major at UC?
Several campuses add rules: UCLA, Davis. See the campus table above.