Psychology transfer to UC
What every UC campus expects psychology transfers to finish before they apply, where TAG applies, and how selective UCLA is (21% for fall 2025).
Checked against official UC and campus sources in October 2026.
The shared course list
UC’s Psychology 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 |
|---|---|
| Introduction to psychology | Required |
| Statistics | Required |
| Calculus 1 (life sciences version or above) | Required |
| Biology 1 (STEM version) | Required |
| One additional science course (biology, chemistry or physics) | Required |
| Social/cultural anthropology | Choose 2 of 5: social science |
| Linguistic anthropology | Choose 2 of 5: social science |
| Logic | Choose 2 of 5: social science |
| Introduction to sociology | Choose 2 of 5: social science |
| Modern philosophy | Choose 2 of 5: social science |
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 | Psychology applicants must be admitted directly to the major. Switching in after admission isn’t an option. | 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 toward its prep, and no prep grade can be below C. | ASSIST |
| UC Santa Barbara | 3.40 | None listed | ASSIST |
| UC Santa Cruz | 3.00 | B- or better in intro psychology and statistics, and a C or better in one math course, by the end of spring. | ASSIST |
| UC Riverside | 3.30 | None listed | ASSIST |
| UC Merced | 3.00 | None listed | ASSIST |
UCLA’s numbers for this major
- Fall 2025 admit rate
- 21%
- Applicants
- 2,390
- Admitted GPA, middle half
- 3.79–4.00
UCLA reports these for Psychology (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 Psychology at all nine campuses at the GPA you set.
Questions
What classes do I need to transfer to UC for psychology?
UC’s Psychology Transfer Pathway lists 10 items, including introduction to psychology, statistics, calculus 1 (life sciences version or above). Check each course on ASSIST for the campuses you apply to.
Can I get a TAG for psychology?
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 psychology?
UCLA admitted 21% of 2,390 transfer applicants to Psychology (pre-major) for fall 2025, and the middle half of admits had GPAs of 3.79–4.00.
Is psychology a selective major at UC?
Several campuses add rules: UCLA, Santa Cruz, Davis. See the campus table above.