The HBCU Transfer Guarantee
California community college students can earn guaranteed admission to participating historically Black colleges and universities across the country.
Checked against the California Community Colleges’ official pages in October 2026.
What it guarantees
The HBCU Transfer Guarantee gives California community college students who meet the minimum requirements guaranteed admission to participating Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Students also get acceptance of completed transfer-level courses, one free Common Black College Application for up to four partner HBCUs, priority housing consideration if they apply by the posted deadline, and transfer scholarship consideration with a 3.2 or higher GPA. The program page lists up to $5,000 through the Cal-HBCU Transfer Grant (checked October 2026).
Who qualifies
- Students need a 2.0 or higher GPA, and some partner HBCUs require a higher GPA (checked October 2026).
- Students must either complete an Associate Degree for Transfer using IGETC or CSU GE Breadth, or complete at least 30 UC or CSU transferable units at a California community college.
- Students with a non-ADT associate degree may still apply to partner HBCUs, but the guarantee does not apply and their units go through transcript evaluation.
- To apply, meet with a community college counselor to confirm eligibility and get a fee waiver code for the Common Black College Application. HBCUs not on that application take applications on their own websites, and official transcripts from every college attended must be sent.
- An older Chancellor's Office page lists a 2.5 GPA with either IGETC or CSU GE plus a 60-unit transfer-level associate degree, or 30 or more UC or CSU transferable units, and says the guarantee is admission with junior standing. The page is undated.
Participating HBCUs
- Alabama State University
- Arkansas Baptist College
- Benedict College
- Bethune-Cookman University
- Bowie State University
- Central State University
- Claflin University
- Coppin State University
- Dillard University
- Edward Waters University
- Fisk University
- Fort Valley State University
- Grambling State University
- Harris-Stowe State University
- Huston-Tillotson University
- Jackson State University
- Johnson C. Smith University
- Kentucky State University
- Lane College
- Lincoln University of Missouri
- Mississippi Valley State University
- Morehouse College
- Morris Brown College
- North Carolina Central University
- Philander Smith College
- Shaw University
- Southern University and A&M College
- Southern University at New Orleans
- Stillman College
- Talladega College
- Texas Southern University
- Tougaloo College
- Virginia State University
- Voorhees University
- West Virginia State University
- Wiley College