UC Santa Cruz TAG requirements
A Transfer Admission Guarantee secures admission to UC Santa Cruz if you meet its conditions. These are the rules for fall 2027 entry from UC’s TAG matrix. Filing closed September 30, 2026, and decisions come on or after November 15.
Checked against official UC and campus sources in October 2026.
At a glance
- GPA line, most majors
- 3.00
- Highest major line
- 3.00
- Record pre-review
- Yes
- Major groups not covered
- None
UC Santa Cruz counts your GPA through the end of summer 2026. Santa Cruz reviews your record, and screening majors add their own prep GPA rules.
Check your TAG
GPA lines by major
Every major covered by UC Santa Cruz’s TAG needs at least a 3.00 UC-transferable GPA.
Every major is open to TAG. About 45 screening majors, Computer Science among them, also need set prep courses and grades by the end of spring.
Majors TAG doesn’t cover
None. Every UC Santa Cruz major is open to TAG.
Timeline for fall 2027
| When | Step |
|---|---|
| Sep 1–30, 2026 | File the TAG in UC Transfer Admission Planner. Closed for fall 2027. |
| Oct 1 – Nov 30, 2026 | Submit the UC application with UC Santa Cruz and the same major as your TAG. |
| On or after Nov 15, 2026 | TAG decision. It can’t be appealed. |
| Jan 31, 2027 | Transfer Academic Update, required to keep the TAG. |
| By spring 2027 | Finish 60 semester units and the 7-course pattern with the grades the TAG lists. |
What every TAG requires
- 30 UC-transferable semester units done when you file the TAG, 60 by the end of the spring before entry.
- One UC-transferable English and one math done by the fall you file; the rest of the 7-course pattern by spring.
- Your last school in a regular term must be a California community college, with 30+ semester units completed there.
- 2.0+ GPA in UC-transferable courses in your final year, with no grade below C.
What UC Santa Cruz says
- For fall 2027, TAG is open to all majors with a 3.0 GPA at submission. About 45 screening majors also require specific preparation courses finished by the end of spring 2027. Source
- UCSC accepted winter quarter 2027 transfer applications for most majors (deadline August 15, 2026), but TAG does not apply to winter entry and winter 2028 availability is not yet confirmed. Source
Other TAG campuses
Questions
What GPA do you need for a UC Santa Cruz TAG?
At least a 3.00 UC-transferable GPA by the end of summer 2026.
Which majors can’t use a UC Santa Cruz TAG?
None. Every UC Santa Cruz major accepts TAG.
Can I still file a TAG for fall 2027?
No. The window was September 1–30, 2026. You can still apply to UC Santa Cruz through regular review by November 30, 2026, and the next TAG window, for fall 2028, is September 2027.
Can I file more than one TAG?
No. You can file a TAG at one campus per cycle, and your UC application must list that campus and major.