Biological Sciences transfer to UC Davis
What UC Davis expects biological sciences transfers to finish before fall 2027. Below are Davis’s own preparation and selection rules, UC’s shared course list, the TAG terms and your odds.
Checked against official UC and campus sources in November 2026.
At a glance
- Fall 2025 campus admit rate
- 63.5%
- Screens applicants
- Yes
- TAG GPA line
- 3.20
- Admits transfers
- Yes
UC Davis admitted 63.5% of community college applicants for fall 2025, and it doesn’t publish admit rates by major. The middle half of admitted transfers had GPAs from 3.46 to 3.90 for fall 2025.
What Davis expects
Biological Sciences (B.A./B.S.)
- Courses to finish
Complete BIS 002A/B/C or BIO 001/001L, 002/002L and 003, CHE 002A/B/C or 004A/B/C, and MAT 017A/B/C or 021A/B by the end of spring before fall enrollment. Source
- Selection
All College of Biological Sciences majors are selective. Applicants must keep a 2.50 GPA in each required course series, and CBS TAG requires at least a 3.20 GPA. Source
- Campus rule
Biological Sciences is selective. Summer courses before transfer don’t count, and no prep grade can be below C. Source
- Also note
BIS 002A/B/C/D is being discontinued. Fall 2027 applicants should use the ASSIST 2025-26 agreements and watch ASSIST for the new BIO course articulations. Source
- Every Davis major
UC Davis requires a minimum 2.80 GPA for transfer admission, and selective majors require higher overall, series and group GPAs. Source
Selective major preparation courses must be taken for a letter grade with no grade below C. Pass/No Pass does not count except for winter, spring and summer 2020 courses. Source
All major preparation and admission requirements must be finished by the end of spring term before fall enrollment. Summer coursework taken before transfer does not count toward admission requirements. Source
UC’s shared course list
UC’s Biological sciences Transfer Pathway lists the courses that prepare you for this major at every campus, UC Davis included. Where Davis’s own list above asks for more, follow the campus.
| Course | Status |
|---|---|
| General biology with lab (full introductory sequence) | Required |
| General chemistry with lab (one-year sequence) | Required |
| Calculus for STEM majors (one-year sequence) | Required |
| Organic chemistry with lab (one-year sequence) | Required |
| Calculus-based physics with lab (one year, not trigonometry-based) | Recommended |
| Statistics (one term) | Recommended |
Paste your course titles to see which items they cover.
TAG for this major
UC Davis’s TAG covers biological sciences for fall 2027 at a 3.20 UC-transferable GPA. TAG filing runs September 1–30 of the year before you transfer.
Your odds
Move the GPA to see a regular-review range at UC Davis for biological sciences.
The same major at other campuses
| Campus | Screens applicants | TAG |
|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | Not stated | No TAG |
| UCLA | Yes | No TAG |
| UC San Diego | Yes | No TAG |
| UC Irvine | Yes | 3.40 |
| UC Santa Barbara | Yes | 3.40 |
| UC Santa Cruz | Yes | 3.00 |
| UC Riverside | Yes | 2.80 |
| UC Merced | Yes | 2.90 |
Other majors at UC Davis
- Aerospace Engineering
- Anthropology
- Bioengineering
- Business Administration
- Business Economics
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Cognitive Science
- Communication
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Data Science
- Earth Science / Geology
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- English
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Film and Media Studies
- Global and International Studies
- History
- Linguistics
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Neuroscience
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Statistics
Official links
- UC Davis transfer admissionsucdavis.edu
- ASSIST: course agreements to UC Davisassist.org
Questions
What GPA do you need to transfer to UC Davis for biological sciences?
All College of Biological Sciences majors are selective. Applicants must keep a 2.50 GPA in each required course series, and CBS TAG requires at least a 3.20 GPA. A TAG needs at least a 3.20.
What classes do I need to transfer to UC Davis for biological sciences?
Complete BIS 002A/B/C or BIO 001/001L, 002/002L and 003, CHE 002A/B/C or 004A/B/C, and MAT 017A/B/C or 021A/B by the end of spring before fall enrollment. Check each course on ASSIST for your college.
Is biological sciences selective or screened at UC Davis?
Yes. UC Davis screens transfer applicants for it. All College of Biological Sciences majors are selective. Applicants must keep a 2.50 GPA in each required course series, and CBS TAG requires at least a 3.20 GPA.
Can I get a TAG for biological sciences at UC Davis?
Yes, for fall 2027, with at least a 3.20 GPA. TAG filing runs September 1–30 of the year before you transfer.