Physics transfer to UC Davis
What UC Davis expects physics 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
Physics · Applied Physics
- Courses to finish
Complete PHY 009A/B/C/D or 009HA/HB/HC/HD/HE, MAT 021A/B/C/D and MAT 022A/B by the end of spring before fall enrollment. Source
- Selection
Applicants must maintain a 3.00 GPA across the required course group. Source
- Campus rule
A selective major. Summer courses before transfer don’t count. 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 Physics 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 |
|---|---|
| Calculus-based physics for scientists and engineers (3 semesters / 5 quarters through modern physics, with labs) | Required |
| Single variable calculus (full sequence) | Required |
| Multivariable calculus (one semester) | Required |
| Linear algebra (one course) | Required |
| Differential equations (one course) | Required |
Paste your course titles to see which items they cover.
TAG for this major
UC Davis’s TAG covers physics 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 physics.
The same major at other campuses
| Campus | Screens applicants | TAG |
|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | Not stated | No TAG |
| UCLA | No | 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
- Biological Sciences
- 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
- 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 physics?
Applicants must maintain a 3.00 GPA across the required course group. A TAG needs at least a 3.20.
What classes do I need to transfer to UC Davis for physics?
Complete PHY 009A/B/C/D or 009HA/HB/HC/HD/HE, MAT 021A/B/C/D and MAT 022A/B by the end of spring before fall enrollment. Check each course on ASSIST for your college.
Is physics selective or screened at UC Davis?
Yes. UC Davis screens transfer applicants for it. Applicants must maintain a 3.00 GPA across the required course group.
Can I get a TAG for physics 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.