Physics transfer to UC Irvine
What UC Irvine expects physics transfers to finish before fall 2027. Below are Irvine’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
- 44%
- Screens applicants
- Yes
- TAG GPA line
- 3.40
- Admits transfers
- Yes
UC Irvine admitted 44% of community college applicants for fall 2025, and it doesn’t publish admit rates by major. UC Irvine doesn’t publish a GPA range for admitted transfers. The calculator uses an estimate from the campus’s selectivity.
What Irvine expects
Physics, B.S. · Applied Physics, B.S.
- Courses to finish
Complete one year of calculus-based physics with laboratory for physics and engineering majors and one year of single-variable calculus. Source
- Selection
Both majors require a cumulative UC transferable GPA of 3.0 (3.4 for TAG), a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the required courses, and a minimum 3.0 GPA in the physics sequence. Source
- Also note
Students who have not completed the full physics and math sequence before transfer will likely need three years to finish the degree. Source
- Every Irvine major
UCI states that all of its majors are selective and encourages applicants to earn the highest possible GPA. Source
All major-specific admission requirements must be completed by the end of the spring term before fall quarter enrollment. Source
Applicants are considered for their alternate major only if they meet its requirements and space permits. There are no changes of major within the admission process. Source
UC’s shared course list
UC’s Physics Transfer Pathway lists the courses that prepare you for this major at every campus, UC Irvine included. Where Irvine’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 Irvine’s TAG covers physics for fall 2027 at a 3.40 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 Irvine 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 Davis | Yes | 3.20 |
| 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 Irvine
- Aerospace Engineering
- Anthropology
- Bioengineering
- Biological Sciences
- Business Administration
- Business Economics
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Cognitive Science
- 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
- Nursing
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Official links
- UC Irvine transfer admissionsadmissions.uci.edu
- ASSIST: course agreements to UC Irvineassist.org
Questions
What GPA do you need to transfer to UC Irvine for physics?
Both majors require a cumulative UC transferable GPA of 3.0 (3.4 for TAG), a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the required courses, and a minimum 3.0 GPA in the physics sequence. A TAG needs at least a 3.40.
What classes do I need to transfer to UC Irvine for physics?
Complete one year of calculus-based physics with laboratory for physics and engineering majors and one year of single-variable calculus. Check each course on ASSIST for your college.
Is physics selective or screened at UC Irvine?
Yes. UC Irvine screens transfer applicants for it. Both majors require a cumulative UC transferable GPA of 3.0 (3.4 for TAG), a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the required courses, and a minimum 3.0 GPA in the physics sequence.
Can I get a TAG for physics at UC Irvine?
Yes, for fall 2027, with at least a 3.40 GPA. TAG filing runs September 1–30 of the year before you transfer.