UC Santa Barbara Transfer Acceptance Rate and GPA (Fall 2027)

Admission numbers

Fall 2026 admit rate: 61.6%
Fall 2025, all transfers: 59%
Admitted GPA, middle half: 3.48–3.91
TAG minimum GPA: 3.40

Cycle	Who	Applicants	Admits	Admit rate
Fall 2026 (snapshot)	All transfer applicants	18,870	11,620	61.6%
Fall 2025	All transfer applicants	18,845	11,176	59%

UC’s fall 2026 numbers are a snapshot taken during the cycle and count transfers from every kind of school. The fall 2025 numbers are final counts.

Your odds at UC Santa Barbara

Move the GPA and pick a major. The range uses UC Santa Barbara’s published numbers.

UC-transferable GPA3.40

Intended major

Far reach

About 15–40% in regular review for applicants like you

With a TAG on file for Psychology, admission is guaranteed from a 3.40, which you meet. Filing for fall 2027 closed September 30, 2026.

Major preparation is the factor UC readers weigh most for transfers — often ahead of GPA.

Regular-review estimate for a California resident on track for 60 units and the 7-course pattern, with major prep unconfirmed. The full calculator adds your prep, residency and TAG status.

TAG at UC Santa Barbara

UC Santa Barbara’s Transfer Admission Guarantee needs a 3.40 UC-transferable GPA by the end of fall 2026. Santa Barbara does no pre-review, and some majors also set a minimum prep GPA.

Not covered by UC Santa Barbara’s TAG: All College of Engineering majors (incl. CS); College of Creative Studies; Dance, Music B.M., some Theater.

Full UC Santa Barbara TAG requirements and timing

Selective majors

UC Santa Barbara admitted 72% of Letters and Science transfer applicants for fall 2024, 17% in Engineering and 5% in the College of Creative Studies. Chemistry, Statistics and Data Science, Actuarial Science and Financial Mathematics add selection criteria for fall 2027 applicants.

Campus rules by major

Major	Rule
Chemistry	Chemistry is now a selective major and adds linear algebra for fall 2027 applicants.
All majors	Letters and Science may review you for an alternate L&S major if your prep fits it. Major change requests by email through January.
All majorsEvery campus	Switching into a selective STEM major after admission is, in UC’s words, very slim. Apply to the major you want.

Every major at UC Santa Barbara

Each major links to UC’s shared course list and the rules every campus adds to it.

Major	TAG	Extra campus rule
Aerospace Engineering	Not covered	None listed
Anthropology	3.40	None listed
Bioengineering	Not covered	None listed
Biological Sciences	3.40	None listed
Business Administration	3.40	None listed
Chemical Engineering	Not covered	None listed
Chemistry	3.40	Yes, see above
Civil Engineering	Not covered	None listed
Communication	3.40	None listed
Computer Science	Not covered	None listed
Data Science	3.40	None listed
Earth Science / Geology	3.40	None listed
Economics	3.40	None listed
Electrical Engineering	Not covered	None listed
English	3.40	None listed
Environmental Engineering	Not covered	None listed
Environmental Science	3.40	None listed
History	3.40	None listed
Materials Science and Engineering	Not covered	None listed
Mathematics	3.40	None listed
Mechanical Engineering	Not covered	None listed
Philosophy	3.40	None listed
Physics	3.40	None listed
Political Science	3.40	None listed
Psychology	3.40	None listed
Sociology	3.40	None listed
Statistics	3.40	None listed

Official links

UC Santa Barbara transfer admissionsadmissions.sa.ucsb.edu
UC Santa Barbara transfer admit data (UC)admission.universityofcalifornia.edu
ASSIST: course agreements to UC Santa Barbaraassist.org
UC TAG Matrixadmission.universityofcalifornia.edu

From UC Santa Barbara’s own pages

UCSB admits junior-level transfers for fall quarter only and says academic preparation at the current college is the most important factor, so a strong GPA and completed major prep are recommended. Source
For fall 2027 TAG, applicants need a 3.40 GPA by the end of fall 2026. All College of Creative Studies and College of Engineering majors, plus several dance, music and theater programs, are excluded. Source
For some majors, TAG guarantees admission only to a pre-major, and students must finish prerequisite coursework at UCSB before advancing to the full major. Source
For the fall 2027 cycle, UCSB's Transfer Academic Update window runs December 15 to January 31, with additional updates accepted through March 15. Source
New transfer students who submit the SIR and meet housing deadlines are guaranteed first-year housing in UCSB apartments. Source

Other UC campuses

Questions

What GPA do you need to transfer to UC Santa Barbara?

The middle half of admitted transfers had GPAs from 3.48 to 3.91 for fall 2024. For fall 2025 the campus reported only an average, 3.66. UC’s minimum is 2.4 for California residents and 2.8 for nonresidents, but admitted transfers sit well above it. UC Santa Barbara’s TAG needs at least a 3.40.

What is UC Santa Barbara’s transfer acceptance rate?

59% of all transfer applicants for fall 2025 (11,176 of 18,845). UC’s fall 2026 snapshot for all transfers shows 61.6%.

Does UC Santa Barbara offer TAG?

Yes. The minimum is a 3.40, and some majors aren’t covered: All College of Engineering majors (incl. CS); College of Creative Studies; Dance, Music B.M., some Theater. Filing runs September 1–30 for the following fall.

When is the UC Santa Barbara transfer application due?

For fall 2027 entry the UC application is due November 30, 2026. One application covers every campus you choose, and the Transfer Academic Update follows by January 31, 2027.

Transferring to UC Santa Barbara