Cognitive Science at UC Santa Cruz
What UC Santa Cruz expects cognitive science transfers to finish before fall 2027. Below are Santa Cruz’s own preparation and selection rules, the TAG terms and your odds.
Checked against official UC and campus sources in November 2026.
At a glance
- Fall 2025 campus admit rate
- 70.4%
- Selection criteria
- Yes
- TAG GPA line
- 3.00
- Admits transfers
- Yes
UC Santa Cruz admitted 70.4% of all transfer applicants for fall 2025, and it doesn’t publish admit rates by major. UC Santa Cruz reported an average GPA of 3.47 for admitted fall 2025 transfers and no range. The calculator’s range is an estimate around that average.
What Santa Cruz expects
Cognitive Science B.S.
- Courses to finish
Required before transfer are one calculus course (AM 11A, MATH 11A, 16A, 19A or 20A), one statistics course (PSYC 2, STAT 5, or STAT 7 with 7L) and one programming course (CSE 13S, CSE 20, CSE 30 or ECE 13), done by the end of spring term before fall entry (2026-27 catalog). Source
PSYC 20 (Cognition) is recommended but not required before transfer, and completing Cal-GETC is encouraged. Source
- Selection
Each required course must be passed with a C (2.0) or higher, with a cumulative GPA of 2.8 across the required courses. Applicants with exam credit for a course need a 2.8 GPA in the remaining coursework (2026-27 catalog). Source
- Also note
Cognitive Science is on UCSC's Fall 2026 screening majors list. Source
- Every Santa Cruz major
For Fall 2026, UCSC screens transfer applicants for completion of major preparation courses in a published list of screening majors, with criteria given in each major's General Catalog entry. Source
Required major preparation must be completed by the end of the spring term before fall transfer, or by the end of the fall term before winter transfer. Source
TAG for this major
UC Santa Cruz’s TAG covers cognitive science for fall 2027 at a 3.00 UC-transferable GPA. TAG filing runs September 1–30 of the year before you transfer. All UCSC majors are open to TAG, and Cognitive Science is a screening major with added major preparation criteria.
Your odds
Move the GPA to see a regular-review range at UC Santa Cruz.
The same major at other campuses
| Campus | Selection criteria | TAG |
|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | Yes | No TAG |
| UCLA | Yes | No TAG |
| UC San Diego | None stated | No TAG |
| UC Irvine | Yes | 3.40 |
| UC Davis | Yes | 3.20 |
| UC Merced | Yes | 2.80 |
Other majors at UC Santa Cruz
- Anthropology
- Bioengineering
- Biological Sciences
- Business Administration
- Business Economics
- Chemistry
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Earth Science / Geology
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- English
- Environmental Science
- Film and Media Studies
- History
- Linguistics
- Mathematics
- Neuroscience
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Sociology
Official links
- UC Santa Cruz transfer admissionsadmissions.ucsc.edu
- ASSIST: course agreements to UC Santa Cruzassist.org
Questions
What GPA do you need to transfer to UC Santa Cruz for cognitive science?
Each required course must be passed with a C (2.0) or higher, with a cumulative GPA of 2.8 across the required courses. Applicants with exam credit for a course need a 2.8 GPA in the remaining coursework (2026-27 catalog). A TAG needs at least a 3.00.
What classes do I need to transfer to UC Santa Cruz for cognitive science?
Required before transfer are one calculus course (AM 11A, MATH 11A, 16A, 19A or 20A), one statistics course (PSYC 2, STAT 5, or STAT 7 with 7L) and one programming course (CSE 13S, CSE 20, CSE 30 or ECE 13), done by the end of spring term before fall entry (2026-27 catalog). Check each course on ASSIST for your college.
Can I get a TAG for cognitive science at UC Santa Cruz?
Yes, for fall 2027, with at least a 3.00 GPA. TAG filing runs September 1–30 of the year before you transfer.