Electrical Engineering at UC Santa Cruz
What UC Santa Cruz expects electrical engineering transfers to finish before fall 2027. Below are Santa Cruz’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
- 70.4%
- Screens applicants
- 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
Electrical Engineering B.S.
- Courses to finish
Transfers entering fall 2026 and later must complete MATH 19A and 19B, AM 10 or MATH 21, AM 20 or MATH 24, physics equivalent to PHYS 5A, 5B, 5L, 5M, 5C and 5N, and CSE 12 (2026-27 catalog). Source
Recommended before transfer are PHYS 5D, CSE 20, MATH 23A and 23B, ECE 13, and other listed courses. Source
- Selection
Students must keep a cumulative GPA of at least 2.8 in all EE screening courses, and four required courses must be done by the end of fall term of the year before transfer with a 2.8 GPA. AP credit satisfies a course but does not count in the GPA. Source
- Also note
Transfers must have applied and been admitted to UCSC as a proposed EE major and should declare in their first quarter. 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
UC’s shared course list
UC’s Electrical engineering Transfer Pathway lists the courses that prepare you for this major at every campus, UC Santa Cruz included. Where Santa Cruz’s own list above asks for more, follow the campus.
| Course | Status |
|---|---|
| Single variable calculus for STEM majors (one-year sequence) | Required |
| Multivariable/vector calculus | Required |
| Linear algebra | Required |
| Ordinary differential equations | Required |
| Calculus-based physics (3 semesters / 5 quarters through modern physics, with labs) | Required |
| General chemistry 1 (with lab) | Required |
| Circuit analysis (with lab) | Required |
| Computer programming (one course) | Required |
| Logic design | Recommended |
Paste your course titles to see which items they cover.
TAG for this major
UC Santa Cruz’s TAG covers electrical engineering for fall 2027 at a 3.00 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 Santa Cruz for electrical engineering.
The same major at other campuses
| Campus | Screens applicants | TAG |
|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | Yes | No TAG |
| UCLA | Yes | No TAG |
| UC San Diego | Yes | No TAG |
| UC Irvine | Yes | 3.40 |
| UC Davis | Yes | 3.50 |
| UC Santa Barbara | Yes | Not covered |
| UC Riverside | Yes | 3.00 |
| UC Merced | Yes | 3.00 |
Other majors at UC Santa Cruz
- Anthropology
- Bioengineering
- Biological Sciences
- Business Administration
- Business Economics
- Chemistry
- Cognitive Science
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Earth Science / Geology
- Economics
- 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 electrical engineering?
Students must keep a cumulative GPA of at least 2.8 in all EE screening courses, and four required courses must be done by the end of fall term of the year before transfer with a 2.8 GPA. AP credit satisfies a course but does not count in the GPA. A TAG needs at least a 3.00.
What classes do I need to transfer to UC Santa Cruz for electrical engineering?
Transfers entering fall 2026 and later must complete MATH 19A and 19B, AM 10 or MATH 21, AM 20 or MATH 24, physics equivalent to PHYS 5A, 5B, 5L, 5M, 5C and 5N, and CSE 12 (2026-27 catalog). Check each course on ASSIST for your college.
Is electrical engineering selective or screened at UC Santa Cruz?
Yes. UC Santa Cruz screens transfer applicants for it. Students must keep a cumulative GPA of at least 2.8 in all EE screening courses, and four required courses must be done by the end of fall term of the year before transfer with a 2.8 GPA. AP credit satisfies a course but does not count in the GPA.
Can I get a TAG for electrical engineering 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.