Find Your Major
Admission Requirements
Student Life
Student Costs

Transfers: Special Situations

Happy student

Not every transfer student fits the typical profile of a California community college student applying to a bachelor’s degree program in the fall quarter. Read on to see how our admission policies address a number of special situations.

Winter and Spring Quarter Applications

UC Davis typically does not accept applications for admission during winter and spring quarters. You may contact our office in the month before these application periods to find out whether we are accepting applications from transfer students for that quarter.

See our application timetable for specific filing dates for each application period.

Earning a Second Bachelor's Degree

If you have a bachelor's degree substantially equivalent to one granted by the University of California, you may enroll as an undergraduate seeking a second bachelor's degree. Admission under this status will require a superior academic record and clear evidence of a change in objective. You must submit the online UC undergraduate application for admission and scholarships. Application filing dates are the same as those for new undergraduate applicants.

Second baccalaureate degree applicants will be considered only in the following majors within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences: biotechnology, (pre-) landscape architecture, and viticulture and enology. The College of Engineering will consider applicants if their first degree is not in engineering and if they complete the lower division engineering program at a California community college. Admissions to the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and College of Engineering require approval of the Undergraduate Admissions director and dean of the college. The College of Letters and Science and the College of Biological Sciences do not accept second baccalaureate applicants.

Transferring Before Reaching Junior Status

If you plan to apply before earning junior-level status (90 transferable quarter units or 60 transferable semester units) you may apply to the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in non-selective majors (see a list of selective majors). The College of Letters and Science, the College of Engineering and the College of Biological Sciences accept applications from junior-level transfers only.

Limited Status Enrollment

Students in limited status are those whose special achievements qualify them to take certain university courses toward a definite and limited objective. You will not be admitted to limited status for the purpose of raising a low scholarship average. As a limited status student, you will be expected to maintain a certain scholarship standing during a predetermined period of enrollment. As an alternative to applying for limited status admission, you may wish to consider enrolling in our UC Davis Extension Open Campus program.

To apply for limited status admission, you must either have a bachelor's degree (and not be a candidate for an advanced degree), or have completed a substantial amount of college work with a satisfactory grade point average. You must submit the online UC undergraduate application for admission and scholarships. Application filing dates and fees are the same as those for new undergraduate applicants.

Admission to the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences requires approval of the Undergraduate Admissions director and dean of the college. The College of Biological Sciences, College of Engineering and the College of Letters and Science do not accept limited status applicants.