Community College Library · Orange County · Irvine
Irvine Valley College to UC: Honors Program and International Admission
Irvine Valley College is in Irvine, offers an Honors Program, and is a UCLA Transfer Alliance Program member. International students must meet the English requirement first, because the college does not issue I-20s for ESL study.
- Book a community college transfer consultation
- Semester calendar
- UCLA Transfer Alliance Program member
- Honors Program
- 995 admitted to UC in 2024-25 ↓
- International tuition per unit
- $512 (2026-27 academic year)
- Fall admission, applying from abroad
- February 1 to July 1 each year
- Spring admission, applying from abroad
- September 1 to December 1 each year
- English requirement (selected tests)
- TOEFL iBT 52 or 3.5 on the new score scale, IELTS 4.5, Duolingo 80
- I-20 proof of funds (2026-27 academic year)
- $32,920
- UCLA Fall 2025 transfer profile
- 1,026 applicants, 31% admit rate, GPA 3.76 to 4.00
IVC to UC: ten years of transfer data
- UC applicants, 2024-25
- 1,259
- Admitted to UC
- 995
- Admit rate
- 79.0%
- Change in applicants since 2015-16
- +59%
- UC applicants
- Admitted
- Admit rate
- 2025-26 fall only
According to the UC Information Center, 1,259 Irvine Valley College students applied to UC in 2024-25, and 995 were admitted to at least one campus, 79.0% of applicants; 795 enrolled at UC. The campuses that admitted the most students that year were UC Irvine (648), UC San Diego (480), UC Santa Barbara (374). Compared with 794 applicants in 2015-16, that is an increase of 59%. For 2025-26, only fall data are available so far: 1,455 applied and 1,184 were admitted, which cannot be compared directly with the earlier full-year figures.
UC campus comparison, 2024-25
| Campus | Applicants | Admitted | Admit rate | Enrolled | Average GPA of admitted students | Ten-year admissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC systemwide | 1,259 | 995 | 79.0% | 795 | 3.61 | |
| UC Irvine | 1,171 | 648 | 55.3% | 350 | 3.72 | |
| UC San Diego | 783 | 480 | 61.3% | 126 | 3.67 | |
| UC Santa Barbara | 556 | 374 | 67.3% | 33 | 3.66 | |
| UC Riverside | 486 | 297 | 61.1% | 32 | 3.47 | |
| UCLA | 875 | 242 | 27.7% | 136 | 3.84 | |
| UC Davis | 361 | 226 | 62.6% | 21 | 3.64 | |
| UC Santa Cruz | 259 | 179 | 69.1% | 15 | 3.46 | |
| UC Berkeley | 627 | 163 | 26.0% | 80 | 3.78 | |
| UC Merced | 97 | 58 | 59.8% | — | 3.38 |
Admit rates are calculated from student counts. UC does not publish categories with fewer than five students; these appear as "—" in the table. GPA is the UC-calculated GPA in transferable courses. Campus names link to the corresponding transfer guides. Source: UC Infocenter · Admissions by source school (visualizedata.ucop.edu, AdmissionsDataTable transfer view), retrieved 2026-09-27.
Irvine Valley College (IVC) is a community college in Irvine, Orange County, that operates on a semester calendar. Students who complete transfer coursework here can apply to transfer to the University of California (UC). IVC enrolls international students on F-1 visas, offers an Honors Program, and is a member of the UCLA Transfer Alliance Program (TAP). For students who are aiming for UCLA or UC Irvine and are willing to join the Honors Program, the path from IVC to UC is relatively clear. International students must meet the English score requirement first, because the college does not issue I-20s for ESL study. The data section below shows how IVC students have transferred to each UC campus.
Transfer support and honors programs
Honors Program: completion requirements
- Complete 15 UC-transferable honors units by the end of the final spring semester
- Take at least 9 honors units at IVC; no more than 6 honors units may come from other colleges
- Maintain a UC-transferable course GPA and an honors course GPA of at least 3.25 each
- Complete 30 UC-transferable units at IVC before transfer
Thresholds come from the official websites of the college, UCLA, and UC Irvine. The actual average admit GPA is UC Information Center data for IVC students in 2024-25; an average is not an admission cutoff. Further reading: UCLA Transfer Alliance Program, How transfer GPA is calculated.
UCLA Transfer Alliance Program (TAP)IVC is on UCLA's official list of member colleges. Students who complete the Honors Program and are certified receive priority consideration when applying to UCLA. Starting in May 2026, students who attend a community college for only one year cannot receive TAP certification.
Transfer CenterStudents can make an appointment or drop in; the center hosts application workshops for UC, CSU, and private universities, and arranges meetings with admission representatives and campus tours.
International student admission
2026-27 academic year. At 12 units per semester, tuition for one academic year is $12,288.
International application periods
- Fall admissionFebruary 1 to July 1
- Spring admissionSeptember 1 to December 1
- Summer admissionFebruary 1 to April 10
Transfer students already in the United States in F-1 status are accepted on a rolling basis year-round. Once the application file is complete, the college usually responds within 3 to 5 days.
English proficiency (any one)
- 52TOEFL iBTor 3.5 on the new score scale
- 4.5IELTS
- 80Duolingo
Scores must be from within the past two years. IVC does not issue I-20s for ESL study, so applicants must meet the English requirement before applying.
I-20 proof of funds$32,9202026-27 academic year estimate, plus $5,000 for each accompanying dependent; bank statements must be issued within the past 4 months.
- Students under 18 must be at least 17 years old when classes begin and must have a legal guardian living within 25 miles of Irvine.
Further reading: I-20 and visa, Annual budget, English and math placement.
Academic calendar and course planning
Semester calendar: fall and spring are the two main terms, and the units are already semester units, so no conversion is needed. The Honors Program requires at least 9 honors units by the end of the fall semester before transfer, so students should begin honors courses in the first academic year.
Further reading: The 7-course pattern, Cal-GETC general education courses.
Housing and transportation
- ✕On-campus housing
- The college website states that IVC has no student residence halls and does not provide on-campus housing.
- ✓Homestay
- The international student housing page lists providers such as HomestayMatch, Universal Student Housing, and WISE, as well as nearby apartments and furniture rental companies. The college states that it does not vet or recommend specific providers.
- Transportation
- When choosing housing, also check the bus routes to campus and the commute time.
Further reading: Housing and homestays.
EDUBUS advice
- Before applying
International students should obtain a qualifying English score before applying, because IVC does not issue I-20s for ESL study; confirm the tuition and proof-of-funds amounts again with the International Student Office.
- First semester
Students targeting UCLA should plan courses for a transferable course GPA of 3.5 or higher, which is the TAP certification threshold and higher than the 3.25 required by the Honors Program itself.
- First academic year
Begin honors courses to ensure that 9 honors units are completed by the end of the fall semester of the second year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it difficult to transfer from Irvine Valley College to UCLA?
UCLA's Fall 2025 transfer profile shows that 1,026 IVC students applied to UCLA, with an admit rate of 31%. The 25th to 75th percentile GPA of admitted students was 3.76 to 4.00. Students who complete the Honors Program and earn TAP certification receive priority consideration at UCLA, but this is not an admission guarantee.
What is the tuition for international students at Irvine Valley College?
For the 2026-27 academic year, IVC charges international students $512 per unit: $409 in tuition, a $57 capital outlay fee, and a $46 enrollment fee. At 12 units per semester, tuition for one academic year is $12,288. The I-20 application requires proof of $32,920 in funds, plus $5,000 for each accompanying dependent.
Can a student apply to Irvine Valley College without a TOEFL score?
No. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit an English test score from within the past two years, such as TOEFL iBT 52, IELTS 4.5, or Duolingo 80. The college states that it does not issue I-20s for ESL study, so students who have not met the English requirement need to complete their language study at another language school first.
What does the IVC Honors Program require for UCLA TAP?
The Honors Program requires 15 UC-transferable honors units, with a transferable course GPA and an honors course GPA of at least 3.25 each. For UCLA TAP certification, the transferable course GPA must reach 3.5. UCLA also specifies that, starting in May 2026, students who attend a community college for only one year cannot receive TAP certification.
Sources and Verification Date11 official sources · Last checked September 27, 2026
- Admissions by source school, transfer data (UC Infocenter, retrieved 2026-09-27)universityofcalifornia.edu
- Application Deadlines (Irvine Valley College International Student Program)ivc.edu
- International Admission Requirements (Irvine Valley College)ivc.edu
- Tuition and Fees Information (Irvine Valley College Student Payment Services)ivc.edu
- Estimate of Expenses 2026-2027 (Irvine Valley College, PDF)ivc.edu
- Honors Program Requirements (Irvine Valley College)ivc.edu
- Transfer Center Services and Resources (Irvine Valley College)ivc.edu
- Housing Information (Irvine Valley College International Student Program)ivc.edu
- UCLA Transfer Alliance Program (UCLA Undergraduate Admission)admission.ucla.edu
- Transfer Profile by Community College (UCLA, Fall 2025)admission.ucla.edu
- Transfer basic requirements (UC Admissions)admission.universityofcalifornia.edu
Campus photo provided by EDUBUS.
Admission rules, tuition, deadlines, and visa policies change every year. Before applying, confirm the current information published by the college and the relevant official agencies.
