Community College Library · Los Angeles County · Woodland Hills
Los Angeles Pierce College to UC: Honors Program and International Students
Los Angeles Pierce College is in the San Fernando Valley within the City of Los Angeles and is a UCLA Transfer Alliance Program member. The college accepts many forms of English proficiency proof, and international students can take ESL alongside major coursework.
- Book a community college transfer consultation
- Semester calendar
- UCLA Transfer Alliance Program member
- Honors Transfer Program
- 535 admitted to UC in 2024-25 ↓
- International tuition per unit
- $397 nonresident tuition + $46 enrollment fee
- Deadlines for applicants abroad
- January 2, 2027 for Spring 2027; July 15, 2027 for Fall 2027
- English requirement (selected tests)
- TOEFL iBT 45 (3 on the new scale from 2026), IELTS 4.5, Duolingo 75
- Proof of funds
- $33,000 (one academic year, 9 months)
- Honors certification
- At least 15 graded UC-transferable units; UC-transferable GPA of at least 3.25
- UCLA Fall 2025 transfer profile
- 653 applicants, 36% admit rate, GPA 3.77 to 4.00
LAPC to UC: ten years of transfer data
- UC applicants, 2024-25
- 671
- Admitted to UC
- 535
- Admit rate
- 79.7%
- Change in applicants since 2015-16
- +27%
- UC applicants
- Admitted
- Admit rate
- 2025-26 fall only
According to the UC Information Center, 671 Los Angeles Pierce College students applied to UC in 2024-25, and 535 were admitted to at least one campus, 79.7% of applicants; 394 enrolled at UC. The campuses that admitted the most students that year were UC Santa Barbara (279), UC San Diego (254), UC Irvine (220). Compared with 528 applicants in 2015-16, that is an increase of 27%. For 2025-26, only fall data are available so far: 746 applied and 606 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 | 671 | 535 | 79.7% | 394 | 3.64 | |
| UC Santa Barbara | 371 | 279 | 75.2% | 45 | 3.67 | |
| UC San Diego | 387 | 254 | 65.6% | 57 | 3.68 | |
| UC Irvine | 396 | 220 | 55.6% | 47 | 3.73 | |
| UCLA | 549 | 197 | 35.9% | 157 | 3.85 | |
| UC Berkeley | 326 | 126 | 38.7% | 42 | 3.79 | |
| UC Santa Cruz | 156 | 114 | 73.1% | 14 | 3.49 | |
| UC Davis | 178 | 113 | 63.5% | 19 | 3.62 | |
| UC Riverside | 165 | 109 | 66.1% | 12 | 3.55 | |
| UC Merced | 37 | 22 | 59.5% | — | 3.47 |
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.
Los Angeles Pierce College (LAPC, often called Pierce College) is a semester-system community college in Woodland Hills, in the San Fernando Valley within the City of Los Angeles. After completing transfer coursework here, students can apply to transfer to the University of California (UC). LAPC admits international students on F-1 visas, offers the Honors Transfer Program, and is a member of the UCLA Transfer Alliance Program (TAP). The college accepts many forms of English proficiency proof, and students with weaker English can take ESL and major courses at the same time. For students targeting UCLA who want to study within the City of Los Angeles, the path from LAPC to UC is relatively clear. The data section below shows how LAPC students transfer to each UC campus.
Transfer support and honors programs
Honors Transfer Program: completion requirements
- Entry: students with college grades need a UC-transferable GPA of 3.25; high school graduates without college coursework need a high school GPA of 3.0
- Complete at least 15 graded UC-transferable units
- Maintain a UC-transferable GPA of 3.25 or higher
- Complete one honors counseling appointment in the first semester in the program
- Meet with an honors counselor or the program director once each semester (recommended)
- Only specific course numbers designated as honors sections count toward honors certification
Thresholds come from the official websites of the college, UCLA, and UC Irvine. The actual average admit GPA is UC Information Center data for LAPC 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)LAPC appears on UCLA's official list of member colleges. The program page also lists partner institutions such as UC Irvine, Yale University, Loyola Marymount University, and Pomona College. Beginning in May 2026, students who attend a community college for only one year cannot receive TAP certification.
Transfer CenterOffers drop-in counseling from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, plus an online Zoom counseling room; hosts transfer workshops and university admission events, and explains UC TAG and the CSU Transfer Success Pathway.
International student admission
The college's fee page does not specify the academic year and states that fees may change; the latest notice from the International Students Office prevails. The one-year estimate is $32,986, including an estimated $19,500 in living expenses and $1,708 in health insurance.
International application periods
- Spring admissionDeadline: January 2, 2027
- Fall admissionOctober 1, 2026 to July 15, 2027
All dates are online application deadlines; supplemental documents are due 3 days later. Transfer students already in the U.S. with an I-20 have later deadlines: January 15 for Spring 2027 and August 2 for Fall 2027.
English proficiency (any one)
- 45TOEFL iBT3 on the new scale from 2026
- 4.5IELTS
- 75Duolingo
Many other forms of English proficiency proof are also accepted, such as PTE 39.
I-20 proof of funds$33,000For one academic year (9 months), plus $1,000 for each dependent.
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. Fall and spring are required semesters with at least 12 units each; winter and summer are optional. The college states that transfer-track coursework usually requires 60 to 70 units, while the minimum load allows only 48 units over two years, so students need to take additional courses or use winter and summer sessions. Students who need ESL can take ESL and major courses in the same semester, which reduces the effect on their transfer timeline.
Further reading: The 7-course pattern, Cal-GETC general education courses.
Housing and transportation
- ✕On-campus housing
- The college's international student housing page states that LAPC has no residence halls and no on-campus housing.
- ✓Homestay
- Many students live in nearby apartments or with homestay families. The housing page lists agencies such as Homestay Match and Universal Student Housing, some of which provide guardianship services for minor students, as well as apartments across from the college and student apartments in North Hollywood.
- Transportation
- Los Angeles Metro buses stop in front of the college, and students can apply for a GoPass to ride Metro for free.
Further reading: Housing and homestays.
EDUBUS advice
- Before applying
Proof of funds for international students is $33,000, which is higher than tuition and fees alone, so bank statements should be prepared early. When choosing housing for a minor student, give priority to homestay agencies that provide guardianship services.
- First semester
The Honors Transfer Program threshold is a GPA of 3.25, while the middle range of admitted students' GPAs in the UCLA profile is 3.77 to 4.00. Students targeting UCLA should plan coursework to a standard of 3.8 or higher.
- Course registration each semester
Honors certification counts only designated honors sections, so students should check each course number when registering.
Frequently Asked Questions
How difficult is it to transfer from Los Angeles Pierce College to UCLA?
According to UCLA's Fall 2025 transfer profile, 653 Los Angeles Pierce College students applied to UCLA, and the admit rate was 36%. The 25th to 75th percentile GPA of admitted students was 3.77 to 4.00. Students who receive TAP certification through the Honors Transfer Program receive priority consideration, but this is not an admission guarantee.
What is the tuition for international students at Pierce College?
The college's international student fee page lists nonresident tuition at $397 per unit, plus an enrollment fee of $46 per unit. Based on 12 units each in fall and spring, tuition for one academic year is $9,528 and the enrollment fee is $1,104. The one-year estimate including health insurance and living expenses is $32,986, and the required proof of funds is $33,000.
When are the application deadlines for international students at Pierce College?
For Spring 2027, the online application deadline for applicants abroad is January 2, 2027, and the document deadline is January 5. For Fall 2027, the deadline for applicants abroad is July 15, 2027, and the document deadline is July 18. Transfer students already in the United States with an I-20 have slightly later deadlines.
Can students with limited English attend Pierce College?
The college requires proof of English proficiency, such as TOEFL iBT 45, IELTS 4.5, or Duolingo 75, and students must reach a low-intermediate level. After enrolling, students can take credit ESL courses. The college states that ESL courses can be taken at the same time as major courses.
Sources and Verification Date10 official sources · Last checked September 27, 2026
- Admissions by source school, transfer data (UC Infocenter, retrieved 2026-09-27)universityofcalifornia.edu
- Prospective International Students (Los Angeles Pierce College)lapc.edu
- Application Deadlines (Los Angeles Pierce College International Student Services)lapc.edu
- English Proficiency Requirements (Los Angeles Pierce College)lapc.edu
- Fee Schedule & Estimated Living Expenses (Los Angeles Pierce College)lapc.edu
- Housing Options (Los Angeles Pierce College International Student Services)lapc.edu
- Honors Transfer Program & UCLA TAP (Los Angeles Pierce College)lapc.edu
- Transfer Center (Los Angeles Pierce College)lapc.edu
- UCLA Transfer Alliance Program (UCLA Undergraduate Admission)admission.ucla.edu
- Transfer Profile by Community College (UCLA, Fall 2025)admission.ucla.edu
Campus photo: Cbl62, 2008, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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.
