Community College to UC for International Students

How the route works

1. Apply to a community college

   Each college sets its own English requirement, funding amount, and deadlines, and most accept international applications for both fall and spring.

2. Get the I-20 and F-1 visa

   After admission and proof of funds, the college issues Form I-20. The student pays the SEVIS fee, applies for the F-1 visa, and may enter the U.S. no earlier than 30 days before the program start date.

3. Place into English and math

   First-term English and math placement decides how quickly the transfer courses can start, so it is the first academic step to prepare for.

4. Complete two years of transfer courses

   UC expects 60 transferable semester units, the 7-course pattern, and the major preparation courses. International students need at least a 2.8 GPA in UC-transferable courses.

5. Apply to UC as a junior

   Students may use TAG at one of six campuses in September, then submit the UC application from October 1 to November 30. After admission, the SEVIS record transfers from the college to UC.

The TAG cycle for fall 2027 entry takes applications from September 1 to 30, 2026. A federal court blocked the fixed-admission-period rule for F-1 students nationwide on September 14, 2026, so the existing duration-of-status framework still applies; confirm current rules with the college's international office before traveling.

How EDUBUS helps

• Choosing a community college by target UC campus and major, honors programs, cost, and housing.
• Application, I-20, and visa preparation, including the funding documents each college requires.
• A two-year course plan built around the target campus, checked every term for units, GPA, and TAG timing.
• UC application support, from the TAG decision to the Personal Insight Questions and the transfer academic update.

Read the full Community College to UC plan →中文版：国际学生走 CC 转 UC 完整流程 →