Community College to UC · Popular Majors
CC to UC Mathematics and Statistics:Prerequisites by Campus
Mathematics and Statistics each have a UC Transfer Pathway, and both center on calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations. Mathematics is open to TAG at all six TAG campuses, but some campuses set separate grade thresholds for prerequisites.
- UC Transfer Pathway (Mathematics)
- Yes, for 12 degree programs at 9 campuses
- UC Transfer Pathway (Statistics)
- Yes, for 5 campuses: UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA, UC Riverside, UC San Diego
- Mathematics pathway prerequisites
- One year of calculus, multivariable calculus, differential equations, linear algebra
- Fall 2027 TAG (Mathematics)
- Open at all six TAG campuses, with thresholds from 2.8 to 3.4
- UC Davis Mathematics and Statistics
- Prerequisite group GPA of 3.00
- UC Santa Barbara Mathematics
- Prerequisite GPA of 2.75, with no grade below C
Transfer Admission Data for Mathematics and Statistics at Each UC Campus (Fall 2025)
According to the University of California Information Center, admit rates for fall 2025 transfer applicants across the 18 campus majors in the table below range from 26.1% for UC Berkeley Mathematics to 84.7% for UC Davis Statistics. Of these, 1 fall below the overall transfer admit rate of their campus.
Major names follow the official UC wording; "Pre-" in UCLA major names indicates admission in pre-major status. An admit rate reflects how competitive a major is and does not represent the chance of admission for any individual student.
Admit rate for this majorOverall transfer admit rate of the campus
| Campus | Major (Official UC Name) | Applicants | Admits | Admit Rate | Admit GPA (Middle 50%) | 2016 to 2025 Admit Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | Mathematics | 283 | 74 | 26.1% | 3.72 to 4.00 | |
| Applied Mathematics | 727 | 274 | 37.7% | 3.81 to 4.00 | ||
| Statistics | 309 | 95 | 30.7% | 3.79 to 4.00 | ||
| UCLA | Pre-Mathematics | 268 | 84 | 31.3% | 3.89 to 4.00 | |
| Pre-Applied Mathematics | 379 | 135 | 35.6% | 3.89 to 4.00 | ||
| UC San Diego | Mathematics | 277 | 175 | 63.2% | 3.51 to 3.96 | |
| Applied Mathematics | 272 | 181 | 66.5% | 3.67 to 3.97 | ||
| Probability and Statistics | 119 | 69 | 58.0% | 3.72 to 4.00 | ||
| UC Irvine | Mathematics | 572 | 394 | 68.9% | 3.64 to 3.96 | |
| Applied and Computational Mathematics | 255 | 183 | 71.8% | 3.68 to 3.97 | ||
| UC Davis | Mathematics | 192 | 137 | 71.4% | 3.54 to 4.00 | |
| Applied Mathematics | 243 | 168 | 69.1% | 3.63 to 3.98 | ||
| Statistics | 215 | 182 | 84.7% | 3.46 to 3.92 | ||
| UC Santa Barbara | Mathematics | 349 | 265 | 75.9% | 3.47 to 3.92 | |
| Applied Mathematics | 407 | 338 | 83.0% | 3.59 to 4.00 | ||
| UC Santa Cruz | Mathematics | 181 | 139 | 76.8% | 3.34 to 3.87 | |
| UC Riverside | Mathematics | 218 | 171 | 78.4% | 3.23 to 3.82 | |
| UC Merced | Applied Mathematics | 226 | 118 | 52.2% | 3.34 to 3.85 |
Fall admission data. UC does not publish categories with fewer than 5 applicants or with fewer than 3 admits or enrollees; these appear as "—". GPA is the self-reported transfer GPA of applicants, and the range covers the middle 50 percent of admitted students. The trend charts use a fixed vertical axis from 0 to 100% for easier comparison; a line breaks in years when the major was renamed. The UC Information Center campus summary table does not yet list UCLA data for fall 2025, so the UCLA rows have no campus-wide admit rate marker. Campus names link to the corresponding transfer guide. Source: UC Infocenter · Transfers by major (visualizedata.ucop.edu, Transfersbymajor workbook, fall admission), retrieved September 27, 2026.
Mathematics and Statistics are foundational science majors for community college students transferring to UC, and all 9 undergraduate campuses offer mathematics majors. Mathematics and Statistics each have a UC Transfer Pathway; their prerequisites overlap heavily, and both center on calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations. The difficulty lies not in the number of courses but in the grade thresholds. UC Davis, UC Irvine, and UC Santa Barbara calculate a separate GPA for prerequisites, and UC Irvine also requires a B or higher in each calculus course. At UCLA, Statistics and Data Science and Financial Actuarial Mathematics are highly selective majors. Mathematics is open to TAG at all six TAG campuses. The data section below lists transfer admission outcomes for this major at each campus.
Common Prerequisites
This section explains the courses in the two UC Transfer Pathways for Mathematics and Statistics. UC Transfer Pathways are unified prerequisite lists that UC has compiled for popular majors. The UC website states that completing the courses on the list satisfies all transfer course requirements for the majors listed.
| Course type | Mathematics pathway | Statistics pathway |
|---|---|---|
| Single Variable Calculus | Full sequence | Full sequence |
| Multivariable Calculus | 1 course | 1 course |
| Linear Algebra | 1 course | 1 course |
| Differential Equations | 1 course | 1 course |
| Introductory Data Science / Statistics | Not required | 1 course |
The Mathematics pathway applies to 12 degree programs at 9 campuses, including Applied Mathematics and Mathematical Analytics and Operations Research at UC Davis, and Applied Mathematical Sciences at UC Merced. The Statistics pathway applies to only 5 campuses: UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCLA, UC Riverside, and Mathematics-Probability and Statistics at UC San Diego. The UC Mathematics pathway states that a full sequence in physics, chemistry, biology, or economics is recommended for some majors. Starting in fall 2024, these sequences are no longer listed as Mathematics pathway requirements, and completing them after transfer will not affect admission. Course articulation should be verified course by course in the system described in the ASSIST guide.
Requirements by Campus
This section compares transfer thresholds for Mathematics and Statistics majors at each campus. Most campuses require prerequisites to be completed by the end of the spring term before transfer.
| Campus | Major | Grade threshold | Required prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | Mathematics (College of Letters and Science), Statistics | Transferable GPA 3.0 | Major prerequisites as listed in ASSIST |
| UCLA | Mathematics majors, pre-major at entry | No published minimum | One and a half years of calculus through multivariable calculus, linear algebra or differential equations |
| UCLA | Statistics and Data Science, highly selective | No published minimum | One introductory statistics course, one and a half years of calculus, linear algebra |
| UC Davis | Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and related majors; selective | Prerequisite group GPA 3.00 | Four calculus courses (including vector analysis), linear algebra and differential equations |
| UC Davis | Statistics, selective major | Prerequisite group GPA 3.00 | A calculus series, linear algebra, one statistics course |
| UC Irvine | Mathematics (School of Physical Sciences) | Transferable GPA 3.0; prerequisite GPA 3.0 | One year of calculus, with no grade below B |
| UC San Diego | Mathematics; Mathematics-Probability and Statistics; screened majors | C or higher in each course | Three calculus courses, linear algebra; differential equations recommended |
| UC Santa Barbara | Mathematics, Applied Mathematics | Prerequisite GPA 2.75; C or higher in each course | Calculus I, II, plus 1 course chosen from linear algebra, differential equations, and multivariable calculus |
| UC Santa Barbara | Statistics and Data Science, pre-major at entry | Prerequisite GPA 2.75 | Calculus I, II, linear algebra, multivariable calculus, one programming course |
| UC Santa Cruz | Mathematics, screening major | No GPA threshold listed in the catalog | Calculus I, II, linear algebra, vector calculus |
| UC Riverside | Mathematics, Statistics | Transferable GPA 2.7 | Three calculus courses, plus one sequence in biology, chemistry, mathematics, or physics |
UC Santa Cruz also requires mathematics transfer students to take an introduction to proofs course in their first quarter before they can formally declare the major. Applied Mathematical Sciences at UC Merced is part of the Mathematics pathway; its TAG status appears in the next section. For more comparison of Statistics and Data Science, see the Data Science major page.
Can TAG Be Used
This section explains the status of Mathematics and Statistics at the six TAG campuses. TAG stands for Transfer Admission Guarantee; for the full rules, see Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG). UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego do not participate in TAG.
| Campus | TAG available | Threshold and notes |
|---|---|---|
| UC Davis | Yes | College of Letters and Science 3.2; the prerequisite group GPA must also be met |
| UC Irvine | Yes (Mathematics) | 3.4; not on the list of new exclusions for fall 2028 |
| UC Merced | Yes | School of Natural Sciences 2.9 |
| UC Riverside | Yes | College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences 2.8 |
| UC Santa Barbara | Yes | 3.4; mathematics and statistics majors carry an additional prerequisite GPA requirement |
| UC Santa Cruz | Yes | 3.0; some majors carry an additional prerequisite GPA requirement |
For College of Letters and Science majors with a pre-major, UC Santa Barbara’s TAG guarantees pre-major status only. Statistics and Data Science at UC Santa Barbara has a pre-major, so after transferring the student must still complete on-campus requirements.
How to Plan Two Years of Courses
This section provides a sample schedule for a semester-system community college. Mathematics prerequisites are concentrated in the calculus sequence and must be taken in order, one course at a time.
| Term | Major prerequisites (sample) | Other courses |
|---|---|---|
| First year, fall | Calculus I | English Composition I, 2 general education courses |
| First year, spring | Calculus II, introductory statistics | English Composition II, 1 general education course |
| Second year, fall | Multivariable calculus, linear algebra | 2 general education courses |
| Second year, spring | Differential equations, 1 physics or programming course | 1 to 2 general education courses |
At quarter-system community colleges, calculus is usually divided into three parts, so the sequence takes more terms. The Mathematics pathway has only 4 course types, so general education courses can be scheduled alongside them. Cal-GETC is the general education pattern of the California Community Colleges; for details, see the Cal-GETC guide. The UCLA College of Letters and Science strongly recommends completing Cal-GETC. The UC Riverside College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences does not accept Cal-GETC as satisfying its college general education requirements. EDUBUS recommends that the student decide whether to complete the full Cal-GETC based on target campuses.
EDUBUS advice: UC Davis requires a prerequisite group GPA of 3.00, UC Irvine requires a B or higher in each calculus course, and UC Santa Barbara requires 2.75. Calculus grades count toward the prerequisite thresholds at all three campuses, so EDUBUS recommends making them the focus of the two-year plan. Mathematics is open to TAG at all six TAG campuses, with thresholds from 2.8 to 3.4. EDUBUS recommends that the student complete two or more calculus courses before the fall of the second year to keep both the TAG and regular application routes open. Students planning to study statistics should take introductory statistics in the first year to meet UCLA and UC Davis requirements. For the GPA calculation method, see How the Transfer GPA Is Calculated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which courses does a community college student need to transfer to UC in Mathematics?
The UC Transfer Pathway for Mathematics requires one year of single variable calculus, one multivariable calculus course, one differential equations course, and one linear algebra course. A full sequence in physics, chemistry, biology, or economics is recommended for some majors. UC states that completing these sequences after transfer will not affect admission.
What are the requirements to transfer to UCLA in Mathematics or Statistics?
UCLA mathematics majors require one and a half years of calculus through multivariable calculus, plus linear algebra or differential equations, and students enter as pre-majors. Statistics and Data Science is a highly selective major that requires one introductory statistics course, one and a half years of calculus, and linear algebra. Financial Actuarial Mathematics and Mathematics/Economics are also highly selective majors.
Can a community college student use TAG for Mathematics at UC?
Yes. For the Fall 2027 admission cycle, mathematics majors are open to TAG at all six TAG campuses. UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara set additional GPA requirements for mathematics prerequisites. For majors with a pre-major, UC Santa Barbara guarantees pre-major status only.
Do Mathematics majors need to complete Cal-GETC?
The UC Berkeley College of Letters and Science states that Cal-GETC is not an admission requirement. The UCLA College of Letters and Science strongly recommends that California Community Colleges students complete Cal-GETC. The UC Riverside College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences does not accept Cal-GETC as satisfying its college general education requirements and recommends prioritizing major prerequisites.
Sources and Verification Date13 official sources · last verified September 27, 2026
- Transfers by major, fall 2025 and earlier years (UC Infocenter, retrieved September 27, 2026)universityofcalifornia.edu
- UC Transfer Pathways: Mathematics (UC Admissions)admission.universityofcalifornia.edu
- UC Transfer Pathways: Statistics (UC Admissions)admission.universityofcalifornia.edu
- UC TAG Matrix, Fall 2027 and Spring 2028 cycle (June 9, 2026 version)admission.universityofcalifornia.edu
- Transfer admission information by college (UC Berkeley Office of Undergraduate Admissions)admissions.berkeley.edu
- Transfer Preparation Requirements: Mathematics Majors (UCLA Undergraduate Admission)admission.ucla.edu
- Transfer Preparation Requirements: Statistics and Data Science (UCLA Undergraduate Admission)admission.ucla.edu
- Major requirements for the College of Letters and Science (UC Davis Undergraduate Admissions)ucdavis.edu
- Transfer Requirements by School (UC Irvine Office of Undergraduate Admissions)admissions.uci.edu
- Transfer Major Preparation (UC San Diego Undergraduate Admissions)admissions.ucsd.edu
- Selective Majors for Transfer (UC Santa Barbara Undergraduate Admissions)admissions.sa.ucsb.edu
- Mathematics B.A. (UC Santa Cruz General Catalog)catalog.ucsc.edu
- Majors Preparation Guide (UC Riverside Undergraduate Admissions)admissions.ucr.edu
Major requirements, TAG conditions, and admission data change every year. Before applying, confirm the figures published by UC and each campus for the current year.
