UC Transfer Admission Guarantee
The University of California Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) is an agreement that guarantees your place into one of six participating UC
campuses, provided that you meet the requirements of TAG for that campus.
Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) information is updated each year in August, when
the University of California releases the new TAG Matrix for the upcoming application
cycle. Check back for the latest updates.
How to Secure Your UC TAG
To be eligible for UC TAG, your major must be availble for TAG at your UC campus, and you must meet all TAG, UC and campus requirements.
Review TAG requirements for each UC campus, or use the UC TAG Matrix to review Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 TAG information in one place.
Attend a UC TAG workshop offered by a UC campus or through the Transfer Center during the months of August and September.
The UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP) is a helpful tool for planning your transfer and completing your TAG application.
Through UC TAP you can:
- Plan and track your courses (including completed, in progress, and planned coursework)
- Estimate your UC-transferable units and GPA
- Receive information from select UC admissions offices
- Submit your UC TAG application
- Import your coursework directly into the UC application so you don't have to re-enter it later.
Create your UC TAP account.
Note: You cannot submit your UC TAG with a UC TAP account!
Meet with a San Diego City College Counselor to create or update your education plan so it aligns with UC TAG requirements and your transfer goals.
Students are also advised to connect with a UC representative from their TAG campus to review their UC TAP and gain useful information about the campus, major, etc.
Submit your UC TAG Application approximately one year before your intended transfer term.
Fall UC TAG Application Filing Period: September 1-30 one year prior to transfer.
Spring UC TAG Application Filing Period: May 1-31 the year prior to transfer. (Currently open for UC Merced only.)
After submitting your TAG application, you must also complete and submit your UC application. Your TAG is not valid without it.
Fall UC Application Filing Period: October 1-November 30 one year prior to transfer.
Spring UC Application Filing Period: July 1-31 the year prior to transfer.
- If you plan to transfer in the fall, follow the Fall Transfer Timeline for UC students.
- If you plan to transfer in the spring, follow the Spring Transfer Timeline for important UC steps and deadlines.
Students are encouraged to keep in contact with their UC representative as needed through virtual appointments and the fall and spring transfer fairs at City College.
Important UC TAG Deadlines
| Term | Application Opens | Application Filing Period |
|---|---|---|
| Fall UC TAG Application | September 1 | September 1 - September 30 |
| Fall UC Application | August 1 | October 1 - November 30 |
| Winter/Spring UC TAG Application* | May 1 | May 1 - May 31 |
| Winter/Spring UC Application* | July 1 | July 1 - July 31 |
*Note: Currently only UC Merced offers a winter/spring TAG. UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz
offer a general winter/spring admission term. (This information is subject to change.)
Need more information about TAG? Sign up for a TAG workshop or visit the Transfer Center.
Students must complete at least 30 semester UC-transferable units by the end of the summer term prior to applying for TAG. They must also complete at least one UC-E (English) and one UC-M (Math) course by the end of the fall term in the year prior to transfer.
Important Reminders for Your UC TAG Submission
- To submit a UC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) application, you must first create a UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP) account. The option to submit your TAG application will only be available once you've entered information in each area of your TAP account.
- We encourage you to create your UC TAP account as early as possible in your transfer journey.
- You may "TAG" to one UC campus. Participating campuses are: Davis, Irvine, Merced, Santa Cruz, Riverside, Santa Barbara.
- Most UC campuses only accept TAG for fall admission. Currently, only UC Merced accepts TAG applications for spring admission.
- You must submit your UC TAG application between September 1-30 for fall admission, and May 1-31 for spring admission. Your UC TAG application is not valid without it!
- If you miss the UC TAG deadline, you may still apply for admission during the regular admission cycle.
- Be sure that your TAG application major and your UC application major are the same, otherwise your TAG will be void.
- Don't forget that you will need to complete your Transfer Academic Update (TAU) after completing the TAG and UC applications. The TAU deadline for fall admission is January 31; for winter submission is required in August.
- You must maintain your TAG eligibility following submission of your TAG application.
- View the TAG requirements here.
The TAG application is not the UC application. You must still submit a UC application during the appropriate filing period: October 1-November 30 for fall admission; July 1-31 for winter/spring.
Rooting for You!