Transfer Application Information

What does "Transfer" mean for community college students?

Transfer is the process of continuing your education at a university/college that confers baccalaureate degrees (commonly referred to as a Bachelor degree - BA). Students who begin their studies at community college may prepare to apply and gain acceptance to a university or college after completing required general education and major preparation course work. This preparation may be completed within two years at a community college, but sometimes may take additional time (i.e. one or two more years depending upon initial community college academic readiness and selected major). If planned correctly with the assistance of a community college counselor, the courses that you pass at community college will count towards requirements for your baccalaureate degree just as if they had been taken at university/college institution.

There are four basic transfer areas that students will focus on prior to transfer:

General Education Requirements
Preparation for Major Courses
Minimum Required Transferable Units
Minimum Required GPA

Specific requirements vary depending on the college/university and major. Check to make sure you know and meet ALL the deadlines.

Three Important Steps to Transfer:

1. Choosing a Major: A major is a field of study that you emphasize in your college education. It is what you "specialize" in with your degree. To narrow down the options, students often begin to select their major by one of the following techniques:

If you know what university you want to attend, you can select from the list of majors at that university. Lists of majors at California public universities are available at www.assist.org (click on "Explore Majors")
If you think you might be interested in a particular major but are not sure, try taking a general education class in the major and see how you like it. Students often select their major based simply on the courses that are the most interesting to them.
Research majors at https://www.petersons.com/ and http://whatcanidowiththismajor.com/major/

While it's true that some majors do relate to specific careers, most majors do not. In fact, the majority of majors will actually help prepare you for many career possibilities. You can visit the Counseling Office or Transfer and Career Center for assistance in researching career fields, which may help you decide on a major.

2. Choosing a Transfer School: It is important to investigate transfer universities early in the transfer planning process. This is because each university typically has different transfer requirements, including different sets of courses you should complete prior to transfer. Students who do not select a transfer university early often complete many more courses than necessary.

Choosing a transfer university is also important because:

The majors offered at each university are different.
Each university has unique features, including factors like its student body, its location, and its extracurricular activities.
You are more likely to do well academically in a university environment that you enjoy.

To help you consider different options we encourage you to utilize Transfer Center services and Online Resources.

3. Planning Your Transfer Courses: Once you have decided what major you plan to pursue and your transfer university, the next step is to plan out your transfer courses and create an Educational Plan.

An educational plan serves as a crucial step in the transfer process ensuring that you are completing the necessary courses to be eligible for admission at your transfer university and determining a realistic timeline to transfer. Specific requirements vary depending on the college/university and major. So, transfer students are encouraged to make an appointment with a counselor to develop an educational plan early in the transfer process. You may speak with a counselor about different options to assist you in transferring, such as the Associate Degrees for Transfer, UC Transfer Admission Guarantee,IGETC, and CSU GE.

Caution: The final responsibility for a successful transfer program rests with the student. This information changes frequently and can impact your admission to the university/college. It is highly advised that you meet periodically with counselors at Ventura College AND advisors at the prospective university/college to confirm your choice of classes and educational plan.

University of California - Fall 2026 Application Information:

UC application - available on August 1, 2025. Application may be submitted beginning October 1 to December 1, 2025. Cost is $80 per application, fee waiver is available and on the application, if eligible, may apply up to 4 campuses for free.

Deadline to submit UC Application for Fall 2026 consideration is 11:59pm on 12/1/25.

University of California Transfer Admissions Guarantee Fall 2026 Application Information:

Create UC Transfer Admissions Planner account (it's free) this will save time and can help with both the UC TAG application and the UC admissions application as all class information may be imported onto the UC TAG application
Application becomes available on September 1, and can be submitted beginning September 1 through 30, 2025
6 of the 9 UC campuses accept a TAG application (Davis, Irvine, Merced, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and Riverside).
Check UC TAG Matrix for specific criteria regarding each specific university. TAG matrix becomes available in July or August of each year. Check UC website.
Attend a UC TAG workshop in September

California State University - Fall 2026 Application Information

C SU application - Open filing period for Fall 2026 begins October 1, 2025 to December 1, 2025.

(Used for many Out of State or Private Universities)
Common Application

Common Application Basics
Common Application FAQ's for Moorpark College students
Common Application Twitter with daily updates of Common App issues
California Lutheran University Application Checklist and Common Application FAQs
USC Transfer Application Checklist
_______________________________________________________________

The University Transfer Center has a variety of workshops available for students.

Transfer Check List By Month

Access the UC Application on August 1st.

UC Applications open August 1 ^st, but you cannot submit the application until October 1 ^st.

Meet with a university representative from one of our local schools to see what classes will be accepted and to answer any questions you may have about the campus.

UC TAG DEADLINE: September 1^st to 30^th

Are you eligible for the UC TAG? Interested in transferring to UC Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara, or Santa Cruz? Check with a Counselor to see if you are eligible for this free, transfer admission guarantee application. UC Berkeley, Los Angeles, and San Diego do not participate in TAG. If you are eligible, you must do both applications:

Still unsure where you would like to apply to?

Meet with a university representative from one of our local schools to see what classes will be accepted and to answer any questions you may have about the campus.
Attend the University Transfer Fair (details to follow for Fall 2023 event) in the Fall to ask quick questions about the campus the representatives are from.

October 1 - December 2

Cal State (CSU) applications are open

December 1 - March 2nd

Filing period for the Federal Student Aid - FAFSA or the California Dream Act

The UC applications are open for submission on October 1 ^st. Both the CSU and UC applications are DUE DECEMBER 2. Although it is the last month to submit applications for the CSUs and UCs, do not panic; we are here to help!

Sign up for a CSU Application Workshop
Sign up for a UC Application Workshop
Meet with a Counselor to make sure the Fall and Spring semesters are set. If you want to drop a class or if you are not passing a class, make sure to see a Counselor before it is too late!
Meet with a university representative from one of our local schools to see what classes will be accepted and to answer any questions you may have about the campus.

Are you getting an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T/AS-T)?

You need to meet with a counselor to complete the Graduation Petition as soon as possible between January 5th through March 10th.

California State University and University of California Fall 2025 Admissions Application deadline: December 2, 2024

Congratulations on submitting your application(s)! Even though you will not hear back immediately on whether you have been admitted or not, make sure to check the email that you put in as your email in the application.

The campuses will keep in contact with you through your email. You should hear back within a few weeks of submitting your application. These emails will give you access to the portals and your student ID number for the campuses you applied to.

Do not see an email? Check your spam and make sure to slowly go through each email that is sent to you from the campus.

Still do not see the email? If it has been a few weeks and you still have not heard, reach out to the University Transfer Center and we will help you figure out what to do!

Update your CSU and UC applications to include your fall grades and to confirm that the spring classes are the same. Updates are due by January 31 ^st. Make sure to keep checking your emails and portals from the campuses so you do not miss any deadlines.

Meet with a Counselor if there are changes to your fall and/or spring semester(s). Do not wait until the end! This could jeopardize your admission.
Meet with a university representative from one of our local schools to see what classes will be accepted and to answer any questions you may have about the campus.
Check with the University Transfer Center to see if we will be taking any campus tours or to find out how to set up an individual tour with a university.
Make sure to apply for your Graduation Application by March 21 Primary Graduation Application Deadline: At 12 Noon - Last day to apply for Spring 2025 graduation to earn degrees/certificates AND have your name included in the commencement ceremony program.
- For help with filling out your Graduation Application, schedule an appointment with a counselor.
- If you participate in programs such as EAC, EOPS, CalWORKS, or Veterans meet with a counselor in the program.

Is your campus requiring a Supplementary Application?

Some of the CSUs, i.e. Long Beach, San Diego, etc., and UCs, i.e. Berkeley, require students to complete a Supplementary Application. If you are unsure how to fill it out, meet with a Counselor to complete it before the deadline.

Check your CSU portals to see if they are requesting “partial” transcripts. The term “partial” means that you are still attending the college and have not completed your courses, yet. However, if the CSU is requesting “partial” transcripts, you must order them officially through your student portal by selecting “Official Transcripts.”

Submit your Graduation Application by March 21, 2025.
- For help with filling out your Graduation Application, meet with a counselor.
Complete your FAFSA by March 2 ^nd.
Unsure how to fill out the application, attend a FAFSA workshop in the Financial Aid department or visit their website for assistance.
Apply for scholarships at VC Foundation, your potential transfer school, Eureka, FastWeb, Scholarships.com, CollegeNet, etc.

Were you denied admission from the campus you applied to?

Most denial emails provide instructions and a link to put in an appeal.
If you decide to submit an appeal, most universities give up to 15 business days to do so. Appeals usually consist of completing an online form and uploading documents. It is a quick process, but please reach out to the University Transfer Center as soon as you receive the notification so we can help you.

Do you have AP scores?

If you put AP scores in the application, the university will be asking for these. You must send the scores directly from College Board to the university. If you do not do this, it could hinder your admission into the university.

Did you attend multiple colleges?

If you attended any college besides VCCCD District (Moorpark, Oxnard, or Ventura), you must submit those transcripts to the university as well. The campuses will let you know which transcripts they need from which campus by a specific date; find out by checking your To Do List. Also, follow up with the Admissions and Records Office at the university you sent these transcripts to in order to confirm they received them. If you do not do this, it could hinder your admission into the university.

The deadline for California Grants through FAFSA is soon:

Complete your FAFSA by March 2 ^nd.
Unsure how to fill out the application, attend a FAFSA workshop in the Financial Aid department or visit their website for assistance.

Have you been admitted?

CONGRATULATIONS! Let the center know so we can celebrate with you.
You must accept a CSU by May 1 ^stor a UC by June 1 ^stby paying for the deposit. This can be called a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), Enrollment Confirmation Deposit (ECD), etc. Terms and deposits vary depending on campus.
Sign up for a summer orientation with the campus of your choice. This will help you register for upcoming classes in the next school year.
Make sure to keep checking your emails and campus portals.

Don’t fret! Question it! If you have not heard back from the CSU or UC, speak with the University Transfer Center and call the Admissions and Records Office at the CSU or UC itself.

Were you accepted to multiple universities?

That is fantastic to hear, but it makes choosing the “right” campus even more difficult. If you are having difficulty deciding between Universities, connect with the University Transfer Center and/or meet with a University Representative to have your questions answered and learn more about the different programs.
You have until May 1 ^stto choose a CSU and until June 1 ^stto choose a UC.

It is the last month of the spring semester at Ventura College! You are almost on your way to completely transferring. There are still a few steps that you need to take.

You must accept a CSU by May 1 ^stby paying for the deposit. This can be called a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), Enrollment Confirmation Deposit (ECD), etc. Terms and deposits vary depending on campus and are non-refundable.
Sign up for a summer orientation with the campus of your choice. This will help you register for upcoming classes in the next school year.

Meet with a Counselor if there were changes to your spring or you need to take classes in the summer. Do not wait until the end! This could jeopardize your admission.
Meet with a university representative from one of our local schools to see what classes will be accepted and to answer any questions you may have about the campus.

Has the university asked for Final Transcripts?

Most campuses want the final transcripts sent over by July. Dates vary depending on campus.
To send your Official Transcript, login to your student portal and click "Order Transcripts" and follow the instructions

You are almost at the four-year university!

You must accept a UC by June 1 ^stby paying for the deposit. This can be called a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), Enrollment Confirmation Deposit (ECD), etc. Terms and deposits vary depending on campus.
Sign up for a summer orientation with the campus of your choice. This will help you register for upcoming classes in the next school year.

Other Transfer Information

Applying for financial aid and scholarships is a vital part of the transfer process! A great place to start is Ventura College's Financial Aid Website. At this site you will find a lot of great resources to help you in pursuing funding for your college career. It is also recommended that students contact a perspective institution's Financial Aid Office and private companies and organizations for additional scholarships. You can also visit our Ventura College Foundation Page for scholarships here.

In addition, below are a list of general and government links and important telephone numbers for student financial aid:

General
Financial Aid Search	www.fastweb.com
Scholarship & Fellowship Databases	www.finaid.org/finaid/awards.html
Scholarship Search	www.studentscholarships.org/
The Student Guide	www.ed.gov/finaid.html
FAFSA on the Web	FAFSA Student Aid
FAFSA (Federal Student Aid Information)	Federal Student Aid Information

Important Telephone Numbers
Federal Student Aid Information (correct data entry errors)	(800) 433-3243
Hearing-Impaired TDD #	(800) 730-8913
California Student Aid Commission (Cal Grant & General Info.)	(888) 224-72680

Notice: Ventura College assumes no liability for any information provided by the websites to which links are provided. They are included on this page as additional resources for our students to explore. No endorsement of these websites is made or implied.

UCSB's Education Abroad Program
Santa Barbara City College Study Abroad
CSUCI Study Abroad
GoAbroad.com, a comprehensive directory of Study Abroad Programs around the world. Their directories contain more than 17,000 international opportunities updated daily.

AFFORDABLE COLLEGES ONLINE

CALIFORNIA COLLEGES

The platform provides college students with search tools, a career assessment, and informational content to guide their thinking about programs and majors, financial aid, transferring, career planning, and more.

COLLEGES, SCHOLARSHIPS and FINANCIAL AID
http://www.college-scholarships.com
Offers parents, counselors, and college-bound students, information on colleges and universities throughout the U.S., free college scholarship and financial aid searches, general campus life issues as well as SAT and ACT test preparation tips. Provides links to online applications, community colleges.
COLLEGE NET
http://www.collegenet.com
This is a searchable database of colleges, scholarships, and academic resources. It offers a comprehensive college/university index with resources for financial aid and scholarships.

COLLEGE SOURCE
http://www.collegesource.org
This service allows students to view university catalogs, directly connect to the school website. Information is provided for national and international schools. All levels are available: 2-year, 4-year, graduate and professional schools.

EMBARK
http://www.embark.com
Provides online resources for students. Information and tools to research, prepare, apply, finance, and get ready for higher education.

PETERSON'S
http://www.petersons.com
Use this site to search for colleges and universities, graduate programs, adult distance learning programs, training and executive education, private schools, career/education guidance online, summer opportunities, study abroad, test preparation information and links. May also apply to undergraduate colleges on-line.

U.S. NEWS ONLINE
https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges
Annual "ranking the colleges" issue online. Included is a list of school sites offering on-line admissions applications. Tools and articles take you through every step of the process from choosing where to apply to submitting applications.

XAP UNIVERSITY and COLLEGES
http://www.xap.com
Allows downloading of computerized school applications for printing and completion at home. Seems largely California based.

Individual College Web Sites:

AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES (United States)
http://www.4icu.org/us/
Gives direct links to the home pages of approximately 1100 U.S. universities. A basic approach, but it works.

ASIAN AMERICAN AND NATIVE AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER-SERVING INSTITUTIONS

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/aanapi/awards.html

These institutions improve and expand their capacity to serve Asian Americans and Native American Pacific Islanders and low-income individuals. This link provides the current list of designated institutions and information on the designation.

ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

http://www.aiccu.edu/

COLLEGE and UNIVERSITY HOME PAGES
http://www.50states.com/college/#.Vk_Jk01eqUk
This list contains home pages for universities and colleges all over the world. Schools are arranged alphabetically, and geographically. The list now has over 3000 cities.

HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTIONS
http://www.hacu.net/

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is a national educational association that represents colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success in the United States (including Puerto Rico), Latin America, and Spain. HACU has 193 member Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) located in 11 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. To be considered a Hispanic-Serving Institution, the Hispanic enrollment at a college or university must be at least 25 percent of the total student enrollment. California is home to 54 Hispanic Serving Institutions.

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES and UNIVERSITIES
http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ610141
Provides extensive information about historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU's) and Hispanic services institutions. Extensive links to other related sites as well. This website provides access to the Internet-based resources developed by HBCU's, as well as to other educational, historical, and cultural materials of interest to the HBCU community.

THE UNIVERSITY PAGES
http://www.4icu.org/us/
This site offers direct links to an extensive list of U.S. college and university websites ordered by state. All levels of colleges and universities are listed: community colleges, state universities, and independent colleges.

TRIBAL COLLEGES and UNIVERSITIES

http://www.aihec.org/
There are 35 federally recognized Tribal Colleges and Universities in the United States. Located mainly in the Midwest and Southwest, Tribal Colleges and Universities service approximately 30,000 full- and part-time students. They offer two-year associate degrees in over 200 disciplines with some providing a bachelor's and master's degree. They also offer 200 vocational certificate programs.

Selecting and Applying to College:

ASSIST
http://www.assist.org/
***Specific to Community College Students
California's official statewide source for transfer information. ASSIST helps determine if and how you will receive credit for courses you've already taken. This student/counselor-oriented site offers information for colleges in California. When entering two college names, the site lists the transferable courses between the colleges. Tip: "Help for Students" link is a good way to begin using this site. New additions to ASSIST include exploring majors, ways to find a specific major, search majors by university campus and check if you qualify for financial aid.

BLACK EXCEL: THE COLLEGE HELP NETWORK
http://www.blackexcel.org/
Contains items such as historically Black college experience, admissions, preparation help, scholarship links, college information, and financial aid information. Numerous links to related sites, as well as direct links to Black colleges and universities.

COLLEGE EXPRESS
http://www.collegexpress.com/
A student-oriented site that offers a full range of college admission information, including virtual tours. Useful for excellent financial aid links and generic admission procedures. Contains some direct links to colleges. Profiles of colleges as well.

COLLEGE SHUFFLE

http://www.collegeshuffle.com
If you have a transfer experience you'd like to share, or if you'd like to read about fellow students' transfer experiences visit this site! Information currently available on UCLA, UCI, UCSD, and Berkeley.

LYCOS COLLEGE HOME PAGES
http://www.studentadvantage.lycos.com/
***Funding Sources
Offers a database of over 2.5 million awards worth over 21.6 billion. Other topics included are articles and information related to: academic life, campus & social.

MY COLLEGE GUIDE
http://mycollegeguide.org/
This student-oriented site offers electronic links to colleges, admissions advice, financial aid advice, and articles. A searchable database, and general information about college life is also available.

Guaranteed Admission is more commonly referred to as a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. A TAG is a contractual agreement between you, Ventura College and a four-year college or university. Students who meet and maintain stated admission and major requirements are guaranteed admission to a specific four-year college or university.

Arizona State University (Arizona)
- Guaranteed admission for students that meet ONE of the following requirements: Completion of 24 transferable semester units with a minimum 2.5 GPA (students with less than 24 units must meet freshman aptitude requirements)
- Full IGETC or CSUGE certification with a minimum 2.5 GPA
- Associate Degree with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA (2.5 GPA for non-California or non-Arizona residents)

California Lutheran University - Public Price Promise
- Student must be admitted to one of six University of California (UC) campuses (Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, or San Diego) in any major.
- Admitted students to one of the six UC campuses must show their acceptance email or letter to California Lutheran University for guarantee admissions and Public Price Promise
California State University System (23 campuses)
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (35 university partners)
National University (20+ campuses and many degrees offered fully online)
- Guaranteed admission for students that have completed an associate degree and/or AA-T/AS-T within 12 months of applying to NU. The ADT will fulfill all lower-division general education and major prep requirements.
- Guaranteed scholarship for students that have completed a transferable associate degree, and/or AA-T/AS-T within 12 months of applying and enroll in a major deemed similar at NU. ADT Scholarship FAQ's.
- Other transfer and merit scholarships available for students that do not have transferable associate degree and/or AA-T/AS-T.
University of La Verne
- Application fee waiver
- $1,000 TAG scholarship in addition to financial aid and other merit scholarships
- Guaranteed admission for students transferring with the following:
  - Completion of 28 transferable semester units
  - Minimum 2.7 cumulative GPA
  - Completion of college-level English
University of California (6 campuses only)

The ASSIST website is the official California state-wide database listing a selection of campus-approved transfer agreements, general education requirements and information on UC and CSU transferable courses.

To take advantage of this valuable resource:

Go to the ASSIST website at www.assist.org.
Select an institution by scrolling down and selecting "Ventura College" or another college from the drop-down list.
Select an Academic Year to from the drop-down list (example: 19-20).
Select the campus you plan on transferring to from the drop-down list.
Select your major from the drop-down list (example: psychology).
A new page will appear with the articulation agreement between the community college (example: Ventura College) and the university (example: CSU Channel Islands).
The classes on the left are required by the university, and the classes on the right are the equivalent courses offered at the community college.
Click the gold "Print" button at the top of the screen to view a printer friendly version, or click on the "Change Report or Institution" to view a different agreement.

IMPORTANT: Students are advised to contact a Ventura College counselor for more information and for details regarding other transfer agreements and options not available for your transfer college choice on the ASSIST website. Stop by the University Transfer Center, in the Student Services Center (SSC) or phone (805) 289-6411 to schedule an appointment.

Steps to Transfer

COMMON APPLICATION

Transfer Check List By Month

August

September

October

November

December

January

February

March

April

May

June

Other Transfer Information

Scholarships and Financial Aid Resources

Virtual Tours and Campus Maps

Study Abroad Options

College Search Resources

Transfer Admissions Guarantees

Assist.org

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