How to transfer with international records
All transfer applicants are considered using the same admission requirements and are included in the same selection process. If you have attended both international and U.S. colleges or universities, both your international and U.S. courses and grades will be considered. You may also be required to demonstrate English proficiency.
International Academic Records
When you apply, you must report all post-secondary international coursework as it appears on your international academic records. Find out how to report international education in your application.
Meeting English Composition Coursework Requirements
One of the admission requirements for all transfer students is two transferable courses in English composition with letter grades of C or better. If you are applying to transfer directly from an international college or university where English is not the language of instruction, it is very unlikely that any of your English courses will transfer to UC Davis. However, we strongly encourage you to take as much English as your curriculum will allow. If English is not the primary language of instruction at your school, you will need to demonstrate your English proficiency with one of the approved examinations. Visit the Exams and Visas page for more information.
Determining Course Transferability
- Check to see if your school is recognized by your country's Ministry of Education (or other appropriate government agency) or a U.S. regional accrediting agency. The school must be officially recognized in order for us to accept any credit. You must report all post-secondary institutions, coursework, and grades whether transferable or not.
- Transferable courses must be from a university level academic degree program comparable to a U.S. Associate's or Bachelor's degree. Terminal vocational or technical programs are often not transferable to UC Davis, even if taken at recognized institutions.
- Determine if your subjects are similar to any subjects offered at UC Davis using descriptions in the UC Davis General Catalog. We will only consider transfer credit for subjects that are similar to those offered in the UC system.
- If you cannot find a comparable course at UC Davis, look in the catalogs of other UC campuses. A course may also be transferable if it is offered somewhere in the UC system.
- Remedial academic subjects, such as English taught as a second language and high school level math, are not transferable. Although there are some remedial subjects offered at UC Davis, you will notice in our catalog they are not worth credit toward a degree.
Whether or not you believe your coursework will be transferable, you will be required to report ALL post-secondary coursework undertaken in your application. No final decisions on transfer credit will be made until you officially apply and enroll at UC Davis.
Transferable Secondary School Credit
The University of California does not regularly grant credit for secondary school level benchmark exams. We do grant credit for some Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced-Level (GCE) exams.
International Junior Colleges and Diploma Programs
You are required to report ALL post-secondary coursework including any junior/community college or diploma program courses, grades, units earned, and attempted. However, UC Davis generally does not transfer credit from junior/community college programs that are technical or vocational in nature, or that do not lead to advanced standing in a bachelor’s level program at university.