Join Us for Transfer Day!
At UC Santa Cruz, we love our transfer students! Transfer Day 2026 – our biggest on-campus event for admitted transfer students and their families – will take place on May 9, 2026. Come celebrate with us on our beautiful campus!
Transfer Day
Saturday, May 9, 2026
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Admitted transfer students, join us for a special preview day designed just for you! This will be a chance for you and your family to celebrate your admission, tour our beautiful campus, and connect with our extraordinary community. Events will include campus tours led by a S.L.U.G. (Student Life and University Guide), next steps presentations, information on Orientation, Financial Aid, Housing, and Career Success, and majors and resources tables. Come experience Banana Slug life – we can’t wait to meet you!
Deals & Discounts
20% discount off one apparel or gift item! The Baytree Store is temporarily located in the Granary Building at the base of campus, and will be open on Transfer Day.
Free admission for admitted students (additional visitors pay regular admission). Seymour Marine Discovery Center – Come learn about the cutting-edge ocean research happening at our Coastal Science Campus. The Seymour Center offers pathways into ocean science through internships, volunteer opportunities, and other experiential learning programs.
Special group rate of $229 per night! Available Thursday, April 9 through Monday, April 13. Please book by Friday, April 17.
Special rate of $249 plus applicable taxes! Complimentary hot breakfast each morning, and parking fees waived for your stay.
Special group rate of $265++ per room for 2 nights minimum. Breakfast buffet is included with rate. Available May 8 to May 11.
Special group rate of $$280 per room. Covers Friday, May 8 through Sunday, May 10. Must book by Wednesday, April 15.
Divisional Welcomes
Find out more about your intended major! Representatives from the academic divisions and the Jack Baskin School of Engineering will welcome you to campus and help you learn more about our vibrant academic life.
Tours: Choose Your Own Adventure!
Join us for a campus tour, or for a more specialized tour of our academic or student life facilities. Get to know the environment where you may be spending your time for the next few years. Explore the residential colleges, dining halls, classrooms, libraries, and favorite student hangout spots, all in our lovely campus between the sea and the trees! Can’t wait? Take a virtual tour now!
Information Sessions
Meet our campus community in a variety of information sessions, ranging from academics, to student life, to career preparedness!
Learning Support Services
Peer tutoring services are available and free of charge on our campus. Learn more about how to connect and participate in a community of learning where your success matters. Catch up, keep up, and excel with support.
Orientation Session
Get into the Banana Slug spirit by joining the staff of Orientation! Learn what happens next after you accept your admissions offer at UCSC, and how this team supports students in transitioning to the university.
Connect with STARRS
Join the staff of our Services for Transfer Re-Entry and Resilient Scholars to kick-off your Transfer Day experience! These folks are dedicated to supporting and advancing the social mobility of the students they serve by providing transformative higher education experiences. Learn more about how they can support you, and from their transition student mentors.
Transfer Student Panel
Meet your Transfer Peer Mentors! Join us for an informal panel featuring some of our current students who started out as Banana Slug transfers. In this frank discussion, you will learn from the experiences of students who came before you. Our Peer Mentors love helping transfer students on their journey, so come to them with your questions!
Discover Transfer Housing
Where will you live for the next few years? Find out about the variety of on-campus housing opportunities for transfer students, including residence hall or apartment living, themed housing, and our unique residential college system. You will also learn about how students receive assistance finding off-campus housing, as well as dates and deadlines and other important information. Meet with the Housing experts and get your questions answered!
View a Mock Dorm Room
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Cowell Provost’s House
Connect with Financial Aid
Bring your questions! Find out more about next steps with the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office (FASO) and how we can help make college affordable for you and your family. FASO distributes over $295 million every year in need-based and merit-based awards. If you haven’t filled out your FAFSA or Dream App, do it now!
Career Success
Our Career Success team is ready to help you succeed! Find out more about our many services, including jobs and internships (both before and after graduation), job fairs where recruiters come to campus to find you, career coaching, preparation for medical school, law school, and graduate school, and much more!
Student Resources & Majors Fair
Is there tutoring available on campus? What about mental health services? How can you build community with your fellow Banana Slugs? This is a chance to begin connecting with some current students, faculty, and staff members! Explore your major, meet the members of a club or activity you’re interested in, and get connected with support services on campus. More information coming soon.
Summer Session
Hit the ground running in the fall after beginning coursework this summer! Learn more about flexible in-person and online options, and how your financial aid can support you.
Dining Options
A variety of food and drink options will be available throughout campus. Specialty food trucks will be located on the outdoor basketball courts, and inexpensive, all-you-care-to-eat lunches will also be available at the campus dining halls. Vegetarian and vegan options will be available. Bring a reusable water bottle with you – we’ll have refill stations at the event!
