Start Your Journey with us in the Winter!
Transfer students, why wait to apply for next fall? Get started on your journey sooner – apply for winter admission by the July 31 deadline! UC Santa Cruz welcomes winter quarter applications from transfer students in certain majors. We do not open for spring quarter. Transferring is a great way to enter UCSC, and winter quarter is a great time to start! Read on to find out more!
Eligibility
Winter quarter admission is open to community college students, students with an Associate of Arts (AA) degree, or students at a four-year college or university. You must complete the UC 7-course pattern by the end of the fall term prior to enrollment.
Open Majors for Winter Quarter 2026
For winter quarter 2026 admission, all our majors are open except for Art + Design: Games & Playable Media, Computer Engineering, and Computer Science (B.A. or B.S.). That’s 71 majors to choose from!
Timeline
- July 1, 2025 - Filing period opens. Apply using the UC online application.
- July 31, 2025 - Application deadline for winter quarter 2026.
- September 15, 2025 - Decisions appear on my.ucsc.edu. You will also receive an email from us letting you know that decisions are ready.
- October 15, 2025 - Deadline to accept your offer of admission via my.ucsc.edu.
- January 5, 2026 - Winter quarter begins. Move into your new home on campus and start classes!
Frequently Asked Questions
YES! All transfer students receive a one-year on-campus housing guarantee, as long as all deadlines are met. Transfer students are usually housed together in our Transfer Community in Porter College.
Unfortunately, at UCSC TAG is only available for California community college students who begin in fall quarter.
Yes, many majors require specific transfer screening criteria. To look up your major’s screening criteria, please see our Transfer Students Page.
At UC Santa Cruz, we love our transfer students, and we offer them a rich array of support services, including community support, events and activities, academic support and advising, referrals to services, and emergency needs.
We also offer specialized communities and support for military veterans, students from military families, students who are parents, older re-entry students, current/former foster youth, and students who have been impacted by homelessness or the incarceration system.
To get more details, please see our Transfer Student Services information.
Take the Next Step
