California State University

Transfer students are eligible for admission as an upper division transfer student if they meet the following requirements: 

1. Complete a minimum of 60 CSU-transferable semester (90 quarter) units, of which 30 semester (45 quarter) units must be from general education. 
    
2. Obtain a minimum 2.0 transfer GPA. Impacted majors often have higher GPA requirements for admission. 
    
3. Be in "good standing" at the last institution you attended. Good standing means that you are eligible to re-enroll at your last college or university. 
    
4. Complete The Golden Four (Oral Communication, Written Communication, Critical Thinking, and Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning) with a grade of C or better. Pass/No-Pass grades are not recommended in these areas. (Note, students who plan to use Cal-GETC for general education must earn a grade of C or higher in the Golden Four.) 

Students with less than 60 transferable units will be classified as lower division transfer students.  

Some CSU campuses limit lower-division transfer student admissions or outright do not accept lower division transfer students (such as SDSU). Students should review the specific policies of the university they are interested in to confirm if they accept lower-division transfer applications. 

Students are encouraged to complete a General Education pattern such as CSUGE-Breadth, IGETC or Cal-GETC (new for students starting fall 2025 or later) prior to transferring. 

Note: The above-mentioned requirements provide information on admission eligibility. Not all applicants who meet the above minimum CSU admission requirements will be admitted. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with a counselor to discuss requirements for competitive admissions based on major and campus choice. 

At minimum, transfer students will need to complete at least 60 transferable units in order to transfer as an Upper Division Transfer Student. 

Transfer units generally are made up of: 

1. General Education courses such as the courses noted on the CSU General Education pattern (used for CSU campuses only) or the IGETC pattern (can be used for CSU and UC campuses), or Cal-GETC. Cal-GETC will be the only GE Pattern available for new students beginning fall 2025 or later that can be used for transfer to both the UC and CSU systems, as well as many other private and some out-of-state schools. Students with catalog rights prior to fall 2025 have the option to continue with the CSU GE or IGETC patterns.  
    
2. Major Preparation Courses. Major preparation courses (also called "prep for major") are the courses established by the CSU campuses in order for students to effectively prepare for and advance to upper division coursework in the major after transferring.  
   • Students are strongly encouraged to complete all articulated major preparation courses to prepare for transfer and be competitive for admissions.  
   • ASSIST.org can help you find the major preparation courses for your major at many schools. Enter your community college, followed by your transfer school and then select your major to see what major preparation courses you might need. Students following an ADT may be better served reviewing the ADT requirements for your majors. Please check with a counselor to ensure you're following the correct courses. 
3. Electives. Students who will not accumulate 60 transferable units through their GE courses and major preparation must complete transferable elective courses to transfer as upper division transfer students.  

 

Your course distribution may look different from the pie chart above. Depending on your campus and major, you may have more or fewer major prep courses, electives, or other requirements. 

A maximum of 70 semester or 105 quarter units may be transferred from a community college to meet graduation requirements. Units beyond this will satisfy subject area credit and fulfill major preparation and other course areas. 

Note: Most schools will require that the courses necessary for transfer be completed by the end of the spring semester prior to fall transfer. 
 
We recommend balancing your semesters with general education and prep for major courses when possible. Taking all of your GE courses first and then waiting to take your prep for major courses can cause delays in transferring. 

Work with your counselor to create an educational plan that will ensure you're taking the right courses at the right time to match your goals. 

How long does it take to transfer? 

Transfer students typically spend 2 or more years completing their transfer coursework. The time required depends on factors such as whether students attend part-time or full-time, attend summer school/intersession, their chosen major, availability of coursework, individual circumstances, etc. 

For example, students going into Nursing or STEM fields often have more extensive major preparation, which may require additional time to complete. 

Note: Your diploma will not reflect how long it took you to earn your degree! Focus on a pace that works for you, balancing academic, personal, and work responsibilities. 

 

Transfer students may be eligible for guaranteed admission to the California State University (CSU) system by completing one of the following pathways. Note: Some CSU campuses may offer additional guarantee programs for local students or specific populations

CSU Transfer Success Pathway (TSP) 

 
The CSU Transfer Success Pathway (TSP) is a dual admission program that guarantees admission for first-time college students pursuing a major included in TSP at their chosen campus. 

 

Quick Facts about the CSU TSP: 

• Students must sign a TSP agreement in their first semester, between August 1 - October 31. 

• Students can sign one agreement for TSP. 

• Students are required to transfer within 3 years of signing the agreement. 

• Guarantees admission into a specific major at a specific college as long as it's part of the CSU Transfer Success Pathway and all requirements are met. 

The Transfer Center hosts workshops throughout the Summer semester so that eligible students can opt in to TSP beginning August 1st!  

Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) 
An Associate Degree for transfer (ADT) is a degree that you can earn at Imperial Valley College.  

Unlike traditional AA or AS degrees, ADT degrees align with specific majors and curriculum at California State University campuses.  

When you earn an ADT, not only are you earning an associate degree, you also receive priority admission consideration, are guaranteed to enroll into the CSU at junior level standing, and you are eligible to complete your bachelor's degree with 60 remaining units at your CSU campus. 

Students who earn an ADT are guaranteed admission into the CSU system, not a particular campus. 

To get the full benefits of this degree, students must: 

• Apply to a CSU campus in a major that is deemed similar to the ADT major at San Diego City College during the application filing period 
• Indicate that you will be completing an ADT, AA-T or AS-T on your CSU application  

If you complete an ADT, you are guaranteed to be *redirected to an open CSU campus for a similar major if not admitted to any of the CSU campuses that you applied to. (For example, if you applied to SDSU and CSULB and were not admitted to either college, your CSU application would be eligible to be rerouted to a different CSU campus that has space for your major/a similar major.) *Must be a CA resident for tuition purposes to receive the guarantee of redirection. 

Note: Completing an ADT with a 2.0 or higher guarantees admission into the CSU system but does not guarantee admission to a specific campus or major. 
 

The ADT is different from other Associate degrees offered by Imperial Valley College. Visit the CSU ADT web page for more information on the ADT Program. 

Find out which CSU campuses accept each Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) here! 

The Transfer Process begins nearly one year before the semester in which you intend to transfer, which means you will be applying for the upcoming fall admission cycle, while you're enrolled in the current fall semester of classes at Imperial Valley College (for fall transfers). 

All CSU campuses offer fall admission, while only some campuses offer Winter/Spring admission. Visit the application dates & deadlines page on or after July 1 and use the Is Your Campus Still Accepting Applications? feature to view open campus programs and their Winter/Spring deadlines. 

 

General CSU Dates & Deadlines for Fall Transfer Students  

August	Application for admission opens August 1st.
October	Application for admission is available for submission beginning October 1st.  Apply for FAFSA/CADAA.
November	Deadline to apply for Fall transfers is November 30th.
December	Check your email to create a log-in to your transfer university’s portal. Follow your transfer to-do list closely.
January	Compete your Academic History Update by January 31st .  Supplemental applications are due for CSULB, SJSU, and other schools.   Some majors such as art, film, and music, may require portfolios.
February	Apply for Graduation for your Associate Degree for Transfer.
March	Housing contracts may become available.
May	Submit your Intent to Register, enrollment deposit and transcripts.
June	Submit your final transcripts/documents for coursework completed through the end of Spring semester.
July-August	Attend orientations provided by universities.

 

*Housing: Since campus housing is highly impacted and assigned first-come, first-served, it is recommended that you submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), housing contract or application, and first housing payment as early as possible. 

*This is a general transfer timeline. Some campus timelines may vary. Please check with your specific campus for exact deadlines. If you need assistance, please meet with a counselor. 

Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT)  

California Community Colleges and the California State University created the ADT transfer program to make it easier for community college students to transfer to a four-year university. 

Students who complete an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) receive priority admission consideration and are guaranteed to receive an admission offer at one of the CSU campuses in a similar major, though students are unable to specify which campus at the time of application. 

If you enroll in an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) program at a California Community College (CCC), you can transfer to a CSU and graduate with only 120 units. There are two kinds of ADT programs: Associate in Art for Transfer (AA-T) and Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T). 

To graduate from the CSU with 120 units, you will need to choose a bachelor’s program that’s similar to the one in which you earned your associate’s degree at community college. 

ADT Major & Campus Search 

Use this search to find a community college that has an AA-T or AS-T program you’re interested in. Start by selecting the major you’re interested in below, then choose the community college(s) near you. (You can also select all CCC to see all programs across California.) 

If you add Search by CSU, you can see which campuses have a program that’s similar to the ADT program you want to complete or have completed.