The University will continue to work closely with applicants and students to ensure that they are able to apply and enroll as planned. UC understands that some undergraduate admissions policies might require modification to ensure that high school and transfer students are not penalized by any COVID-related disruptions to their academic record or application.

Freshman applicants

Pass (P) or Credit (CR) grades earned in spring, summer, and fall 2020, as well as spring and summer 2021, will meet A-G requirements for any student who was enrolled in high school during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic years. This includes students currently enrolled in 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.

Our campus admission offices are mindful of the many obstacles students and schools alike are currently facing. Nonetheless, UC strongly encourages potential applicants to take, whenever possible, A-G courses for letter grades, especially those in English and mathematics, as well as those in prospective major fields.

UC will continue to calculate the GPA for admission purposes using all A-G courses passed with letter grades in grades 10 and 11, including summer terms following grades 9, 10 and 11. Pass (P) or Credit (CR) grades earned in spring 2020 through summer 2021 will meet A-G subject requirements but will not be calculated in the GPA. Extra points in honors-level coursework will continue to be capped at 8 semesters of honors points in A-G courses completed with letter grades of A, B and C in grades 10 and 11.

Homeschool students who are working with their local high school to complete an approved curriculum and earn an accredited high school diploma can meet A-G requirements with Pass (P) or Credit (C) grades in coursework completed in spring 2020 through summer 2021.

Students not homeschooling through their local high school will continue to be considered for Admission by Exception, as is typical in non-pandemic years. With the elimination of the SAT Subject Test, Admission by Exam is no longer an option, but our faculty are exploring alternative options for students in non-traditional school settings to qualify for admission.

UC awards college credit for most AP exams passed with a score of 3 or better. Despite the modifications to the 2020 exams, our faculty agreed to continue to award UC credit consistent with previous years for the 2020 AP exams completed with scores of 3, 4, or 5. Students should report their 2020 AP exam scores on the UC application in the same way they report AP scores from other years.

Transfer applicants

UC suspended the cap on Pass (P) and Credit (CR) grades earned in the winter, spring and summer 2020 terms. All P and CR grades earned in winter/spring/summer 2020 are excluded from the maximum 14 semester/21 quarter units of P and CR grades allowed within the 60 semester/90 quarter units for junior standing.

Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, and Santa Barbara agreed to accept Pass or Credit grades in major preparatory coursework completed in spring 2020 for all majors. Santa Cruz agreed to accept Pass or Credit grades in major preparatory coursework completed in spring 2020 for all majors except Psychology and Cognitive Science. Any extension of this agreement beyond spring 2020 is on a campus-by-campus basis.

Each course in the 7-course pattern or for completing IGETC requirements must be completed with at least a C (2.0) grade or the equivalent. If the Pass or Credit grade at your college is equivalent to at least a C (2.0) grade, then it is acceptable to meet UC-E, UC-M, and IGETC requirements. Note, however, that campuses may want letter grades in certain courses for selection purposes. Additionally, some campuses require B grades in UC-E courses to demonstrate English proficiency and may not accept Pass or Credit grades for selection. Check with each campus directly for further guidance.

UC allows repeats of C- and lower grades only. B and C grades cannot be repeated for higher grades. Likewise, if the P grade at your college is equivalent to a C (2.0) or better, UC will not accept a repeat of the P grade for a letter grade.

All applicants

The University of California is planning for a return to primarily in-person instruction systemwide starting fall 2021. Specific plans for resumption of fall classes, including additional safety measures and starting dates, will be announced by individual UC campuses as they continue to coordinate closely with local public health agencies and follow all local and state health guidelines.

UC accepts the TOEFL iBT Home Edition in addition to the TOEFL iBT and the TOEFL paper-delivered test. Additionally, UC faculty agreed to accept IELTS Indicator and the Duolingo English Test (DET) for applicants through the fall 2022 and fall 2023 application cycles. The TOEFL iBT Home Edition, IELTS Indicator and DET are all administered online; at least one of these options should be available in nearly every country. Please visit our English language proficiency page for minimum score requirements.

The University understands that families’ financial circumstances may have changed or may change in the coming months. If that’s your situation, please visit the campus financial aid office website. Many have financial aid calculators that can help you determine whether recent changes to your income could increase your financial aid package. Campus financial aid websites also have contact information, including the best way to reach the financial aid office during remote operations for further assistance.

UC campuses will work with families to review their eligibility for financial aid. We recommend that current applicants wait until they receive their initial financial aid estimate before asking for a recalculation of aid.

Spring 2020 - Summer 2021 grades

A-G courses completed between spring 2020 and summer 2021 with Pass (P) or Credit (CR) grades will satisfy appropriate A-G requirements. This applies to all students.