De Anza College to UCI
Biology Transfer Plan
Quarter-by-quarter courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
De Anza College
To
UC Irvine
BiologyGPA Reality Check
The UC minimum to apply is a 2.4 GPA, but the median for admitted transfer students at UCI is 3.77 — and Biology is among the more competitive majors on campus. To even qualify for the TAG guarantee, you need a 3.4 cumulative GPA with a minimum 3.0 in your major prep courses like CHEM 1A–1C and BIOL 6A–6C. The grades you earn in those science sequences are the ones UCI is looking at most closely, so treating general chemistry as anything less than a top priority from day one is a risk you can't afford to take.
Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
The UCI Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) is one of the most powerful tools available to De Anza Biology students — it locks in your admission before you ever hit 'submit' on the regular UC application. To qualify, you need a minimum 3.4 cumulative UC-transferable GPA and must complete all required major prep courses, including the full general chemistry sequence (CHEM 1A, 1B, 1C) and the biology series (BIOL 6A, 6B, 6C), by the end of spring before your transfer date. The TAG application opens each September through the UC TAP portal — missing that window means waiting a full year, so put it on your calendar the moment you enroll at De Anza.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences, B.S. (School of Biological Sciences) Major Preparation
Biological Sciences, B.S. (School of Biological Sciences) at UC Irvine
Courses at De Anza College that satisfy UC Irvine's Biology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCI's School of Biological Sciences houses several distinct majors that students often confuse with the general Biology B.S. — including Ecology and Evolutionary Biology B.S., Developmental and Cell Biology B.S., and Microbiology and Immunology B.S. Each has its own set of upper-division requirements and research focus. If you have a specific biological subfield in mind, check whether one of those specialized majors is a better fit before you apply, since switching majors after transfer within the School is not always straightforward.
| Course at De Anza College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 6A — Form and Function in the Biological World | BIO SCI 93 (partial — one year of introductory biology, taken with BIOL 6B) | 6 |
| BIOL 6B — Cell and Molecular Biology | BIO SCI 94 (partial — one year of introductory biology, taken with BIOL 6A) | 6 |
| BIOL 6C — Evolution, Systematics, and Ecology | Strongly recommended lower-division biology elective; satisfies IGETC Area 5B | 6 |
| CHEM 1A — General Chemistry | UCI CHEM 1A — General Chemistry (part of required one-year general chemistry sequence) | 5 |
| CHEM 1B — General Chemistry | UCI CHEM 1B — General Chemistry (part of required one-year general chemistry sequence) | 5 |
| CHEM 1C — General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis | UCI CHEM 1C — General Chemistry (completes required one-year general chemistry sequence) | 5 |
| CHEM 12A — Organic Chemistry | UCI CHEM 51A — Organic Chemistry (part of required one-year organic chemistry sequence) | 5 |
| CHEM 12B — Organic Chemistry | UCI CHEM 51B — Organic Chemistry (part of required one-year organic chemistry sequence) | 5 |
| CHEM 12C — Organic Chemistry | UCI CHEM 51C — Organic Chemistry (completes required one-year organic chemistry sequence) | 5 |
| MATH 1A — Calculus | UCI MATH 2A — Calculus (Mathematics Requirement option 1, quarter 1 of 2) | 5 |
| MATH 1B — Calculus | UCI MATH 2B — Calculus (Mathematics Requirement option 1, quarter 2 of 2) | 5 |
| No equivalent at De Anza College | BIO SCI 97 — Research Methods in Biological Sciences (required for TAG admission; grade of B or better required; not offered at De Anza and no articulated equivalent exists) | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Irvine after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at De Anza College
Complete these five courses at De Anza College to start your UCI GE pattern. Finishing full IGETC/Cal-GETC at the CC is ideal — these five give you the broadest head start, and CCN-tagged courses stay portable if you switch community colleges.
BIOL 10
Introductory Biology
CHEM 10
Introductory Chemistry
HIST 17A
History of the United States to Early National Era
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at De Anza College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 10 — Introductory Biology | 5 |
Physical Science | CHEM 10 — Introductory Chemistry | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 17A — History of the United States to Early National Era | 4 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 5 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 5 |
CHEM 1A → CHEM 1C → CHEM 12A → CHEM 12C
General chemistry and organic chemistry form one continuous six-course chain — you cannot start CHEM 12A (Organic Chemistry) until CHEM 1C is done, and UCI requires all six courses for Biology admission. If you start the chain even one quarter late, you will not finish in time to transfer on schedule.
Preview
Your First Quarter
A preview of what Pipeline generates — exact courses, in the right order, every quarter.
Watch Out
Common Mistakes for This Transfer Path
BIO SCI 97 Has No De Anza Equivalent
UCI requires BIO SCI 97 — a research methods course — for Biology TAG admission, and it must be completed with a B or better. The problem: De Anza has no articulated equivalent for this course, and it is not offered here. This is a De Anza-specific gap that catches students off guard. Talk to a UCI admissions counselor early about how to address this requirement — some students satisfy it after arriving at UCI, which affects their two-year graduation timeline.
Start CHEM 1A Your Very First Quarter
UCI Biology requires both a full year of general chemistry (CHEM 1A, 1B, 1C) and a full year of organic chemistry (CHEM 12A, 12B, 12C) — that's six sequential chemistry courses across six quarters minimum. If you delay CHEM 1A even one quarter, you mathematically cannot finish all required chemistry before a two-year transfer. Enroll in CHEM 1A your first fall quarter, no exceptions.
IGETC for STEM Is Your Best GE Strategy
De Anza's Biology program specifically allows IGETC for STEM certification, which lets you defer two or three lower-division GE courses until after transfer. Given how packed your schedule is with BIOL 6A–6C, CHEM 1A–1C, and CHEM 12A–12C, using IGETC for STEM frees up critical quarters for science coursework instead of GE electives. Ask your De Anza counselor to certify your IGETC for STEM before you transfer — it requires completing all of Areas 1, 2, and 5, plus partial Area 3 and 4.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from De Anza College to UC Irvine for Biology?
The absolute minimum UC-transferable GPA is 2.4 for California residents, but Biology is competitive — the median GPA for admitted transfer students at UCI is 3.77. If you're pursuing the TAG, you need at least a 3.4 cumulative GPA and a minimum 3.0 in your major prep courses, including CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C. Aim for 3.5 or higher to be a strong applicant in the regular admissions pool.
Does De Anza College have an articulation agreement with UC Irvine for Biology?
Yes — De Anza and UCI have a formal ASSIST articulation agreement for Biological Sciences. Your BIOL 6A and 6B satisfy UCI's one-year introductory biology requirement (BIO SCI 93 and 94), and your CHEM 1A, 1B, 1C series covers UCI's required general chemistry sequence. However, there is one critical gap: UCI's BIO SCI 97 research methods course is required for TAG admission and has no articulated equivalent at De Anza.
Can De Anza College students use the TAG program to get into UCI Biology?
Yes, Biological Sciences is a TAG-eligible major at UC Irvine. You need a minimum 3.4 cumulative UC-transferable GPA, completion of required courses including CHEM 1A through 1C and BIOL 6A through 6C with a C or better, and you must apply during the September TAG window through the UC TAP portal. Be aware that BIO SCI 97 is also required for TAG admission and De Anza has no equivalent — discuss this with a counselor before you apply.
What is the transfer acceptance rate for UC Irvine Biology from De Anza?
Biology is among UCI's moderately competitive majors, with a transfer acceptance rate of approximately 44% across all applicants. UCI's overall transfer acceptance rate for Fall 2024 was approximately 40%, with the campus receiving over 25,000 transfer applications that cycle. De Anza is a strong feeder school to UCI — 134 De Anza students enrolled at UCI in 2022-23 — but Biology's science prerequisites mean your course completion and GPA matter enormously.
Is IGETC accepted for Biology at UC Irvine, and should De Anza students complete it?
IGETC is accepted for the Biological Sciences B.S. at UCI, and De Anza specifically supports IGETC for STEM certification for Biology students. This partial IGETC option lets you defer two or three lower-division GE courses until after transfer, which is practical given how many science units you need — BIOL 6A (6 units), 6B (6 units), 6C (6 units), plus three quarters each of general and organic chemistry. Completing IGETC for STEM at De Anza is strongly recommended to stay on a two-year transfer track.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students at De Anza College planning to transfer to UC Irvine for Biological Sciences face one of the most course-intensive pathways in the California community college transfer system. The UCI Biological Sciences B.S. program, housed in the School of Biological Sciences, requires completion of a full year of general chemistry — satisfied at De Anza by CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C — plus a full year of organic chemistry (CHEM 12A, 12B, 12C) and the three-course introductory biology series (BIOL 6A: Form and Function in the Biological World, BIOL 6B, and BIOL 6C), all before transfer. That's nine sequential science courses, each building on the last, which means transfer planning has to start in your very first quarter at De Anza. The median GPA for admitted transfer students at UCI sits at 3.77, and Biology hovers around a 44% transfer acceptance rate — competitive, but achievable for students who execute their preparation correctly. De Anza students have access to the UCI Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG), which locks in admission for students with a 3.4 or higher cumulative GPA who complete all major prerequisites on time. IGETC is accepted for this major, and De Anza's Biology program specifically supports IGETC for STEM certification, a smart way to manage GE requirements without crowding out science coursework. One articulation gap unique to De Anza: UCI requires BIO SCI 97 for TAG admission, and no equivalent course exists at De Anza, so students need to plan around that gap early. Tools like Pipeline help De Anza students map out a personalized two-year schedule that threads all their major prerequisites, IGETC requirements, and TAG deadlines together into a single, realistic plan.
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