De Anza College to UCI
Nursing Transfer Plan
Quarter-by-quarter courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
De Anza College
To
UC Irvine
GPA Reality Check
UCI's published minimum GPA for Nursing Science transfer applicants is 3.0, but the program is described by the School of Nursing itself as 'competitive and highly selective,' with the overall program accept rate well under 10%. The median GPA for all UCI CC transfers was 3.77–3.79 — and nursing is more selective than the campus average. Your science GPA in CHEM 1A, 1B, 1C and BIOL 6A, 6B matters most: UCI and most nursing programs pay close attention to how you perform in lab sciences. A 3.0 gets you eligible; a 3.7+ in your sciences is what actually gets you in.
Major Requirements
Nursing Science (B.S.) — Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing Major Preparation
Nursing Science (B.S.) — Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing at UC Irvine
Courses at De Anza College that satisfy UC Irvine's Nursing major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
Students sometimes confuse UCI's Nursing Science B.S. with Public Health Sciences, which is a different major in a different school and does not lead to RN licensure. If your goal is to become a registered nurse, Nursing Science is the only direct path at UCI. Public Health Sciences focuses on population health, policy, and research — not clinical bedside nursing.
| Course at De Anza College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 1A — General Chemistry | CHEM 1A — General Chemistry (with lab equivalent) | 5 |
| CHEM 1B — General Chemistry | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry (with lab equivalent) | 5 |
| CHEM 1C — General Chemistry | CHEM 1C — General Chemistry (with lab equivalent) | 5 |
| BIOL 6A — Cellular and Molecular Biology | BIO SCI 93 — Cell Biology and Genetics (Biology year requirement) | 5 |
| BIOL 6B — Organismal and Population Biology | BIO SCI 94 — Organisms to Ecosystems (Biology year requirement) | 5 |
| STAT C1000 — Statistics | Nursing Science Statistics Requirement (STATS 7 or equivalent) | 5 |
| PSYC 1 — General Psychology | Nursing Science Psychology Requirement (PSYCH 7A or equivalent) | 5 |
General Education
IGETC at De Anza College
Complete IGETC at De Anza College to satisfy UC Irvine's lower-division GE requirements before transferring.
ENGL C1000 (formerly EWRT 1A), ENGL C1000H
5 unitsENGL C1001 (formerly EWRT 2), ENGL C1001H, PHIL 1
5 unitsSTAT C1000 (formerly MATH 10), STAT C1000H, MATH 1A, MATH 11
5 unitsART 1D, DANC 12, MUS 1, MUS 4, THEA 1
4–5 unitsELIT 1, ELIT 13, ENGL C1001H, HIST 1, HIST 2, HIST 7, HIST 8, PHIL 1
4–5 unitsPSYC 1, ECON 1, ECON 2, GEOG 1, POLI 1, SOC 1, ANTH 2
4–5 unitsCHEM 1A, CHEM 1AH, ASTR 4, PHYS 4A, GEOL 10
4–5 unitsBIOL 6A, BIOL 6B, BIOL 6C, ANTH 1, BIOL 10, BIOL 11, BIOL 15
4–5 unitsSPAN 2, SPAN 3, JAPN 2, JAPN 3, MAND 2, MAND 3, FREN 2, FREN 3, KORE 2, VIET 2
5 units| Area | Course options at De Anza College | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1A: English Composition | ENGL C1000 (formerly EWRT 1A), ENGL C1000H | 5 |
| 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition | ENGL C1001 (formerly EWRT 2), ENGL C1001H, PHIL 1 | 5 |
| 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | STAT C1000 (formerly MATH 10), STAT C1000H, MATH 1A, MATH 11 | 5 |
| 3A: Arts | ART 1D, DANC 12, MUS 1, MUS 4, THEA 1 | 4–5 |
| 3B: Humanities | ELIT 1, ELIT 13, ENGL C1001H, HIST 1, HIST 2, HIST 7, HIST 8, PHIL 1 | 4–5 |
| 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences | PSYC 1, ECON 1, ECON 2, GEOG 1, POLI 1, SOC 1, ANTH 2 | 4–5 |
| 5A: Physical Sciences | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1AH, ASTR 4, PHYS 4A, GEOL 10 | 4–5 |
| 5B: Biological Sciences | BIOL 6A, BIOL 6B, BIOL 6C, ANTH 1, BIOL 10, BIOL 11, BIOL 15 | 4–5 |
| 6: Language Other Than English | SPAN 2, SPAN 3, JAPN 2, JAPN 3, MAND 2, MAND 3, FREN 2, FREN 3, KORE 2, VIET 2 | 5 |
CHEM 1A → CHEM 1B → CHEM 1C
General Chemistry at De Anza is a strict three-quarter sequence — CHEM 1A must be completed before 1B, and 1B before 1C. If you don't start CHEM 1A in your very first Fall quarter, you won't finish the series before UCI reviews your application, and your nursing prerequisite will show as incomplete.
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
TAG Is Not Available for Nursing Science
A lot of De Anza students assume they can lock in admission to UCI Nursing through the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program — but Nursing Science is explicitly listed as a major that does not participate in TAG. There is no guaranteed admission path for this major, which makes your science GPA and completed prerequisites even more critical before you apply.
Don't Take Chemistry Out of Sequence
CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C must be completed in order — you can't skip ahead or take them simultaneously. If you don't start CHEM 1A in your very first Fall quarter at De Anza, you risk not finishing all three before your transfer application is reviewed. UCI requires the full three-quarter general chemistry series with lab as a hard prerequisite.
A 'B or Better' Rule Applies to Your Prereqs
UCI requires a grade of B or higher in all prerequisite courses completed at a public California college — not just a C. That's a stricter standard than the minimum many students plan for. Getting a C in CHEM 1B might still make you technically eligible, but it will almost certainly hurt your application in a pool where the median admitted GPA is well above 3.7.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from De Anza College to UC Irvine Nursing Science?
UCI requires a minimum cumulative UC-transferable GPA of 3.0 for Nursing Science transfer applicants, but the program is highly selective and the median GPA for admitted CC transfers to UCI overall was 3.77–3.79. Because Nursing Science is more competitive than most majors, you should realistically aim for a 3.7 or higher, especially in your science prerequisites like CHEM 1A and BIOL 6A.
Can I use TAG to get guaranteed admission to UCI Nursing from De Anza?
No — Nursing Science is explicitly listed as a major that does not participate in UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. Even though De Anza has a TAG agreement with UCI for many majors, nursing is excluded. Your only path is the regular transfer application, which means your GPA and completed prerequisites carry all the weight.
Does UCI Nursing accept IGETC from De Anza College?
Yes. The UCI Nursing Science Transfer Course Planner explicitly states that incoming transfer students can satisfy all GE requirements with full IGETC certification. You'll want to complete your IGETC before you arrive at UCI — De Anza's ENGL C1000 and ENGL C1001 are common starting points for the English composition requirement.
What classes do I need to take at De Anza College before transferring to UCI Nursing?
The required lower-division prerequisites for Nursing Science at UCI include one full year of general chemistry with lab (CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C at De Anza), one year of biology (BIOL 6A and 6B), Statistics (STAT C1000), and General Psychology (PSYC 1). All of these must be completed with a B or higher since they were taken at a public California college.
How competitive is the UC Irvine Nursing transfer program?
It's one of UCI's most selective majors — the School of Nursing itself describes admission as 'competitive and highly selective,' and the overall program accept rate is reported to be well under 10%. The program targets graduating about 50 students per year, which means very limited spots are available for transfer students. Completing all prerequisites with strong grades and applying early in the application window gives you the best shot.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Transferring from De Anza College to UC Irvine's Nursing Science B.S. program is one of the most demanding transfer pathways in the California community college system. The Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing at UCI is highly selective — the admit rate for Nursing Science is reported to be well under 10%, even as UCI's overall transfer acceptance rate for Fall 2024 was approximately 39.8% across all majors. Smart transfer planning starts at De Anza the moment you arrive. The lower-division major prerequisites — including the full three-quarter General Chemistry sequence (CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C), a year of biology (BIOL 6A and 6B), Statistics (STAT C1000), and General Psychology (PSYC 1) — must all be completed with a B or higher before you transfer. On top of that, you'll want to work toward full IGETC certification, which UCI Nursing Science officially accepts to satisfy all general education requirements at transfer. Areas like 1A (ENGL C1000 at De Anza) and 1B (ENGL C1001) are natural early coursework. Because Nursing Science does not participate in UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program, there is no guaranteed admission path — every applicant competes on their record alone, and the median GPA for UCI community college admits overall was 3.77 to 3.79. Nursing applicants should aim even higher, particularly in science courses. Tools like Pipeline help De Anza students build a personalized quarter-by-quarter plan that maps major prerequisites and IGETC courses onto a realistic two-year timeline, so nothing gets missed and the chemistry sequence starts on day one.
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