Mt. San Antonio College to UCI
Biology Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Mt. San Antonio College
To
UC Irvine
GPA Reality Check
UCI Biology requires a minimum 3.0 UC-transferable GPA to apply, but the median GPA of admitted CA community college transfers is 3.77 — that's a meaningful gap. Your Chemistry and Biology courses carry the most weight because admissions reviewers look directly at your science prep GPA, and a C in Organic Chemistry can sink an otherwise strong application. Aim for a B or higher in every course in the CHEM 1A–51C chain, and treat those grades as your real competitive threshold.
Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
The UCI Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) is the closest thing to a guaranteed acceptance letter in the UC system. For Biology, you need a 3.4 cumulative UC-transferable GPA and your major prerequisites complete or in progress — then you submit your TAG through the UC Transfer Admission Planner between September 1–30, a full month before the regular UC application opens. If UCI certifies your TAG, your admission is locked as long as you finish your remaining coursework and hold your GPA through spring.
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 Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UC Irvine's Biology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCI offers several biology-adjacent majors that students frequently mix up: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (more field/systems-focused), Biochemistry (lives in the School of Physical Sciences, not Biological Sciences), and Public Health Sciences (pre-med track with a social/policy lens). Each has different prep requirements and lives in a different school — make sure ASSIST is open to the right major before you map your courses.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 4 — General Biology | BIO SCI 93 — Biological Sciences Core I | 4 |
| BIOL 5 — Organismal Biology | BIO SCI 94 — Biological Sciences Core II | 4 |
| CHEM 1A — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A — General Chemistry I (with lab via CHEM 1LC) | 5 |
| CHEM 1B — General Chemistry II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry II | 5 |
| CHEM 1C — General Chemistry III | CHEM 1C — General Chemistry III (with lab via CHEM 1LD) | 5 |
| CHEM 51A — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 51A — Organic Chemistry I (with lab via CHEM 51LB) | 4 |
| CHEM 51B — Organic Chemistry II | CHEM 51B — Organic Chemistry II | 4 |
| CHEM 51C — Organic Chemistry III | CHEM 51C — Organic Chemistry III (with lab via CHEM 51LC) | 4 |
| MATH 71 — Calculus I | MATH 2A — Single Variable Calculus I (Mathematics Requirement, Option 1) | 5 |
| MATH 72 — Calculus II | MATH 2B — Single Variable Calculus II (Mathematics Requirement, Option 1) | 5 |
General Education
IGETC at Mt. San Antonio College
Complete IGETC at Mt. San Antonio College to satisfy UC Irvine's lower-division GE requirements before transferring.
ENGL 1A — Reading and Composition
3 unitsENGL 1C — Critical Thinking and Composition
3 unitsMATH 71 (Calculus I), MATH 110 (Statistics), MATH 160 (Finite Mathematics)
3-5 unitsART 101 (Art History I), MUS 20 (Music Appreciation), DRAM 10 (Introduction to Theatre Arts)
3 unitsENGL 2 (Introduction to Literature), PHIL 1 (Introduction to Philosophy), HIST 1 (World History I)
3 unitsPSYC 1A (General Psychology), SOC 1 (Introduction to Sociology), ECON 1 (Principles of Macroeconomics)
3 unitsCHEM 1A (General Chemistry I — with lab satisfies 5A+5C), PHYS 1A (Introductory Physics I)
3-5 unitsBIOL 4 (General Biology — also counts as major prep), BIOL 1 (Principles of Biology)
4 unitsSatisfied by the lab component of CHEM 1A, BIOL 4, or PHYS 1A — no standalone course needed
0 unitsSPAN 1 (Elementary Spanish I, if completed through 4th semester/6th quarter equivalent), FREN 1 (Elementary French I), CHIN 1 (Elementary Chinese I)
3-5 units| Area | Course options at Mt. San Antonio College | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1A: English Composition | ENGL 1A — Reading and Composition | 3 |
| 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition | ENGL 1C — Critical Thinking and Composition | 3 |
| 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | MATH 71 (Calculus I), MATH 110 (Statistics), MATH 160 (Finite Mathematics) | 3-5 |
| 3A: Arts | ART 101 (Art History I), MUS 20 (Music Appreciation), DRAM 10 (Introduction to Theatre Arts) | 3 |
| 3B: Humanities | ENGL 2 (Introduction to Literature), PHIL 1 (Introduction to Philosophy), HIST 1 (World History I) | 3 |
| 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences | PSYC 1A (General Psychology), SOC 1 (Introduction to Sociology), ECON 1 (Principles of Macroeconomics) | 3 |
| 5A: Physical Sciences | CHEM 1A (General Chemistry I — with lab satisfies 5A+5C), PHYS 1A (Introductory Physics I) | 3-5 |
| 5B: Life Sciences | BIOL 4 (General Biology — also counts as major prep), BIOL 1 (Principles of Biology) | 4 |
| 5C: Laboratory Activity | Satisfied by the lab component of CHEM 1A, BIOL 4, or PHYS 1A — no standalone course needed | 0 |
| 6: Language Other Than English | SPAN 1 (Elementary Spanish I, if completed through 4th semester/6th quarter equivalent), FREN 1 (Elementary French I), CHIN 1 (Elementary Chinese I) | 3-5 |
CHEM 1A → CHEM 51A: The Chain That Breaks Timelines
You cannot start Organic Chemistry (CHEM 51A) until you finish the entire General Chemistry sequence (CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C) — that's three semesters before orgo even begins. If you delay the start of CHEM 1A at Mt. SAC, you will not complete all three semesters of Organic Chemistry before your transfer application deadline, and UCI Biology admission requires the full orgo sequence.
UCI runs on quarters — Mt. SAC runs on semesters
When you transfer, your semester-length courses will map to UCI's 10-week quarters, so expect the pace to feel significantly faster — what took 18 weeks at Mt. SAC will cover in 10 weeks at UCI.
Preview
Your First Semester
A preview of what Pipeline generates — exact courses, in the right order, every semester.
Watch Out
Common Mistakes for This Transfer Path
Don't Wait to Start General Chemistry
The single biggest scheduling mistake Biology transfers make is pushing CHEM 1A to their second semester. Gen Chem (1A → 1B → 1C) must be done before Organic Chemistry even starts, and you need the full three-semester orgo sequence (CHEM 51A → 51B → 51C) complete before transfer. Start CHEM 1A in your very first semester at Mt. SAC or you'll run out of runway.
BIOL 4 and IGETC Can Work Together
BIOL 4 (General Biology) does double duty — it satisfies UCI's BIO SCI 93 major prerequisite AND can be used to fulfill IGETC Area 5B (Life Sciences). Don't pay for a separate IGETC science course if your major prep course already covers it. Check your IGETC worksheet and confirm it's applied to Area 5B when you enroll.
The TAG Window Is Just 30 Days
The UCI TAG application opens September 1 and closes September 30 — no exceptions, no extensions. You must submit through the UC Transfer Admission Planner (TAP) during that window, a full month before the regular UC application opens on October 1. Miss it and you lose guaranteed admission and compete in the general pool.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College to UCI for Biology?
UCI Biology requires a minimum 3.0 cumulative UC-transferable GPA to be eligible, but the median GPA of admitted California community college transfers to UCI is 3.77 — so treat 3.0 as the floor, not the target. If you're aiming for the TAG guarantee, you'll need a 3.4 UC-transferable GPA, and that number has to hold through the spring semester before you transfer.
What courses do I need to take at Mt. SAC for the UCI Biology major?
The required lower-division prep courses are BIOL 4 (General Biology) and BIOL 5 (Organismal Biology) to satisfy UCI's BIO SCI 93 and 94 equivalents, the full general chemistry sequence CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C with labs, and the full organic chemistry sequence CHEM 51A, 51B, and 51C with labs. You're also expected to satisfy UCI's Mathematics Requirement, which you can do with MATH 71 and MATH 72 (Calculus I and II) at Mt. SAC.
Does UCI Biology accept IGETC from Mt. San Antonio College?
Yes — IGETC is accepted for the Biological Sciences B.S. at UCI, and completing it at Mt. SAC before you transfer is to your advantage since it clears most lower-division GE obligations. Note that BIOL 4 at Mt. SAC can simultaneously satisfy IGETC Area 5B (Life Sciences) and count as your BIO SCI 93 major prep equivalent, so it does double duty on your plan sheet.
How does the UCI TAG program work for Mt. SAC Biology students?
TAG guarantees your admission to UCI as long as you earn a 3.4 UC-transferable GPA and complete all required Biology prerequisites with a C or better. You apply through the UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP) between September 1–30 — before the regular UC application even opens — and then submit your standard UC application between October 1 and November 30. Both your TAG major and your UC application major must match exactly, or your guarantee is voided.
How competitive is transferring from Mt. SAC to UCI for Biology compared to other majors?
Biology at UCI has an admit rate of approximately 44% for transfers — meaningfully more accessible than Computer Science at UCI, which sits around 21%. That said, Biology is still a competitive science major where your science prep GPA (especially your Chemistry series) carries real weight in the review process. Mt. SAC consistently ranks in the top 10 California community colleges for UC transfers, so you're coming from a school admissions readers know well.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students planning to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) to UC Irvine for Biology are navigating one of the more demanding science pathways in the California community college transfer system. The Biological Sciences B.S. at UCI sits within the School of Biological Sciences and requires a minimum 3.0 UC-transferable GPA for admission — but the median GPA of admitted California community college transfers to UCI is 3.77, which means serious transfer planning starts on day one at Mt. SAC. The major prerequisites are substantial: the full general chemistry sequence (CHEM 1A, 1B, and 1C) must be completed before tackling organic chemistry (CHEM 51A, 51B, and 51C), and both BIOL 4 and BIOL 5 at Mt. SAC are required to satisfy UCI's BIO SCI 93 and 94 requirements. On top of major prerequisites, completing IGETC at Mt. SAC before transfer is accepted for the Biological Sciences major and clears a significant chunk of UCI's lower-division general education requirements — BIOL 4 even does double duty as both a major prep course and an IGETC Area 5B (Life Sciences) requirement. Mt. SAC students also have access to UCI's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG), which locks in your admission with a 3.4 GPA and completed major prerequisites — applied for through the UC TAP portal each September. Tools like Pipeline help students at Mt. San Antonio College build personalized semester-by-semester plans that sequence these courses correctly, flag prerequisite chains like the CHEM 1A → CHEM 51A dependency, and track IGETC completion alongside major prep — all in one place. For a Bio transfer student at Mt. SAC, the path to UCI is achievable, but the course sequence leaves very little margin for error.
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