Mt. San Antonio College to UCSB
Biology Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Mt. San Antonio College
To
UC Santa Barbara
BiologyGPA Reality Check
UCSB's minimum transfer GPA is 2.4 for California residents, but the middle 50% of admitted students came in with GPAs between 3.46 and 3.91 — and Biology is explicitly flagged as a selective major where the competitive threshold sits even higher. Your science prep GPA matters most: UCSB requires at least a 2.7 in all preparatory science courses just to be considered, and TAG requires a 3.40 cumulative. In practice, if your grades in CHEM 40, CHEM 50, and BIOL 4 are dipping below a B, treat that as a serious signal to retake or recalibrate before you apply.
Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
Mt. SAC students can access UCSB's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) — one of the strongest safety nets in the UC system. For Biology specifically, TAG requires a 3.40 cumulative UC-transferable GPA by the end of your fall application semester, plus completion of all Biology major prep courses listed on ASSIST. Submit your TAG application through UC TAP in September, then file your full UC application to UCSB under the same major by December 1 — both steps are required, and the major listed on each must match exactly.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences (College of Letters & Science — Pre-Biology) Major Preparation
Biological Sciences (College of Letters & Science — Pre-Biology) at UC Santa Barbara
Courses at Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Biology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCSB Biology isn't a single track — it splits into two departments after you arrive: Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology (EEMB) and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB). You transfer in as Pre-Biology, then declare one of roughly a dozen specific degree programs (like Zoology B.S., Molecular & Cellular Biology B.S., or Aquatic Biology B.S.) after completing two quarters on campus. Know which track you're aiming for before you apply — it shapes which upper-division courses you'll take once you arrive.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 4 — Principles of Biology | General Biology sequence — first term (MCDB 1A / EEMB 2 equivalent) | 4 |
| BIOL 5 — Organismal Biology | General Biology sequence — second term (EEMB 3 equivalent) | 4 |
| CHEM 40 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 50 — General Chemistry II | CHEM 1B — General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHEM 51 — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 6A — Organic Chemistry | 5 |
| MATH 180 — Calculus | MATH 3A — Calculus with Applications | 4 |
| BIOL 15 — Cell and Molecular Biology | MCDB 1B / Cell and Molecular Biology preparation | 4 |
General Education
Foundation GE at Mt. San Antonio College
Complete these five courses at Mt. San Antonio College to start your UCSB 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 1
General Biology
CHEM 10
Chemistry for Allied Health Majors
HIST 1
History of the United States
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 1 — General Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 10 — Chemistry for Allied Health Majors | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 1 — History of the United States | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
CHEM 40 → CHEM 50 → BIOL 15
These three courses form a strict chain: you need CHEM 40 before CHEM 50, and both BIOL 4 and CHEM 50 before BIOL 15. If you don't start CHEM 40 in your very first semester at Mt. SAC, the whole sequence shifts right and you may run out of time to complete all Biology major prep before your TAG application in September.
Mt. SAC runs on semesters — UCSB runs on quarters
When you arrive at UCSB, your semester-length courses will map onto a faster quarter schedule — classes move roughly 50% quicker, so the adjustment in pacing during your first quarter is real and worth mentally preparing for before you show up.
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
File TAG in September — biology has extra hoops
Most UCSB majors let you TAG without finishing every prep course, but Biology is an exception — UCSB requires all major prep courses to be completed and a 3.40 GPA in them by the end of your fall application semester. That means you need CHEM 40, CHEM 50, BIOL 4, BIOL 5, CHEM 51, MATH 180, and BIOL 15 wrapped up before you submit in September. Plan your two years at Mt. SAC backward from that deadline, not forward.
BIOL 15 sits at the end of a long chain
Mt. SAC's BIOL 15 (Cell and Molecular Biology) is a capstone prep course that requires both BIOL 4 and CHEM 50 before you can enroll — which means it can't realistically be taken until your final or second-to-last semester. Unlike some CCs where the biology sequence is shorter, Mt. SAC's prep chain runs at least three semesters deep before BIOL 15 is even accessible. Map out CHEM 40 → CHEM 50 → BIOL 15 and BIOL 4 → BIOL 5 in parallel from day one so nothing bottlenecks your timeline.
IGETC is allowed but don't prioritize it
UCSB officially accepts IGETC for Biology, but your major prep is so unit-heavy that chasing full IGETC completion can crowd out the science courses that actually make or break your application and your TAG. Finish ENGL 1A early to satisfy the English composition requirement, knock out MATH 180 as your math breadth, and use remaining semesters to complete your science sequence. You can finish any remaining IGETC electives around the edges — don't let GE planning become the tail that wags the dog.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Mt. San Antonio College students get a TAG to UCSB for Biology?
Yes — Mt. SAC students are eligible for UCSB's Transfer Admission Guarantee. For Biology, you must earn a 3.40 cumulative UC-transferable GPA by the end of your fall application semester and complete all required major prep courses (including CHEM 40, CHEM 50, BIOL 4, BIOL 5, CHEM 51, MATH 180, and BIOL 15) before the spring semester prior to transfer. You apply through UC TAP each September.
What GPA do I need to transfer from Mt. SAC to UCSB Biology?
UCSB's minimum for California residents is a 2.4 overall, but the mid-50th percentile of admitted transfers came in between 3.46 and 3.91, and Biology is a selective major. UCSB also requires at least a 2.7 GPA specifically in your preparatory science courses like CHEM 40 and BIOL 4 — below that threshold, you won't meet the department's minimum.
Which courses do I take at Mt. SAC to prepare for UCSB Biology?
The core lower-division prep includes BIOL 4 (Principles of Biology), BIOL 5 (Organismal Biology), BIOL 15 (Cell and Molecular Biology), CHEM 40 (General Chemistry I), CHEM 50 (General Chemistry II), CHEM 51 (Organic Chemistry I), and MATH 180 (Calculus). These articulate to UCSB's required pre-Biology coursework and must be completed before transfer, especially if you're pursuing TAG.
Does UCSB accept IGETC from Mt. SAC for Biology?
UCSB does accept IGETC for Biology, but the Biology major's heavy science prep sequence makes completing full IGETC difficult within two years at Mt. SAC. Admissions advisors recommend prioritizing major prep — especially the CHEM 40 → CHEM 50 → BIOL 15 chain — over IGETC completion. ENGL 1A can double as your IGETC Area 1A and your UC-E requirement, which helps.
What kind of Biology degree does UCSB offer for transfer students?
Transfer students enter UCSB as Pre-Biology majors within the College of Letters & Science. After completing two quarters on campus, you petition to declare a full major — options include Zoology B.S., Molecular & Cellular Biology B.S., Ecology and Evolution B.S., Aquatic Biology B.S., and several others. You should have your target track in mind before you apply, since it shapes which upper-division courses you'll want to prioritize once you arrive.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students at Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) who are planning to transfer to UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) for Biology face one of the more demanding transfer pathways in the California community college system — and also one of the most structured. UCSB accepts IGETC for Biology majors, but the real work is in the major prerequisites: courses like BIOL 4 (Principles of Biology), CHEM 40, CHEM 50, BIOL 5, BIOL 15, and MATH 180 form a multi-semester chain that needs to start in your very first semester at Mt. SAC. UCSB received 18,421 transfer applications for fall 2024, and while the overall transfer admit rate was approximately 61.8%, Biology is explicitly designated as a selective major where a competitive GPA — the middle 50% of admits ranged from 3.46 to 3.91 — makes the difference. Transfer planning here isn't just about checking off courses; it's about sequencing them correctly. Mt. SAC students also have access to UCSB's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG), which locks in your admission if you hit a 3.40 cumulative GPA and complete all Biology major prep courses listed on ASSIST before applying in September. IGETC is accepted, but given how unit-intensive the science sequence is, your prep courses take priority and IGETC gets filled in around the edges. Tools like Pipeline help students at Mt. SAC map out exactly which semesters to take each course, flag prerequisite conflicts before they cause problems, and build a personalized transfer plan that lines up TAG deadlines with the right course sequence — so nothing in that CHEM 40 → CHEM 50 → BIOL 15 chain gets accidentally skipped.
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