Mt. San Antonio College to UCSB
Nursing 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
GPA Reality Check
UC's minimum transferable GPA is 3.0, but the middle 50% of students actually admitted to UCSB as transfers came in with GPAs between 3.46 and 3.91. Nursing is one of UCSB's more structured and selective programs, so you want to be at the top of that range — not the bottom. Your science grades matter most: ANAT 35, ANAT 36, MICR 22, and CHEM 10 are the courses UCSB will scrutinize most closely, and a C in any of them will drag down the major prep GPA that determines your competitiveness.
Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)
UCSB's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) is one of the most valuable tools available to Mt. SAC students — it converts an uncertain admissions process into a confirmed offer as long as you meet the requirements. You need a 3.4 cumulative UC-transferable GPA and must apply through UC TAP between September 1–30. The critical step most students miss: you must also submit your full UC application by November 30 under the exact same major listed on your TAG — if the majors don't match, your guarantee is void.
Major Requirements
Nursing, B.S. — School of Nursing Major Preparation
Nursing, B.S. — School of Nursing at UC Santa Barbara
Courses at Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UC Santa Barbara's Nursing major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
Some students confuse the UCSB Nursing B.S. (a pre-licensure degree that leads to RN licensure) with Public Health B.S., which focuses on population-level health and does not lead to RN licensure. If your goal is to become a registered nurse, the Nursing B.S. is the correct path — but know that it is one of UCSB's most selective and structured programs, with a defined pre-major sequence you must complete before advancing to full major status after transfer.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UCSB | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ANAT 35 — Human Anatomy | Human Anatomy — lower-division Nursing prerequisite | 4 |
| ANAT 36 — Human Physiology | Human Physiology — lower-division Nursing prerequisite | 4 |
| MICR 22 — General Microbiology | Microbiology — lower-division Nursing prerequisite | 4 |
| CHEM 10 — Introduction to General Chemistry | Chemistry for Health Sciences — lower-division Nursing prerequisite | 3 |
| PSYC 1A — General Psychology | General Psychology — lower-division Nursing prerequisite | 3 |
| CHLD 10 — Child Development | Human Development — lower-division Nursing prerequisite | 3 |
| STAT C1000 — Elementary Statistics | Statistics — lower-division Nursing prerequisite | 3 |
| ENGL 1A — English Composition | English Composition — lower-division Nursing prerequisite | 3 |
General Education
IGETC at Mt. San Antonio College
Complete IGETC at Mt. San Antonio College to satisfy UC Santa Barbara's lower-division GE requirements before transferring.
ENGL 1A or ENGL 1AH (Honors)
3 unitsENGL 1C or ENGL 1CH (Honors)
3 unitsSTAT C1000 (Elementary Statistics) or MATH 150 (Calculus I)
3-5 unitsART 1 (Art History: Prehistoric to Gothic) or MUS 20 (Music Appreciation) or THTR 5 (Introduction to Theatre)
3 unitsENGL 2 (Introduction to Literature) or PHIL 1 (Introduction to Philosophy) or HIST 1 (History of Western Civilization I)
3 unitsPSYC 1A (General Psychology) or SOC 1 (Introduction to Sociology) or ANTH 5 (Cultural Anthropology)
3 unitsCHEM 10 (Introduction to General Chemistry) or PHYS 1 (Introduction to Physics)
3-4 unitsBIOL 1 (Principles of Biology) or ANAT 35 (Human Anatomy)
3-4 unitsSPAN 1 (Elementary Spanish I) or FREN 1 (Elementary French I) or ASL 21 (American Sign Language I)
3-5 units| Area | Course options at Mt. San Antonio College | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 1A: English Composition | ENGL 1A or ENGL 1AH (Honors) | 3 |
| 1B: Critical Thinking and Composition | ENGL 1C or ENGL 1CH (Honors) | 3 |
| 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning | STAT C1000 (Elementary Statistics) or MATH 150 (Calculus I) | 3-5 |
| 3A: Arts | ART 1 (Art History: Prehistoric to Gothic) or MUS 20 (Music Appreciation) or THTR 5 (Introduction to Theatre) | 3 |
| 3B: Humanities | ENGL 2 (Introduction to Literature) or PHIL 1 (Introduction to Philosophy) or HIST 1 (History of Western Civilization I) | 3 |
| 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences | PSYC 1A (General Psychology) or SOC 1 (Introduction to Sociology) or ANTH 5 (Cultural Anthropology) | 3 |
| 5A: Physical Sciences | CHEM 10 (Introduction to General Chemistry) or PHYS 1 (Introduction to Physics) | 3-4 |
| 5B: Life Sciences | BIOL 1 (Principles of Biology) or ANAT 35 (Human Anatomy) | 3-4 |
| 6: Language Other Than English | SPAN 1 (Elementary Spanish I) or FREN 1 (Elementary French I) or ASL 21 (American Sign Language I) | 3-5 |
CHEM 10 → MICR 22 and ANAT 36
CHEM 10 is a hard prerequisite for both MICR 22 (General Microbiology) and ANAT 36 (Human Physiology) at Mt. SAC — you cannot register for either without it. If you push CHEM 10 to your second semester, you lose an entire semester in your science sequence and may not finish all major prep before your transfer application deadline.
UCSB runs on quarters — Mt. SAC runs on semesters
Once you transfer, your semester-long courses become quarter-length ones, so expect material to move faster — a topic that took eight weeks at Mt. SAC may get covered in five weeks at UCSB, so arriving with your Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology foundations solid is more important than it might seem.
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 Leave CHEM 10 for Last
CHEM 10 is the prerequisite that unlocks both MICR 22 and ANAT 36 — two of the most critical Nursing prep courses at Mt. SAC. Students who take it in their second or third semester end up compressing the entire science sequence, forcing multiple heavy lab courses into the same semester. Take CHEM 10 in your very first semester, no exceptions.
TAG Major Must Match Your UC Application
UCSB is explicit about this: the major on your TAG application and the major on your UC application must be identical. Students who list 'Nursing' on their TAG and accidentally select 'Public Health' or a related field on the UC app lose their guaranteed admission entirely. Double-check both forms before submitting anything in September and November.
IGETC Can Double-Count — Use That Strategically
Several courses required for the Nursing major can also satisfy IGETC areas, which means you're not doing extra work. CHEM 10 covers IGETC Area 5A, PSYC 1A covers Area 4, and STAT C1000 covers Area 2. Map these overlaps out before your first semester at Mt. SAC so you're not taking extra GE courses you don't need.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College to UCSB Nursing?
The UC minimum is 3.0, but the middle 50% of admitted UCSB transfer students had GPAs between 3.46 and 3.91 — and Nursing is a selective, structured program. If you're aiming for a TAG, you'll need at least a 3.4 cumulative UC-transferable GPA by the end of fall semester before transfer. Your grades in ANAT 35, ANAT 36, MICR 22, and CHEM 10 carry the most weight.
Does UCSB accept IGETC from Mt. San Antonio College for the Nursing major?
Yes — UCSB accepts IGETC for the Nursing B.S. program, and completing it at Mt. SAC satisfies your lower-division general education requirements so you don't have to retake them after transfer. Strategically, courses like CHEM 10 (Area 5A), PSYC 1A (Area 4), and STAT C1000 (Area 2) count toward both IGETC and your Nursing major prep, so you can knock out multiple requirements with the same course.
Can I get a TAG to UCSB for Nursing from Mt. San Antonio College?
Yes — UCSB is one of six UC campuses that offer the Transfer Admission Guarantee, and Nursing is an eligible major. You apply through the UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP) between September 1–30, need a 3.4 GPA, and must have at least 30 UC-transferable semester units completed before submitting. The most common mistake is forgetting to submit the full UC application by November 30 with the same major listed — if the majors don't match, the TAG is invalid.
What science courses do I need to take at Mt. SAC before transferring to UCSB for Nursing?
The core science prerequisites you need to complete at Mt. SAC are ANAT 35 (Human Anatomy), ANAT 36 (Human Physiology), MICR 22 (General Microbiology), and CHEM 10 (Introduction to General Chemistry). CHEM 10 must come first because it's a prerequisite for both MICR 22 and ANAT 36 — take it your first semester to avoid pushing the entire sequence back.
How many applicants transfer from Mt. San Antonio College to UC campuses, and what are my chances?
In the 2023 transfer cycle, 912 Mt. SAC students applied to UC campuses and 678 were admitted — a 74% overall UC admit rate. UCSB specifically gives strong preference to California community college applicants, with CCC students admitted at around a 92% rate campus-wide. That said, the Nursing program is a selective and structured major, so your individual major prep GPA and completion of courses like ANAT 35 and MICR 22 will matter significantly.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students planning to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) to UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) for Nursing have one of the most clearly defined — and genuinely achievable — pathways in the California community college system. With 912 Mt. SAC students applying to UC campuses in 2023 and a 74% admission rate, Mt. SAC is one of the state's top transfer institutions, and UCSB's transfer-friendly culture means over 60% of all transfer applicants to Santa Barbara are admitted. That said, the Nursing B.S. in UCSB's School of Nursing is a structured, selective program that demands careful transfer planning from day one. Students need to complete specific lower-division prerequisites — including ANAT 35 (Human Anatomy), ANAT 36 (Human Physiology), MICR 22 (General Microbiology), and CHEM 10 (Introduction to General Chemistry) — before they arrive on campus. CHEM 10 is the course that unlocks the rest of the sequence, which is why starting it in the first semester matters so much. On the general education side, Mt. SAC students can use IGETC to satisfy UCSB's lower-division GE requirements, and several major prerequisites like CHEM 10 and PSYC 1A double-count toward IGETC areas, reducing the total number of courses needed. Mt. SAC students also have access to UCSB's Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG), which provides a guaranteed admission decision for students who meet a 3.4 GPA threshold and complete the required coursework on schedule. The admitted transfer GPA range at UCSB runs from 3.46 to 3.91 at the middle 50%, so treating every science course as high-stakes is the right mindset. Tools like Pipeline help Mt. SAC students build personalized semester-by-semester plans that account for prerequisite chains, IGETC overlap, and TAG deadlines — so nothing falls through the cracks on the road from Walnut to Santa Barbara.
Build your Mt. San Antonio College → UCSB plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan