Enrollment Options

Most UC students are enrolled full-time in a regular program at one campus, but there are exceptions. In most cases, students must obtain special permission to participate in the programs described below.

Part-Time Study

Undergraduates who wish to attend the University on a part-time basis must obtain permission from the dean of the school or college they will be attending. In general, the University encourages students to attend full-time. The faculty believes that a full-time academic program provides the richest academic experience for students.

UCSB Off-Campus Studies Program
Working adults and re-entry students who have completed 60 transferable semester (90 quarter) units may attend classes part-time and pursue A UC bachelor’s degree through the Off-Campus Studies Program at the UCSB Ventura Center or UCSB Santa Maria Center. The Ventura Center offers degrees in anthropology, English, history, interdisciplinary studies, law and society, political science, psychology and sociology. The Santa Maria Center offers majors in English and history. To be eligible, students must meet UC transfer admission requirements.

Summer Study

Community college students are welcome to attend summer sessions at University campuses; however, summer session admission does not constitute regular admission. (Attendance at a UCSF summer session is restricted to students who have been admitted or are continuing in a school or graduate program there.)

University Extension

Most University classes are offered during the day for regularly enrolled students. University Extension offers a wide variety of educational programs for those who cannot attend the University during the day on a full-time basis. University Extension does not grant degrees, although it offers many courses that qualify for credit toward UC degrees.

Courses are offered during the day and evening, and you do not have to meet admission requirements to enroll. Admission to University Extension does not constitute regular admission, and credit toward a degree may not be granted.

Contact the University Extension at the UC campus you wish to attend for more information. If you have questions about which Extension courses qualify for degree credit, contact the dean of the college or school that grants the degree.

Concurrent Enrollment

In general, the University discourages students from enrolling in two colleges at the same time. If you wish to do this and receive credit for the work you complete, you must first obtain permission from the dean of the UC school or college in which you are enrolled. This also applies to University Extension courses. Credit is not always granted.

You may attend a community college summer session after becoming a UC student, but there is a limit to the amount of community college coursework the University accepts: 70 semester or 105 quarter units. Also, you can receive unit credit only, not grade points, for summer-session coursework taken outside the UC system. Another consideration is the University’s residence requirement, which states the number of credits you must complete at the campus where you receive your degree. Some campuses may not accept community college work to satisfy certain requirements once you have enrolled at a UC campus. The dean of the school or college in which you are enrolled may impose other unit and/or course audit restrictions. Consult the college dean and campus General Catalog for more information.

Cross-Enrollment

California residents currently enrolled at a California community college or the California State University may enroll in one undergraduate course per academic term at any UC campus, provided the student has met course prerequisites and approval is granted by both the home and UC campus. To cross-enroll, you must have completed at least one term at your home campus; have a 2.0 GPA in work completed; and be enrolled in at least six units at your home campus and have paid appropriate fees at your home campus for the term in which you wish to cross-enroll. A $10 fee plus any material/laboratory fees associated with the course may be charged. Contact your college registrar’s office for information. Cross-enrollment does not constitute regular admission.

Intercampus Transfers

After you enroll at a UC campus, it may be possible for you to transfer to another UC campus. Applications for intercampus transfer are considered in light of the applicant’s personal circumstances and the availability of space in the prospective major. Students who want to transfer from one UC campus to another must submit an application for undergraduate admission during the appropriate filing period. Some campuses do not accept intercampus transfers who have completed more than 120 quarter (80 semester) units. Students who satisfy the lower division general education/breadth requirements at a UC campus prior to transferring to another UC campus are considered to have satisfied the lower division general education breadth requirements at the UC campus to which they transfer. At UCR, this option is not available to students transferring to The Bourns College of Engineering. At UCSD, transfer reciprocity is available to students transferring to Warren, Marshall, Muir and Sixth colleges. Students who select Revelle or Eleanor Roosevelt college must satisfy the general education requirements of that college.