Transfer General Education Requirements

Cal-GETC and Your Transfer

Students with catalog rights before Fall 2025 can choose to complete the Cal-GETC requirements, but it’s not required.

What is Cal-GETC?
Cal-GETC (California General Education Transfer Curriculum) is a set of courses that lets you transfer from a California Community College (CCC) to a CSU or UC without having to take extra lower-division general education courses after you transfer.

While it’s strongly recommended to complete Cal-GETC before transferring, it may not be the best choice for some majors like engineering, math, or science. Some UC campuses or specific majors may not accept all Cal-GETC courses for general education credit.

Tip: Meet with a counselor to figure out the path that’s right for your major and transfer goals.

[2025-2026 Cal-GETC]

IGETC and Your Transfer

Students who started at GCC before Fall 2025 can follow the IGETC requirements, as long as they maintain continuous enrollment (catalog rights). Note that this pattern will not be updated after the 2024‑2025 academic year.

For students following IGETC, courses taken in Fall 2025 or later can count toward IGETC certification if:

• You’ve maintained continuous enrollment and have catalog rights, and

• The course is approved in the corresponding Cal-GETC area when completed.

What is IGETC?
The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) is designed for community college students planning to transfer to either a UC or CSU campus. It allows you to complete your lower-division general education coursework before transferring.

IGETC is a good option for students who are unsure whether they will transfer to a CSU or UC, because it keeps your options open and helps you stay on track for transfer.

Students Who Began at COC Prior to Fall 2025
Students who started at College of the Canyons before Fall 2025 may continue to follow the CSU GE Breadth pattern as long as they maintain continuous enrollment (catalog rights). Please note that this pattern will not be updated beyond the 2024–2025 academic year.

Courses taken in Fall 2025 or later may still be applied toward CSU GE Breadth certification if:

• The student has maintained continuous enrollment and catalog rights to follow the CSU GE Breadth pattern.

• The course was approved to satisfy the CSU GE Breadth area in the 2024–2025 academic year.

What is CSU GE Breadth?
The California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE Breadth) pattern is recommended for community college students planning to transfer to a CSU campus. It allows students to complete lower-division general education requirements before transferring.

Planning to Transfer to a UC?

Students planning to apply to a University of California (UC) campus should follow the Cal-GETC or IGETC general education patterns to meet lower-division general education (GE) requirements before transferring.

Completion of Cal-GETC (effective Fall 2025) or IGETC will allow you to transfer from a California Community College to a UC campus without needing to complete additional lower-division GE courses after transfer.

To explore how COC courses transfer to the UC system and fulfill specific requirements, use the tools below:

ASSIST.org
ASSIST is the official transfer and articulation system for California’s public colleges and universities. It helps you identify which COC courses are transferable to UC campuses and which meet major or GE requirements.

👉 Visit ASSIST.org

UC Transfer Admission Planner (UC TAP)
UC TAP is an online tool to help prospective UC transfer students track their progress toward meeting UC admission requirements. It’s especially helpful for planning your coursework and keeping organized throughout your transfer journey.

👉 Use the UC TAP Tool

Additional Notes:

• Some UC campuses or majors (particularly in STEM fields) may not recommend completing IGETC or Cal-GETC, as they have specific major preparation requirements.

• Always meet with a COC counselor to confirm which path best fits your transfer goals.