The Rausser College of Natural Resources welcomes transfer applicants to each of its nine majors. Priority for admission is given to students with excellent preparation for a major, as we do not accept students transferring as undeclared.
A good first step is to review the requirements of the Rausser College major to which you would like to apply. Use ASSIST to prepare for transferring as a Junior if you've completed California Community College Courses. For all completed coursework from other institutions, please see the US Statement of Transfer Credit Practices and follow the directions on the Undergraduate Admissions website to submit your transcript to UC Berkeley.
Review the Transfer Admission Guidelines for each major below:
- Conservation and Resource Studies Transfer Admission Guidelines
- Ecosystem Management & Forestry Transfer Admission Guidelines
- Environmental Economics And Policy Transfer Admission Guidelines
- Environmental Sciences Transfer Admission Guidelines
- Genetics & Plant Biology Transfer Admission Guidelines
- Microbial Biology Transfer Admission Guidelines
- Molecular Environmental Biology Transfer Admission Guidelines
- Nutritional Sciences - Physiology & Metabolism Transfer Admission Guidelines
- Nutritional Sciences - Toxicology Transfer Admission Guidelines
- Society & Environment Transfer Admission Guidelines
Students interested in applying to transfer to Rausser should also contact the undergraduate advisor for the major they are interested in to help determine whether they have met the appropriate prerequisite course requirements. Our advisors can also tell you about the kinds of opportunities offered in each major and help you to make a decision about which major is right for you.
Please also feel free to email advising.rcnr@berkeley.edu if you need further advice or assistance.
Admissions Criteria
If you are applying to the Rausser College of Natural Resources as a transfer student, you must directly apply to one of our undergraduate majors. The UC Berkeley Office of Undergraduate Admissions directs the overall application process, but Rausser faculty and staff will review your application as well.
As you prepare for transfer admission, you will want to complete the lower-division articulated courses for the particular College major that you are interested in. The ASSIST website has all of the information on transferable course credit for California community colleges and other schools in the UC and CSU systems. If you earned credit at another college or university, those courses will be evaluated after you apply.
Transfer applicants will be evaluated based on the strength of their academic preparation for the major to which they have applied, the grade point average in the required courses, and their cumulative GPA. Applicants’ personal statements and supplementary information are also strongly considered and are very important aspects of the admissions process. Transfer students apply through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Important information for applicants
It is imperative for transfers to fulfill lower-division course requirements. Students who do not complete the lower-division courses for their intended major are less likely to be offered admission. Students who have not met minimum requirements are rarely considered for extensions to complete coursework in the summer. Students who need to complete key lower-division courses (eg. Chemistry, Calculus, or Biology) when they begin at Berkeley are not considered for admission and should wait to apply for the following year. Students who are admitted but do not fulfill the lower division minimum requirements may have their admissions canceled.
2-year California Community College transfer applicants: review the lower division minimum requirements on assist.org
- Choose the Academic Year
- For the Institution drop-down, select your community college
- For the Agreements with Other Institutions dropdown, select "University of California, Berkeley"
- Please make a major selection in the column to the left to see applicable transfer information
- Click "View Agreement" or "Download Agreement" to see the articulation agreements
IGETC - Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum
IGETC does not fully satisfy lower-division requirements for Rausser College majors, nor is it used as an admissions criterion. For some majors, IGETC does satisfy certain breadth requirements. Please contact your intended major advisor for more information about IGETC and its application to your transfer requirements.
Other Relevant Links
- UC Application
- University of California: Transfer Information
- ASSIST (UC transferable course information)
- UC Berkeley Transfer Student Center
- Information for International Transfer Applicants
- Rausser College Undergraduate Handbook
Want a Student's Perspective?
Rausser College Peer Advisors are also available to offer personal viewpoints and experiences to current and prospective Rausser students in order to ease the transition to UC Berkeley, provide a support network for the undergraduate experience, and promote the many opportunities available at the College to help create the most fulfilling undergraduate experiences possible for others.
You can review more information about Rausser College's PAL Program here or contact them via email with specific questions.
Henry Kwok '16
Transfer Student from De Anza Community College
Major: Environmental Economics and Policy
Hometown: Hong Kong
The Transfer Student Experience
"The College embraces this community atmosphere by offering supportive advisors on academic and career information to enhance my vibrant undergraduate experience. I can easily build long-lasting relationships with my fellow schoolmates, professors, and faculty members within a supportive network. People here have motivated me to take the initiative and achieve my ultimate goals. I enjoy the world-class education that I got here because it helped me to explore my interest in environmental economics and identify my career aspiration."