Orange County, California

bachelors degree pathway

Complete your undergraduate college education by earning a Bachelor’s Degree from a U.S. university. OCC has Guaranteed Transfer Agreements with many U.S. universities.

Transfer from OCC to university
for a bachelor’s degree

progression chart

After completing Step 2 (studies at Orange Coast College), students move to Step 3 of the Pathway process: transfer to a four-year university for a bachelor’s degree. This final step is approximately 2 years of study.

Transferring is simple with OCC’s agreements with the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) systems. OCC also has admissions agreements with Arizona State University, Hawaii Pacific University, and Western Oregon University.

Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG)

Transfer Admission Guarantees (TAGs) are agreements between Orange Coast College and University of California (UC) campuses. TAGs guarantee that OCC graduates are admitted to one of these universities:

  • University of California, Davis (UCD)
  • University of California, Irvine (UCI)
  • University of California, Merced (UCM)
  • University of California, Riverside (UCR)
  • University of California, Santa Barbara (UCB)
  • University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)

To transfer to a partner University of California (UC) school, students must:

  • Complete the required courses
  • Maintain a satisfactory GPA
  • Sign a transfer agreement (TAG)

TAGs are free and must be submitted during the student’s final year of community college studies, although students may begin their online TAG application at any time. There is no cost to submit a TAG. Orange Coast College’s Transfer Center is here to help: during the first meeting with your community college guidance counselor, ask for assistance and information with obtaining a TAG.  Visit the OCC website for more information.

Associate Transfer Degrees

Orange Coast College students have the option of completing an Associate of Arts or Associate of Sciences for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T). An AA-T or AS-T degree ensures admission into a California State University (CSU).

OCC students do not need an AA-T or AS-T to transfer; however, if a student would like to be guaranteed admission to a CSU, this is the best option. AA-T and AS-T degrees are offered for specific majors: contact a community college admissions officer to learn more.

After receiving a bachelor’s degree

After receiving a bachelor’s degree, students may participate in OPT (Optional Practical Training) for one year. Students may also consider enrolling in a master’s degree. Contact IEC@OCC to learn more about Orange Coast College transfer agreements, OPT, and post-graduate studies.