Prepare for Orientation by reviewing the following academic information.
Review how your exam scores earn you credit at UCSB!
Avoid repeating courses by understanding your college transcript.
Take a placement assessment to learn your best starting point.
Submit AP, IB, and A-Level Exam Scores
You can earn credit at UCSB through Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level or A-Level exams.
Official test scores must be submitted to the UCSB Office of Admissions by July 15.
The Pre-Orientation Online Module will help you understand how your exam scores apply to UCSB's general education requirements and major course credit. You can also review the credit charts below to get a head start.
Pending/Unofficial Exam Scores at Orientation
It can take a few days to several weeks for UCSB to receive and process official exam scores. This means your scores may not be posted when you register for your Fall quarter classes at Orientation.
Don't worry -- you'll still be able to register for a full schedule of appropriate first-quarter courses. However, you might need to wait until Winter quarter registration to use your exam credits to move ahead in a course sequence.
Send College Transcripts
College courses taken at another institution may count toward major pre-requisites/requirements, general education requirements, or elective credits at UCSB.
Official transcripts must be sent to the UCSB Office of Admissions by July 1.
Be sure to bring a copy of your college transcript (unofficial or official) to your Orientation session. Orientation staff do not have access to transcripts submitted to the Office of Admissions, but they can offer general guidance on which UCSB courses you may want to avoid to not repeat courses.
College transcripts are evaluated and processed by mid-October.
Until that happens, your transferable credit will not appear in UCSB's registration system and cannot be used to advance in a course sequence during your first quarter.
California Community College Credit
We highly encourage you to use ASSIST.org to see how your California Community College courses transfer to UCSB. This tool shows whether a CA community college class is equivalent to a UCSB course and if it fulfills any general education or major requirements.
Exploring this information ahead of time will help you come to Orientation prepared and better understand your academic path at UCSB.
Four-Year University or Out-of-State Community College Credit
If you attended a four-year university or a community college outside of California, UCSB does not have a direct articulation agreement with those institutions. Your transcripts will need to be evaluated and processed by the UCSB Office of Admissions to determine how your courses transfer.
Take a Placement Assessment (if applicable)
UCSB offers multiple placement processes for various subject areas that could be helpful for you to complete prior to your Orientation Session: Math, Writing, and Chemistry.
Math Placement Process
Math Placement is required prior to Orientation for certain majors at UCSB. This process will help determine which math course will be best starting point for you for your major progression.
Math Placement is required prior to Orientation for the following majors and pre-majors:
- Earth Science (except for Geobiology and Paleobiology emphases)
- Environmental Studies (B.S. only)
- Physics (both B.A. and B.S.)
- Pre-Actuarial Science
- Pre-Applied Mathematics
- Pre-Chemistry
- Pre-Financial Mathematics & Statistics
- Pre-Mathematics
- Pre-Statistics & Data Science
- ALL COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING MAJORS
If you are currently declared in any of these majors or hope to change/declare on of the majors, you will need to complete the math placement process prior to your Orientation session. Click the drop-down's below to determine your next steps.
If your declared/intended major is not listed above, you do not need to complete the math placement process.
Depending on your AP, IB, or A-Level exam score, you may already qualify to be placed in an appropriate math course at UCSB. Review the scores below:
- AP Calculus AB
- Score of 1 = must take the Math Placement Exam
- Score of 2 = Placement into Math 2A or 3A
- Score of 3, 4, or 5 = Placement into Math 2B or 3B
- AP Calculus BC
- Score of 1 = must take the Math Placement Exam
- Score of 2 = Placement into Math 2A or 3A
- Score of 3, 4, or 5 = Placement into Math 4A
- IB Higher Level Mathematics Analysis & Approaches
- Score of 1, 2, 3, or 4 = Must take the Math Placement Exam
- Score of 5, 6, or 7 = Placement into Math 4A
- Cambridge International A-Level Mathematics
- Grade of A, B, or C = Placement into Math 3B
- Cambridge International A-Level Mathematics Further
- Grade of A, B, or C = Placement into Math 4B
Based on your exam score, if you have been placed into a math course at UCSB then you do not have to take the Math Placement Exam. You will need to complete the Math Placement Form prior to your Orientation session. The form link will be provided to you in the Pre-Orientation Online Module and through your UCSB email prior to your Orientation session.
If your exam score does not place you into a math course at UCSB and your major requires Math Placement, you must take the Math Placement Exam prior to your Orientation session. More information about the Math Placement Exam is provided in the next drop-down.
You can only take the Math Placement Exam once per calendar month, and you must complete the exam in one sitting. You cannot stop and restart the exam. If you stop in the middle or do not pass the exam, you must wait until the next calendar month to retake the exam.
To take the exam, review the information on the Mathematics Course Placement Information website.
Writing Placement Process
UCSB’s Collaborative Writing Placement assessment places students in the appropriate writing course to satisfy the Entry Level Writing Requirement. The Entry Level Writing Requirement is a University of California requirement that all students must fulfill during their first year. This writing requirement can also be satisfied through SAT, ACT, AP, or IB scores or through college credit.
You have already satisfied the Entry Level Writing Requirement if you scored:
- 680 or higher on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section
- 30 or higher on the ACT English Language Arts section
- 63 or higher on the ACT English + Reading section
- 3 or higher on the AP Seminar, AP Research, or either AP English exams
- 5 or higher on the IB Higher Level English A exam
- 6 or higher on the IB Standard Level A1 exam
- or received a grade of "C" or higher in a transferable English composition course that satisfies GE Area A1
If you have not satisfied the Entry Level Writing Requirement in one of the above ways, you will need to take the Collaborative Writing Placement.
If you have not satisfied the Entry Level Writing Requirement, you will automatically receive an invitation to take the Collaborative Writing Placement at the start of the placement session. Check your UCSB email often for this invitation.
Review more information on the Collaborative Writing Placement website.
Chemistry Placement Process
The UCSB Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has developed a Self-Placement Assessment that provides feedback and information about the two most common chemistry courses for incoming students. This self-assessment will help determine the best course for you based on your previous chemistry knowledge.
The Chemistry Placement self-assessment is beneficial for majors that recommend taking Chemistry in your first quarter, including:
- Earth Science
- Environmental Studies (B.S. only)
- Pre-Biology
- Pre-Biopsychology
- Pre-Chemistry
- Pre-Psychological & Brain Sciences
If you are currently declared in any of these majors or hope to change/declare one of these majors, you may want to complete the Chemistry Placement self-assessment. Click the next drop-down area to determine your next steps.
If your major is not listed above, you do not need to complete the Chemistry Placement self-assessment.
Access the assessment by self-enrolling in this Canvas course: https://ucsb.instructure.com/enroll/9G7DW6. Taking the Self-Placement Assessment is a critical step before registering for any chemistry course.
IMPORTANT: Pre-Chemistry majors that are recommended to take CHEM 1A, should enroll in CHEM 3A during registration. CHEM 3A is specifically for chemistry-related students.