Is a community college pathway the right route to a UC degree?
Learn how the Community College Pathway at UC Davis CPE helps international students strengthen their academic and English language skills before transferring to a UC campus.
Kai T., a student from Japan, dreamed of attending the University of California. He knew additional English language and academic preparation would help make his dream a reality.
“The Community College Pathway provides the best way to learn English and critical thinking skills—essential skills to succeed at U.S. universities,” he said.
UC Davis Continuing and Professional Education’s Community College Pathway gave Kai the foundation he needed to achieve his goals. After completing the program, he attended Diablo Valley Community College.
“I didn’t struggle to read or write essays at community college,” he said. “I could focus on maintaining a 4.0 GPA.”
Kai earned his bachelor's degree in economics from UC San Diego.
“If you’re thinking of studying in the U.S., especially at the University of California, I strongly recommend the Community College Pathway,” Kai said.
For many international students, beginning with the Community College Pathway at UC Davis CPE can provide the academic preparation, English language support and confidence needed to transfer to a UC campus.
Why choose a community college before transferring to a UC?
Kai is one of the nearly one-third of UC students who are transfers. Almost all of them come from California community colleges.
For students like Kai who could benefit from additional academic preparation and individualized support before transitioning to the demands of a UC or other research university, a community college pathway may be a better approach than direct freshman admission.
The Community College Pathway at UC Davis CPE provides international students with additional time and support to improve English language skills and prepare for the rigor of UC coursework. It offers a clear path to a California community college to complete coursework for transfer to a UC campus. Through the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG), eligible California community college students are guaranteed admission to one of six participating UC campuses—including UC Davis—if they meet specific academic requirements.
Through this pathway, international students can prepare for transfer to leading U.S. universities through a cost-effective pathway. English proficiency test scores (TOEFL, IELTS) are waived and standardized test scores are not required. Students benefit from enhanced college-prep skills, English language support and transfer to a UC as a third-year student.
How does the Community College Pathway work?
With the Community College Pathway, students enter through a rigorous academic preparatory program, complete a series of courses at our partner colleges and, upon successful completion of program requirements, transfer to a UC campus.
- Apply to the UC Davis CPE Community College Pathway.
- Complete one quarter in UC Davis CPE’s Academic Preparation Program.
- Transfer to a partner community college.
- Complete 60 semester units of transferable credit over two years.
- Apply to a UC campus or another four-year university.
- Begin your junior year on the path to earning your bachelor's degree.
The Academic Preparation Program at UC Davis consists of four core academic courses: Academic Literacy, Academic Research, Academic Success, and Reason and Analysis. These courses prepare students for undergraduate study in the United States by helping them develop essential academic skills, including critical reading, academic writing, oral communication, active listening, critical thinking, information literacy, research skills, collaboration, problem-solving, time management and effective learning strategies. Each course consists of approximately 50 instructional hours over the 10-week quarter.
Have questions?
Learn more about admissions requirements, English language proficiency, housing and student life. Read the Destination Davis Pathway Programs FAQs.
Is the Community College Pathway right for you?
The Community College Pathway is designed for students whose English proficiency is at the intermediate level or higher but not yet university-ready. It is also ideal for students who want extra academic support, need more time preparing for UC-level coursework and are flexible about which UC campus they attend.
Those who thrive in the program are typically self-motivated, resilient and disciplined. After completing their initial quarter at UC Davis, students spend approximately two years at a partner community college while preparing to transfer to a four-year university. During this time, they live off campus and take greater responsibility for managing their academic and daily lives.
Because the community college experience differs from that of a residential university, students should be prepared to stay focused on completing their transfer requirements, maintaining strong grades and making steady progress toward their academic goals. Those who are organized, independent and committed to their long-term goals are well positioned to succeed in the program.
What support do students receive during the transfer process?
One advantage of the Community College Pathway is that students are not alone in the transfer process.
“Students in the Community College Pathway spend three months at the UC Davis International Center learning about college study skills, language preparation and cultural adjustment,” said Xin Chen, director of international partnerships at UC Davis International and Access Programs. “We’re here to make the transition to community college as smooth as possible for them.”
The program offers academic, cultural and language support for students, including:
- One-on-one academic advising
- Transfer planning and community college tours
- English language preparation, including additional instruction for students whose English proficiency does not yet meet pathway requirements
- Lectures, workshops and seminars
- Cultural adjustment and enrichment activities
- Progress monitoring
“The academic counseling helped with my transfer process and tours to community colleges helped me decide which college to transfer to,” said Kai. “It’s a valuable program to achieve your academic goals.”
What are the benefits of the Community College Pathway?
To date, students in the Community College Pathway have achieved a 100% UC transfer success rate. The pathway helps students save money, strengthen their academic and English language skills, adjust to studying in the U.S. and make steady progress toward earning a UC degree.
“I chose the Community College Pathway at UC Davis because it was easier to join the pathway program and go to a community college than to get a high TOEFL score,” said Jintao (Eddie) Lu, a student from China attending Diablo Valley Community College who plans to transfer to UCLA.
Like Kai, Eddie credits the Community College Pathway with helping him improve his English skills, prepare for academic life in the U.S. and build his confidence.
“I learned how to participate in discussions, write essays in English, read faster, do research and make a poster presentation,” he said. “Now I think I can do anything.”