Irvine Valley College to UCI
Biological Sciences Transfer Plan
IVC matches every course UC Irvine requires for Biological Sciences admission: BIO 81 and BIO 80, CHEM 1A and CHEM 1B, and CHEM 12A and CHEM 12B. The one course with no IVC match is BIO SCI 99, Molecular Biology, which isn't an admission requirement.
From
Irvine Valley College
To
UC Irvine
Biological SciencesUC Irvine TAG
Biological Sciences is TAG-eligible at UCI for fall 2027 applicants with a 3.4 minimum GPA. UCI drops the major from TAG starting fall 2028, making this the last cycle, and the six admission courses still have to be done by spring.
Major Requirements
Biological Sciences Major Preparation
Courses at Irvine Valley College that satisfy UC Irvine's Biological Sciences major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Irvine Valley College | Satisfies at UCI | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 81 or BIO 81H or BIO 51 or BIO 51H — Integrated Biology: From DNA to Organisms | BIO SCI 93 — DNA to Organisms | 4 |
| BIO 80 or BIO 80H — Integrated Biology: Organisms to Ecosystems | BIO SCI 94 — Organisms to Ecosystems | 4 |
| (CHEM 1A or CHEM 1AH) and (CHEM 1B or CHEM 1BH) — General Chemistry I | CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, CHEM 1C, CHEM 1LC, CHEM 1LD | 5 |
| CHEM 12B + CHEM 12A — Organic Chemistry + Organic Chemistry | CHEM 51A, CHEM 51B, CHEM 51LB, CHEM 51C, CHEM 51LC | 10 |
| BIO 72 or BIO 82 — Human Genetics and Medicine | BIO SCI 97 — Genetics | 3 |
| BIO 83 — Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | BIO SCI 98 — Biochemistry | 4 |
| No IVC match | BIO SCI 99 — Molecular Biology | — |
| PHYS 4A — General Physics | PHYSICS 3A, PHYSICS 3B, PHYSICS 3LB, PHYSICS 3C, PHYSICS 3LC (choose 1) | 4 |
| PHYS 4A + PHYS 4B — General Physics + General Physics | PHYSICS 7C, PHYSICS 7LC, PHYSICS 7D, PHYSICS 7LD, PHYSICS 7E (choose 1) | 8 |
| MATH 3AH (or another listed option) — Analytic Geometry and Calculus I Honors | Mathematics Requirement | 5 |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UC Irvine after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Irvine Valley College
UCI's Biological Sciences program uses its own GE pattern (see note below), but these five Irvine Valley College courses cover foundation requirements every UC accepts. Start here.
BIO 1
The Life Sciences
CHEM 12A
Organic Chemistry
HIST 1
The History of World Civilizations to 1500
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Irvine Valley College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIO 1 — The Life Sciences | 3 |
Physical Science | CHEM 12A — Organic Chemistry | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 1 — The History of World Civilizations to 1500 | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
UCI Biological Sciences: full GE notes
UCI says IGETC may not be recommended for science majors like Biological Sciences, so put chemistry and biology first.
Organic chemistry decides your timeline
Starting at MATH 124, reaching CHEM 12B takes five semesters: MATH 124, CHEM 1A, CHEM 1B, CHEM 12A, CHEM 12B. UCI wants organic done by the end of spring, so start chemistry immediately.
IVC semesters into UCI quarters
UCI's chemistry runs in quarters, so IVC's CHEM 1A and CHEM 1B stand in for five UCI courses, CHEM 1A through CHEM 1LD. Same codes, different courses: UCI's CHEM 1A is only its first quarter.
Preview
Your First Semester
A preview of what Transfermatic generates — exact courses, in the right order, every semester.
Watch Out
Common Mistakes for This Transfer Path
Finish the whole chemistry year here
UCI articulates general chemistry only as a complete year, so take both CHEM 1A and CHEM 1B (or the honors versions) at IVC. Organic works the same way: ASSIST needs CHEM 12A and CHEM 12B together for UCI's organic series.
Take biology extras before you arrive
Once enrolled, UCI biology majors may take biology courses only at UCI. IVC's BIO 82 (or BIO 72) covers BIO SCI 97, and BIO 83 covers BIO SCI 98, so both are worth finishing before transfer.
Calculus plus statistics for the math rule
UCI's math requirement isn't needed for admission, but every major must meet it. Pairing MATH 3A with a statistics course such as STAT C1000 is the option UCI recommends for students headed to health professional school.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What IVC classes do I need for UCI biology?
For admission: BIO 81 and BIO 80, CHEM 1A and CHEM 1B, and CHEM 12A and CHEM 12B, each with a C or better. BIO 51 can replace BIO 81. BIO 82, BIO 83, PHYS 4A, and MATH 3A plus a second math course cover later UCI requirements.
Which UCI biology course has no IVC match?
BIO SCI 99, Molecular Biology. ASSIST lists no IVC course for it, so you'd take it at UCI. It isn't one of the courses UCI requires for admission, so it doesn't hold up your application.
Can I get TAG for UCI Biological Sciences?
Yes, for fall 2027 admission, with a 3.4 GPA. Biological Sciences leaves UCI's TAG list starting fall 2028. Without TAG the minimum transferable GPA is 3.0, and the same six chemistry and biology courses are required either way.
Does IVC BIO 81 transfer to UCI?
Yes. BIO 81, or BIO 81H, matches BIO SCI 93, DNA to Organisms, and BIO 51 or BIO 51H is the other accepted match. BIO 81 requires CHEM 1A first, so take chemistry before it.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Irvine Valley College students applying to the Biological Sciences B.S. at UC Irvine can complete all admission prep at IVC: BIO 80 and BIO 81 for UCI's biology year, CHEM 1A and CHEM 1B for general chemistry, and CHEM 12A and CHEM 12B for organic. BIO SCI 99 is the one course left for UCI. Fall 2027 applicants can still use TAG. Transfermatic lays out the IVC semesters so the five-semester chemistry chain ends by spring.
Build your Irvine Valley College → UCI plan
Personalized, semester-by-semester. Free to start.
Get My Transfer Plan