Riverside City College to UCLA
Biology Transfer Plan
RCC has a match for 11 of UCLA's 12 Biology prep courses. CHEM 153A has no RCC match, so plan for it before you apply.
From
Riverside City College
To
UCLA
BiologyMajor Requirements
Biology Major Preparation
Courses at Riverside City College that satisfy UCLA's Biology major preparation, mapped and verified by Transfermatic's transfer engine.
| Course at Riverside City College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHE 1B + CHE 1A — General Chemistry, II + General Chemistry, I | CHEM 20A, CHEM 20B, CHEM 20L, CHEM 30AL | 10 |
| CHE 12A + CHE 12B — Organic Chemistry, I + Organic Chemistry, II | CHEM 30A, CHEM 30B | 10 |
| MAT 1A — Calculus I | MATH 31A — Differential and Integral Calculus | 4 |
| MAT 1B — Calculus II | MATH 31B — Integration and Infinite Series | 4 |
| MAT 1C — Calculus III | MATH 32A — Calculus of Several Variables | 4 |
| STAT C1000 or STAT C1000H — Introduction to Statistics | STATS 13 — Introduction to Statistical Methods for Life and Health Sciences (choose 1) | 4 |
| BIO 60 — Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology | LIFESCI 7A — Cell and Molecular Biology | 5 |
| BIO 60 + BIO 61 — Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology + Introduction to Organismal and Population Biology | LIFESCI 7B — Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology | 10 |
| BIO 60 + BIO 61 — Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology + Introduction to Organismal and Population Biology | LIFESCI 7C — Physiology and Human Biology | 10 |
| BIO 60 — Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology | LIFESCI 7L — Introduction to Laboratory and Scientific Methodology | 5 |
| PHY 2B + PHY 2A — General Physics II + General Physics I | PHYSICS 5A, PHYSICS 5B, PHYSICS 5C (choose 1) | 8 |
| PHY 4A + PHY 4B + PHY 4C — Mechanics + Electricity and Magnetism + Heat, Light and Waves | PHYSICS 1A, PHYSICS 1B, PHYSICS 1C, PHYSICS 4AL, PHYSICS 4BL (choose 1) | 12 |
| No RCC match | CHEM 153A — Biochemistry: Introduction to Structure, Enzymes, and Metabolism | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UCLA after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Riverside City College
Complete these five courses at Riverside City College to start your UCLA GE pattern. Finishing full IGETC/Cal-GETC at the CC is ideal — these five give you the broadest head start, and CCN-tagged courses stay portable if you switch community colleges.
BIO 1
General Biology
AST 1A
Introduction to the Solar System
ENGL 14
American Literature I: Pre-Contact through Civil War
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
COMM C1000
Introduction to Public Speaking
| Area | Course at Riverside City College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIO 1 — General Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | AST 1A — Introduction to the Solar System | 3 |
Humanities | ENGL 14 — American Literature I: Pre-Contact through Civil War | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Oral CommunicationCCN | COMM C1000 — Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
RCC semesters, UCLA quarters
RCC runs on semesters and UCLA on quarters. Your units convert when you transfer, one semester unit to 1.5 quarter units, and anything left runs on UCLA's quicker quarter schedule.
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
CHEM 153A has no RCC match
RCC lists no course for CHEM 153A. Check UCLA's Biology page for whether it has to be done before you transfer, and plan where you'll cover it.
Start with CHE 12A and MAT 1A
CHE 12A and MAT 1A sit at the start of their sequences for this route, so they fit your first semester, next to ENGL C1000 for English composition.
More than one way to cover STATS 13
For UCLA STATS 13, RCC accepts STAT C1000 or STAT C1000H. You need only one of them, so pick whichever fits your schedule.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What classes should I take at RCC for UCLA Biology?
CHE 1B, CHE 1A, CHE 12A, CHE 12B, MAT 1A, MAT 1B and MAT 1C, plus the rest in the table above. Together they match 11 of the 12 prep courses UCLA lists for Biology.
What doesn't RCC cover for UCLA Biology?
CHEM 153A. RCC lists no course for it, so check UCLA's Biology page for whether it has to be finished before you transfer.
Does RCC MAT 1A transfer to UCLA?
Yes, for Biology. RCC MAT 1A (Calculus I) is the match for UCLA MATH 31A (Differential and Integral Calculus) in the transfer agreement.
What is UCLA's transfer admit rate for Biology?
17% of all transfer applicants to UCLA Biology were admitted in 2025. That figure covers applicants from every college, so it isn't specific to RCC.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Riverside City College students transferring to UCLA for Biology can match 11 of 12 lower-division prep courses at RCC, including CHE 1B and CHE 1A. CHEM 153A has no Riverside City College equivalent in the 2025-2026 agreement. CHE 12A and MAT 1A are good first-semester picks. On Transfermatic, put in Riverside City College and UCLA, and you get the classes you need for Biology, semester by semester.
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