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Home Collegewide Counseling Cal-GETC Cal-GETC Certification Standards

Cal-GETC Certification Standards

Cal-GETC is a streamlined general education pattern beginning in Fall 2025 that reflects courses for transfer to CSU and UC schools.

Cal-GETC Full Standards (on ICAS website)

10 Certification Processes

It is the student’s responsibility to request Cal-GETC Certification. Each CCC campus has their own processes. It is strongly recommended that students complete the Cal-GETC prior to transfer. Advantages of completing the Cal-GETC may include more flexibility in class selection at the university and timely progress to degree completion.

10.1 Who Certifies Cal-GETC?

Students who have completed coursework at more than one California Community College should have their coursework certified by the last California Community College they attended for a regular term (fall or spring for semester schools; fall, winter, or spring for quarter schools) prior to transfer. If a student requests certification from a California Community College that is not the last school of attendance, it is at the discretion of that community college to certify.

Each CCC campus will process Cal-GETC certifications without regard to current enrollment status or number of units accrued at a particular CCC. The Cal-GETC certification form shall be included or sent with the student's transcript directly to the UC or CSU campus’ Office of Admissions.

10.2 Exceptions to the Certification Process

  1. Cal-GETC Certification Using Pre-Fall 2025 IGETC Courses
    Students who completed IGETC-approved courses prior to Fall 2025, including courses that are no longer active in assist.org, may apply those courses in the same Cal-GETC area(s) for certification.
  2. IGETC Certification Using Cal-GETC Courses
    Students seeking IGETC certification may use Cal-GETC-approved courses in the same area(s)—whether newly created or newly approved as of Fall 2025.

Note: These provisions are intended to allow for exceptional cases in which a student would be required to repeat a similar course or courses in the same GE area, expend more financial aid, exceed the transferable unit cap, or incur other undue burdens to transfer without this exception.

10.3 Reviewing Coursework from Other Institutions

10.3.1 Coursework from another California Community College

The coursework should be applied to the subject area in which it is listed by the institution where the work was completed. In other words, if college A is certifying completion of the Cal-GETC using work completed at college B, College A should place coursework according to the approved list for college B (see Section 5).

10.3.2 Coursework from all Other United States institutions with accreditation from ICAS-approved accreditors

The coursework from these institutions should generally be placed in the same subject areas as those for the community college completing the certification (see Section 5.2 for details).

10.4 Instructions for Completing the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) Certification Form

  1. The Cal-GETC certification form shall be completed by authorized CCC staff or faculty as determined by each community college. The CCC Articulation Officer should have final review and determination of courses and be the official liaison to the CSU and UC.
  2. For each Area, list course(s) taken, name of college or the Advanced Placement exam (minimum score of 3 is required). Advanced Placement cannot be used for Area 1B (Critical Thinking and Composition) or 1C (Oral Communication). List units in the “Units Completed” column on the right side, indicating quarter or semester units.
  3. Full Cal-GETC Certification may be forwarded to the CSU or UC in one of two ways:
    • Utilizing a certification form with all areas completed (see Section 10.5 for a sample Cal-GETC Certification form).
    • Noting full Cal-GETC certification on the official transcript, either hard copy or electronic.
  4. Courses used for Cal-GETC certification must be passed with a minimum grade of “C” (“C-” is not acceptable. A “C” is defined as a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. A “Credit” or “Pass” is acceptable provided either is equivalent to a grade of “C” (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher. A college transcript or catalog must reflect this policy.
  5. Sign and date the form. A campus seal is not required.
  6. The form must come directly from the community college to the UC or CSU campus(es) to be considered official. A copy of the form will be considered official by CSU and UC campuses provided it has an official contact person, contact information, signature, or stamp.
  7. Students who have completed coursework at more than one California Community College should have their coursework certified by authorized staff from the last California Community College attended for a regular term (fall or spring for semester schools; fall, winter, or spring for quarter schools) prior to transfer. If a student requests certification from a California Community College that is not the last school of attendance, it is at the discretion of that community college to certify.
  8. When combining quarter and semester unit values within a Cal-GETC Area, see Section 7.
  9. The conversion of units from semester to quarter for meeting minimum unit requirements may result in a student needing additional coursework to meet CSU graduation requirements in addition to the 9 semester (12 quarter) units of upper- division general education coursework.
  10. Although not part of Cal-GETC, CCCs may certify completion of the CSU graduation requirement in U.S. History, Constitution and American Ideals.
  11. Although not part of Cal-GETC, CCCs may certify completion of Language other than English (LOTE) for those students pursuing the Cal-GETC pattern, given that some UCs may require LOTE for graduation and accept certification from CCCs. Further instructions for appropriate LOTE certification through coursework, examinations, or other methods are found below.

10.4.1 Certification of Competence in a Language Other Than English

Students transferring to the University of California are encouraged to demonstrate competence (proficiency) in a language other than English equivalent to two years/second level of high school instruction. Competence may be demonstrated through one of the following mechanisms:

  1. Coursework
    • High School Courses:
      • In an English-language institution:
        Completion of the second level of high school coursework in a language other than English with a letter grade of “C-“ or better in the second semester of the second year.
      • In a non-English-language institution:
        Formal schooling through the sixth-grade level or higher. Appropriate documentation must be presented to substantiate the language of instruction. If an official sealed transcript cannot be obtained from an international institution, an unofficial or opened transcript may be used, as appropriate.
    • College Courses:
      • Satisfactory completion of a course (or courses) at a college or university equivalent to the second level of high school instruction, with a letter grade of “C“ (2.0 out of 4.0 scale) or higher (or a “Credit/Pass“ grade where passing is equivalent to 2.00 or higher) in each course. Usually, one semester of college work in a language other than English is equivalent to two years of high school-level instruction. The equivalency is usually stated in the college catalog. The appropriate courses that can be used to satisfy the LOTE requirement are indicated on the approved IGETC list of each community college and reflected at assist.org, the official repository of articulated courses.
      • A Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) language other than English course which is indicated as passed with a “C“ or higher on the official transcript.
  2. Examinations
    • SAT Subject Tests in languages other than English:
      • Minimum scores as indicated below. If taken before May 1995, use the first score; if taken after May 1995, use the second score:
        • Chinese with listening: 500/520
        • French/French with listening: 500/540
        • German/German with listening: 500/510
        • Hebrew (Modern): 500/470
        • Italian: 500/520
        • Japanese with listening: 500/510
        • Korean/Korean with listening: /500
        • Latin: 500/530
        • Spanish/Spanish with listening: 500/520
    • Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations:
      • Score of 3 or higher in languages other than English.
    • International Baccalaureate Higher Level (IBHL) Examinations:
      • Score of 5 or higher in languages other than English.
    • General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCE) Examinations:
      • “O“ level exams in languages other than English with a grade of “A,“ “B,“ or “C.“
      • “A“ Level exams in languages other than English with a grade of “A,“ “B,“ or “C.“
  3. Other Methods
    • Achievement Tests:
      • Satisfactory completion of an achievement test administered by a community college, university, or other college in a language other than English. The test must assess the student’s proficiency at the level equivalent to two years of high school language. This conclusion must be posted on a transcript indicating units, course title, and grade or on official college letterhead of the institution granting proficiency stating that the student has mastered proficiency in the language equivalent to two years of high school language.
    • Faculty Verification:
      • If an achievement test is not available, a faculty member associated with a United States regionally accredited institution of higher education can verify a student’s competency. The institution must provide a document on college letterhead asserting that the student has mastered proficiency in the language equivalent to two years/second level of high school instruction.