Easiest and hardest majors to transfer into at UCLA

Based on UCLA's official fall 2025 transfer data, the majors with the highest admit rates (among majors with at least 100 applicants) were Anthropology B.A. (66%), Art History (63%), Philosophy (59%), History (58%) and English (56%). The hardest were Film and Television (3%), Design | Media Arts (4%), and Art, Theater and Computer Science (5% each). But a higher admit rate does not mean a major is easy: even in the "easiest" majors, the middle 50% of admitted students had GPAs of about 3.55 to 3.95.

Source: UCLA Undergraduate Admission, Transfer Profile by Major, Fall 2025. We only ranked majors with at least 100 applicants, because rates for small majors can swing a lot from year to year.

Easiest UCLA majors for transfers (fall 2025)

The highest admit rates among majors with 100 or more transfer applicants. The GPA column shows the middle 50% of admitted students: a quarter had lower GPAs and a quarter had higher ones.

Smaller majors with high admit rates (fewer than 100 applicants) include Gender Studies (92 applicants, 63%), Geography (60, 62%) and Linguistics (67, 58%).

Hardest UCLA majors for transfers (fall 2025)

The lowest admit rates among majors with 100 or more transfer applicants.

These majors are hard for two different reasons. The arts, film and theater majors are highly selective for reasons beyond GPA, since they evaluate creative work, so a strong GPA alone won't get you in. Engineering, computer science, business economics and nursing combine huge applicant pools with very high GPAs among admitted students, often 3.9 to 4.0.

The 10 most popular transfer majors

The majors with the most transfer applicants in fall 2025. Several of them are also among the hardest to get into.

Why a high admit rate doesn't mean easy

• Admitted students still have strong GPAs. Even in the majors with the highest admit rates, the middle 50% of admitted students had GPAs of roughly 3.55 to 3.95.
• Applicants are already prepared. Students who apply to these majors have usually completed the major preparation courses, so the pool is stronger than the admit rate suggests.
• The data leaves out what matters most. UCLA notes that one critical element its numbers can't capture is completion of major preparation, and that preparation matters a lot in how applications are evaluated.

Don't pick a major just to get in

You'll spend two years in the major you're admitted to, so choose one you actually want and complete its preparation courses. Changing majors after admission can be difficult: UCLA says it depends on factors like whether you've taken the required preparation courses and whether the department has room.

For life science majors it isn't possible at all. UCLA says you must be admitted directly into these majors and won't be able to change into them after admission, so if you want a life science major, apply to it directly.

What "Pre" means at UCLA

Some majors, for example Psychology, Economics, Sociology and Political Science, are listed as pre-majors. UCLA classifies students as pre-majors until they finish the lower-division preparation courses for the major at UCLA. Requirements differ by major, so check each major's preparation courses on UCLA's major preparation page before you apply.

How to compare these to UCLA's overall rate

UCLA's campus-wide transfer admit rate blends every major together. See our UC transfer acceptance rates by campus for UCLA's overall fall 2026 rate next to the other UCs. This page uses fall 2025 data by major, the most recent by-major data UCLA has published, so the two pages cover different years.

Boost your odds at UCLA

1. Complete your major preparation. UCLA bases transfer decisions largely on preparation for your chosen major and your GPA in those courses.
2. Keep your GPA strong. In most majors, admitted students' GPAs sit between about 3.6 and 4.0.
3. Write strong PIQs. Your Personal Insight Questions are where you show why you're ready for the major. Our UC PIQ guide walks through them.
4. Check for TAP. See whether your community college offers the Transfer Alliance Program, which gives priority consideration at UCLA.

For requirements, deadlines and admission numbers in one place, see our full guide on how to transfer to UCLA. Applying to Berkeley too? See the easiest and hardest UC Berkeley majors for transfers.

Common questions