Associate Degree for Transfer Program (ADT)

The Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act (SB 1440/Padilla) established the Associate Degrees for Transfer for California Community College students and is designed to provide a clear pathway to the CSU degree major.  Depending on the major, students can pursue an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science.

For information on meeting the requirements for Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) students should contact their local Community College Transfer Center.

Please note: The ADT is different from other Associate degrees offered by the California Community Colleges. Review the A Degree With A Guarantee web page for general information on the ADT Program.

Admission to all majors at CSULB is competitive as CSULB continues to have more qualified applicants than available new student spaces. All transfer students must declare a major when submitting their application. For the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) to be used in the admission process, the following must be met:

  • The student must be pursuing an approved Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) at a California Community College. The ADT is different from other Associate degrees offered by the California Community Colleges.
  • The Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) must be deemed ‘similar’ to a corresponding major program at CSULB.
  • You must apply to that corresponding major at CSULB. Please note that not every major at every CSU Campus has a corresponding ADT program.
  • The Community College must certify that you are on-track to complete the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) prior to the term you are applying to enter CSULB. 
    • All admission requirements must be met and the ADT must be granted no later than the prior Spring term in order to qualify for a Fall admission.
    • All admission requirements must be met and the ADT must be granted no later than the prior Summer term in order to qualify for a Spring admission.

If for any reason you do not complete your Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) your admission status will be re-evaluated, and we may withdraw your offer of admission.

If the requirements above have been met, then:

  • The Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) curriculum is used in lieu of requirements listed in our Major Specific Admission requirements.
  • Under current CSU guidelines, your cumulative grade point average (GPA) will be increased by 0.1, and this ‘calculated GPA’ will be applied to the major specific minimum GPA and to any GPA used in the ranking of applicants.

Please keep in mind that even with the benefits of the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT), admission into the University it is still very competitive. It is advised that students complete any recommended coursework listed for their major to be more competitive in the applicant pool. It is possible that CSULB may not have space available to accommodate all ADT applicants, and your application may be directed to another CSU campus. 

Students who have completed an approved Associate Degree for Transfer deemed ‘similar’ to their CSULB major are eligible to graduate in 60 units. The exact pathway to complete the specific major will depend on the specific ADT curriculum. As a result, the pathway will be determined in consultation with an advisor at new student orientation. The 60 unit graduation option will obviously not be possible if the student changes majors or elects to add any additional degree objective, such as a second major or minor.


For additional information:
  • Contact your community college transfer center for information on meeting the requirements for an Associate Degree for Transfer and to determine the ADT programs deemed similar to CSULB majors.