Incomng students should immediately take the following actions:

🔎 Check to see if your incoming courses and exams already have approved UCSD equivalency:

• ALL SUBJECTS - courses from CA community colleges

• ALL SUBJECTS - AP and IB score equivalencies

• MATH courses from other UCs and popular non-UC schools

• PHYSICS courses from other UCs

• PHYSICS A-Levels

✍️ If your course or exam does NOT already have an approved equivalency, please note each department may have a unique procedure to have coursework reviewed. Use the appropriate link below and note departments cannot guess the likelihood of approval of any request:

MATH Course or Exam

• 🔹 Submit a Math Transfer Equivalency Petition.

PHYSICS Course or Exam

• 🔹 Submit a Physics Course Equivalency Request.

Note: If you took a combo of courses from schools with different names, you must petition, even if the schools are in some way affiliated.

CSE Course or Exam

• 🔹 Submit a CSE Course Equivalency Request. 

CHEMISTRY Course or Exam

• 🔹 Submit a Chemistry Course Substitution Request. 

BIOLOGY Course or Exam

• 🔹 Submit a Biology Course Equivalency Request. 

Incoming freshman physics majors received welcome messaging with important introductory actions they are required to take to prepare for fall quater enrollment and overall qtr-by-qtr planning and an invite to the first big event of their UCSD career-- Incoming Physics Major Orientation! 

Meet members of the Department, learn about advising, curriculum, and discover opportunities and resources available to you.

Date: Monday, September 22

Time: 9:00–11:00 AM

Location: Center Hall, Room 115 (campus map)

Using the "Ask a Question" feature in the Virtual Advising Center (vac.ucsd.edu) is the exclusive way to message the Physics Department with questions/concerns. You will typically response within 1-3 business days.

During campus closures, academic departments are closed, including department VAC portals. Please submit your message once the VAC re-opens. 

Drop-ins and advising appointments are unavailable during breaks between academic terms. These services will resume at the start of Fall 2025. Please mark your calendar to remind yourself to return to this webpage on September 22 to see the Google link to book an appointment during the Fall 2025 term.

Drop-ins and appointments are not used to have documents reviewed/processed. See our Petitions & Forms webpage.

Physics Advising closes in correlation with campus closures, and there are sometimes closures not related to campus closures (eg. September 5 due to mandatory staff retreat). When the VAC closes, advising is unavailable (there are no drop-ins or appointments, and VAC messaging is also unavailable). Please take note of upcoming VAC closures: