Accelerator For Engineering Transfer Students
Summer activities for incoming engineering transfer students info-session (save the date)
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 | 6:00 – 8:00 PM | Event will be hosted on Zoom
No need to register – all incoming engineering students that submit their SIR will receive an invitation to attend this session on June 2, 2026.
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The summer before you start is an important time for incoming engineering transfer students. Some of you may want to take a summer session course to avoid adding another year to your time to degree. All of you will need to attend New Student Orientation. The UCLA Engineering Transfer Center has developed a series of activities, called the Accelerator for incoming UCLA Engineering transfer students, that will help you to succeed in your courses and acquire some hands-on technical experience that will help you to develop your ability as an engineer as well as provide you with something to share with recruiters through the Fall recruiting season.
Most UCLA engineering transfer students only have 2 – 3 years to explore engineering, determine the area they want to work in after graduation or if they would benefit from attending graduate school, gain the technical experience that demonstrates your ability, and hone your networking ability to sell yourself to recruiters or applying to graduate programs. There is indeed a lot to do, and we are here to help.
This info-session will provide you information on the Accelerator program and other summer activities so you can make informed-decisions on what to participate in and register before the deadlines. Here is a list of topics:
- Overview of the Engineering Transfer Student journey and why you need to start now
- Process to have your courses transferred to UCLA in time to enroll in Fall course
- New Student Orientation & Academic Advising
- Summer session courses – some of you will want to enroll in a summer session course to avoid adding a year to your time to degree
- Accelerator Program
- Diagnostic Assessments – which you should take before the start of UCLA Summer Session A on June 22, 2026
- zyBooks Course Refresher
- eTransfer 101 – which starts on June 3, 2026
- Engineering 1 TR: introduction to engineering design for transfer students – application deadline is June 9, 2026
- Peer advising
- Educational Pathways Program – course prep & internships
An Academic Counselor from our Office of Academic and Student Affairs (OASA) will also join us to share some important information about next steps. For some majors, taking a summer session course is highly recommended to reduce your time to degree.
Application and registration deadlines are shortly after this info-session. Join us to learn about these activities so you don’t ‘miss-the-boat’. Your Bruin Engineering experience begins at Accelerator. Don’t miss the info-session!
Diagnostic Assessment Tests
Available on June 2, 2026
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To access the Diagnostic Assessments, please visit the Diagnostic Assessment web page.
Engineering transfer students (eTransfers) who submit their intent to register (SIR) by June 1 will receive an invitation on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, to take Diagnostic Assessments to help you assess your knowledge and strengthen any areas that may prevent you from succeeding in your first-year courses. Students can view the results of their scores to determine the best course of action to brush up on content before fall quarter classes.
The Diagnostic Assessment Tests are available in the following subjects:
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- UCLA’s CS 31 (C++)* – to test your proficiency; particularly if you need to take CS 32
- CS 32* – to test your proficiency; particularly if you need to take CS 33 or 35L
- Math 33 A (Linear Algebra)** – all students should take this assessment if you have taken this class
- Math 33 B (Differential Equations)** – all students should take this assessment if you have taken this class
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*UCLA’s CS 31, 32, and 33 courses are considered ‘bottle-neck’ courses for transfer students. This is likely due to differences in course content and outcomes between the UCLA course and those from other institutions as well as the length of time between taking the equivalent of taking CS 31 at your prior institution and taking CS 32 at UCLA. Data from previous years show that students that did NOT take the Diagnostic Assessment and brush-up in areas they were weak in earned lower grades in CS 32.
** Math concepts in differential equations and linear algebra will be utilized in your upper-division engineering courses to solve engineering problems rather than equations. Students will want to brush-up on these concepts before starting courses.
Incoming students who have taken the equivalent of the UCLA engineering course should take the corresponding Diagnostic Assessment test. Please check assist.org for articulation agreements for equivalent courses. Please note these assessments will NOT earn you credit for any courses. They are for gaining an understanding of your core proficiency in order to address any gaps in learning and preparation needed for subsequent courses at UCLA Engineering. Students should spend the summer brushing-up on concepts before the start of fall quarter.
Based on the results from the assessments, students can purchase our zyBooks Course Refresher online textbook (see the zyBooks Course Refresher section below). Students who already received credit for CS 31, need to take CS 32, and could not answer 6 or more questions on the CS 31 Diagnostic Assessments correctly can make a request to audit our CS 31 Summer Session course.
There is no fee for taking the tests. We recommend all incoming eTransfers take the assessment for any relevant course they took at their previous institution.
Participant fee: $0 (Open and free to all incoming eTransfer students)
For more information and to access the tests, visit our Diagnostic Assessment webpage.
zyBooks Online Course Refresher textbook
To help students brush-up on courses they have taken at their previous institution, we have created an online textbook that includes practice problems, challenge questions, and practice-labs aligned with the content from our Diagnostic Assessment tests.
The Diagnostic Assessment questions to zyBooks chapter mapping can be viewed by clicking the link for the appropriate course below:
Please visit the zyBooks Course Refresher website for instructions on how to use the mapping documents.
Students utilizing our zyBooks textbook will get to spend their summer brushing-up on modules of their choice. zyBooks will provide feedback as participants work on practice problems to focus on learning the content.
zyBook license fee: $98 which provides you access from the point of purchase until January 16, 2026.
To learn more and to purchase your zyBooks Course Refresher license, please visit the Course Refresher webpage: https://etransfercenter.seas.ucla.edu/course_refresher.
eTransfer Student Peer Mentors
Engineering Transfer Student mentors are available over the summer to provide peer-advising and tutoring through our ETC Discord Server. Need some help with your summer session course or brushing-up on concepts you were weak on identified through the Diganostic Assessments? Our mentors are here for you. Want to get some insight to what classes or fall internship-recruiting is like? Want them to take a look at your resume in preparation for Fall recruiting for industry internships next summer? Ask your mentor. Students will receive an email inviting you to join our ETC Discord Server where you can reach out to our mentors!
Your mentors will also plan some fun activities for our incoming engineering transfer students to help them get to know one another over the summer.
Check back shortly for a list of activities and dates!
eTransfer 101: for engineering transfers – do not miss this!
Evenings starting Wednesday, June 3, 2026 – Tuesday, June 16, 2026
eTransfer 101 is an orientation specifically designed to help incoming eTransfers make the most of year 1. You will meet other eTransfers, learn what to expect during your first year, decide what organizations and clubs you’d like to get involved with, and prepare for the fall industry recruiting season and winter academic research opportunities. eTransfer 101 is your road-map for year 1. Do not miss these workshops!
Workshop Schedule:
- TBD – Welcome, Orientation & Department mixer
- Wednesday, June 3, 2026 (6 – 8 PM) – eTransfer Student panel & Pathways Guide
- Thursday, June 4, 2026 (6 – 8 PM) – UCLA Engineering scholarships
- Monday, June 8, 2026 (6 – 8 PM) – Academic Research & Industry Internships – how to apply and available resources
- Tuesday, June 9, 2026 (6 – 8 PM) – UCLA Career Center & Student panel on Fall Recruiting
- Wednesday, June 10, 2026 (6 – 8 PM) – Crafting your engineering-tailored resume
- Thursday, June 11, 2026 (6 – 8 PM) – Networking 101
- Monday, June 15, 2026 (6 – 8 PM) – Engineering Student Organizations – nuts, bolts, and opportunities
- Tuesday, June 16, 2026 (6 – 8 PM) – NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs), Global Internship Program & ABCs of Faculty Advising
eTransfer 101 is open to all incoming engineering students.
Participant fee: $0 free & open to all incoming eTransfers
To learn more about eTransfer 101 and see the scheduled events, please visit the program website.
Engineering 1TR – Basic Training & HAcK Technical Competition
Students increase their competitiveness for industry internships and lab work as they gain hands-on technical experience. We are delighted to offer Engineering 1TR, a intro to design course, offered through UCLA Summer Sessions, to our incoming UCLA Engineering Transfer Students. Summer Sessions has agreed to waive the tuition fees for participants. There is a $50 Registrar’s processing fee that will be assessed to student’s Bruin Bill and will need to be paid.
Engineering 1TR is broken-up into two parts. The first, referred to as Basic Training is a collection of workshops that will give you the essential prototyping tool-belt. It includes topics on coding, circuits & working with micro-controllers, computer aided design (CAD) and fabrication. The second, is our culminating HAcK technical competition. You will demonstrate your understanding of skills taught at Basic Training by working in teams on a culminating technical project that involves both hardware and software. You will need to design, build, test, and prepare your prototype for a real-world performance test. Following the performance test, your team will be responsible for recording a Design Review presentation that will be sent to a panel of judges who will determine the winner of HAcK 2026. The judging results do not affect your grade in the class. HAcK will provide eTransfer students an additional technical experience to add to their resume and share with recruiters. This experience will also help participants to explore various engineering fields and identify areas of interest. It’s also a lot of fun and there will be prizes!
The course will be offered in a virtual classroom with a few optional in-person days.
Here is the schedule:
Basic Training
- Friday, June 26, 2026 | 6 – 8 PM – Orientation (virtual)
- Tuesday, June 30, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – Coding Workshop 1 (virtual)
- Thursday, July 2, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – Coding Workshop 2 (virtual)
- Monday, July 6, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – Coding Workshop 3 (virtual)
- Tuesday, July 7, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – CAD Workshop 1 (virtual)
- Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – CAD Workshop 2 (virtual)
- Monday, July 13, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – CAD Workshop 3 (virtual)
- Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – Engineering Design & Fabrication (virtual)
- Thursday, July 16, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – Circuits Workshop 1 (virtual)
- Monday, July 20, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – Circuits Workshop 2 (virtual)
- Tuesday, July 21, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – Circuits Workshop 3 (virtual)
- Thursday, July 23, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – Microcontroller Workshop 1 (virtual)
- Monday, July 27, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – Microcontroller Workshop 2 (virtual)
- Tuesday, July 28, 2026 | 6 – 9 PM – Microcontroller Wrap-up Workshop (virtual)
- Saturday, August 1, 2026 | 8:30 AM – 1 PM – Intro to MakerSpace, 3D printing, and laser-cutting. Optional; but recommended for those participating in-person at HAcK
HAcK Technical Competition
- Monday, August 3, 2026 (6 – 9 PM) – HAcK Welcome, Orientation & Teams (virtual)
- Tuesday, August 4, 2026 (6 – 9 PM) – Specialized HAcK Training 1 (virtual)
- Wednesday, August 5, 2026 (6 – 9 PM) – Specialized HAcK Training 2 (virtual)
- Thursday, August 6, 2026 (6 – 9 PM) – HAcK Reveal & Training review (virtual)
- Friday, August 7, 2026 (8:30 AM – 10 PM) – HAcK Technical Competition begins
- Saturday, August 8, 2026 (8:30 AM – 10 PM) – HAcK
- Sunday, August 9, 2026 (8:30 AM – 6 PM) – HAcK
- Sunday, August 9, 2026 (7 – 9 PM) – HAcK Prototype Performance Competition
- Monday, August 10, 2026 (12 AM – 12 AM) – Design Review presentation submission deadline
- Saturday, August 15, 2026 (9 – 11 AM) – HAcK Awards Ceremony (virtual)
We recommend participants to join us for the in-person days to gain the full experience of our program.
HAcK is run in a hybrid format accommodating students participating in-person as well as remotely. Remote participants will be assigned portions of the project that do NOT involve hardware prototyping. While there is an option to participate remotely, we highly encourage students to participate in-person for the full experience. In year’s past, students have commuted in to UCLA, arranged to stay at a relative or friend’s house that lives in Los Angeles or made other arrangements.
Applications will open at noon on June 3. 50 students will be selected to participate
Pre-requisites to participate include attending eTransfer 101, and Classroom Boot Camp or CEED Breeze or CISE Bridge programs (see Accelerator Info-session slides for exemption details).
Selected students will be enrolled in Engineering 1TR and will receive 2 graded units. Summer session tuition is waived for participants. Students will need to pay for the $50 Registrar’s processing fee.
For more information on Basic Training, please visit last year’s Basic Training website.
For more information, please visit our HAcK webpages from previous years: HAcK 2025 & HAcK 2024
Accelerator – addressing engineering transfer student challenges
The summer Accelerator for eTransfers program activities were designed to address specific challenges shared by past generations of engineering transfer students. Here are some things we’ve heard from engineering transfer students that came before you:
Note: Transfer Bridge went through a name change in 2021 and is now being called Accelerator for eTransfers.
“I was lost in my CS 32 course. I ended up dropping the class and auditing CS 31, a class I already took at my previous institution. We spent a week on a topic that we spent 20 minutes on at my previous institution.” ~Computer Science Transfer Student in 2018.
“I wish Diagnostic Assessments were available in my incoming year. It would have saved me a lot of time and headache. My first year experience would have been a lot different.” ~The same Computer Science Transfer Student in 2021.
“Everything is such a whirlwind. We get to campus. They tell us to get involved in engineering orgs and apply for scholarships. Then there is the engineering career fair in week 3. I completely missed the fair because I wanted to prepare for my first set of mid-terms. My head is spinning. If I miss it in year 1, I’ll have only one more chance next year.” ~Civil Engineering Transfer Student in 2018.
“Knowing what each week will look like has prepared me to manage my time differently. The student panel gave us really good insight on what to expect while attending UCLA. The networking practice interviews with real professional engineers in industry was an excellent opportunity to get feedback on how to attain the same kind of success outside of school.” ~2020 eTransfer 101 participant.
“How do I find the other engineering transfers?” ~Civil Engineering Transfer Student in 2017.
“Meeting the other transfer students in eTransfer 101 and the HAcK made me feel like I was a part of a community before classes started in the Fall. It was good to see people I met over the summer in my fall classes. We still get together.” 2019 Transfer Bridge participant.
I am an electrical engineering student with a 3.7 GPA. I don’t know what kind of work I want to do, I don’t really want to go to graduate school and my parents wouldn’t pay for it anyway. I’m graduating at the end of the quarter and I don’t know what to do. ~Conversation with an Electrical Engineering Transfer Student in 2019.
Transfer students that have participated in the Accelerator (previously the Transfer Bridge program) have out-performed their peers in the classroom with an average GPA in the first quarter of 3.6 participants vs. 3.3 transfers that did not participate (Fall 2020). Additionally, Accelerator participants have already surpassed the extra-curricular professional development (academic research, industry internships, participation in student design teams) in the first year of study in comparison to the two – three years it takes for transfer students that did not participate. These activities are vital in helping a student find an area within engineering to pursue and to strengthen their narrative when applying for employment or graduate study. ~GPA data, Senior exit survey data, and Bridge Participant Survey.
Accelerator Programs Calendar
Accelerator Program Calendar
Hit this link to download a current copy of the Summer Accelerator Program calendar.
Event dates subject to change. Last updated: June 17, 2025.
Application & Registration – will open on June 3, 2025
Accelerator Program application forms:
Please review program details and session dates to make sure you can attend before applying!
eTransfer 101: no registration required. All incoming eTransfers should attend this and will receive an email with the Zoom session link.
Course Refresher interest form: Fill out the Course Refresher Interest form to access instructions on purchasing your zyBooks Course Refresher license. Students who perform poorly on the CS 31 or CS 32 Diagnostic Assessments and would like to request to audit CS 31 or CS 32 during UCLA Summer Session A should complete this form by June 15, 2026.
Basic Training & HAcK application (Engineering 1TR) – click this link and complete your Basic Training & HAcK application by Tuesday, June 9, 2026. There are spots for up to 50 participants in this program. Participants MUST attend eTransfer 101 sessions and Classroom Boot Camp (see Accelerator Info-session slides for information on being exempt from enrolling in Classroom Boot Camp).
Registration for those selected to participate:
Participants will be notified after the application deadlines that they have been selected to participate in Basic Training and HAcK and/or Classroom Boot Camp. Each program has separate registration processes that involve submitting registration forms. We will provide you with instructions when you are selected to participate.
Basic Training & HAcK participants will also need to complete online UCLA Environment, Health, and Safety trainings.
Track your application, registration, lab safety, and photo submissions here!
You can find your information by using the first letter of your first name and the last letter of your last name. For example, if your name is Josie Bruin, you will look for ‘J’ and ‘N’ to find your information.
We will also be providing a registration tracker once participants are selected.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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What is the Summer Accelerator for Engineering Transfers?
Transfer students have a shortened amount of time at UCLA Samueli Engineering to take advantage of extracurricular activities that will help them to decide on an area of interest in engineering, what career pathways they want to pursue after graduation, and what professional development will help them to be marketable.
The Accelerator activities is designed to assist our incoming transfer students prepare to maintain their classroom performance as they transition learning to UCLA Engineering. Additionally, our programs will provide you a ‘lay of the land’ with regard to opportunities, important dates through your first year, and help you prepare to take advantage of those opportunities. Finally, identifying other eTransfers in your fall classes can be difficult. Participating in the Accelerator ensures that you connect with other eTransfers before classes start in the fall.
Who should participate in the Accelerator?
Is the Accelerator a selective program?
- Diagnostic Assessment Tests – Pre-requisites: must have already taken a course of the associated diagnostic test. Open to all eTransfers.
- zyBooks Course Refresher – Pre-requisites: paid the zyBooks license fee. Open to all eTransfers.
- eTransfer 101 – Pre-requisites: none. Open to all eTransfers.
- Basic Training & HAcK (Engineering 1TR) – Pre-requisites: Attend eTransfer 101 & Classroom Boot Camp or CEED CISE or BREES. Enrollment: up to 50 participants.
- Classroom Boot Camp: CS 32 (Engineering 22) – Boot Camp prerequisite: taken the equivalent of CS 31. Enrollment: up to 50 participants.
Can anyone participate? Am I eligible?
What Diagnostic Asssessment Tests should I take?
What is the difference between Course Refresher and Boot Camp?
Classroom Boot Camp – offers incoming eTransfers the opportunity to pre-learn content from CS 32 or M20. Participants will attend lecture and discussion sessions to get a feel for the rigor and structure of a UCLA Engineering classroom. Participants in the CS 32 Boot Camp must have taken and received credit for the equivalent of CS 31. Those needing to take CS 32 or 33 are welcome to register for the CS 32 Boot Camp. Students that don’t need to take CS 32 are welcome to register for the Matlab Boot Camp.
What is the difference between Classroom Boot Camp and CEED's BREES and CISE?
Will I get course credit for participating?
It seems like the eTransfer 101 presentations are going to be posted on the website. Why should I attend the events?
What will the HAcK competition be like?
The results will be presented at the HAcK Awards ceremony.
What skills do I need to participate in the HAcK?
How much does the program cost?
Do I need to participate in all Accelerator activities or can I pick and choose?
Can I work or take summer classes during Accelerator?
Will I have homework?
- Basic Training: 1 – 5 hours of work/ week
- eTransfer 101: 1 hour of work/ week
- HAcK Training: 1 – 5 hours of work/ week
- Classroom Boot Camp: 10 hours of work/ week
How do I register? How do I know if I was selected?
Additional Summer Activities
New Student Sessions for Transfer Students
Each New Student Session is an extensive introduction to the academic and campus life at UCLA. New Student Sessions for transfer students (those coming to UCLA directly from another institution) are one day.
Your session includes:
- Information on your major, course planning, and fulfilling graduation requirements
- Enrolling in your Fall Quarter classes
- Workshops and presentations on UCLA’s student services, such as housing, financial aid, and extracurricular activities
- Presentations and information on graduate programs, professional schools, and career opportunities
Engineering transfers will meet with an academic counselor from the School of Engineering during the New Student Session. To learn more about New Student Sessions, including how to sign-up, visit the UCLA New Student Academic Programs website. Sign-ups for New Student Orientation begin on June 4, 2026.
New Student Orientation is mandatory for all first-year and transfer undergraduate students Details about possible exceptions can be found at https://newstudents.ucla.edu/programs/transfer-students/
UCLA Samueli Engineering Office of Academic and Student Affairs
The UCLA Samueli Engineering Office of Academic and Student Affairs (OASA) is home of your academic counselors. We encourage all incoming engineering transfer students to visit the OASA website to familiarize themselves with the resources available to engineering students.
The website will provide information on how to request an appointment with your counselor. We also highly-encourage students to visit the page for New Incoming Student Frequently Asked Questions for information on credit for community college courses as well as the Curriculum Requirements page for sample 2 year plans by Department.
UCLA Summer Sessions
Summer Session A begins on Monday, June 22, 2026 – see UCLA Summer Sessions website for courses, schedule, fees, and deadlines.
For some of you, taking a UCLA Summer Session class is encouraged. Here is a list of summer courses (by major) that are highly-recommended by our engineering academic counselors to ensure you are able to make progress to your degree in year 1. This includes:
- Any missing course prep required for admission (Chemistry, Physics, or Math) – all majors
- Bioengineering – Physics 1C, Math 33 A, and Math 33B
- Chemical Engineering majors – MAE or CEE M20 (Matlab)
- Materials Science & Engineering majors – MAT SCI 104
- Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering majors – Chem 20B and MAE 82
These courses will enable you to more seamlessly continue your education in the fall and reduce your time to degree.
Participant fee: See the UCLA Summer Sessions website, for information on fees and deadlines.
Please email the eTransfer Center for additional questions or concerns at etransfercenter@hsseas.ucla.edu.