@Liko My condolences for your loss. With regard to transfer there are a couple of issues to bring up.
- good standing
- high-unit junior
- TAG gpa
You must have left Riverside in good standing (UC says “last term and/or cumulative UC GPA of 2.00 or above”) in order to be eligible to apply to another UC. I’m guessing you are ok there.
UC will add all units taken at UC to the units you’ve taken at the CC and if you are a high-unit junior or a senior by units then different rules apply. You need to calculate the number of units you’ll have when you transfer. The definition of a high-unit junior is 80-89 UC-transferrable semester units. UCI says they accept “some” high-unit juniors but if this applies to you then you ought to talk with them to find out more.
Lastly you may not qualify for TAG. According to Guaranteed Admissions | Office of Undergraduate Admissions | UCI you need to
- Earn a minimum GPA of 3.4 in all UC transferable coursework by the end of the summer 2021 term for fall 2022 admission and will maintain a cumulative 3.4 GPA in all UC transferable coursework through spring 2022
According to Other types of transfers | UC Admissions
All courses completed, and grades and units earned at a UC campus during fall, winter, spring, and summer terms are transferable to another UC campus
So Riverside definitely counts as transferable coursework. If your cumulative gpa including Riverside is 2.9 then you are below the minimum for TAG. You can still apply, but not thru TAG.
I suggest you meet with the TAG counselor at your CC. The UCs also send counselors to every CC, so you might want to look when the next visit will be and have a chat. Or contact UCI directly via the info at Contact Us | Office of Undergraduate Admissions | UCI