Meaning of "Complete these courses prior to admission"?

Usually UC’s state this:
“Prior to admission, transfer students must have completed the following [whatever] courses”
What does this exactly mean? Complete them by the end of the fall you apply? Or just finish them by the spring or summer before you fully transfer?
The word “admission” makes it sound like they need to be done before your supplemental app, but not too sure…

It means, as an example, if you are applying for Spring 2020, you must complete them by Fall 2019. So one or more course may be in progress by the time you apply and get accepted, but you will not step foot on the campus if you have not completed satisfactorily.

As you noted fall application for the following fall (the standard application period), courses need to be completed by final spring.

You will likely received conditional admission subject to completing those courses. If you don’t complete them then you won’t be admitted.