A method and system for reducing data transfers between memory controller and multi-level cell (MLC) non-volatile memory during programming passes of a word line (WL) in the non-volatile memory. The system includes a controller and non-volatile memory having multiple WLs, each WL having a plurality of MLC memory cells. The controller stores received data in volatile memory until a target WL amount of data is received. The controller pre-encodes the received data into direct WL programming data for each programming pass necessary to program a target MLC WL. All direct WL programming data for all programming passes are stored in the volatile memory before programming. Different portions of direct WL programming data are transmitted from the controller to the non-volatile memory each pass. The received data may be deleted from the volatile memory before transmitting at least a portion of the direct WL programming data to the non-volatile memory.