Prospective students looking for information about the UC Santa Cruz acceptance rate and admission application process need to read this article to get the information they need.
We have discussed the process of admission and application for domestic freshmen, transfers and international students, including the tuition, SAT, ACT, GPA and ranking of UC Santa Cruz.
Regardless of your background, UC Santa Cruz strives to develop and promote an environment that values and supports everyone in an atmosphere of courtesy, honesty, cooperation, professionalism and impartiality.
UC Santa Cruz graduates are coveted and hired for their knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm. Whether you plan to start working right away or enter graduate school or a professional school like law or medical school, a UC Santa Cruz degree will help you along the way.
What is the Acceptance Rate at UC Santa Cruz?
The UC Santa Cruz acceptance rate is 65% on average. The school is 43rd in California on the list of schools with the lowest rate of admission. UCSC is not extremely competitive but is considered one of the schools that use a holistic admission process.
The school is moderately selective and if you manage to meet the requirements, there is a good chance that you will be admitted. Last year, 31,075 of 66,034 applicants were accepted.
UC Santa Cruz currently has an acceptance rate of 47.1%.
The university is one of the schools with very high SAT and ACT entry requirements and typically accepts students in the top 26% of test-takers in the country. UC Santa Cruz typically admits and attracts high school students with a “B+” GPA – with an average GPA of about 3.51.
How Does UC to Santa Cruz Acceptance Compare with Other Schools around it?
The acceptance rate at UC Santa Cruz is 11% lower than the average of all colleges in the country, which is 56.7%. Below are some of the schools around UC Santa Cruz and their acceptance rate.
| School | Acceptance Rate |
| Santa Clara University | 48.8% |
| California State University-Monterey Bay | 75.3% |
| Stanford University | 4.3% |
| California State University-East Bay | 76.2% |
| University of San Francisco | 64.4% |
Admissions at the University of California, Santa Cruz
UC Santa Cruz admits about half of its applicants, and it has a selective admissions process with above-average grades and standardized test scores.
However, like all UC schools, UC Santa Cruz admits do not require test scores and they make use of a very holistic admission process in application consideration.
As part of the application, students must write four short essays from personal perspectives. Because UC Santa Cruz is part of the UC system, students can easily apply to multiple schools in the system with a single application. Students who show special talents or tell compelling stories are often noticed, even if their grades and test scores are slightly below average.
Impressive community activities and a strong essay are important components of success at UC Santa Cruz.
Also Read: UCSB Acceptance Rate, Admission, SAT/ACT, Tuition, Rankings
What are the SAT requirements for admissions at UC Santa Cruz?
UC Santa Cruz gives attention to applicants who manage to be among the top 31% of test takers on the SAT. The school continually try to reduce the SAT score to 1160 out of 1600 in a bid to make it possible for prospective students to meet the requirements for admission
UCSC has the highest average cumulative SAT score as they take the 20th position in California and 154th nationally among the schools with the highest average SAT score.
Having a good SAT score is important as 85% of students who apply to UC Santa Cruz have sent their SAT scores.
Average SAT
| SAT Reading 25th | 580 |
| SAT Math 25th | 580 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1160 |
| SAT Reading 75th | 670 |
| SAT Math 75th | 690 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1360 |
| Average SAT Score | 1260 |
What ACT do prospective students need to get into UCSC?
UC Santa Cruz admissions stats show that UCSC regularly admits students with an ACT of 25 or higher.
Most of the students who end up getting admitted have ACT scores found to be in the 22% of students nationwide.
Applicants who manage to score 29 or higher should be at the top of applicants, and students who score 33 and more have a great chance of being admitted.
The school is one of the academic institutions with the highest average ACT score as they are in the 16th position in California and 103rd in the United States.
40% of prospective students submit ACT scores to UC Santa Cruz as the acceptance rate is moderately selective and you need to do all you can to get in.
Average ACT
| ACT Reading 25th | 23 |
| ACT Math 25th | 23 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 25 |
| ACT Reading 75th | 31 |
| ACT Math 75th | 29 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 33 |
| Average ACT Score | 29 |
Also Read: UC Berkeley Acceptance Rate, Admissions, Tuition, SAT, ACT, Rankings
What GPA do you need to get into UC Santa Cruz?
To get into UC Santa Cruz, applicants are to make sure that they maintain very good grades in high school. On average UCSC accepts high school students with a GPA of 3.51/4.0, indicating that B+ students are primarily the ones who stand a better chance of receiving admission.
UCSC has one of the highest GPA requirements as they are ranked 46th in California. If your high school GPA meets the average, you have a good chance of getting in to UCSC.
How to get into UC Santa Cruz
To begin and complete your application to UC Santa Cruz you need to complete and submit an online application. The application is distributed to all UC campuses, and you are asked to select which campus you are applying to.
Admission applications are also available as scholarship applications.
The campus is open to first-year students and transfer students every fall semester, and during the winter semester, the school will be open for transfer applications with selected majors.
The application fee for US students is $70. If you are applying to multiple UC campuses at the same time, you will need to pay $70 for each UC campus you are applying to.
Fee exemptions are available for students whose household income is considered to be eligible for a waiver. The fee for international applicants is $80 and if you are applying to more than one campus you will also need to pay this fee for each school you are applying to.
UC Santa Cruz Admission Deadlines
| Deadlines | Dates |
| Application beginning | November 1 |
| Application Deadline | November 30 |
| Supporting documents submission for financial aid | March 2-May 1 |
| Fall admission decision | March 2-May 1 |
| International student orientation | September |
Also Read: UC Berkeley Acceptance Rate By Major
UC Santa Cruz transfer acceptance
The acceptance rate for transfer students at UC Santa Cruz is 61%.
In most colleges, transferring is much more difficult than applying and enrolling in your first year. But things are different at UC Santa Cruz.
The school’s normal acceptance rate is 65%, which means it only offers first-year students little more than transfer opportunities.
While this trend may be unusual on a larger scale, it is actually quite common in UC systems. In fact, UC Davis’ acceptance rate of 61% for transfer students is higher than the 47.1% standard for first-year students.
The difference in UC systems can be explained – the school works closely with California Community Colleges to simplify the transfer process.
The majority of students who attend UC Santa Cruz from other schools are graduates of California Community College.
But just because UC Santa Cruz makes the process easier for community college students doesn’t mean it won’t allow students to transfer from other universities and colleges outside the region.
The school may not give those students from other schools the same treatment in the selection process but it will accept students who meet the necessary requirements and those who can help the student community.
Application Requirements and GPA
Accepted transfer students at UC Santa Cruz have an average GPA of 3.40.
UC Santa Cruz does its best to make the process easy for transfer students, but that doesn’t mean they accept everyone.
About 29% of applicants were not accepted, meaning potential transfers must meet basic criteria and follow an application process.
In most scenarios, UC Santa Cruz accepts students who have completed their first year of study, completed at least 60 credits, and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.40.
These courses must include prerequisite courses in subjects such as English and mathematics, as well as any lower-level courses required by the major.
As mentioned, most people who transfer to UC Santa Cruz come from local public schools.
However, the school accepts students from other academic institutions with slightly different requirements. If you did not attend an institution in California in your first two years, your GPA must be 2.80.
These standards may seem onerous, but they ensure that translations meet UC Santa Cruz’s educational requirements.
Also Read: 10 Best Pre Med Schools in California
UC Santa Cruz Acceptance Rate for International Students and Admissions
There is no separate acceptance rate for international stunts at UC Santa Cruz, though the application process may require that foreign students submit additional documents and meet other additional requirements.
Studying in the US at UC Santa Cruz can be a wonderful opportunity for any international student. The degree is your passport to many opportunities in your future professional and private life. The years you spend at the school will be an unforgettable adventure that you will cherish.
UC has an entry requirement for international students that is slightly different from the general process. To admissions into Santa Cruz as an international freshman:
- Completion of a 15-year academic program with a 3.40 GPA:
- 2 years of history/social Science (not US history, your country’s history)
- 4 years of writing and literature in the language you read
- 3 years of mathematics including geometry and advanced algebra
- 2 years of laboratory science (1 physics/1 biology)
- 2 years of another language
- One-year visual and performing arts program
- 1 additional course in the subject areas mentioned above
- Follow your country’s additional requirements.
In addition, you must obtain the necessary visas, and if you have studied in another language, you must prove your English proficiency.
More information for foreign applicants can be found on the International page
UC Santa Cruz Tuition and Attendance Fees
Tuition and fees listed here are estimates based on currently accepted amounts as provided by UCSC’s official tuition page. These figures are not necessarily final. Actual tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change by the UC Regents and may increase or decrease due to state aid or other events.
The stated amounts for room/board, books/supplies, transportation and personal expenses are average costs for students.
Averages are determined annually based on statistics from different sources, including regular UC Santa Cruz student surveys. Your personal expenses may vary.
| Entering Students | On-Campus | Off-Campus | Commuter |
| Tuition and Fees ** | $14,640 | $14,640 | $14,640 |
| Room and Board * | $18,186 | $15,654 | $7,101 |
| Books and Supplies * | $1,203 | $1,203 | $1,203 |
| Transportation * | $810 | $1,287 | $2,055 |
| Personal Expenses * | $1,509 | $1,590 | $1,905 |
| Campus Health Insurance * ** | $2,823 | $2,823 | $2,823 |
| Total California Resident Budget | $39,171 | $37,197 | $29,727 |
| Non-Resident Tuition | $31,026 | $31,026 | $31,026 |
| Total Non-California Resident Budget | $70,197 | $68,223 | $60,753 |
UC Santa Cruz Ranking
- #83 in National Universities (U.S. News & World Report)
- #35 in Top Public Schools
- #191 in Best Value Schools
- #332 on QS World University Rankings
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References:
- Admission University of California: UC Santa Cruz
- U.S. News & World Report: University of California, Santa Cruz
- Top Universities: University of California, Santa Cruz
- Times Higher Education: University of California, Santa Cruz