If you are applying to UC Santa Cruz, the regular decision application deadline is November 30 and the fee for the application costs $70.
Students who submit their applications to UC Santa Cruz for fall should hear back from UC Santa Cruz by March 31.
Here is an overiew of some of UC Santa Cruz's admissions stats.
UC Santa Cruz 2022 | Admissions Statistics |
---|---|
Mean Unweighted GPA | 3.6 |
Admitted Students in Top 10% of Graduating Class | 94% |
Admissions Test Policy | Not optional and are not considered |
Waitlist | Yes |
These are the application deadlines for University of California, Santa Cruz.
Application Type | Offered | Application Deadline | Notification Deadline |
---|---|---|---|
Early Decision I | No | –– | –– |
Early Decision II | –– | –– | –– |
Early Action | No | –– | –– |
Regular Decision | Yes | November 30 | March 31 |
UC Santa Cruz does not offer early decision or early action.
➡️ See a list of some selective colleges that admit significantly more applicants during early decision or early action than during regular admission.
It is very difficult to get into UC Santa Cruz. UC Santa Cruz evaluates applicants carefully based on multiple criteria to decide who to admit, and who to deny or waitlist.
In 2021, UC Santa Cruz accepted 59% of students, approximately 35,349 of the 60,061 students who applied.
Schools that are very difficult to get into, like UC Santa Cruz, accept fewer than 60% of all applicants. At least 50% of all admitted students have GPAs in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1230 on the SAT and over 26 on the ACT.
For applicants who are not residents of California, getting into University of California, Santa Cruz is extremely difficult.
Transfer student admissions is very difficult.
In 2022, UC Santa Cruz waitlisted 19,170 students and 12,541 accepted a place on the waitlist. Of those, 6,633 eventually got off the waitlist.
Colleges consider a range of factors when choosing who to admit for their next incoming class. Each college determines which factors are are most important when choose which applicants to admit, and which to deny. When assembling your list of schools to apply to, you may want to consider your strengths and any possible weaknesses in your application, and choose schools that prioritize the admissions factors where you stand out.
What does UC Santa Cruz consider during the admissions process? Take a look at the list below to see which factors are most important during the admissions process.
Admissions Factor | Level |
---|---|
Academic GPA | Very Important |
Application Essay | Very Important |
Rigor of Secondary School Record | Very Important |
State Residency | Very Important |
Character/Personal Qualities | Important |
Geographical Residence | Important |
Extracurricular Activities | Important |
First Generation | Important |
Talent/Ability | Important |
Work Experience | Considered |
Volunteer Work | Considered |
Make sure to check with UC Santa Cruz for more information on admission factors.
To apply to UC Santa Cruz, all applicants must submit the following items. Double check with UC Santa Cruz's admissions department to confirm all application materials and requirements.
Area | Required | Recommended | Required for Some | Details (If Any) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Interview | ||||
Transcript(S) of College Record | ||||
Standardized Test Scores | ||||
Statement of Good Standing From Prior Institution(S) | ||||
Minimum High School GPA (On 4.0 Scale) | 3.0 | 3.4 | ||
Written Essay or Personal Statement | √ | |||
Other Requirements | √ | minimum high school GPA of 3.0 for California residents, 3.4 for non-residents | ||
Transcript of High School Record | √ |
Students admitted to UC Santa Cruz have an average unweighted GPA of 3.6. At UC Santa Cruz 94% of students ranked in the top 10% of their graduating class in high school, 100% were in the top 25% and 100% were in the top 50%.
At University of California, Santa Cruz, student GPAs fall in the following ranges.
GPA | Percent of Students |
---|---|
4.0 GPA | 6.3% |
3.75 and 3.99 | 27.9% |
3.50 and 3.74 | 40.3% |
3.25 and 3.49 | 20.8% |
3.00 and 3.24 | 4.2% |
2.50 and 2.9 | 0.5% |
2.00 and 2.49 | –– |
This chart depicts the percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first year (freshmen) students who had high school grade point average within the given ranges.
Note: Some schools choose not release this information. If you have any questions regarding missing numbers, be sure to reach out to UC Santa Cruz directly.
About GPAs
Your high school grade point average (GPA) is a number that highlights your high school academic performance. A weighted GPA or an unweighted GPA are the two possible GPA scores considered by colleges.
An unweighted GPA is an average of your scores from each class on a four-point scale. Unweighted GPAs range from 4.0 to under 1.0. A weighted GPA considers your average grade and the difficulty of your classes. A weighted GPA boosts your average by adding extra points for honors or Advanced Placement courses.
UC Santa Cruz does not consider ACT or SAT scores as part of the admissions process.
UC Santa Cruz does not have a test optional admissions policy. Test optional schools allow students to choose if they want to submit ACT or SAT scores with their applications or not.
For transfer students, it is very difficult to get admitted to UC Santa Cruz.
For transfer students wishing to start in the fall, the deadline to apply is November 30. Applicants should hear back by April 30.
Transfer students can enroll in UC Santa Cruz during the following terms:
• Fall Term
• Winter Term
• Winter Term
Can I defer my acceptance to UC Santa Cruz?
❌ Students who are admitted to UC Santa Cruz must attend in the term they start. Deferring admissions is not encouraged. If you have a unusual circumstance, contact the admissions department.
Does UC Santa Cruz accept transfer credits?
✅ UC Santa Cruz accepts eligible transfer credits from accredited institutions.
Does UC Santa Cruz accept Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits?
✅ UC Santa Cruz accepts International Baccalaureate credits (IB) credits and Advanced Placement (AP) credits.
Do I have to submit test scores to UC Santa Cruz?
✅ UC Santa Cruz is not test optional. Test scores will not be considered during the admissions process, even if you submit them.
What is UC Santa Cruz's acceptance rate?
✅ UC Santa Cruz's acceptance rate is 59%.
What is the early decision acceptance rate at UC Santa Cruz?
❌ UC Santa Cruz does not offer early decision.
To learn more about UC Santa Cruz, choose from the options below:
Join the conversation about about UC Santa Cruz in the College Confidential forums
Explore other colleges in California or use the college admissions predictor to calculate your chances of getting into some of the top colleges and universities in the U.S.
Admission Difficulty
How hard is it to get into UC Santa Cruz? UC Santa Cruz is a very selective institution. The UC Santa Cruz acceptance rate is 59%. This means that the institution accepts 58 out of every 100 applicants.
First-Year Applications are Due
Transfer Applications are Due
The deadline for Fall first-year applications to UC Santa Cruz is Nov 30.
The deadline for Fall transfer applications to UC Santa Cruz is Nov 30.
Check the school website for more information about deadlines for specific programs or special admissions programs
Composite SAT Range
Math SAT Range
Reading SAT Range
Avg. High School GPA (non-weighted)
At UC Santa Cruz, the average unweighted high-school GPA for admitted students is 3.63. This is the average, which means that some applicants submit GPAs lower than this and some applicants submit GPAs above this level. If your GPA falls below the average, strong test scores or other qualifications may help you make you a more competitive applicant.
Data Source: IPEDs and Peterson's Databases © 2022 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved
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