University of California, Santa CruzAcceptance Rate, Requirements & Admissions Information

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Overview
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Admissions
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Financials
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Academic
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Students
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College Chances
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Deadline
December 1, 2026
106 Days Left
Admissions Department
1156 High Street Santa Cruz, CA 95064
(831) 459-4008
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Where You Stand
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Freshman Admission Reqs
Freshman Admission Reqs
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High School Preparation
High School Graduation
High school diploma required and GED is accepted
High School Program
College preparatory program is required
High School Units Req or Recommended
Subject Req Reco
English 4 4
Mathematics 3 4
Science 2 3
Foreign Language 2 3
Social Studies 1 1
History 1 1
Academic Electives 1 1
Examinations
Subject Required Units Due in Admissions Office
SAT or ACT Not reported Not reported
SAT Only Not reported Not reported
ACT Only Not reported Not reported
SAT & SAT Subject Tests, or ACT Not reported Not reported
SAT Subject Tests Only Not reported Not reported
ACT Writing Test Policy Not reported Not reported
Applying For Admission
Applying For Admission
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Admissions Office
Address
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz
CA
95064
Phone
(831) 459-4008
Fax
(831) 459-4452
Application Dates & Fees
Regular Admission Deadline
December 1, 2026
Application Fee
$80
Application Fee Waiver
Available
Regular Admission Notification
March 31
Accept Offer of Admission
Not reported
Waiting List Used
Yes
Defer Admission
Not reported
Transfer Admission
Transfer applications accepted
Early Admission
Early Decision Offered
No
Early Action Offered
No
Application Form
Common Application
Not accepted
Electronic Application
Not reported
Other Application Requirements
Interview
Not Required
Essay or Personal Statement
Required for all freshmen
Other
Minimum high school GPA of 3.0 for California residents, 3.4 for non-residents required for freshmen
Financial Need
Financial need is not a consideration in the admissions process
Selection of Students
Selection of Students
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Factor Very Important Important Considered Not Considered
Rigor of Secondary School Record X
Academic GPA X
Standardized Tests X
Class Rank X
Recommendations X
Essay X
Interview X
Level of Applicant's Interest X
Extracurricular Activities X
Volunteer Work X
Particular Talent/Ability X
Character/Personal Qualities X
First Generation to Attend College X
State Residency X
Geographic Residence X
Relation with Alumnus X
Religious Affiliation/Commitment X
Work Experience X
Profile of Fall Admission
Profile of Fall Admission
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Overall Admission Rate
73% of 66,374 applicants were admitted
Women
74% of 34,971 applicants were admitted
Men
70% of 28,428 applicants were admitted
Students Enrolled
4,803 (10%) of 45,947 admitted students enrolled
Women
2,570 (10%) of 25,969 admitted students enrolled
Men
2,233 (11%) of 19,978 admitted students enrolled
Students Offered Wait List
9,881
Students Accepting Wait List Position
6,444
Students Admitted From Wait List
2,648
Grade Point Average of Enrolled Freshmen (4.0 Scale)
4.00 and Above
36%
3.75 - 3.99
36%
3.50 - 3.74
22%
3.25 - 3.49
5%
3.00 - 3.24
1%
2.50 - 2.99
0.1%
2.00 - 2.49
0%
SAT Scores of Enrolled Freshmen
SAT Math: Not reported
Score of 700 - 800
Not Reported
Score of 600 - 700
Not Reported
Score of 500 - 600
Not Reported
Score of 400 - 500
Not Reported
Score of 300 - 400
Not Reported
Score of 200 - 300
Not Reported
SAT EBRW: Not reported
Score of 700 - 800
Not Reported
Score of 600 - 700
Not Reported
Score of 500 - 600
Not Reported
Score of 400 - 500
Not Reported
Score of 300 - 400
Not Reported
Score of 200 - 300
Not Reported
ACT Scores of Enrolled Freshmen
Not reported
Score of 30 - 36
Not Reported
Score of 24 - 29
Not Reported
Score of 18 - 23
Not Reported
Score of 12 - 17
Not Reported
Score of 6 - 11
Not Reported
Score of 5 or Below
Not Reported
ACT Math: Not reported
Score of 30 - 36
Not Reported
Score of 24 - 29
Not Reported
Score of 18 - 23
Not Reported
Score of 12 - 17
Not Reported
Score of 6 - 11
Not Reported
Score of 5 or Below
Not Reported
ACT Eng: Not reported
Score of 30 - 36
Not Reported
Score of 24 - 29
Not Reported
Score of 18 - 23
Not Reported
Score of 12 - 17
Not Reported
Score of 6 - 11
Not Reported
Score of 5 or Below
Not Reported
Other Qualifications of Enrolled Freshmen
National Merit Scholar
Not reported
Valedictorian
Not reported
Class President
Not reported
Student Government Officer
Not reported
Undergraduate and Undergraduate Financial Aid data displayed on CollegeData’s college profiles is from the 2024-25 academic year.
A portion of the College Profile data is provided under license by:
Peterson's Undergraduate and Undergraduate Financial Aid Databases, copyright © 2026 Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.