University of California, Santa Cruz

First-year admission

Applicants complete the University of California application, which is common to all UC campuses and also serves as the scholarship application. Minimum qualifications are 15 college-preparatory ("a-g") courses, at least 11 completed before senior year, with a GPA of 3.00 or better for California residents and 3.40 or better for non-residents, no grade lower than C, and the Entry-Level Writing Requirement. UCSC does not use SAT or ACT scores in admission review (test-blind); scores may still be used to satisfy area b of the a-g requirements and the Entry Level Writing requirement. Each application is read comprehensively against 13 faculty-approved criteria. California residents in the top 9 percent of state high-school graduates are guaranteed a space at a UC campus if space is available.

Application dates (fall 2027 entry)

• UC application opens August 1, 2026
• UC application filing period October 1 to November 30, 2026
• FAFSA and Dream Application open October 1, 2026; priority deadline March 2, 2027
• Admission decisions for first-year applicants from late February to mid-March 2027; transfer decisions April 1-30, 2027

The application fee is $80 per campus for U.S. students and $95 per campus for international applicants; fee waivers are available for qualifying family incomes.

Transfer admission

Junior-level transfers from California community colleges receive priority; lower-division transfers, second-baccalaureate applicants and transfers from other colleges are also considered. Screening majors have major-preparation criteria. The Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) gives guaranteed admission from a California community college when specific requirements are met; the TAG filing period runs September 1 to September 30, 2026. Transfer Academic Update deadline: January 31, 2027.

International applicants

International first-year applicants complete 15 year-long academic courses with a 3.40 GPA: 2 years of history/social science, 4 years of composition and literature in the language of instruction, 3 years of mathematics, 2 years of laboratory science, 2 years of a second language, 1 year of visual and performing arts and 1 additional course, plus any country-specific requirements. Applicants from schools where the language of instruction is not English must show English proficiency, and must obtain the necessary visa.

Graduate admission

Applicants hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent from an accredited university and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (4-point scale) in the last two years of undergraduate study. A three-year degree must be accompanied by a postgraduate diploma, master's or higher degree. Applicants apply to one programme per cycle through the online graduate application (opens October 5, 2026); deadlines vary by programme, mostly between November 19 and April 15. GRE requirements vary by programme. English: TOEFL iBT minimum of 83 (pre-2026 scale) or 4.0 on the 2026 scale, rising to 89 or 4.5 for programmes such as Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Statistical Science and Applied Mathematics; IELTS Academic minimum overall 7. Teaching assistants need TOEFL Speaking 26 (5.0 on the new scale) or IELTS Speaking 8. Admitted applicants with non-U.S. degrees submit a course-by-course WES ICAP evaluation.

• Main campus, Santa Cruz: 2,000-acre residential campus with the ten residential colleges, divisions, Baskin School of Engineering and the University Library.
• Westside Research Park, Santa Cruz: research facilities.
• Coastal Science Campus, Santa Cruz: marine science at the edge of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
• Silicon Valley Campus: Baskin Engineering teaching and research hub, UCSC Silicon Valley Extension and three professional master's programmes.
• Natural reserves: seven reserves for learning and experimentation. A Student Health Center, on-campus police and fire personnel, and graduate student housing on Heller Drive are on campus.