University of California, Santa Cruz
A redwood-forest UC campus above Monterey Bay, organised into 10 residential colleges and home of the UCSC Genome Browser.
- Acceptance rate
- 73%
- First-years who entered in fall 2025 (2025-26 Common Data Set)
- Students
- 20,140
- 18,194 undergraduates
- International
- 3%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 22:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $56,709
- 2026-27
About UC Santa Cruz
UC Santa Cruz opened in 1965 on former ranchland above the city of Santa Cruz, among redwood forests overlooking the Pacific. It was designed as a collegiate university: every undergraduate belongs to one of 10 residential colleges, from Cowell (1965) to John R. Lewis College, each with its own theme and a core course that builds writing and critical-thinking skills. It enrolls 18,194 undergraduates and 1,946 graduate students (2025-26) on a 2,000-acre residential campus.
Teaching is organised into academic divisions of Arts, Humanities, Physical and Biological Sciences, and Social Sciences, plus the Baskin School of Engineering, offering 74 undergraduate majors. UCSC is strong in astronomy, which it has led since taking over administration of Lick Observatory at its founding, and in genomics: its researchers built the widely used UCSC Genome Browser and helped release a draft of the first human pangenome. It is one of only five AAU members also designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution.
Admission is through the UC application and is test-free; UCSC admitted 48,274 of 66,374 first-year applicants for fall 2025. It suits students who want a research university with a small-college structure, an outdoor setting and quick access to Silicon Valley, about 45 minutes away.
Fiat lux
“Let there be light” — university motto
Why students choose UC Santa Cruz
Every undergraduate joins one of 10 residential colleges, each with its own theme, such as Crown's Science and Technology in Society or Porter's focus on the arts, and a first-year core course.
Research access in genomics and astronomy: UCSC runs the UCSC Genome Browser and has administered Lick Observatory since 1965.
Non-California students are considered for the Undergraduate Dean's Award of $12,000 to $100,000 over four years, and UCSC says 95% of nonresident students receive one.
New undergraduates entering from fall 2026 get a two-year housing guarantee on a 2,000-acre campus of redwoods and meadows above Monterey Bay.
Admissions
First-years who entered in fall 2025 (2025-26 Common Data Set)
48,274 admitted from 66,374 applicants
Admit rates by residency for fall 2025: about 71% for California residents (37,433 of 52,573), 84% for out-of-state applicants (6,097 of 7,248) and 72% for international applicants (4,745 of 6,554).
Typical entry requirements
| UC A-G subject requirements | At least 15 A-G college-preparatory courses, 11 completed before senior year, with a 3.00 GPA (3.40 for nonresidents) and no grade lower than C |
|---|---|
| International applicants | 15 year-long academic courses with a 3.40 GPA, including 2 years of history/social science, 4 years of language and literature, 3 years of math including geometry and advanced algebra, and 2 years of laboratory science |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 80 UC minimums: TOEFL iBT 80 (tests before January 2026) or 4.5 on the new scale from January 2026; IELTS 6.5; Duolingo 115; ACT English Language Arts 24; or SAT Writing and Language 31. Campuses may require higher scores. |
Deadlines
- UC application filing period (fall 2027) Non-binding Next deadline · In 54 daysNovember 30, 2026
Submission window October 1 to November 30, 2026; the application opens August 1. Decisions are released March 1-31, 2027 (some campuses earlier), and admitted students must submit their Statement of Intent to Register by May 1, 2027.
UC has a single filing period with no early action or early decision. UC's official dates page lists the fall 2027 filing period as October 1 to November 30, 2026. FAFSA and California Dream Act applications are due March 2, 2027.
How to apply
University of California application (one application for all UC campuses): answer 4 of 8 personal insight questions (350 words each), self-report A-G coursework and grades, and list activities and awards. UCSC reviews each application against 13 faculty-approved criteria. College preferences are ranked after you accept an offer.
What admissions looks for
- Academic rigor and preparation beyond the minimum A-G requirements; UCSC says exceeding the minimums increases your chances.
- Grades and achievements viewed in the context of the opportunities available to you, across UC's 13 faculty-approved comprehensive review criteria.
- Your capacity to contribute to the intellectual and cultural life at UCSC, shown through extracurricular achievement and your response to life challenges.
- Personal insight answers that show the full spectrum of your academic and personal achievements; no decision rests on a single factor.
Tips for applying to UC Santa Cruz
- 1 Submit between October 1 and November 30, 2026; there is no early round.
- 2 Don't send SAT scores expecting them to help: UCSC does not use them in selection, so focus on your senior-year course load and personal insight answers.
- 3 Nonresidents need at least a 3.40 A-G GPA, and should check the Undergraduate Dean's Award, which offsets nonresident tuition.
- 4 Read the 10 college themes before you accept an offer, since you rank your college preferences at that point.
What are your chances?
Sign up to see your personalized admission chances for University of California, Santa Cruz
Sign up to see your chancesCosts & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
Need-based UC aid is aimed at California residents, and tuition is fixed for up to six years under the UC Tuition Stability Plan. Out-of-state and international students are considered for the Undergraduate Dean's Award of $12,000 to $100,000 over four years, which offsets nonresident tuition; UCSC says 95% of nonresident students receive it.
- $48,537 California resident; $87,807 nonresident
- Total cost 2026-27, on campus
- 86.8% (average aid package $34,159, CDS 2025-26)
- Average need met, full-time undergraduates with need
- $12,000 to $100,000 over four years; received by 95% of nonresident students
- Undergraduate Dean's Award (nonresidents)
Academics
Academic calendar: Quarters
Astronomy and Astrophysics
UCSC has administered Lick Observatory since its founding and has access to the Keck Observatory in Hawaii.
Biomolecular Engineering and Bioinformatics
Taught in the Baskin School, home of the UCSC Genome Browser built by David Haussler and Jim Kent's team.
Computational Media and game design
U.S. News has ranked UCSC among the best game and simulation development programs in the nation.
Ocean and coastal sciences
Students can use the Coastal Science Campus on Monterey Bay, next to the national marine sanctuary.
Environmental Studies and agroecology
UCSC does leading research in organic agriculture and sustainable farming, and the Princeton Review lists it among the Top 50 Green Colleges.
Research
- UCSC researchers built the UCSC Genome Browser for the Human Genome Project and helped release a draft of the first human pangenome.
- The university administers Lick Observatory and runs the NSF Center for Adaptive Optics.
- Faculty include 19 members of the National Academy of Sciences and 32 members of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and 17 UCSC recipients shared the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.
Schools & faculties
- Division of Arts
- Division of Humanities
- Division of Physical and Biological Sciences
- Division of Social Sciences
- Baskin School of Engineering
- Division of Graduate Studies
College Scorecard: median earnings of $68,396 ten years after entry (and $49,716 six years after entry) for federally aided students.
Student life
Life at UCSC is organised around the 10 residential colleges, which each have their own traditions, events and core course, and most first-years (97.9% in fall 2025) live on campus. The campus is known for its redwoods, meadows and trails to class. The mascot, Sammy the Banana Slug, was chosen by a student vote in 1986 over the sea lion, and the teams compete in NCAA Division III. Historically UCSC used narrative evaluations instead of grades, and students can still opt for pass/no pass in some courses.
- 10 residential colleges, each with a theme and core course
- Sammy the Banana Slug, the student-chosen mascot
- NCAA Division III athletics
- Redwood forests, meadows and ocean views across a 2,000-acre campus
Housing. New undergraduates entering in 2026-27 or later who request university housing and meet the deadlines are guaranteed housing for two consecutive years.
Location
Santa Cruz is a coastal city on the northern edge of Monterey Bay on California's Central Coast. The campus sits above the town among redwoods and former ranchland, about 45 minutes from Silicon Valley and 25 minutes from the farmland of Watsonville. UCSC's Coastal Science Campus sits at the edge of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and its Silicon Valley Campus in Santa Clara extends its reach into the tech industry.
Nearest airport: San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC)
Notable alumni
- KD Kathryn D. SullivanNASA astronaut, first American woman to walk in space, later NOAA Administrator; BS 1973
- MR Maya RudolphActress and former Saturday Night Live cast member; BA 1995
- JP Jonah PerettiFounder of BuzzFeed and co-founder of The Huffington Post; BS 1996
- DP Dana PriestWashington Post reporter and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner; BA 1981
- JP Julie PackardFounder and executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium; BA 1974, MA 1978
- WF William FinneganJournalist, 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Barbarian Days; BA 1974
- CM Camryn ManheimActress, Emmy winner for The Practice; BA 1984
Frequently asked questions
What is UC Santa Cruz's acceptance rate?
UCSC admitted 48,274 of 66,374 first-year applicants for fall 2025, about 73%. The rate was about 71% for California residents.
Does UC Santa Cruz require the SAT or ACT?
No. UCSC does not use SAT or ACT scores in its review, although scores can still be used to meet certain minimum requirements.
When is the UC Santa Cruz application deadline for fall 2027?
Apply through the UC application between October 1 and November 30, 2026. There is no early round, and decisions are released in March 2027.
What are the residential colleges at UCSC?
Every undergraduate belongs to one of 10 colleges, such as Cowell, Stevenson, Crown, Porter and Rachel Carson. Each has a theme and core course, and you rank your preferences when you accept your offer.
How much does UC Santa Cruz cost for out-of-state and international students?
For students entering in 2026-27, nonresident tuition and fees total $56,709, and the full on-campus budget is $87,807. Most nonresidents receive an Undergraduate Dean's Award of $12,000 to $100,000 over four years.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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