UCSD Admission Requirements
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Exceptional | |
| Applicant Competition | High |
Can I get into UCSD? The school has a 34% acceptance rate. Last year, 30,061 out of 88,446 applicants were admitted making UCSD a highly competitive school to get into with a lesser chance of acceptance for qualifying applicants. Academically, it has extremely high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 14 percent. Only 19% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.
34% are accepted,
can you get in?
SAT Requirements
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 650 |
| SAT Math 25th | 630 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1280 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 700 |
| SAT Math 75th | 760 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1460 |
| Estimated Average SAT | 1370 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to University of California San Diego?
University of California San Diego typically requires applicants to be in the top 14 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1280 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1190. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1370 out of 1600. A competitive SAT score is critical as 84 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school. Note: SAT scores presented on this page have been adjusted upwards per the College Board's concordance tables for test takers after March 2016.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1460 and Above | Good | >47% |
| 1370 to 1460 | Avg + | 34%-47% |
| 1280 to 1370 | Avg - | 23%-34% |
| 1190 to 1280 | Reach | 15%-23% |
| Less than 1190 | Low | <15% |
ACT Requirements
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 25 |
| ACT Math 25th | 27 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 27 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 33 |
| ACT Math 75th | 33 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 33 |
| Estimated Average ACT | 30 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into UCSD?
Admission data indicates that UCSD regularly accepts students with ACT's of 27 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 15 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 24 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 30 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 33 and above have very competitive chances. 52 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to University of California San Diego.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 33 and Above | Good | >47% |
| 30 to 33 | Avg + | 34%-47% |
| 27 to 30 | Avg - | 23%-34% |
| 24 to 27 | Reach | 15%-23% |
| Less than 24 | Low | <15% |
Estimated GPA Requirements
University of California San Diego has not reported high school GPA data for its accepted students.
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 47,664 | 40,782 | 88,446 |
| Accepted | 16,454 | 13,607 | 30,061 |
| Acceptance Rate | 35% | 33% | 34% |
| Enrolled | 2,972 | 2,727 | 5,699 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 18% | 20% | 19% |
Fall 2019 Application Deadline
The application deadline for Fall 2019 has passed. Applications were due on Nov 30, 2018.
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to University of California San Diego and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | Neither required nor recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Required |
| Recommendations | Neither required nor recommended |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | Yes |
| Dual Credit | No |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=110680 IPEDS survey data for University of California San Diego.
