Chances of getting into University of California Santa Barbara
Acceptance Rate
How hard is it to get into UCSB and can I get accepted?
The acceptance rate at UCSB is 29%. It ranks #11 in California and #85 in the nation for lowest rate of acceptance. UCSB is a highly competitive school to get into with a lesser chance of acceptance for qualifying applicants. Last year, 30,824 out of 105,641 applicants were admitted.
The school has extremely high admission requirements, generally admitting students who can score in the top 16 percent on standardized admission tests. University of California Santa Barbara typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.82. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class. 16% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.
The UCSB application fee is $70 and applications are due by Nov 30.
Test Optional
Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required or recommended by University of California Santa Barbara.
UCSB SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 620 |
| SAT Math 25th | 610 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1230 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 710 |
| SAT Math 75th | 750 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1460 |
| Average SAT Score | 1350
|
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to University of California Santa Barbara?
University of California Santa Barbara is a test optional school meaning applicants are not required to submit SAT scores with their application. The position on SAT scores from the school is "neither required nor recommended".
Students who get into University of California Santa Barbara score in the top 20 percent of all SAT test takers.. The SAT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 1230-1460.
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Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
UCSB ACT Scores
ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 26 |
| ACT Math 25th | 26 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 28 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 34 |
| ACT Math 75th | 31 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 34 |
| Average ACT Score | 31
|
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into UCSB?
University of California Santa Barbara is test optional. Students are not required to submit ACT scores with their application. The policy on ACT scores is "neither required nor recommended".
UCSB regularly accepts students who score 28 and above on the ACT. These students typically score in the top 12 percent nationally. The ACT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 28-34.
Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
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UCSB GPA
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
What GPA do you need to get into University of California Santa Barbara?
Applicants require exceptionally good grades to get into UCSB. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at University of California Santa Barbara was 3.82 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #17 in California for highest average GPA. Even with a competitive GPA, admission to UCSB will be challenging as the school denies more applicants than it admits.
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*This school has not released high school GPA data for its incoming freshmen. In these cases, CollegeSimply employs an artificial intelligence (AI) process to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of other colleges' data. 3.82 is an estimate of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.
High School Class Rank
100% of University of California Santa Barbara freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.
| High School Class Rank | Freshmen Within Range |
|---|---|
| Top 10% of class | 100% |
| Top 25% of class | 100% |
| Top 50% of class | 100% |
Applying
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 57,700 | 47,941 | 105,641 |
| Accepted | 18,352 | 12,472 | 30,824 |
| Acceptance Rate | 32% | 26% | 29% |
| Enrolled | 2,949 | 1,951 | 4,900 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 16% | 16% | 16% |
Fall 2023 Application Deadline
Applications were Due
Days left to Apply
The application deadline for Fall 2023 has passed. Applications were due on Nov 30, 2022.
Application Fee
The cost for prospective students to apply to University of California Santa Barbara is $70.
Application Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to University of California Santa Barbara and what student information is used for admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Neither required nor recommended |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | Considered but not required |
| 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 | Yes |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Other Colleges to Consider
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=110705 IPEDS survey data for University of California Santa Barbara.
FAQs
Does University of California Santa Barbara prefer SAT or ACT?
81% of students submit their SAT scores to UCSB. 48% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.
What is my chance of getting into University of California Santa Barbara?
29% of those who apply are granted admission to UCSB. Admission competition is high and the college has exceptional admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.
What SAT score is required for University of California Santa Barbara?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1230 and 1460. 81% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.
What ACT score is required for University of California Santa Barbara?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 28 and 34. 48% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.