UCSC Admission Requirements
Chances of getting into University of California Santa Cruz
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance Rate
50.9%| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Very High | |
| Applicant Competition | Average |
How hard is it to get into UCSC and can I get accepted? The school has a 51% acceptance rate ranking it #39 in California for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 26,984 out of 52,969 applicants were admitted making UCSC a more competitive school to get into with a good chance of acceptance for qualifying applicants. Academically, it has very high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 19 percent. Only 15% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.
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Calculate My ChancesUCSC SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
SAT Range
1230-1400Applicants Submitting SAT
80%| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 630 |
| SAT Math 25th | 600 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1230 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 690 |
| SAT Math 75th | 710 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1400 |
| Average SAT Score | 1320 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to University of California Santa Cruz?
University of California Santa Cruz typically requires applicants to be in the top 20 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1230 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 1140. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1320 out of 1600. The school ranks #22 in California for highest average SAT composite score. A competitive SAT score is critical as 80 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1400 and Above | Good | >64% |
| 1315 to 1400 | Avg + | 51%-64% |
| 1230 to 1315 | Avg - | 38%-51% |
| 1145 to 1230 | Reach | 26%-38% |
| Less than 1145 | Low | <26% |
UCSC ACT Scores
ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score
ACT Range
26-31Applicants Submitting ACT
51%| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 24 |
| ACT Math 25th | 25 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 26 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 31 |
| ACT Math 75th | 30 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 31 |
| Average ACT Score | 28 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into UCSC?
Admission data indicates that UCSC regularly accepts students with ACT's of 26 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 18 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 24 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 28 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 31 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #18 in California for highest average ACT composite score. 51 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to University of California Santa Cruz.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 31 and Above | Good | >66% |
| 28 to 31 | Avg + | 51%-66% |
| 26 to 28 | Avg - | 41%-51% |
| 24 to 26 | Reach | 31%-41% |
| Less than 24 | Low | <31% |
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
University of California Santa Cruz has not reported high school GPA data for its accepted students.
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 29,510 | 23,459 | 52,969 |
| Accepted | 14,871 | 12,113 | 26,984 |
| Acceptance Rate | 50% | 52% | 51% |
| Enrolled | 1,973 | 2,075 | 4,048 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 13% | 17% | 15% |
Fall 2020 Application Deadline
Applications are Due
Nov 30, 2019Days left to Apply
74Applicants have 74 days left until the Fall 2020 term applications are due on Nov 30, 2019.
Seniors, these are the SAT and ACT test dates you can still sit for a test and send your results to UCSC before the Nov 30 application deadline.
| SAT Test Date | Scores Available |
|---|---|
| Oct 5 | Oct 18 |
| Nov 2 | Nov 15 |
| ACT Test Date | Scores Available |
|---|---|
| Oct 26 | Nov 14 |
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to University of California Santa Cruz and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | Recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Recommended |
| 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 |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=110714 IPEDS survey data for University of California Santa Cruz.
