University of California-Santa Cruz (UC Santa Cruz)

Your Opinion: Is this School Hard to Get Into?
You already voted!

UC Santa Cruz can be found in Santa Cruz, CA, a public college which focuses on only a select few programs offered. UC Santa Cruz has an enrollment of over nineteen thousand students.

Most of the students that got into UC Santa Cruz got an SAT score within the range of 1200 to 1380, or got accepted with an ACT composite score between 26 to 32. Based on sampled GPA data collected and applied, it is estimated that the UC Santa Cruz average GPA range for accepted students is around 3.48 - 3.78. 51% of all applicants are accepted to UC Santa Cruz, from which 13 percent choose to enroll. Based on historical acceptance rate data, the projected UC Santa Cruz acceptance rate 2021 is estimated to be 47%. You can get more information from the admissions office website at admissions.ucsc.edu.

Overall UC Santa Cruz Acceptance Rate - Fall 2020

51.3%

The overall acceptance rate for University of California-Santa Cruz was reported as 51.3% in Fall 2020 with over 55,800 college applications submitted to this school. Both in state and out of state applicants are included in these figures. We do not have data on transfer acceptance rates currently.

Accepted Applicants Profile

  • UC Santa Cruz ACT Scores: 26 - 32
  • UC Santa Cruz Average GPA: 3.48 - 3.78

How Hard Is It to Get into University of California-Santa Cruz?

Applicant Selectivity: High

University of California-Santa Cruz has a very competitive selection process for applicants, where most students accepted have a higher than average high school GPA and scored in the top percentiles on standardized tests like the SAT or ACT exam.

Historical Trend and Acceptance Rate 2024 Projection

The historical trend chart shows acceptance rates from the previous years, from which we have projected the acceptance rate for the 2024-2025 school year. The overall acceptance rate trend for University of California-Santa Cruz has been getting lower when compared to averages from previous years.

Acceptance Rate By Year

  • 2016-2017: 57.9%
  • 2017-2018: 50.9%
  • 2018-2019: 47.4%
  • 2019-2020: 51.3%
  • Projected UC Santa Cruz Acceptance Rate 2024-2025: 47.4%

How Does UC Santa Cruz Compare?

51.3%
This School
56.7%
National Avg

The acceptance rate for University of California-Santa Cruz is eleven percent lower than the national average of all colleges which is around 56.7%.

Nearby Similar College Acceptance Rates

SchoolAcceptance Rate
Santa Clara University48.8%
California State University-Monterey Bay75.3%
Stanford University4.3%
California State University-East Bay76.2%
University of San Francisco64.4%

Admissions Rates & Enrollment Rates - Details

General Recommendations & Requirements for Admissions

  • High School GPA Scores are Required
  • School Records are Required
  • College Prep Classes are Required
  • Standardized Test Scores (SAT,ACT,...) are Required
  • TOEFL Exam (Foreign Language Students) are Required

Number of Applicants, Percent Accepted, and Enrolled Students (Fall 2020)

TotalMaleFemale
Applicants55,79644.9%55.1%
Admitted28,62944.8%55.2%
Enrolled3,71252.3%47.7%

Average ACT/SAT Scores of Applicants to UC Santa Cruz (Fall 2020)

SAT® SectionScore Range
Critical Reading600 - 670
Math600 - 710
Total Score1200 - 1380
ACT®Score Range
English24 - 32
Math24 - 29
Composite Score26 - 32
To learn more about the data and calculations that power this site, please visit our data discussion page.

Compare Other Colleges

Search By Zip Code or School Name

Search admissions and acceptance rate information on over 1,500 colleges and universities in the U.S.

School Details

Address

1156 High St
Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1011

Phone

(831) 459-0111

Website

School Code

#001321

Other Helpful Pages

Recent Articles