Guide to Applying for U.S. Freshmen

D I F F E R E N T B Y

The University of California, Santa Cruz is a world renowned research university south of San Francisco adjacent to Silicon Valley. Come study with us on our beautiful campus between the mountains and the sea, where we are breaking new ground in social and environmental justice, technology, biosciences, humanities, and the arts!

4.0 OR HIGHER GPA: 50.3%3.5 TO 3.99 GPA: 42.6%

Admitted freshmen fall 2019 profile

*MEAN

ACT SAT

27 or higher: 65.6% 1400 or higher: 29.9%

22-26: 25.7% 1100-1399: 64.6%

21 or lower: 8.7% 1099 or lower: 5.5%

Comp.*: 28.3 Total*: 1319.2

Engl. w/Writing*: 24.5 Reading/Writing*: 643.8

Reading*: 29.1 Math*: 682.9

Math*: 27.8 Essay*: 16

3.49 OR LOWER GPA: 7.1% MEAN GPA: 3.94

Selection by UC Santa Cruz As a selective campus, UC Santa Cruz is unable to offer admission to all UC-qualified applicants. UC Santa Cruz offers admission to freshman applicants according to the selection policy described on admissions.ucsc.edu/apply/freshman.html. Professionally-trained Admissions readers conduct an in-depth review of your academic and personal accomplishments.

Scholarships

UC Santa Cruz’s Undergraduate Dean’s Scholarships and Awards range from $12,000 to $40,000, split over four years and applied to non-resident tuition.

Award-winning Campus

UC Santa Cruz is one of the world’s most spectacular university campuses, with wide ocean views, footpaths and bridges through forests of giant redwood trees. The campus is divided into 10 residential colleges, each with its own academic advisers and faculty provosts.

Follow your passionExplore our majors!

Academic Preparation for U.S. Freshmen

The admission process for UC Santa Cruz reflects the academic rigor and preparation needed for admission to a major research institution and is based on a system of holistic review. As we consider each individual application - and rest assured, we do consider each one - we look beyond grades and test scores. We spend time evaluating your academic and personal achievements and preparation in light of the opportunities available to you and your demonstrated capacity to contribute to the intellectual life on our campus.

CA L I F ORN I A F R E SHMENMinimum Qualifications Complete 15 college-preparatory courses (“a-g” courses), with at least 11 finished prior to the beginning of your senior year. To view your school’s a-g course list, visit hs-articulation.ucop.edu/guide.

The 15 courses are: A History/social science, 2 yearsB English, 4 years, or local language for students

whose curriculum is not in English.C Mathematics, 3 yearsD Laboratory science, 2 yearsE Language other than English, 2 yearsF Visual and performing arts, 1 yearG College-preparatory elective, 1 year (chosen

from the subjects listed above or another course approved by the university)

Earn a grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 or better in these courses with no grade lower than a C. Meet the examination requirement by taking the ACT Plus Writing or the SAT with Essay examination no later than December of the senior year. (SAT exams taken prior to March 2016 will be accepted.) California students who meet these qualifications may be “qualified in the statewide context,” or “qualified in the local context” (also referred to as ELC). For more information, visit admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/

freshman and admissions.ucsc.edu/apply/freshman.html

COMPUTER ENGINEER ING AND COMPUTER SC IENCEStudents interested in computer engineering or computer science must select the major as their first choice on the UC Application. Applicants are encouraged to have a solid background in advanced high school mathematics. A student not selected for computer engineering or computer science may be reviewed for admission to an alternate major if one was selected.

U.S . FRESHMEN FROM OUTS IDE CAL I FORNIAThe qualifying and selection criteria for students from outside California are similar, except that a minimum GPA of 3.40 is required, instead of 3.00.

Transfer Admission

Many students do not begin their career as freshmen, but choose to enter the university by transferring from a community college or another four year institution. When making transfer admission decisions, top priority is given to qualified junior transfers from California community colleges.

admissions.ucsc.edu/apply/transfer-students

G U I D E T O A P P LY I N G F O R U . S . F R E S H M E N

Application Filing PeriodNovember 1-30

Apply Onlineapply.universityofcalifornia.edu

Thinking of joining us? Go to experience.ucsc.edu

These scholarships and awards are only available to admitted non-resident students, based mostly on their academic achievement as determined by the UC Application. No separate application is required.

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UC SANTA CRUZCAMPUS

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UC SANTA CRUZMONTEREY BAY EDUCATION, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER

UC SANTA CRUZ SILICON VALLEY CAMPUS

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REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK

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AnthropologyApplied Linguistics and MultilingualismApplied PhysicsArtArt and Design: Games and Playable MediaBiochemistry and Molecular BiologyBiologyBiomolecular Engineering and BioinformaticsBusiness Management EconomicsChemistryClassical StudiesCognitive ScienceCommunity StudiesComputer EngineeringComputer ScienceComputer Science: Computer Game DesignCritical Race and Ethnic StudiesEarth SciencesEarth Sciences/AnthropologyEcology and EvolutionEconomicsEconomics/MathematicsElectrical EngineeringEnvironmental SciencesEnvironmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies/Biology Environmental Studies/Earth SciencesEnvironmental Studies/EconomicsFeminist StudiesFilm and Digital MediaGlobal EconomicsHistoryHistory of Art and Visual Culture

Human BiologyItalian StudiesJewish StudiesLanguage StudiesLatin American and Latino StudiesLatin American and Latino Studies/PoliticsLatin American and Latino Studies/SociologyLegal StudiesLinguisticsLiteratureMarine BiologyMathematicsMolecular, Cell, and Developmental BiologyMusicNetwork and Digital TechnologyNeurosciencePhilosophyPhysicsPhysics (Astrophysics)Plant SciencesPoliticsPsychologyRobotics EngineeringScience EducationSociologySpanish StudiesTechnology and Information ManagementTheater ArtsUndeclared/Undecided (freshmen can pick an Advising Cluster and declare their major later)

The Colleges: Communities of Living and Learning

All undergraduates, whether they live on campus or not, are affiliated with one of the 10 colleges. The colleges are vibrant living/learning communities providing academic support, activities, and events. Each college offers a unique academic core course for freshmen that emphasizes the theme of the college and develops critical thinking and writing skills. The required course provides a bridge between academic and residential life, since all freshmen, regardless of major, will be in the course, and most will be living at their college as well.

Top Ranked Public University

Recently ranked among the top 30 universities in the U.S. for undergraduate teaching (U.S. News & World Report), and also among the top 15 universities in the world for research impact (Times Higher Education). We were the only public research university in this space when you combine these two rankings, alongside Stanford, Princeton, and Carnegie Mellon.

Produced by UC Santa Cruz Office of Undergraduate Admissions, 7/19 (60M). Statistics and budgets are subject to change. For the most current information, visit: admissions.ucsc.edu.