About

About University of California-Santa Cruz

public research universityredwood forest campusstrong stem programsselective admissionssocially progressive culture

University of California-Santa Cruz is a public research university in Santa Cruz, CA, known for its public research university, redwood forest campus, and strong stem programs. With an acceptance rate of 47%, UC Santa Cruz is moderately selective, typically enrolling around 3,859 students each year. UC Santa Cruz is test optional; submitting a strong score can strengthen an application, though it is not required for consideration. UC Santa Cruz meets 100% of demonstrated financial need and has replaced loans with grants; for families earning under $100,000, the net cost is often $0.

Admissions

University of California-Santa Cruz acceptance rate and admitted student profile

moderately selective

47%
Overall Accept Rate
3.75
Typical Admitted GPA
GPATypical admitted range: 3.75 – 4.00 unweighted

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Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to University of California-Santa Cruz

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
UCSC rates essays as highly important, so treat the UC Personal Insight Questions as your primary opportunity to stand out. Choose prompts that let you show intellectual curiosity or a specific passion, since UCSC values students who think creatively and independently.
Application Strategy
Be specific about why you want to study your chosen major at UCSC, pointing to programs like the Genomics and Developmental Biology major, the Science Communication program, or the unique college system structure. Admissions readers want to see that you have done real research into what makes UCSC different from other UC campuses.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What University of California-Santa Cruz actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Loan-free financial aid: University of California-Santa Cruz has replaced all loans with grants. For families earning under $100,000, the average net annual cost is $0. University of California-Santa Cruz's sticker price of ~$68k/year bears almost no resemblance to what most families pay.
Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30kOften $0~$68k/yr~$0 / yr
30k-48kOften $0~$68k/yr~$0 / yr
48k-75kOften $0~$68k/yr~$0 / yr
75k-110k~$68k/yr$19.0k
110k+~$68k/yr$33.3k

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Personalize this page

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

75%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$50k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
25:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
18,591
Undergrad Enrollment
University of California-Santa Cruz Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch