Having a deep interest and wish to pursue your higher studies in USA? We can say that you have chosen the right place for your future. In USA you can explore various top universities. One such university is University of California, Santa Cruz. The university is said to offer 73 majors, 43 minor programs to its students. Courses are provided in areas of Arts, Engineering, Humanities, Physical and biological Sciences, and Social Sciences. Looking forward to apply here? Well, then we must introduce you to some facts. University of California, Santa Cruz acceptance rate for incoming international candidates is 62.8%. This college is considered moderately selective. Where to apply? We suggest you to apply only in the official admissions portal of the university. Do not trust or apply to any third party websites. If you find such websites, immediately report to the official admissions office of the university.

Feeling tensed about the overall quality of University of California Santa Cruz courses? Be patient and calm. Students who have graduated from this college speak highly of its academic quality and the professors. However, before applying we suggest that you verify whether you meet the admission requirements. University of California Santa Cruz admission requirements demand an IELTS score of 6.5, TOEFL of 80 and a DET score of 115. A competitive GPA score of 3.5 might also be required to appear for the University of California Santa Cruz degrees. Now, let’s consider that you do not meet the admission requirements. A suitable or most reliable way that is available is to get hold of some recommendation letters from your past teachers or counselors. Moreover having certain job or internship experience can also

University of California Santa Cruz admissions have an application deadline of November 30, 2023 for fall 2024 intake. UC Santa Cruz is moderately hard to get into as the acceptance rate is 62.8%. GRE is not required for UCSC (University of California Santa Cruz). Candidates can get into UCSC with a 3.5 GPA since the minimum requirement is 3.4. University of California Santa Cruz IELTS requirement is 6.5. TOEFL score of 80 and DET score of 115 are other University of California Santa Cruz admissions requirements. Students need to pay an application fee of USD 95 (INR 7,915.88) for undergraduate admissions. The application fee is USD 155 (INR 12,915.38) for graduate students. This university has 18,834 students with a student to faculty ratio of 23:1.

University of California Santa Cruz Admissions Highlights

Santa Cruz is special because of its commitment to teaching and public service. The factors UC Santa Cruz looks for in applicants are GPA of 3.0, academic excellence and others. Candidates choose UC Santa Cruz because of its high acceptance rate, better career opportunities, lower tuition fees. This university accepts international students in two intakes in USA. To accept UC Santa Cruz admission offer candidates need to visit the application portal and click on “Now That I’m Admitted, What’s Next?” University of California Santa Cruz admissions portal, requirements, academic calendar are mentioned below for student reference.

University of California Santa Cruz admissions portal https://my.ucsc.edu/
Online application https://apply.universityofcalifornia.edu/my-application/login
Application deadline Undergraduate:
Winter 2024: Closed
Fall 2024: November 30, 2023
Graduate: Varies
Application fee Undergraduate: USD 95 (INR 7,915.88)
Graduate: USD 155 (INR 12,915.38)
University of California Santa Cruz acceptance rate 62.8%
UC Santa Cruz acceptance requirements of ELP scores TOEFL score: 80
IELTS: 6.5
DET: 115
Academic calendar

Winter quarter 2024: 

Quarter begins: January 5
Instruction begins: January 8
Instruction ends: March 15
Final exams: March 18–22
Quarter end: March 22

Spring quarter 2024: 

Quarter begins: April 1
Instruction begins: April 1
Instruction ends: June 7
Final exams: June 10–13
Quarter ends: June 13
Commencements: June 14–16

Summer Quarter 2024: 

Quarter begins: June 24
Instruction begins: June 24
Instruction ends: August 30
Quarter ends: August 30

Standardized test scores SAT score writing and language: 31 (not considered for admission decision)
ACT combined English-Writing: 24

University of California Santa Cruz International Students Admissions

USCS offers scholarships to international students ranging from USD 1000 to 5000 (INR 83,325- 4,16,625). The application fee for University of California, Santa Cruz for international students is USD 95 (INR 7,915.88) for undergraduates. USD 155 (INR 12,915.38) is the application fee for graduate programs. UC Santa Cruz is ranked #332 internationally in QS ranking 2024. The acceptance rate for University of California Santa Cruz is 62.8% for international students. SAT and ACT scores are not required for undergraduate freshman applicants. Besides, a GRE score or GMAT is also not required for graduate admissions. Eligible students can also apply for University of California Santa Cruz scholarships for international students.

University of California Santa Cruz Undergraduate Admissions

The GPA needed for UCSC is a 3.4. The majors that UC Santa Cruz is best known for are Computer science, Psychology, Business. Women's studies is the easiest major to get into UC Santa Cruz since the GPA requirements are low. UC Santa Cruz not only admit by major, but also lower-division transfers and second-baccalaureate students are considered. UC Santa Cruz is not a tier 1 school, it is a tier 3 school. University of California Santa Cruz admission requirements for some popular majors are tabulated below. International aspirants can also check for application deadlines for top universities in USA

Programs Application deadlines UC Santa Cruz admission requirements
BS in Computer Science Fall 2024: November 30, 2023
  1. 15 year-long academic courses with a 3.40 GPA
  2. Above 70% and not below than 60% marks 10th and 12th
  3. Report of foreign coursework (if any)
  4. Official transcripts
  5. Secondary school report
  6. TOEFL score: 80
  7. IELTS score: 6.5
  8. DET: 115
BA in Psychology
BA in Business Management Economics
BS in Biomolecular Engineering and Bioinformatics
BA in Sociology

University of California Santa Cruz Graduate Admission Requirements

To get into UCSC grad school, candidates need a 3.0 GPA. UCSC does not require GRE for Fall 2023. UCSC tuition per year is USD 15,102 (INR 12,58,374.15) for graduate students. UC Santa Cruz graduate stipend is USD 24,000 (INR 19,99,800) plus payment of all university fees. International students choose this university to MS in USA due to its teaching techniques and better career opportunities. After graduation, students earn an average annual salary of USD 84000 (INR 69,99,300). However, University of California Santa Cruz graduate application deadline are given below

Programs Application deadline UC Santa Cruz admission requirements
MS in Applied Mathematics January 9, 2024

  1. Bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited university
  2. Cumulative GPA of 3.0
  3. TOEFL score: 83- 89
  4. IELTS score: 7.0
  5. Financial support
  6. LOR for USA
MS in Computer Science & Engineering January 24, 2024
PhD in Economics December 12, 2023
MS in Electrical & Computer Engineering February 13, 2024
MS in Physics January 5, 2024

Documents Required for University of California Santa Cruz Admissions

Does UC Santa Cruz require letters of recommendation? Yes, UC Santa Cruz requires letters of recommendation for the admission of international students. Application requirements for UC Santa Cruz include, GPA of 3.4, IELTS score of 6.5 and others. 3 letters of recommendation are needed for UC Santa Cruz. One can get admission to other top universities in USA without a letter of recommendation. In UC Santa Cruz, 43159 applicants are accepted. Students can not apply to UC Santa Cruz late. In some cases, late applications may be considered for review. The documents required for University of Santa Cruz admissions are listed below

  • Academic transcripts
  • ELP test scores
  • Letters of recommendation’
  • Financial documents
  • Report of foreign coursework (if any)
  • School report
  • SOP for USA (if needed)

University of California Santa Cruz Admissions Statistics

The chances of getting into UCSC is nearly 63%. UCSC is a very prestigious university with a #82 national ranking in US News and World report, 2024. This university is listed among the US universities with high acceptance rate. Admission statistics of Fall 2023 for this university are as follows. University of California Santa Cruz received more than 68,000 applications in Fall 2023.

Total applications 68,821
Accepted 43,159
University of California Santa Cruz admission rate 62.7% (overall)
65% (transfer)
GPA of middle 25%-75% students 3.86-4.22
Student teacher ratio 23:1
International students 4.5%
Male female students 48.0% men, 47.3% women undergraduate students

University of California Santa Cruz Selection Criteria

International candidates must meet some selection criteria while applying for admission to US universities. Professionally-trained application readers conduct an in-depth review of academic and personal achievements of the applicants. After that the admissions are offered. Some factors University of California Santa Cruz considers include the following. Interviews are not conducted for University of California Santa Cruz international students admissions.

  • Academic grade point average
  • Number of, content of and performance in academic courses
  • Quality of your academic performance
  • Outstanding performance in one or more specific subject areas.
  • Outstanding work in one or more special projects in any academic field of study.
  • Special talents, achievements and awards in a particular field
  • Location of your secondary school and residence.

The above mentioned details can be considered for University of California Santa Cruz admissions. There are no University of California Santa Cruz GRE requirements for graduate admissions. For any further query, applicants can reach out to the University of California Santa Cruz admissions office.

FAQs

Ques: How hard is UC Santa Cruz to get into?

Ans: It is not that hard to get into UC Santa Cruz since the acceptance rate is on the higher side with 62.7%.

Ques: Is GRE required for UCSC?

Ans: No, GRE is not required for UCSC. International graduate students are admitted purely based on the submitted documents and qualifications.

Ques: Does UC Santa Cruz accept international students?

Ans: Yes, UC Santa Cruz accepts international students in fall and winter intake semesters. There are 4.5 % international students at the university.

Ques: Can I get into UCSC with a 3.5 GPA?

Ans: Yes, one can get into UCSC with a 3.5 GPA as the minimum GPA requirement for this university 3.4 for undergraduate and 3.0 for graduate programs.

Ques: What are 3 popular majors at UC Santa Cruz?

Ans: Computer Science, Psychology and Business are 3 popular majors at UC Santa Cruz. Students can choose to study from over 70 undergraduate programs.

Ques: Does UC Santa Cruz require letters of recommendation?

Ans: Yes, UC Santa Cruz requires letters of recommendation for the admission of international students. Minimum 3 letters of recommendation are required to get into the university.

Ques: What is the ranking of UC Santa Cruz in the world?

Ans: The ranking of UC Santa Cruz is #332 in QS World University ranking, 2024. It is also ranked #82 in National universities ranking by US News and World report.

Ques: What is UC Santa Cruz best for?

Ans: UC Santa Cruz is best for groundbreaking research opportunities and good career outcomes. There is an approximately 63% chance of getting into the university.

Ques: How much is UCSC tuition per year?

Ans: UCSC tuition per year is USD 15,102 (INR 12,58,374.15) for graduate students. However, the tuition fee for undergraduate programs is USD 32,574 (INR 27,12,616.14).

Ques: How many students are accepted to UC Santa Cruz?

Ans: In the Fall 2023 intake, University of California Santa Cruz received more than 68,000 applications. Out of which 43,159 students were accepted by the university