College Profiles/ University of California, San Diego
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
University of California, San Diego Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
La Jolla, CA · 35,442 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to University of California, San Diego for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
University of California, San Diego admitted 28.6% of 136,750 first-year applicants in the 2025-2026 Common Data Set.[1] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $28,634.[1] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Regular Decision Nov 30.[2]
28.6%
Overall admit rate[1]
$28,634
Average need-based grant[1]
86.0%
Six-year graduation rate[1]
University of California, San Diego at a Glance
- Location
- La Jolla, CA
- Type
- Public
- Student to faculty ratio
- 19.6:1[1]
- Endowment
- $1.6 billion (federal data)[3]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Blind/Free[2]
- Application
- UC Application[2]
- First-year retention
- 94.7%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on University of California, San Diego
The ConnectPrep take
UC San Diego reviews every application holistically, including the personal insight questions, and says it is looking for fearless innovators who will contribute and thrive. It admitted 28.6% of 136,750 applicants, but that overall rate hides the real constraint. Majors such as Computer Science and Engineering, Data Science, Bioengineering, and Rady Business Economics are marked selective, so the major your student lists shapes the odds. There is no early round, and UC campuses do not consider SAT or ACT scores, so the transcript and the personal insight answers carry the file; enrolled students average a 3.88 GPA. The waitlist is active, with 5,284 students admitted from it in the latest Common Data Set. The mistake we see is listing a selective major without coursework and activities that show real preparation for it.
What to do this fall
- Submit the UC application by Nov 30; it also serves as the Regents Scholarship application.
- If listing a selective major, use the personal insight answers to show preparation for that field.
- Music, theatre and dance, or visual arts students can add an optional department-reviewed portfolio or audition.
- File the FAFSA or CA Dream Act by Mar 2, even without expecting need-based aid, to stay in scholarship consideration.
Applying to University of California, San Diego? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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University of California, San Diego Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
136,750 |
39,054 |
28.6% |
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 20.0%.[1]
- 36,709 students were offered a waitlist spot, 25,411 accepted one, and 5,284 were admitted from it.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| Average high school GPA[1] |
3.88 |
What University of California, San Diego looks for
University of California, San Diego Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Regular Decision |
Nov 30 |
mid to late Mar (posted before end of Mar) |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from University of California, San Diego’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| Regents Scholarship |
Nov 30 |
Selected from the UC Application for Admission and Scholarships filed by Nov 30; no separate paperwork.[4] |
| FAFSA or CA Dream Act and Cal Grant |
Mar 2 |
Mar 2 priority deadline; UCSD notes that filing is how students are considered for scholarships, so file even if not expecting need-based aid.[2] |
See how University of California, San Diego compares with other colleges in the West deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
University of California, San Diego Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[1] |
46.4% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[1] |
$28,634 |
| Average total financial aid package[1] |
$32,474 |
| Average share of need met[1] |
83.5% |
| Merit (non-need) awards to first-years[1] |
409 students, average $12,722 |
Common Data Set 2025-2026 G1 shows in-state tuition $14,202, nonresident tuition $53,472, required fees $3,789, on-campus food and housing $20,443. UC systemwide 2027-28 on-campus estimates: $49,078 California resident, $90,100 nonresident, not UCSD-specific.[5]
- International students: 'International students are not eligible to receive federal or state financial aid'; Common Data Set shows 214 nonresidents with institutional aid averaging $10,290.[6]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[3]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$7,525 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$8,155 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$9,942 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$15,199 |
| Over $110,000 |
$28,785 |
| All aided students |
$12,470 |
Academics and Majors at University of California, San Diego
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[1]
- Biological/life sciences20%
- Interdisciplinary studies17%
- Engineering12%
- Psychology9%
- Social sciences9%
Signature programs
Selective majors in Data Science, Computer Science & Engineering, Bioengineering and other engineering fields
High-demand majors are designated selective, so applicants compete for space at entry.[7]
Rady School of Management Business Economics B.S.
Selective undergraduate business economics degree offered with the Rady School.[7]
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
One of UCSD's academic schools, giving undergraduates access to ocean and earth sciences on a campus overlooking the Pacific.[7]
School of Global Policy and Strategy and Halicioglu Data Science Institute schools
UCSD organizes majors across academic schools including Data Science and Global Policy and Strategy.[7]
Choosing a major and getting in
Applicants choose a major; Data Science, Bioengineering, Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Public Health and Rady Business Economics are marked 'Selective major' (screened majors: NanoEngineering, Structural Engineering). Music, Theatre & Dance and Visual Arts have optional department-reviewed portfolio/audition.[7][8]
Special admission paths
- UC Application (single deadline; no ED or EA).
- Optional portfolio/audition for Music, Theatre & Dance, Visual Arts.
University of California, San Diego Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
94.7% |
| Graduated within four years[1] |
74.2% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
86.0% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[3] |
$84,943 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[3] |
$15,500 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[3] |
34% |
Make University of California, San Diego a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
Compare Similar Colleges
University of California, San Diego FAQs
What is the University of California, San Diego acceptance rate?
University of California, San Diego admitted 28.6% of first-year applicants (39,054 of 136,750), according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
When are the University of California, San Diego application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Regular Decision Nov 30.
Does UC San Diego consider SAT scores?
No. UC San Diego does not consider SAT or ACT scores as a factor in admissions or scholarship decisions. That puts the weight on grades, course rigor, and the personal insight questions. We still encourage testing if your student's list includes schools that require or reward scores, since a higher score helps there.
Do students get off the UC San Diego waitlist?
Yes. In the latest Common Data Set, UC San Diego offered 36,709 students a waitlist spot, 25,411 accepted a place, and 5,284 were admitted from the waitlist. Students who want to stay in consideration must opt in by Apr 15, and the statement of intent to register is due May 1.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of California, San Diego. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
