UCSD Acceptance Rate and SAT/ACT Scores

University of California-San Diego Admission Requirements and Statistics

[updated for 2024-2025 admission data]

How hard is UCSD to get into?

This page provides the latest information on University of California-San Diego (UCSD)'s admission process, acceptance rate, and student profile. UCSD's acceptance rate is 26.71% for 2024-2025 admission. A total of 134,450 students applied and 35,917 were admitted to the school. Its acceptance rate is relatively low, making it somewhat difficult to get into UCSD.

To apply to UCSD, personal statement (or essay) is required to submit. The SAT and ACT score is not considered for admission at University of California-San Diego.

UCSD's acceptance rate places 11st out of 118 California colleges with competitive admission.
UCSD's yield rate is 20.41%, which is significantly lower by 23.20 percentage points (approximately 53.2% lower) compared to similar colleges with acceptance rates between 20% and 30% (average yield: 43.61%). You can compare colleges with similar acceptance rates to UCSD at colleges with acceptance rates between 20% and 30%.

Admission Statistics

For the academic year 2024-25, UCSD's acceptance rate is 26.71% and the yield (also known as enrollment rate) is 20.41%. 63,349 men and 71,101 women applied to UCSD and 14,810 men and 21,107 women students were accepted.

Among them, 3,155 men and 4,175 women were enrolled in UCSD. You can explore the UCSD's admission rates and SAT score trends over the past decade, including year-by-year data and analysis, by visiting Admission Trends page.

Acceptance Rate and Admission Statistics at UCSD
	Total	Men	Women	Another Gender	Gender Unknown
Applicants	134,450	63,349	71,101	0	0
Admitted	35,917	14,810	21,107	0	0
Enrolled	7,330	3,155	4,175	0	0
Acceptance Rate	26.71%	23.38%	29.69%	-	-
Yield	20.41%	21.30%	19.78%	-	-

Data source: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) (Last update: December 11, 2024)

University of California-San Diego 2025 Acceptance Rate By Gender chart

First-year Enrollment by Gender and Enrolled Type

For the academic year 2024-25, total 7,330 first-year students enrolled in UCSD. The proportion of full-time students is 99.82% and part-time students is 0.18%.

By gender, the proportion of men students is 43.04% and women students is 56.96%.

The following table shows the first-year students by gender and enrolled type at UCSD.

First-Year Students by Gender and Enrolled Type at UCSD
	Total	Men	Women
Total	7,330	3,155	4,175
Full-time	7,317	3,148	4,169
Part-time	13	7	6

Data source: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) (Last update: December 11, 2024)

Application Requirements

It requires to submit High School GPA, High School Record (or Transcript), Completion of College Preparatory Program, English Proficiency Test, and Personal statement or essay to its applicants.

The SAT and ACT test score is not considered in admission process at UCSD. The english proficiency test is required .

The next table summarizes the application requirements to apply University of California-San Diego.

For more admission information such as minimum GPA and deadlines, see its online application page .

UCSD Admission Requirements
High School GPA	Required
High School Rank	Not Considered
High School Record (or Transcript)	Required
Completion of College Preparatory Program	Required
Recommendations	Not Considered
Formal Demonstration of Competencies	Not Considered
SAT / ACT	Not Considered
English Proficiency Test	Required
Other Test (Wonderlic,WISC-III,etc)	Not Considered
Work experience	Considered, if submitted
Personal statement or essay	Required
Legacy status	Not Considered

General Admissions Information

The following provides general admission information for applying to UCSD:

Open Admission Policy: No
Undergraduate Application Fees: -
Graduate Application Fees: -
Admission Information: admissions.ucsd.edu/index.html
Online Application: admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply-now.html
Calendar System: Quarter
Course for High School Students: Not Offered
Credits Accepted: Advanced placement (AP) Credits
Degree Offered: Bachelor, Master, Doctoral (Research), Doctoral (Professional Practice)

Get Admission Information

What is the acceptance rate at the UCSD?

UCSD is moderately competitive, with an acceptance rate of 26.71%.

What SAT or ACT scores are required for admission to UCSD?

UCSD does not require or recommend SAT or ACT scores for admission. However, some programs may have different requirements.

Does UCSD require essays or personal statements?

Yes, UCSD requires applicants to submit a personal essay or statement as part of the application.

Are recommendation letters required for UCSD admission?

UCSD does not require or recommend a recommendation letter for admission. However, it may be required for certain programs or scholarships.

Is there an application fee?

UCSD does not require an application fee for undergraduate or graduate admission.

Do I need to submit my high school transcript?

Yes, UCSD requires applicants to submit high school GPA, high school record or transcript as part of the admission process.

Are there any specific admission requirements for international students?

Yes, UCSD requires international applicants to submit an English proficiency test (like TOEFL or IELTS) as part of the application.

What is SAT code and ACT code for UCSD?

The institutional SAT code for UCSD is 4836 and 4-digit ACT code is 0459.