La Jolla, CA · Public · 34,948 undergraduates · urban
University of California-San Diego
Highly selective
UC San Diego is one research university with eight different undergraduate college systems. A college affiliation does not set the major, but it changes general-education requirements, neighborhood, traditions, advising, and the day-to-day undergraduate experience.
Institutional profile
Top tier Exceptional in affordability, and exceptional in mobility.- Admission
- 24.5% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 89.6%
130,771 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$84,943 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets UC San Diego apart
Eight undergraduate college systems
The eight undergraduate colleges each have their own general-education curriculum, ranging from structured liberal-arts sequences to more elective-driven plans.
One research university, different curricula
Each college supplies a smaller neighborhood, residential facilities, traditions, advising structure, and leadership layer inside the larger university.
La Jolla college neighborhoods
La Jolla is one campus but eight distinct undergraduate starting points, with the college system shaping the practical experience.
The UCSD choice
Choose the undergraduate framework
College affiliation changes the academic and residential architecture without limiting major choice.
Rank college preferences
Use the application to signal the best curricular and community fit.
Join a college neighborhood
Advising, residence, traditions, and support begin at the college level.
Use the university-wide research network
The major and campus resources remain shared across colleges.
Can I get in?
24.5% admitted
Applicants should understand the college system well enough to rank preferences thoughtfully without confusing college affiliation with major admission.
Recent applicant pool
130,771About 25 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Record over scores
No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.
Admission by residency
Harder for residents
Undergraduate first-year applicants and admits · Fall 2025
University of California-San Diego admitted 24.7% of California applicants and 39.4% of applicants from other states. Out-of-state applicants were admitted at 1.6 times the resident rate.
21,618 admitted from 87,549 applicants
9,800 admitted from 24,891 applicants
7,428 admitted from 24,288 applicants
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for UC San Diego, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What UC San Diego weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
The eight undergraduate colleges each have their own general-education curriculum, ranging from structured liberal-arts sequences to more elective-driven plans.
Make the institutional fit specific
Applicants should understand the college system well enough to rank preferences thoughtfully without confusing college affiliation with major admission.
Use the application route carefully
Applicants rank four college preferences on the UC application; those preferences do not affect university admission.
Give commitments a clear through-line
Activities and recommendations should show sustained contribution, not a collection of disconnected credentials.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Applicants rank four college preferences on the UC application; those preferences do not affect university admission.
$80 application fee
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
Computer scienceAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
EngineeringAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Health professionsAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
University of California-San Diego publishes one merit award, the largest reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year. All of them renew past the first year.
Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year
In the season card
This award, by name
What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.
- The name of each award
- What it pays
- The grades and scores it asks for
- How to be considered
- What to send, and where
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at UC San Diego
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read the outcomes panel alongside la jolla is one campus but eight distinct undergraduate starting points, with the college system shaping the practical experience. Completion, borrowing, and field mix matter more than one university-wide earnings figure.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
Cognitive Science
Computer Science
Admits separately
International/Globalization Studies
Political Science and Government
What is campus life like?
UC San Diego beyond the classroom
La Jolla is one campus but eight distinct undergraduate starting points, with the college system shaping the practical experience.
Eight undergraduate college systems
The eight undergraduate colleges each have their own general-education curriculum, ranging from structured liberal-arts sequences to more elective-driven plans.
The residential structure matters
Each college supplies a smaller neighborhood, residential facilities, traditions, advising structure, and leadership layer inside the larger university.
Dining follows the residential map
Campus dining is part of the daily social pattern; compare the meal-plan structure and nearby options against the routine you expect.
One research university, different curricula
La Jolla is one campus but eight distinct undergraduate starting points, with the college system shaping the practical experience.
Use the institution beyond class
Student organizations, faculty programs, research, service, and campus events are most useful when they reinforce a clear academic or personal direction.
La Jolla college neighborhoods
The strongest social fit comes from understanding how housing, traditions, organizations, and the surrounding setting shape an ordinary week.