General Admissions Information

The undergraduate admissions policy of the University of California is guided by the University's commitment to serve the people of California and the needs of the state within the framework of the California Master Plan for Higher Education.

The entrance requirements established by the University follow guidelines set forth in the Master Plan, which requires that the top one-eighth of the state's high school graduates, as well as those transfer students who have successfully completed specified college work, be eligible for admission to the University of California. These requirements are designed to ensure that all eligible students are adequately prepared for University-level work.

Mindful of its mission as a public institution, the University of California has had a historic commitment to providing a place within the University for all eligible applicants who are residents of California, and to achieving, on each campus, a student body that both meets the University's high academic standards and encompasses the cultural, racial, geographic, economic and social diversity of California itself.

To that end, the University's admission policy calls for reviewing applications in depth, drawing on factors developed by UC faculty. These criteria are different for freshmen applicants and transfer students, but foremost among them are academic achievement and promise, as well as a student's potential to contribute to the educational environment and intellectual vitality of the campus.

To track the success of admissions initiatives, the University collects data on applications and enrollment, as well as retention and time-to-degree information.