University of California-San Diego
UC San Diego publishes an acceptance rate of 27% and is test-blind for the 2026-27 cycle.
Acceptance rate
What UC San Diego's 27% is made of
The published rate averages groups with very different odds. These are the splits UC San Diego reports itself.
Transfer
Fall 2025 transfer entrants (CDS 2025-26, Section D2) · as of August 2026 · 1.8× easier than first-year
Read the transfer analysis →Part of Real Acceptance Rates, our series decomposing published rates from each school's own Common Data Set.
Testing
Test-Blind for 2026-27
- Policy
UC San Diego (and all UC campuses systemwide) will not consider SAT or ACT scores in admissions decisions even if submitted. This is a permanent UC systemwide policy.
- SAT middle 50%
- Not reported
- ACT middle 50%
- Not reported
- Average HS GPA
- 4.12–4.28 (weighted)Fall 2026 admitted freshmen (UC systemwide admissions data) · Source
Applying
Deadlines, essays and AI policy
- Early deadlines
- —
- Regular decision
- Nov 30, 2026Source
- Supplemental essays
- 4 required
UC application requires 4 of 8 Personal Insight Questions (PIQs), 350 words each, all weighted equally; there is no separate UCSD-specific essay.
- AI use in essays
No Official Policy
We reviewed the UC systemwide Personal Insight Questions guidance all UC campuses share, searching it for AI and ChatGPT language — no applicant AI policy published.
Full cycle calendar: Application Deadlines.
At a glance
Size and cost
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 34,948
- Tuition (out-of-state)
- $50,958
- Category
- Top Public
- Admissions site
- www.ucsd.edu
Dewey Smart
Dewey students who got into UC San Diego
Mentors who got into UC San Diego
Our mentors who go to UC San Diego, or just graduated from it.
What should this school mean for your list?
A published rate is one input. Working out what it means alongside the rest of your list is the part that actually changes an application. Free 25-minute call, no commitment.
Sources
- UC San Diego test policy (2026-27)
- UC San Diego deadlines
- UC San Diego GPA (Fall 2026 admitted freshmen (UC systemwide admissions data))
- UC San Diego admissions pages
- UC San Diego admissions pages
- Acceptance rate, test-score percentiles, enrollment and tuition: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, pulled 2026-08-19.
Test policy and deadlines last verified 2026-08-17.
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