In fall 2025, freshman admit rates in Life Sciences ranged from 13% at UCLA to 96% at UC Merced. Across the UC system, 15,624 transfer applications went to Biology majors and 42% were admitted, from 22% at UCLA to 60% at UC Riverside.
What to know
- Freshman figures are for UC's Life Sciences area, which includes biology, biochemistry, neuroscience and related majors.
- Transfer applicants usually need a full year of general chemistry, biology and calculus before transferring.
- Campuses split biology into many majors, so compare the individual transfer majors below rather than the campus average.
Freshman admit rates: Life Sciences (fall 2025)
| Campus | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) | 2021 → 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 19,316 | 3,114 | 16% | 4.16–4.29 | 25% → 19% → 16% → 18% → 16% |
| UC Davis | 25,418 | 12,732 | 50% | 4.03–4.27 | 54% → 47% → 50% → 51% → 50% |
| UC Irvine | 18,556 | 5,620 | 30% | 4.12–4.29 | 34% → 25% → 32% → 34% → 30% |
| UCLA | 23,700 | 3,121 | 13% | 4.21–4.30 | 16% → 13% → 12% → 13% → 13% |
| UC Merced | 10,012 | 9,646 | 96% | 3.62–4.18 | 91% → 93% → 91% → 94% → 96% |
| UC Riverside | 15,719 | 13,023 | 83% | 3.85–4.22 | 72% → 77% → 77% → 82% → 83% |
| UC Santa Barbara | 21,225 | 8,909 | 42% | 4.11–4.29 | 35% → 32% → 34% → 40% → 42% |
| UC Santa Cruz | 14,258 | 10,997 | 77% | 3.86–4.22 | 63% → 52% → 69% → 71% → 77% |
| UC San Diego | 25,093 | 8,177 | 33% | 4.15–4.29 | 38% → 27% → 33% → 36% → 33% |
UC’s freshman data groups related majors into one area. GPA is the weighted, capped UC GPA of the middle half of admitted students.
Transfer admit rates by campus and major (fall 2025)
| Campus | Major | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | 2024 rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | Molecular & Cell Biology | 764 | 240 | 31% | 37% | 3.69–3.96 |
| UC Berkeley | Integrative Biology | 230 | 95 | 41% | 42% | 3.65–3.95 |
| UC Berkeley | Neuroscience | 195 | 61 | 31% | — | 3.70–3.98 |
| UC Berkeley | Chemical Biology | 184 | 52 | 28% | 19% | 3.78–3.96 |
| UC Berkeley | Microbial Biology | 153 | 68 | 44% | 38% | 3.51–3.96 |
| UC Berkeley | Molecular Environmental Biology | 116 | 43 | 37% | 41% | 3.60–3.91 |
| UC Berkeley | Genetics & Plant Biology | 50 | 12 | 24% | — | 3.38–3.89 |
| UC Davis | Biological Sciences | 774 | 369 | 48% | 50% | 3.42–3.83 |
| UC Davis | Biochemistry- Molecular Biology | 306 | 181 | 59% | 58% | 3.43–3.88 |
| UC Davis | Human Biology | 301 | 115 | 38% | — | 3.45–3.87 |
| UC Davis | Neurobiology, Physiology, & Behavior | 203 | 106 | 52% | 50% | 3.48–3.89 |
| UC Davis | Molecular & Medical Microbiology | 150 | 84 | 56% | 60% | 3.48–3.89 |
| UC Davis | Animal Biology | 94 | 57 | 61% | 73% | 3.21–3.64 |
| UC Davis | Global Disease Biology | 89 | 61 | 69% | 66% | 3.22–3.62 |
| UC Davis | Cell Biology | 70 | 31 | 44% | 61% | 3.44–3.87 |
| UC Davis | Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology | 45 | 27 | 60% | 66% | 3.37–3.81 |
| UC Davis | Plant Biology | 23 | 10 | 43% | 41% | 3.34–3.73 |
| UC Irvine | Biological Sciences | 2,151 | 803 | 37% | 35% | 3.60–3.91 |
| UCLA | Biology | 1,162 | 202 | 17% | 20% | 3.82–4.00 |
| UCLA | Biochemistry | 321 | 91 | 28% | 29% | 3.82–3.97 |
| UCLA | Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology | 285 | 86 | 30% | 35% | 3.87–4.00 |
| UCLA | Neuroscience | 226 | 50 | 22% | 20% | 3.81–3.95 |
| UCLA | Microbiology – Immunology – Molecular Genetics | 206 | 60 | 29% | 33% | 3.81–4.00 |
| UCLA | Pre Human Biology and Society | 156 | 30 | 19% | 24% | 3.87–4.00 |
| UCLA | Physiological Science | 153 | 31 | 20% | 23% | 3.80–3.95 |
| UCLA | Precomputational Biology | 29 | 16 | 55% | — | 3.82–3.99 |
| UC Merced | Biological Sciences | 330 | 207 | 63% | 58% | 3.12–3.61 |
| UC Merced | Biochemistry | 59 | 26 | 44% | — | 3.04–3.50 |
| UC Riverside | Biology | 940 | 577 | 61% | 54% | 3.20–3.74 |
| UC Riverside | Biochemistry | 178 | 105 | 59% | 59% | 3.27–3.84 |
| UC Riverside | Neuroscience | 152 | 87 | 57% | 52% | 3.02–3.70 |
| UC Riverside | Cell, Molecular, & Developmental Biology | 147 | 88 | 60% | 58% | 3.26–3.78 |
| UC Riverside | Microbiology | 67 | 49 | 73% | 58% | 3.18–3.82 |
| UC Riverside | Plant Biology | 32 | 11 | 34% | — | 3.12–3.56 |
| UC Santa Barbara | Biological Sciences | 1,573 | 515 | 33% | 36% | 3.46–3.87 |
| UC Santa Cruz | Biology | 647 | 333 | 51% | 51% | 3.05–3.71 |
| UC Santa Cruz | Biochemistry- Molecular Biology | 157 | 95 | 61% | 56% | 3.19–3.70 |
| UC Santa Cruz | Marine Biology | 128 | 78 | 61% | 52% | 3.08–3.65 |
| UC Santa Cruz | Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology | 90 | 61 | 68% | 67% | 3.23–3.71 |
| UC Santa Cruz | Neuroscience | 84 | 39 | 46% | 39% | 3.19–3.85 |
| UC Santa Cruz | Microbiology | 45 | 29 | 64% | — | 3.19–3.72 |
| UC San Diego | Biology | 829 | 393 | 47% | 46% | 3.44–3.87 |
| UC San Diego | Human Biology | 581 | 302 | 52% | 54% | 3.51–3.90 |
| UC San Diego | Molecular & Cell Biology | 343 | 192 | 56% | 66% | 3.59–3.93 |
| UC San Diego | Chemistry – Biochemistry | 239 | 115 | 48% | 45% | 3.54–3.94 |
| UC San Diego | Neurobiology | 193 | 96 | 50% | 51% | 3.52–3.93 |
| UC San Diego | Marine Biology | 130 | 53 | 41% | 41% | 3.19–3.73 |
| UC San Diego | Microbiology | 128 | 63 | 49% | 58% | 3.47–3.92 |
| UC San Diego | Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience | 116 | 80 | 69% | 69% | 3.36–3.87 |
Transfer GPA is the UC-transferable GPA of the middle half of admitted students. Majors with very few applicants may not appear.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UCLA Biology acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, UCLA admitted 13% of freshman applicants in Life Sciences (3,121 of 23,700). For transfer applicants, 22% were admitted to its Biology majors (566 of 2,538).
What is the UC Berkeley Biology acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, UC Berkeley admitted 16% of freshman applicants in Life Sciences (3,114 of 19,316). For transfer applicants, 34% were admitted to its Biology majors (571 of 1,692).
What is the UC San Diego Biology acceptance rate?
In fall 2025, UC San Diego admitted 33% of freshman applicants in Life Sciences (8,177 of 25,093). For transfer applicants, 51% were admitted to its Biology majors (1,294 of 2,559).
Which UC is easiest to get into for Biology?
For freshmen, UC Merced (96%) and UC Riverside (83%) had the highest fall 2025 admit rates. For transfers, UC Riverside (60%) and UC Merced (60%) were the most accessible.
Other popular majors
Check your chances at each campus with your GPA and intended major →
Source: University of California Office of the President, UC Information Center: Freshman admissions by discipline and Transfers by major. UC reports freshman results by broad discipline (the major area students applied to, such as Engineering), not by individual major; transfer results are by individual major. GPA ranges are the 25th–75th percentile of admitted students (freshman: weighted, capped UC GPA; transfer: UC-transferable GPA). Counts include all applicants (California, out-of-state and international). Small counts are suppressed by UC. This site is independent and not affiliated with the University of California. Admit rates describe past applicants, not any individual student’s chances.