In fall 2025, 15,719 freshmen applied to UC Riverside in Life Sciences and 13,023 were admitted, an admit rate of 83%, compared with 87% for the campus as a whole. The middle half of admitted students had a UC GPA between 3.85 and 4.22. Of those admitted, 1,478 enrolled (11%).
What stands out
It ranked 2 of 10 major areas at UC Riverside for selectivity (1 = hardest). The admit rate rose from 72% in 2021 to 83% in 2025, while applications went from 11,015 to 15,719. Among UC campuses, UCLA was the hardest in Life Sciences (13%).
Five-year trend
| Fall | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) | Enrolled | Enrolled GPA (middle 50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15,719 | 13,023 | 83% | 3.85–4.22 | 1,478 | 3.68–4.04 |
| 2024 | 11,790 | 9,697 | 82% | 3.78–4.19 | 1,475 | 3.64–4.00 |
| 2023 | 11,137 | 8,548 | 77% | 3.87–4.22 | 1,327 | 3.76–4.07 |
| 2022 | 10,969 | 8,426 | 77% | 3.90–4.24 | 1,463 | 3.79–4.09 |
| 2021 | 11,015 | 7,937 | 72% | 3.79–4.18 | 1,372 | 3.65–4.03 |
Life Sciences at every UC (fall 2025)
| Campus | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) | Campus overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 23,700 | 3,121 | 13% | 4.21–4.30 | 9% |
| UC Berkeley | 19,316 | 3,114 | 16% | 4.16–4.29 | 11% |
| UC Irvine | 18,556 | 5,620 | 30% | 4.12–4.29 | 29% |
| UC San Diego | 25,093 | 8,177 | 33% | 4.15–4.29 | 28% |
| UC Santa Barbara | 21,225 | 8,909 | 42% | 4.11–4.29 | 38% |
| UC Davis | 25,418 | 12,732 | 50% | 4.03–4.27 | 44% |
| UC Santa Cruz | 14,258 | 10,997 | 77% | 3.86–4.22 | 72% |
| UC Riverside | 15,719 | 13,023 | 83% | 3.85–4.22 | 87% |
| UC Merced | 10,012 | 9,646 | 96% | 3.62–4.18 | 94% |
Transfer admit rates: Life Sciences majors (fall 2025)
| Major | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | 2024 rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 940 | 577 | 61% | 54% | 3.20–3.74 |
| Biochemistry | 178 | 105 | 59% | 59% | 3.27–3.84 |
| Neuroscience | 152 | 87 | 57% | 52% | 3.02–3.70 |
| Cell, Molecular, & Developmental Biology | 147 | 88 | 60% | 58% | 3.26–3.78 |
| Environmental Science | 72 | 36 | 50% | 29% | 3.13–3.68 |
| Microbiology | 67 | 49 | 73% | 58% | 3.18–3.82 |
| Plant Biology | 32 | 11 | 34% | — | 3.12–3.56 |
| Entomology | 16 | 9 | 56% | 60% | 3.02–3.71 |
Transfer GPA is the UC-transferable GPA from community college. All UC Riverside transfer majors →
Other major areas at UC Riverside
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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.