In fall 2025, 12,511 freshmen applied to UC San Diego in Physical Sciences/Math and 4,924 were admitted, an admit rate of 39%, compared with 28% for the campus as a whole. The middle half of admitted students had a UC GPA between 4.13 and 4.29. Of those admitted, 1,021 enrolled (21%).
What stands out
It was the least selective major area at UC San Diego. The admit rate has held roughly steady since 2021 (42% then). Among UC campuses, UCLA was the hardest in Physical Sciences/Math (15%).
Five-year trend
| Fall | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) | Enrolled | Enrolled GPA (middle 50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12,511 | 4,924 | 39% | 4.13–4.29 | 1,021 | 4.07–4.26 |
| 2024 | 11,750 | 4,202 | 36% | 4.13–4.29 | 779 | 4.07–4.27 |
| 2023 | 10,221 | 3,287 | 32% | 4.13–4.30 | 641 | 4.07–4.27 |
| 2022 | 10,058 | 2,922 | 29% | 4.14–4.30 | 571 | 4.06–4.29 |
| 2021 | 10,768 | 4,494 | 42% | 4.09–4.29 | 894 | 4.04–4.26 |
Physical Sciences/Math at every UC (fall 2025)
| Campus | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) | Campus overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 12,894 | 1,895 | 15% | 4.22–4.30 | 9% |
| UC Berkeley | 12,109 | 1,993 | 16% | 4.18–4.29 | 11% |
| UC San Diego | 12,511 | 4,924 | 39% | 4.13–4.29 | 28% |
| UC Irvine | 6,811 | 3,739 | 55% | 4.02–4.26 | 29% |
| UC Santa Barbara | 13,760 | 7,558 | 55% | 4.11–4.28 | 38% |
| UC Davis | 6,245 | 3,758 | 60% | 4.00–4.26 | 44% |
| UC Santa Cruz | 3,148 | 2,506 | 80% | 3.88–4.25 | 72% |
| UC Riverside | 3,035 | 2,687 | 89% | 3.69–4.20 | 87% |
| UC Merced | 3,227 | 3,008 | 93% | 3.66–4.20 | 94% |
Transfer admit rates: Physical Sciences/Math majors (fall 2025)
| Major | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | 2024 rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 277 | 175 | 63% | 64% | 3.51–3.96 |
| Applied Mathematics | 272 | 181 | 67% | 74% | 3.67–3.97 |
| Chemistry – Biochemistry | 239 | 115 | 48% | 45% | 3.54–3.94 |
| Chemistry | 200 | 90 | 45% | 47% | 3.27–3.87 |
| Mathematics/Economics | 137 | 74 | 54% | — | 3.67–4.00 |
| Physics | 131 | 71 | 54% | 52% | 3.46–3.91 |
| Probability and Statistics | 119 | 69 | 58% | 52% | 3.72–4.00 |
| Pharmacological Chemistry | 58 | 26 | 45% | 50% | 3.53–3.96 |
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 52 | 24 | 46% | 39% | 3.45–3.89 |
| Mathematics – Applied Science | 48 | 34 | 71% | 67% | 3.57–3.91 |
Transfer GPA is the UC-transferable GPA from community college. All UC San Diego transfer majors →
Other major areas at UC San Diego
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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.