In fall 2025, 21,225 freshmen applied to UC Santa Barbara in Life Sciences and 8,909 were admitted, an admit rate of 42%, compared with 38% for the campus as a whole. The middle half of admitted students had a UC GPA between 4.11 and 4.29. Of those admitted, 1,065 enrolled (12%).
What stands out
It ranked 6 of 8 major areas at UC Santa Barbara for selectivity (1 = hardest). The admit rate rose from 35% in 2021 to 42% in 2025, while applications went from 20,235 to 21,225. 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 | 21,225 | 8,909 | 42% | 4.11–4.29 | 1,065 | 4.04–4.28 |
| 2024 | 20,941 | 8,398 | 40% | 4.13–4.29 | 1,099 | 4.05–4.27 |
| 2023 | 20,642 | 6,975 | 34% | 4.14–4.29 | 1,140 | 4.07–4.27 |
| 2022 | 20,595 | 6,562 | 32% | 4.16–4.32 | 1,144 | 4.08–4.29 |
| 2021 | 20,235 | 7,024 | 35% | 4.12–4.30 | 1,077 | 4.05–4.27 |
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%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological Sciences | 1,573 | 515 | 33% | 36% | 3.46–3.87 |
| Environmental Studies | 257 | 169 | 66% | 74% | 3.39–3.81 |
Transfer GPA is the UC-transferable GPA from community college. All UC Santa Barbara transfer majors →
Other major areas at UC Santa Barbara
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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.