In fall 2025, 14,258 freshmen applied to UC Santa Cruz in Life Sciences and 10,997 were admitted, an admit rate of 77%, compared with 72% for the campus as a whole. The middle half of admitted students had a UC GPA between 3.86 and 4.22. Of those admitted, 1,156 enrolled (11%).
What stands out
It ranked 7 of 10 major areas at UC Santa Cruz for selectivity (1 = hardest). The admit rate rose from 63% in 2021 to 77% in 2025, while applications went from 12,378 to 14,258. 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 | 14,258 | 10,997 | 77% | 3.86–4.22 | 1,156 | 3.72–4.04 |
| 2024 | 13,774 | 9,836 | 71% | 3.88–4.23 | 935 | 3.76–4.07 |
| 2023 | 12,510 | 8,621 | 69% | 3.90–4.23 | 921 | 3.72–4.09 |
| 2022 | 12,859 | 6,718 | 52% | 3.96–4.26 | 757 | 3.84–4.13 |
| 2021 | 12,378 | 7,790 | 63% | 3.85–4.22 | 863 | 3.73–4.05 |
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 | 647 | 333 | 51% | 51% | 3.05–3.71 |
| Biochemistry- Molecular Biology | 157 | 95 | 61% | 56% | 3.19–3.70 |
| Marine Biology | 128 | 78 | 61% | 52% | 3.08–3.65 |
| Environmental Studies | 108 | 64 | 59% | 55% | 3.20–3.75 |
| Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology | 90 | 61 | 68% | 67% | 3.23–3.71 |
| Neuroscience | 84 | 39 | 46% | 39% | 3.19–3.85 |
| Ecology & Evolution | 76 | 51 | 67% | 72% | 3.13–3.69 |
| Microbiology | 45 | 29 | 64% | — | 3.19–3.72 |
| Biotechnology | 25 | 9 | 36% | — | 3.21–3.73 |
| Environmental Studies/Biology | 20 | 12 | 60% | — | 3.25–3.55 |
Transfer GPA is the UC-transferable GPA from community college. All UC Santa Cruz transfer majors →
Other major areas at UC Santa Cruz
Check your chances 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.