In fall 2025, 3,148 freshmen applied to UC Santa Cruz in Physical Sciences/Math and 2,506 were admitted, an admit rate of 80%, compared with 72% for the campus as a whole. The middle half of admitted students had a UC GPA between 3.88 and 4.25. Of those admitted, 211 enrolled (8%).
What stands out
It was the least selective major area at UC Santa Cruz. The admit rate rose from 66% in 2021 to 80% in 2025, while applications went from 2,452 to 3,148. 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 | 3,148 | 2,506 | 80% | 3.88–4.25 | 211 | 3.70–4.10 |
| 2024 | 3,313 | 2,481 | 75% | 3.92–4.25 | 210 | 3.80–4.13 |
| 2023 | 2,818 | 1,980 | 70% | 3.90–4.25 | 155 | 3.72–4.13 |
| 2022 | 2,395 | 1,221 | 51% | 3.96–4.26 | 129 | 3.84–4.19 |
| 2021 | 2,452 | 1,625 | 66% | 3.85–4.24 | 147 | 3.75–4.12 |
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%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earth Science | 268 | 253 | 94% | 86% | 3.22–3.84 |
| Mathematics | 181 | 139 | 77% | 81% | 3.34–3.87 |
| Chemistry | 150 | 92 | 61% | 59% | 3.11–3.63 |
| Physics | 82 | 59 | 72% | 62% | 3.14–3.72 |
| Astrophysics | 81 | 55 | 68% | 65% | 3.26–3.89 |
| Mathematics Theory & Computation | 60 | 57 | 95% | 95% | 3.24–3.86 |
| Mathematics Education | 20 | 17 | 85% | — | 3.15–3.70 |
Transfer GPA is the UC-transferable GPA from community college. All UC Santa Cruz transfer majors →
Other major areas at UC Santa Cruz
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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.