Admissions & Aid
Be the change.
UC Santa Cruz is a global research university with deep academic rigor, delivering groundbreaking discoveries and developing bold solutions. Our undergraduate excellence spans research, social impact, and creative scholarship.
A new two-year housing guarantee offers you an extended living and learning experience on campus to build community, connection and belonging. You will learn directly from leading faculty and build career skills with hands-on experiences and professional opportunities, outside the classroom and in the field.
Top 50
Public Colleges
US News & World Report, 2027
75% of students
work in research, creative, or service projects and internships
9 of 10
alumni surveyed said going to UC
Santa Cruz was the right decision
Welcome to UC Santa Cruz
We are a community of critical thinkers, socially and environmentally conscious stewards, innovators and artists who lead with purpose and create real change. From the redwoods to the coastline, nature inspires critical thinking and creativity to expand your mindset.
Life Beyond the Redwoods
Investing in a UC Santa Cruz education delivers a return of a lifetime, launching you into careers to change the world, across the tech, business, health and non-profit sectors, and through graduate studies at leading colleges. Find out where the Class of 2025 is now.
Undergraduate admissions
Undergraduates can choose from among 73 majors—or create their own. Most undergrads also participate in research, whether in a lab, library, or studio.
Graduate admissions
Graduate students pursue study in 66 academic programs, many of them weaving threads of connection between disciplines for unexpected paths of discovery and innovation.
International students
Studying in the U.S. at UC Santa Cruz is a wonderful opportunity for you and your family. Your degree acts like a passport, opening access to many opportunities for your future career and personal life.
UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Extension
Located in the global center of high tech and innovation, UCSC Silicon Valley Extension offers accredited, convenient professional courses for every stage of your career.
Summer Session
Summer Session provides the opportunity to fill in a needed class, make faster progress toward your degree, or try something different during a quieter time on campus.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
UC’s financial aid program is one of the best out there. It supports students in all kinds of ways, with grants, scholarships, low-interest loans, and more. And it’s worth it.
See for yourself
Set in a serene redwood forest above the Monterey Bay, our campus was once considered a bold experiment. Now we’re routinely ranked among the top universities in the world for research excellence and impact.