collageUC Santa Barbara Acceptance Rate: How Difficult is It to Get In? Gaining entry to UCSB takes hard work and planning. Of the 92,305 students who applied for admission last year, the university accepted just 29,782 for an average admit rate of 32%.
Collegelearners is replete with ample information on UCSB GPA average, UCSB SAT requirements, UCSB average GPA unweighted, UCSB acceptance rate by major, amongst others. Be sure to visit our catalog for more relevant information on similar topics.
UCSB Requirements for Admission
What are UCSB’s admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:
- GPA requirements
- Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
- Application requirements
In this guide we’ll cover what you need to get into UCSB and build a strong application.
School location: Santa Barbara, CA
This school is also known as: UCSB, UC Santa Barbara, University of California, Santa Barbara
Admissions Rate: 32.2%
If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.
The acceptance rate at UCSB is 32.2%. For every 100 applicants, 32 are admitted.
This means the school is very selective. If you meet UCSB’s requirements for GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and other components of the application, you have a great shot at getting in. But if you fall short on GPA or your SAT/ACT scores, you’ll have a very low chance of being admitted, even if you meet the other admissions requirements.
UCSB GPA Requirements
Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.
The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school’s average GPA for its current students.
Average GPA: 4.12
The average GPA at UCSB is 4.12.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
With a GPA of 4.12, UCSB requires you to be at the top of your class. You’ll need nearly straight A’s in all your classes to compete with other applicants. Furthermore, you should be taking hard classes – AP or IB courses – to show that college-level academics is a breeze.
If you’re currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4.12, you’ll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate. This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.
SAT and ACT Requirements
Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Most schools require the SAT or ACT, and many also require SAT subject tests.
You must take either the SAT or ACT to submit an application to UCSB. More importantly, you need to do well to have a strong application.
UCSB SAT Requirements
Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school’s average score.
Average SAT: 1355
The average SAT score composite at UCSB is a 1355 on the 1600 SAT scale.
This score makes UCSB Moderately Competitive for SAT test scores.
UCSB SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1230, and the 75th percentile New SAT score is 1480. In other words, a 1230 on the New SAT places you below average, while a 1480 will move you up to above average.
Here’s the breakdown of new SAT scores by section:
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Math | 690 | 610 | 770 |
| Reading + Writing | 665 | 620 | 710 |
| Composite | 1355 | 1230 | 1480 |
SAT Score Choice Policy
The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.
UCSB has the Score Choice policy of “All Scores.”
This means that UCSB requires you to send all SAT scores you’ve ever taken to their office.
This sounds daunting, but most schools don’t actually consider all your scores equally. For example, if you scored an 1300 on one test and a 1500 on another, they won’t actually average the two tests.
More commonly, the school will take your highest score on a single test date. Even better, some schools form a Superscore – that is, they take your highest section score across all your test dates and combine them.
Some students are still worried about submitting too many test scores. They’re afraid that UCSB will look down on too many attempts to raise your score. But how many is too many?
From our research and talking to admissions officers, we’ve learned that 4-6 tests is a safe number to submit. The college understands that you want to have the best chance of admission, and retaking the test is a good way to do this. Within a reasonable number of tests, they honestly don’t care how many times you’ve taken it. They’ll just focus on your score.
If you take it more than 6 times, colleges start wondering why you’re not improving with each test. They’ll question your study skills and ability to improve.
But below 6 tests, we strongly encourage retaking the test to maximize your chances. If your SAT score is currently below a 1480, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it. You don’t have much to lose, and you can potentially raise your score and significantly boost your chances of getting in.
UCSB ACT Requirements
Just like for the SAT, UCSB likely doesn’t have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.
Average ACT: 29
The average ACT score at UCSB is 29. This score makes UCSB Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.
The 25th percentile ACT score is 26, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 32.
Even though UCSB likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 26 or below, you’ll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application. There are so many applicants scoring 29 and above that a 26 will look academically weak.
ACT Score Sending Policy
If you’re taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.
Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.
This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school’s ACT requirement of 32 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you’re happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.
ACT Superscore Policy
By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.
We weren’t able to find the school’s exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to UCSB, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 32.
SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements
Both the SAT and ACT have an optional essay section.
UCSB requires you to take the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section. They’ll use this as another factor in their admissions consideration.
SAT Subject Test Requirements
Schools vary in their SAT subject test requirements. Typically, selective schools tend to require them, while most schools in the country do not.
UCSB has indicated that SAT subject tests are recommended. Typically this means that SAT subject tests are not required, but submitting them can showcase particular strengths. For example, if you’re applying to an engineering school, submitting science and math SAT subject tests will boost your application.
Typically, your SAT/ACT and GPA are far more heavily weighed than your SAT Subject Tests. If you have the choice between improving your SAT/ACT score or your SAT Subject Test scores, definitely choose to improve your SAT/ACT score.
Eligibility and Selection
Attaining eligibility means meeting the minimum requirements to be admitted to UC Santa Barbara. However, meeting minimum eligibility does not assure admission. When UCSB cannot admit all eligible applicants, we use standards called “selection criteria” to select students who are more competitive than the minimum requirements.
Eligibility Requirements
1. Subject Requirement
Students must successfully complete UC-approved courses in the A-G subject areas with a ‘C’ grade or better.* If you attend a California high school, check that the classes you take are on your school’s UC Certified Course List by referencing the A-G Course List resource website.
*UC has temporarily suspended the letter grade requirement for A-G courses completed in winter 2020 through summer 2021 for all students. A-G courses completed in these terms with Pass (P) or Credit (CR) grades will satisfy appropriate A-G requirements.
2. Grade Point Requirement
Students must earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 (3.4 for non-California residents) in all A-G courses. Only the grades you earn in A-G subjects in the tenth and eleventh grades – including summer sessions – are used to calculate your preliminary GPA.* Courses you took in the ninth and twelfth grades can be used to meet A-G subject requirements if you earned a grade of C or better, but they will not be used to calculate your GPA.
*UC has temporarily suspended the letter grade requirement for A-G courses completed in winter 2020 through summer 2021 for all students. A-G courses completed in these terms with Pass (P) or Credit (CR) grades will satisfy appropriate A-G requirements.
3. Personal Life Accomplishments
UCSB doesn’t just look at academic accomplishments to bring in our freshman class. We look at your extracurricular activities and accomplishments in light of the opportunities available to you.
Final Admissions Verdict
Because this school is very selective, strong academic scores are critical to improving your chances of admission. If you’re able to score a 1480 SAT or a 32 ACT or above, you’ll have a very strong chance at getting in.
For a school as selective as UCSB, rounding out the rest of your application will also help. We’ll cover those details next.
But if you apply with a score below a 1480 SAT or a 32 ACT, you unfortunately have a low chance of getting in. There are just too many other applicants with high SAT/ACT scores and strong applications, and you need to compete against them.
Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. This tool provides only a simplistic estimate of your chances of admission. Instead of treating this tool as a crystal ball, we recommend you consider the big picture of what your chance means:
- 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
- 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
- 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
- 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
- 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in
We recommend you apply to schools across a range of chances. Applying to some safety schools will guarantee you have a college to go to, while applying to some reach schools will give you a shot at getting into the school at the top of your range.
Application Requirements
Every school requires an application with the bare essentials – high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We’ll cover the exact requirements of UCSB here.
Application Requirements Overview
- Common Application: Not accepted
- Universal Application: Not accepted
- Electronic Application: Available
- Essay or Personal Statement: Required for all freshmen
- Letters of Recommendation
- Interview: Not required
- Application Fee: $70
- Fee Waiver Available?: Available
- Other Notes
Testing Requirements
- SAT or ACTRequired
- SAT Essay or ACT WritingRequired
- SAT Subject TestsRecommended
- Scores Due in OfficeDecember 30
Coursework Requirements
- SubjectRequired Years
- English4
- Math3
- Science
- Foreign Language2
- Social Studies
- History2
- Electives1
Deadlines and Early Admissions
-
- Offered?DeadlineNotification
- Regular Admission
- YesNovember 30March 15
- Early Action
- No
- Early Decision
- No
Admissions Office Information
- Address:1210
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-2014 - Phone: (805) 893-2881
- Email: admissions@sa.ucsb.edu
Other Schools For You
If you’re interested in UCSB, you’ll probably be interested in these schools as well. We’ve divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to UCSB.
Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into
These schools are have higher average SAT scores than UCSB. If you improve your SAT score, you’ll be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York University | New York, NY | 1440 | 32 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | 1435 | 33 |
| Emory University | Atlanta, GA | 1435 | 33 |
| Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA | 1420 | 33 |
| Boston University | Boston, MA | 1420 | 32 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, NY | 1409 | 31 |
| Villanova University | Villanova, PA | 1395 | 33 |
Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into
If you’re competitive for UCSB, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binghamton University | Vestal, NY | 1375 | 30 |
| Lehigh University | Bethlehem, PA | 1365 | 31 |
| University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | 1355 | 30 |
| University of Texas at Dallas | Richardson, TX | 1350 | 30 |
| University of Washington | Seattle, WA | 1340 | 30 |
| Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NY | 1335 | 29 |
| California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo, CA | 1335 | 29 |
Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into
If you’re currently competitive for UCSB, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If UCSB is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | 1315 | 29 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester, NY | 1300 | 30 |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | Amherst, MA | 1290 | 29 |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse, NY | 1275 | 28 |
| United States Military Academy | West Point, NY | 1270 | 28 |
| Penn State University Park | University Park, PA | 1265 | 28 |
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH | 1265 | 27 |
A NOTE ON ACT & SAT EXAMS
UCSB will not use SAT/ACT scores in our admission decisions or scholarship selection process for fall 2021 or fall 2022 applicants. All applicants to UC have the option to submit scores on the application. If you elect to do so, these scores will not be visible to Admission Counselors reviewing your application to UCSB. For details on the UC system, visit the UC Exam Requirement page.
UCSB departments that previously recommended SAT subject exams have suspended these recommendations given the current challenges with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Selection Criteria
Admitted applicants exceed the admission eligibility requirements above. UCSB considers 13 holistic review factors to review your achievements and personal qualities in the context of the opportunities and/or challenges you have experienced. We do not compare your application with any other applicant, regardless of school or location.
Evaluation by College & Supplemental Applications
- College of Letters and Science: Choice of major is not considered and a supplemental application is not required except if you’re applying to dance or music performance majors, which require applicants to complete an audition in late January or early February.
- College of Engineering: Students are selected by major for all five majors. No supplemental application is required. If you’re interested in engineering, you should have a solid background in advanced high school mathematics with high grades in all math courses through 11th grade and enrollment in pre-calculus or higher in 12th grade. Be sure to select a second choice major outside of Engineering on your application: if you’re not selected for Engineering you will also be reviewed for your second choice major if one was selected.
- College of Creative Studies: All applicants must submit a supplemental application, which is reviewed by Creative Studies faculty, in addition to the general UC application. If you’re not selected for Creative Studies you will automatically be considered for admission to Letters and Science.
Personal Insight Questions Resources
Use these guides to help write your UC application Personal Insight Questions (PIQs).
PIQ Guide in English
If your primary language is English, use this UC PIQ guide.
UC Personal Insight Questions (English) PDF
PIQ Guide in Spanish
If your primary language is Spanish, use this UC PIQ guide.
UC Personal Insight Questions (Spanish) PDF. Undergraduate Admissions: 1234 Cheadle Hall, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-2014
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