University of California, Santa Barbara

There is no hard cutoff, but admitted first-year students at UC Santa Barbara report an average high school GPA of about 4.29 (weighted), so competitive applicants typically have near-straight-A's in advanced coursework. Because UCSB is test-free, your academic GPA is weighed as a very important factor alongside the rigor of your high school record.

UC Santa Barbara is selective: it admitted about 38.2% of applicants in the most recent cycle, drawing roughly 110,000 first-year applications and enrolling around 5,080 students. With no test scores in the review, admission hinges on a strong GPA (about 4.29 average), rigorous coursework, and the personal insight essays.

No. Like every University of California campus, UC Santa Barbara is test-free (test-blind) and does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, even if you submit them. Standardized test scores are listed as not considered, so your application is reviewed entirely without them.

Out-of-state applicants are actually admitted at a higher rate than California residents at UCSB. In the Fall 2025 cycle, domestic non-residents were admitted at 54.8% (9,237 of 16,870 applicants) compared to 32.1% for California residents (23,972 of 74,659 applicants); international students were admitted at 47.7%. The tradeoff is cost — out-of-state tuition runs about $56,913 vs. $17,643 in-state — and only about 15% of the undergraduate body comes from outside California. State residency is a considered factor in the holistic review.

Yes — a lot. With test scores off the table, UC Santa Barbara rates the application essay (the UC Personal Insight Questions) as a very important factor, on par with your academic GPA. Since UCSB cannot rely on SAT or ACT scores, well-revised, specific essays are one of the clearest places to stand out.

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Annual tuition and required fees are about $17,643 for California residents and $56,913 for out-of-state and international students, with on-campus food and housing adding roughly $24,000 a year. About 44% of first-years receive need-based grant aid, the average need-based package is near $35,891, and UCSB meets about 82% of demonstrated need on average.

The social sciences are the single most popular area at about 27% of bachelor's degrees, followed by the sciences and mathematics (around 23%), psychology, and communication. UCSB is also well known for its engineering, physical-sciences, and marine-sciences programs, though those account for a smaller share of degrees conferred.