There 9 public colleges students can apply for within the UC system. If students are eligible for a fee waiver, students can apply for up to 4 campuses for FREE. The UC’s are home to about 46,710 students in both undergraduate and graduate programs. The UC’s have 700 majors, exposure to research, study abroad, and access to internships.
Programs Offered
- Four Year Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science
- Masters
- Credentials
- Pre-Professionals
Admission Requirements
- A-G subject requirements
- Minimum 3.0 GPA
- SAT or ACT optional
When Can I apply to the UC’s
A-G Requirements for CSU and UC Universities
To be admitted to a California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC) campus, you must complete California’s minimum high school graduation requirements and the A-G requirements (a sequence of courses) while in high school. You must also meet your local requirements for high school graduation. You must get a “C” or better in each course.
Complete a minimum of 15 college-preparatory courses (a-g courses), with at least 11 finished before you begin your senior year.
The 15 courses are:
- History/Social Science 2 years
- English 4 years
- Mathematics 3 years
- Laboratory Science 2 years
- Language other than English 2 years
- Visual and Performing Arts 1 year
- College-Preparatory Elective 1 year
(chosen from the subjects listed above or
another course approved by the university)
GPA Requirements
Earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better (3.4 if you’re a nonresident) in these courses with no grade lower than a C.
Personal Insight Questions:
Instructions: The personal insight questions are about getting to know you better - your life experience, interests, ambitions, and inspirations. You will have 8 questions to choose from. You must respond to only 4 of the 8 questions. Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words. Which questions you choose to answer is entirely up to you. However, you should select questions that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances.
The 8 personal insight questions (PIQs) are the following:
- Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
- Every person has a creative side, which can be expressed in many ways: problem-solving, original and innovative thinking, and art, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
- What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
- Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
- Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
- Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside the classroom.
- What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
- Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admission to the University of California?
What will I need to apply?
- A copy of your high school transcript
- A copy of your college transcript (if you have taken dual enrollment courses)
- Parent income information (to check if you qualify for the fee waiver)
- Parent's residency information (know the date they moved to California)
- Activities/Awards
- Citizenship status: If you’re not a U.S citizen, see your counselor about AB540
- Statewide Student ID #: Located on your high school transcript in the lower left-hand corner
For more information about applying to a University of California school, please visit: https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/
