The University of California Santa Cruz is a public university that is part of the University of California system. It currently has more than 17,000 undergraduate students and nearly 2,000 graduate students in a variety of academic programs. UC Santa Cruz opened in 1965 and has achieved international acclaim for the quality of teaching and research it offers.
Mission/Vision
The University of California Santa Cruz strives to combine the advantages of a small liberal arts college with the depth and scale of a major university. It offers a wide variety of majors. UC Santa Cruz is a world class university that is committed to creating leaders in many different fields.
Campus Setting
UC Santa Cruz offers an exceptional campus setting that offers a beach setting, Redwood forests and nearby mountains. Santa Cruz itself is a small city of over 60,000 people and is a popular tourist destination. Students, locals and tourists alike enjoy activities such as swimming, surfing, hiking and bicycle riding. The UC Santa Cruz campus is divided into ten colleges, giving students the ability to blend into the community where they fit best.
Academics
UC Santa Cruz offers more than 60 undergraduate majors in fields of study. The university also offers graduate degrees in almost 40 fields for students who want to continue their studies. Departments are organized within the Baskin School of Engineering, Arts, Humanities, Physical & Biological Sciences and Social Sciences divisions.
Athletics
UC Santa Cruz offers a wide selection of both men’s and women’s sports, including Basketball, Tennis, Golf, Cross Country, Soccer, Track and Volleyball. The campus also has intramural sports and athletic clubs in sports such as Softball, Ultimate Frisbee, Flag Football and others. Facilities include a 50-meter swimming pool, 14 tennis courts, gyms and playing fields for basketball, rugby and volleyball and a large and well equipped fitness center.
Tuition & Financial Aid
Tuition and fees for undergraduate students at UC Santa Cruz differ depending on whether students are California residents. For state residents, annual tuition is affordable while tuition is expensive for out-of-state students. Various types of financial aid are available, including gift aid in the form of grants and scholarships and self help aid, such as loans and work study. Please refer to the school’s website for the most up-to-date tuition and financial aid information.
Accreditation
UC Santa Cruz has been fully accredited since 1965 by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Admissions
Admission into UC Santa Cruz is competitive. In Fall of 2017, 51% of applicants were accepted. The mean high school GPA for freshmen was 3.86 and 3.31 for transfers. More than half of accepted students scored 1800 or higher on SATs, and more than 85% scored 1500 or higher. For ACT scores, more than half of accepted applicants scored 27 or higher, while more than 85% scored 22 or higher.
In addition to GPA and SAT scores, UC Santa Cruz also consider the Personal Statement very important when considering applicants. The application fee is $70. For more information about applying to UC Santa Cruz, send an email to admissions@ucsc.edu or phone (831) 459-2131. The mailing address is:
Office of Admissions -Hahn
University of California, Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
http://admissions.ucsc.edu/contact/index.html