We have reviewed the preliminary Fall 2024 admissions data recently released by the University of California and compiled a summary of the key findings.

Notably, the systemwide freshman admission rate rose from 63 percent to 66 percent year-over-year, driven by a 5.8 percent increase in accepted offers. Out-of-state and international applicants should note that certain UC campuses continue to present strong opportunities, as admission rates for non-resident students remain favorable at several locations.

 

Overall

Rank	Campus	Admit Rate (2024)	Admit Rate (2023)
1	Los Angeles	9%	8.8%
2	Berkeley	11%	11.6%
3	Irvine	28.8%	25.8%
4	San Diego	26.8%	24.7%
5	Santa Barbara	32.9%	27.9%
6	Davis	42.1%	41.9%
7	Santa Cruz	65%	62.7%
8	Riverside	77.2%	70.9%
9	Merced	99.6%	93.3%
	Total	66.3%	62.8%

Instate California

Rank	Campus	Admit Rate (2024)	Admit Rate (2023)
1	Los Angeles	9.5%	9.5%
2	Berkeley	14.9%	15.1%
3	Irvine	21.8%	20.4%
4	San Diego	26%	24.5%
5	Santa Barbara	32.3%	28.1%
6	Davis	36.7%	36.4%
7	Santa Cruz	60.9%	60.4%
8	Riverside	75.2%	68.7%
9	Merced	103.8%	97%
	Total	70.1%	66.8%

Out of State

Rank	Campus	Admit Rate (2024)	Admit Rate (2023)
1	Berkeley	7.3%	7.8%
2	Los Angeles	9.3%	8.6%
3	Santa Barbara	38.5%	32.7%
4	San Diego	33.6%	31.8%
5	Irvine	49.9%	47.4%
6	Davis	57.7%	60.6%
7	Merced	85.3%	80.9%
8	Riverside	95.3%	87.1%
9	Santa Cruz	81.8%	81.3%
	Total	55.8%	52.9%

International

Rank	Campus	Admit Rate (2024)	Admit Rate (2023)
1	Berkeley	3.4%	5.2%
2	Los Angeles	6.3%	6.1%
3	San Diego	22.4%	17.8%
4	Santa Barbara	30.4%	21.9%
5	Irvine	43.1%	32.5%
6	Davis	51.5%	49.8%
7	Santa Cruz	81.3%	61.1%
8	Merced	81%	69.1%
9	Riverside	84.9%	81.4%
	Total	64.8%	60.2%

 

Key Findings

•Systemwide Admissions

The overall freshman admission rate increased from 63% to 66% year-over-year, driven by a 5.8% rise in total acceptances. California residents experienced an increase from 67% to 70%, while out-of-state and international admission rates grew from 53% to 56% and from 60% to 65%, respectively. UCLA remained the most selective campus, followed by Berkeley, San Diego, Irvine, Santa Barbara, Davis, Santa Cruz, Riverside, and Merced.

•Stable Application Volume

Systemwide application volume remained largely unchanged. Some campuses experienced mild declines in applicants (e.g., Berkeley down 1.3%, Santa Barbara down 0.6%), while others saw increases (Merced up 14.1%, Davis up 4.5%, Santa Cruz up 4.2%).

•Increased Acceptances, Especially for Domestic and International Students

Total acceptances rose by 5.8% systemwide. Resident acceptances saw a 6.4% uptick, out-of-state acceptances rose by 1.7%, and international acceptances increased by 8.3%.

Pockets of Opportunity for Non-Residents

Despite a notable advantage for California residents, some campuses continue to offer higher admit rates for out-of-state and international applicants.

Highlights by Campus

•Berkeley

Overall admission rate dipped from 12% to 11%. Although total out-of-state acceptances decreased by 10.6%, the most significant decline occurred among international students (33.5%).

•Davis

Admission rate held steady at 42%. A 4.5% increase in applications was matched by a 5.1% increase in acceptances. Resident and international admit rates rose slightly, but out-of-state admit rates declined from 61% to 58%.

•Irvine

Admission rate increased from 26% to 29%, thanks to a stable volume of applications and a 13% rise in acceptances. Residents saw a rate increase from 20% to 22%; out-of-state, from 47% to 50%; and international, from 33% to 43% (driven by a 34% surge in acceptances).

•Los Angeles

Overall admission rate remained around 9%, reflecting a balance between a 0.3% increase in applications and a 3% increase in admits. Acceptance rates held steady across all applicant groups.

•Merced

An inconsistency in current data indicates total acceptances exceed total applicants; however, the acceptance rate is expected to remain in the mid-to-high 90% range. Merced remains heavily resident-focused, but out-of-state and international interest is climbing, with respective increases of 21% and 58% in applications and 28% and 86% in acceptances.

•Riverside

Admission rate rose from 71% to 77%, driven by a 2% increase in applications and an 11% increase in acceptances. Out-of-state and international acceptances each rose by 7%, but resident admissions still dominate, comprising 83% of total admits.

•San Diego

Admission rate grew from 25% to 27% on a 3% uptick in applications and an 11% increase in acceptances. Resident and out-of-state admission rates moved from 25% to 26% and from 32% to 34%, respectively, with international rates rising from 18% to 22%.

•Santa Barbara

Overall admission rate increased from 28% to 33%, underpinned by an 18% expansion in accepted students. International acceptance rates saw the largest jump (22% to 30%) due to a 36% surge in admits. Resident admission rates climbed from 28% to 32%, and out-of-state from 33% to 39%.

•Santa Cruz

Admission rate rose from 63% to 65%, fueled by a 4% increase in applications and an 8% rise in acceptances. While resident and out-of-state rates went from 60% to 61% and from 81% to 82%, the international admit rate surged from 61% to 81%.

Implications

1.Continued Elevated Application Volume

With test-blind/score-free policies persisting, UC campuses are poised to attract high levels of applicant interest.

2.Opportunities for Non-Residents

Several campuses still seek demographic diversification and full-pay students, creating potential advantages for out-of-state and international applicants. Not all campuses have reached non-resident enrollment caps, and international admission rates continue to climb at selected campuses.

3.Admission Rate Advantages

Davis, Irvine, Riverside, and Santa Cruz show notable advantages for non-resident candidates, reflecting continued emphasis on a diverse student population.

Campus	Admit rate California	Admit rate Out of State	Admit rate International
Davis	37%	58%	52%
Irvine	22%	50%	43%
Riverside	75%	95%	85%
Santa Cruz	60%	82%	81%