Chapter 1:
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: ADMISSIONS and ENROLLMENT
Freshman and transfer applicants increase; largest incoming class of CA residents
UC enrolled the largest-ever incoming class of California resident undergraduates in fall 2024 for the second year in a row. This is in line with the University’s UC 2030 capacity proposed plan to grow the undergraduate California resident population from 200,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) students in 2020–21 to 217,000 in 2029–30. In 2024–25, UC plans to meet legislative expectations for growth by increasing California resident undergraduate enrollment by over 2,927 FTE compared to 2023–24. To reach the proposed 2029–30 goal, enrollment of undergraduate California residents is estimated to grow around one percent per year on average through 2029–30.
One of the university’s highest priorities is to ensure that a UC education remains accessible to all Californians who meet the admissions standards. This goal is articulated in California’s Master Plan for Higher Education, which calls for UC to admit all eligible freshmen and transfers, with freshman eligibility designed to capture the top 12.5 percent of California public high school graduates. Campus admission decisions are based on a comprehensive review of qualifications.
The rapid growth in freshman applications to UC from about 48,800 in 1994 to 207,100 in 2024 demonstrates the increased demand for an undergraduate education at a research university, the growth of California’s public high school graduate population, and UC’s increased desirability. UC continues to meet its Master Plan goals of guaranteeing admission to California resident applicants who are either in the top nine percent of high school graduates statewide or the top nine percent of graduates from their own high schools. Qualified freshman applicants are offered an opportunity to be admitted to another UC campus if they do not receive an offer of admission from any of the UC campuses where they originally applied.
Fall transfers applications have grown from about 19,900 in 1994 to 43,600 in 2024. Consistent with UC’s commitment to transfer students from California Community Colleges (CCCs), enrollment of new CCC California resident transfers more than doubled since 1994, from about 8,400 to 17,400 in 2024. Almost all transfer students enter UC at the upper-division with junior status. Campus enrollment targets are based on state funding as well as capacity in major programs. Transfer applicants, admits, and new enrollees increased in fall 2024, rebounding from declines seen after the pandemic but still not at high points seen a few years ago. This has made it difficult for some UC campuses and the UC system to achieve the goal of enrolling two new California resident freshmen for every one new California resident transfer.
UC Transfer Pathways (UCTPs) identify a common set of lower-division courses for each of 20 of the most popular majors. UCTPs present a roadmap for prospective transfers to prepare for their majors and be well positioned to graduate in a timely fashion from any UC campus. Expanding on the campus-based Transfer Admission Guarantees (TAGs), Pathways+ is an option for those who want both guaranteed admission to a TAG campus in a particular major while also preparing for admission to all campuses with that major. For more information, see: admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/transfer-requirements/uc-transfer-programs/.
The remainder of this chapter provides indicators in four areas:
1.1 Applicants, admits, and enrollees
1.2 Demographic outcomes
1.3 Preparation outcomes
1.4 Geographic origins and nonresidents
Demand for UC admission from freshman remains high.
1.1.1 Freshman applicants, admits, and enrollees, Universitywide and UC campuses, Fall 1994 to 2024
source: UC Data Warehouse
After decreasing slightly in 2023, unduplicated freshman applicants increased slightly (0.1 percent) from 2023 to 2024 to about 207,000.
In fall 2024, the admit rate was less than 50 percent for most campuses. Freshman applications increased at seven campuses and decreased at two campuses, and UC applicants applied to an average of 4.3 campuses.
The Undergraduate admissions summary dashboard at the UC Information Center presents data tables on UC freshman applicants, admits, and enrollees by campus over time.
Note: Admits and enrollees here include applicants guaranteed admission who are not offered admission at a campus to which they applied but who are referred to and admitted by another campus. Some campuses admit fall applicants for a subsequent term (winter or spring). These “rollover” admits and enrollees are excluded in this indicator. Students who apply to multiple UC campuses are counted only once in the systemwide indicator. A change in accounting for referral students is responsible for the apparent drop in 2011 admits. Beginning that year, UC Merced admitted only students who indicated interest in a referral offer, rather than every student who qualified for an offer.
Transfers applicants, admits, and enrollees grew at the fastest rate since 2018.
1.1.2 Transfer applicants, admits, and enrollees, Universitywide and UC campuses, Fall 1994 to 2024
source: UC Data Warehouse
Transfer applications increased by 10 percent, admits by seven percent, and enrollees by five percent in fall 2024 compared to 2023 and rebounding from drops seen post-pandemic. Almost all transfer enrollees (92 percent) came from California Community Colleges (CCCs). On average, UC transfer applicants applied to 3.7 UC campuses.
The Undergraduate admissions summary dashboard at the UC Information Center presents data tables on UC transfer applicants, admits, and enrollees by campus over time.
UC did not meet the 2:1 goal of resident freshman to transfer enrollees in 2024–25 due in part to an applicant pool of California Community College transfer students that is still smaller than in recent years.
1.1.3 New California resident freshmen and transfer students, Universitywide, 2008–09 to 2023–24
source: UC Data Warehouse and UC campuses
The California Master Plan calls for UC to accommodate all eligible resident California Community College (CCC) transfer students. It specifies that the University maintain at least a 60:40 ratio of upper-division (junior and senior) to lower-division (freshman and sophomore) students to ensure adequate upper-division spaces for CCC transfers. To do so, for every two new California resident freshmen UC aims to enroll one new California resident transfer student or 67 percent new resident freshmen to 33 percent new resident transfer students. UC moved from 2.3:1 in 2016–17 to 1.9:1 in 2020–21 during the pandemic and back to 2.3:1 in 2023–24. In 2024-25, the ratio decreased slightly to 2.2. The UC system and several UC campuses did not meet 2:1 in 2024–25 due in part to an applicant pool of California resident transfer students that is still lower than in most recent years.
The California Community College transfer admit rate for California residents was 75 percent for fall 2024, similar to the rates for the past two years.
|
2023–25
|
% New CA resident freshmen
|
% New
CA
resident transfers
|
Ratio of new CA freshmen
to new CA transfers
|
|
Berkeley
|
66%
|
34%
|
2.0
|
|
Davis
|
68%
|
32%
|
2.1
|
|
Irvine
|
67%
|
33%
|
2.0
|
|
Los Angeles
|
60%
|
40%
|
1.5
|
|
Merced
|
91%
|
9%
|
9.9
|
|
Riverside
|
77%
|
23%
|
3.4
|
|
San Diego
|
64%
|
36%
|
1.8
|
|
Santa Barbara
|
67%
|
33%
|
2.1
|
|
Santa Cruz
|
75%
|
25%
|
2.9
|
|
Universitywide, all campuses
|
68%
|
32%
|
2.2
|
|
Universitywide, excl. Merced
|
68%
|
32%
|
2.1
|
Notes:
Academic year headcount enrollment figures for 2024–25 provided by campuses; prior year data from UC Data Warehouse.
Ninety-four percent of California resident transfer students in 2023–24 came from CCCs.
Merced is excluded from the 2:1 ratio goal that was part of the Budget Framework agreement with the state of California.
This goal is described in more detail on pages 15–17 of the November 2024 Multi-Year Compact Annual Report.
UC enrollment of California residents continued to grow in 2024.
1.1.4 Undergraduate headcount enrollment, Universitywide and UC campuses, Fall 2009 to 2024
source: UC Data Warehouse
The University and the State share the goal of expanding access to a UC education. The University enrolled over 3,900 additional California residents in fall 2024 compared to fall 2023, with a total increase of over 30,500 California resident undergraduates since fall 2015.
1.1 APPLICANTS, ADMITS AND ENROLLEES
UC continues to make progress to UC 2030 capacity plan goals.
1.1.5 FTE enrollment, progress toward 2030 goals, Universitywide, 2015–16 to 2029–30
source: UC Data Warehouse, UCOP Institutional Research & Academic Planning
In the University of California 2030 Capacity Plan, UC proposed increasing undergraduate enrollment of California residents from about 200,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) students in 2020– 21 to 217,000 in 2029– 30 and reducing the proportion of undergraduate enrollment of non-California residents.
In 2024– 25, UC plans to meet legislative expectations for growth by increasing California resident undergraduate enrollment by over 2,927 FTE compared to 2023– 24. To reach the proposed 2029– 30 goal, enrollment of undergraduate California residents is estimated to grow around one percent per year on average through 2029– 30.
Note: In this capacity plan, summer students are counted as California residents.
A little over one-third of entering freshmen and over two-fifths of entering transfer students are first-generation college students.
1.2.1 Entering students by first-generation status, Universitywide, Fall 2011 to 2024
source: UC Data Warehouse
Just over one-third (35 percent) of entering freshman students were first generation in fall 2024 compared to 43% of entering transfers. The first-generation share of freshmen was down slightly from 36 percent in fall 2023 and the share of transfer students also declined slightly from 44 percent in fall 2023.
Note: First-generation students are those whose parent(s) did not complete a four-year college degree. Total incoming undergraduate first-generation students (freshman, transfer, other) is 26,127 (37 percent); not-first-generation students total 42,685 (60 percent); and missing/unknown are 2,281 (3 percent).
1.2 DEMOGRAPHIC OUTCOMES
Most undergraduate students who are first generation are low-income, female, and from underrepresented groups (URGs).
1.2.2 Demographics of first-generation students, Universitywide
First-generation college students dashboard
source: UC Data Warehouse
Over half (57 percent) of first-generation undergraduate students in fall 2024 are from URGs (i.e., African American, American Indian, and Hispanic/Latino(a)). Almost one-fourth (23 percent) of first-generation students entered as transfers. Over two-thirds (68 percent) of first-generation students are lower-income Pell Grant recipients. And nearly three-fifths (59 percent) of first-generation students are women vs. 39 percent men, and about two percent other gender identities or unknown.
Note: Pell Grant receipt is used as a proxy for low-income status. The other gender identities category includes Different Identity, Non-binary Gender, Transgender Woman/Trans Woman, and Transgender Male/Trans Man.
1.2 DEMOGRAPHIC OUTCOMES
Almost one-third of dependent freshman applicants, admits, and enrollees had parental income under $60,000 in fall 2024.
1.2.3 Undergraduate freshman applicants, admits, and enrollees by self-reported parents’ income, Systemwide, Fall 2012 to 2024
source: UC Data Warehouse
UC provides opportunity by enrolling an economically diverse student body, including a large number of low-income students. In fall 2024, over 80 percent of freshman applicants, admits, and enrollees were dependent, about 1 percent were independent, and the rest were unknown. In recent years, 30-35 of dependent freshman applicants, admits, and enrollees have had parents’ income under $60,000, 19-21% were between $60,000 and $119,999, 13-15% were between $120,000 and $179,999, and 32-35% were at least $180,000.
Note: Dependency status and parental income are based on information reported on the application for admission, both of which can vary from that provided on financial aid applications. All dollar amounts are in inflation-adjusted 2024 dollars. The unknown category comprises students who did not provide income information on the application. Inflation (Consumer Price Index) data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
1.2 DEMOGRAPHIC OUTCOMES
About one-third of dependent transfer applicants, admits, and enrollees had parental income under $50,000 in fall 2024.
1.2.4 Undergraduate transfer applicants, admits, and enrollees by self-reported parents’ income, Systemwide, Fall 2012 to 2024
source: UC Data Warehouse
UC’s transfer students are economically diverse, including a sizable number of low-income students. In fall 2024, over three-quarters (77%) of transfer enrollees were dependent. Almost one-sixth (15%) were independent, and the remainder (8%) were unknown.
Among dependent transfer enrollees:
- 33% had incomes under $60,000
- 23% were between $60,000-$119,999
- 15% were between $120,000 and $179,999
- 28% were at $180,000 or above
Note: Dependency status and parental income are based on information reported on the application for admission, both of which can vary from that provided on financial aid applications. All dollar amounts are in inflation-adjusted 2024 dollars. Inflation (Consumer Price Index) data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Freshmen are entering UC with higher HSGPAs and more A-G courses completed over time.
1.3.1 A-G (college preparatory) courses and weighted, capped high school grade point average (HSGPA) of entering freshmen, as share of class, systemwide, fall 1994 to 2024
Freshman fall admissions summary dashboard
source: UC Information Center
Freshman fall admissions summary dashboard
source: UC Information Center
From 2014 to 2024, the share of students completing 25 or more college-preparatory courses went up from 41 percent to 56 percent, while the share having a HSGPA of 4.0 or higher went up from 51 percent to 68 percent.
Notes:
A–G courses refer to those high school courses that UC has reviewed and approved as college preparatory. The minimum number of required A–G courses is 15.
Weighted, capped GPA means that students may receive a maximum of eight semesters of honors credit. More information is available at the UC Admissions website.
UC transfer students entering in fall 2024 performed better academically than their counterparts a decade ago, as measured by their grades in pre-UC college courses.
1.3.2 Pre-UC college grade point average (GPA) of entering transfer students, as share of class, systemwide, fall 1994 to 2024
Transfer fall admissions summary dashboard
source: UC Data Warehouse
The academic qualifications of transfer students entering UC have improved over time, as reflected by an increase in the share of students having a 3.6 or higher pre-UC college GPA, from 42 percent in fall 2014 to 60 percent in fall 2024.
Note: The transfer GPA is based on grades for college-level courses reviewed and approved by UC for transfer credit from the college(s) where students were previously enrolled.
UC’s proportion of out-of-state or international students was 16.6 percent in fall 2023, well below the 32.8 percent for other AAU Public institutions.
1.4.1 Residency of undergraduate students, Universitywide and comparison institutions, fall 2023
source: UC Data Warehouse (UC numbers) and Common Data Set (comparator numbers)
* Data available for three of UC’s four comparison public institutions. ** AAU public average excludes UC; includes AAU public universities except University of Florida, Ohio State University, Rutgers New Brunswick, and University of Virginia (data not available).
Nonresidents provide geographic and cultural diversity to the student body. They also pay the full cost of their education. In 2023–24, systemwide tuition and fees for a nonresident undergraduate were $46,326, compared to $13,752 for California resident students.
Nonresident applicants must meet higher criteria to be considered for admission. The minimum high school GPA for nonresident freshmen is 3.4, compared to 3.0 for California freshmen. The minimum college GPA for nonresident transfer students is 2.8, compared to 2.4 for California residents.
The proportion of undergraduate students paying nonresident supplemental tuition decreased for the third year in a row in 2024 –25.
1.4.2 Percentage of undergraduate enrollees paying nonresident supplemental tuition by academic year, systemwide, 2008–09 to 2024–25
source: UC Data Warehouse and UC campuses
Systemwide, the share of all undergraduates paying nonresident supplemental tuition (NRST) decreased from 17.8 percent in 2021–22 to 15.5 percent in 2024–25.
From 2008–09 to 2015–16, the proportion of undergraduates paying NRST went up from 5.0 percent to 15.3 percent.
The proportion of nonresident students at individual campuses varies depending on a campus’ capacity, and its ability to recruit nonresident students, as well as its nonresident cap under a Regents policy approved in May 2017, which applies to total undergraduate numbers.
Under the policy, effective in 2018–19, nonresident enrollment was limited to 18 percent at five UC campuses.
At the other four campuses where the proportion of nonresidents already exceeded 18 percent—UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UCLA, and UC San Diego—nonresident enrollment is capped at the proportion that each campus enrolled in 2017–18.
Beginning with the 2022 multi-year Compact with the Governor, the State has funded the annual replacement of nonresidents with California residents at Berkeley, Los Angeles, and San Diego, with the goal of achieving an 18 percent nonresident proportion at each campus.
Notes:
The Regents of the University of California voted in November 2024 to increase the NRST by $3,402 starting in 2025-26.
This chart uses year average headcount enrollment, the average headcount across all terms in the academic year (three quarters or two semesters). Data for the most recent year are estimates from UC campuses while prior year data come from the UC Data Warehouse. Not all nonresident students pay nonresident supplemental tuition. Some have statutory exemptions, such as AB 540 students, children of UC employees, and others designated by the state. AB 540 students are considered California residents for tuition purposes as established by Assembly Bill 540, passed in 2001.
UC campuses draw freshmen from nearby regions and the major urban areas of California, with a systemwide 50-mile radius local enrollment rate of 35 percent.
1.4.3 Percentage of new California resident freshman enrollees whose home is within a 50-mile radius of their campus, UC campuses, fall 2024
source: UC Data Warehouse and UC Corporate Student System.
Note: California residents are defined here as those with permanent addresses in California.
Local area enrollment rates for transfers are higher than for freshmen, with 45 percent enrolling at a UC campus within 50 miles of their homes.
1.4.4 Percentage of new California resident transfer enrollees whose home is within a 50-mile radius of their campus, UC campuses, fall 2024
source: UC Data Warehouse and UC Corporate Student System.
Note: California residents are defined here as those with permanent addresses in California.