Top Public · Santa Barbara, CA
University of California-Santa Barbara
Calculate your UCSB oddsQuick Facts
| Acceptance rate | — |
| Type | Public · Top Public |
| Setting | Campus setting |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Last verified May 2026.
Getting In
University of California-Santa Barbara is among the most selective institutions in the country. The application is read holistically. Test scores and GPA establish baseline academic credibility but rarely drive the final decision. The rest of the application (activities, recommendations, and especially essays) reveals who you are and what you would add to the community.
Personalized estimate
What are your actual odds at UCSB?
Enter your SAT/ACT, GPA, activities, and target schools. Get a probability calibrated to real admit data, not a headline acceptance rate.
Run the calculatorBeyond the Numbers
UCSB is best known for the College of Creative Studies, the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, and a beachside campus in Santa Barbara. Admissions readers are looking for applicants whose specific interests and ways of working would actually thrive in that environment. Not generic “passion.” Concrete curiosity that already shows up in what you do.
UCSB essay tools
Score, brainstorm, or revise UCSB essays with tools tuned to UCSB's prompts.
UCSB vs. Peer Schools
Side-by-side comparison with similar Top Public schools applicants typically consider.
| School | Accept | SAT mid-50 | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| UCSB This page | — | — | — |
| UC Berkeley | 11.0% | — | $13,481 |
| UCLA | 9.0% | — | $12,548 |
| UC San Diego | 26.7% | — | $12,470 |
| Michigan | 15.6% | 1360–1530 | $13,138 |
| UNC | 15.3% | 1390–1530 | $11,655 |
Sources
All numerical data on this page is sourced from official, primary sources. Admissions stats reflect the most recent publicly published cycle. Verify current figures with UCSB's admissions office before applying.
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — federally maintained dataset on admissions, cost, demographics, and post-graduation outcomes (IPEDS-derived).
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) — the underlying federal data collection that all U.S. accredited institutions report into annually.
- UCSB Common Data Set — the standardized annual data document published by the school.
Last verified May 2026. Stats reflect UCSB's most recent publicly published admit cycle.