UC San Diego (UCSD) Acceptance Rates (2026): General, State & Transfer

Quick answer:

UC San Diego's acceptance rate for fall 2026 is 27.2%. UCSD admitted 38,571 of 141,752 first-year applicants, according to preliminary University of California Office of the President (UCOP) data.

• In-state applicants face the toughest odds among UCSD first-year groups: 24.1% vs. 37.2% for out-of-state applicants.
• UCSD is the third most selective UC overall, after UC Berkeley (10.5%) and UCLA (10.8%).
• Transfers are the opposite story: Californians transferring in were admitted at more than twice the out-of-state transfer rate.
• Applications hit a record 141,752, up from 136,727 in fall 2025.

University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego or UCSD) is one of the most applied-to universities in the country. Only UCLA received more first-year applications among UC campuses in fall 2026, and only UCLA and UC Berkeley admitted a smaller share of applicants.

Below, we break down UCSD's acceptance rate by residency (in-state, out-of-state, and international), transfer status, and major, and compare it with every other UC campus.

UC San Diego Acceptance Rate (General)

UCSD's overall first-year acceptance rate is 27.2% for fall 2026, slightly lower than 28.1% in fall 2025. Applications grew by about 5,000 while admits stayed nearly flat at roughly 38,500.

UCSD Acceptance Rate by Residency (Fall 2026)

California residents had the lowest first-year acceptance rate at UCSD in Fall 2026: 24.1%. Out-of-state U.S. applicants were admitted at 37.2% and international applicants at 27.4%.

Californians still make up the majority of admitted students. But because so many apply, each in-state applicant faces longer odds than a non-resident.

What's UCSD's In-State Acceptance Rate?

UCSD's in-state acceptance rate is 24.1% for fall 2026, down from 24.6% in 2025 and 26.0% in 2024. It is the second straight year the rate has fallen, even though UCSD admitted slightly more Californians (21,589) than in 2025

UCSD was the fourth hardest UC for California residents in fall 2026, behind UCLA (10.2%), UC Berkeley (12.4%), and UC Irvine (22.7%).

What is UCSD's Out-of-State Acceptance Rate?

UCSD's out-of-state acceptance rate is 37.2% for fall 2026: 9,995 admits from 26,835 U.S. applicants outside California. That is about 13 points higher than the in-state rate.

What is UCSD's International Acceptance Rate?

UCSD admitted 27.4% of international first-year applicants for fall 2026 (6,987 of 25,480). Combined, all non-residents were admitted at 32.5%.

What is UCSD's Transfer Acceptance Rate?

UCSD admitted 46.5% of California-resident transfer applicants for fall 2026, compared with 21.3% of out-of-state U.S. transfer applicants. Unlike first-year admissions, Californians have a clear edge as transfers, largely because UC prioritizes California Community College students.

For comparison, UCSD's overall transfer acceptance rate in fall 2025 was 51.9% (12,186 admits from 23,471 applicants). The out-of-state transfer pool is small, so a few dozen students can move that rate noticeably.

UCSD Transfer Acceptance Rate by Major

Computer science is the hardest major at UCSD, with a 29.5% admit rate. The most recent major-level data UC has published is from 2023.

Is UC San Diego Becoming More Selective?

For California residents, yes. UCSD's in-state acceptance rate has fallen two years in a row, from 26.0% in 2024 to 24.1% in 2026, while in-state applications climbed to 89,437.

The overall picture is more mixed. The total acceptance rate rose from 23.7% in 2022 to 28.1% in 2025, mostly because UCSD admitted more non-residents. It then dipped to 27.2% in 2026 as applications reached a record 141,752.

UC still prioritizes California residents systemwide, admitting 78.4% of in-state applicants to at least one campus in fall 2026. But many Californians are redirected to campuses like UC Merced and UC Riverside rather than high-demand campuses like UCSD, UCLA, and UC Berkeley.

Final Thoughts

UC San Diego is becoming increasingly more competitive. While not as competitive as UCLA and UC Berkeley, it remains one of the more sought-after UC campuses. Applicants aiming for UC San Diego should focus on building a well-rounded college application, surpassing their A-G academic requirements, and mastering their Personal Insight Questions (PIQs). By doing this, they will increase their chances of acceptance and stand out amongst their peers.

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