How to get into UC Santa Barbara
What 620 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 983 UC Santa Barbara results that students posted for the 2016 to 2027 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to UC Santa Barbara? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
UC Santa Barbara admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.96
Middle half 3.90 to 4.00
Median SAT
1,540
Middle half 1,490 to 1,560
Median ACT
35
Middle half 34 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.47
Middle half 4.33 to 4.62
Results posted: 620 admitted, 219 rejected, 144 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the UC Santa Barbara acceptance rate; the official rate is in UC Santa Barbara’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.96 | 3.80 |
| SAT | 1,540 | 1,490 |
| ACT | 35 | 34 |
When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.
What UC Santa Barbara admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service65%
- Tutoring/Teaching45%
- Athletics44%
- Research40%
- Internship37%
- STEM club/competition36%
- Music35%
- Work/Job27%
Held a leadership role
87%
Founded something
40%
National or intl. award
68%
Did research
40%
Intended majors of UC Santa Barbara admits
- Computer Science20%
- Engineering14%
- Biology9%
- Economics7%
- Political Science6%
- Business5%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 11% first-generation, 10% low income, 10% underrepresented minority, 9% legacy, 1% recruited athlete and 10% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 5% chose UC Santa Barbara.
Three recent UC Santa Barbara admits
2027 cycle · RD · Political Science
Los Angeles applicant whose essay examined the inequality between his commute's two worlds.
GPA 3.98 UW · SAT 1520 · Original post
2027 cycle · Chemistry
STEM outreach leader across Science Olympiad, WiSTEM, and teaching programs for younger students.
GPA 3.85 UW · SAT 1520 · Original post
2026 cycle · Engineering
Founder of a student-run computer club that became a nonprofit, plus science olympiad and global volunteer coding work.
GPA 3.88 UW · SAT 1520 · Original post
Where else UC Santa Barbara admits got in
UC Santa Barbara admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into UC Santa Barbara?
- Among 620 applicants who posted a UC Santa Barbara admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.96 and the middle half reported 3.90 to 4.00 (533 reported a GPA). UC Santa Barbara sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for UC Santa Barbara?
- Among 620 applicants who posted a UC Santa Barbara admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,540 and the middle half scored 1,490 to 1,560 (438 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.
- What extracurriculars do UC Santa Barbara admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (65%), tutoring/teaching (45%), athletics (44%), research (40%). 87% held at least one leadership role and 68% listed a national or international award.
- What is the UC Santa Barbara acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by UC Santa Barbara in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to UC Santa Barbara?
A Specialist who got into a school like UC Santa Barbara can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2016 to 2027 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with UC Santa Barbara. All colleges