As the Spring Festival approaches, students who have just finished submitting their regular applications are ready to take a breather and wait for their acceptance, while students in the new application season are starting to choose their schools~ There are a large number of universities in the United States, and the nine schools in the University of California system are always hot and even climbing every year. Many parents and students are considering, in the end, how is the acceptance rate of schools under the California system, how many GPA points can I get an offer, and how is the employment rate after graduation?
Today, I will take you to understand the application requirements of the U.S. undergraduate – nine schools under the California system.
01 University of California, Berkeley, UC Berkeley
2022-2023 Admissions Data
Number of applicants this season: 128,225
Number of admissions for the current season: 14,603
Acceptance rate is 11.4%.
Acceptance average GPA of 4.15-4.29
The number of Chinese students was 2,739, accounting for 35% of admissions.
School Introduction
Founded in 1868, the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), or UCB for short, is one of the top public research universities in the United States and is known as the “Public Ivy”. It has long been known for its academic rigor, excellence in teaching and outstanding performance in various disciplines. It has 14 colleges and schools offering more than 350 undergraduate and graduate programs. The university is also very strong in research, and its research in physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, environmental sciences, and many other areas is among the world’s leading. The alumni and faculty include several Nobel Prize winners.
Rankings:
US NEWS 2024 rankings Top 15 in the nation
Tuition for international students: $26,358.50 per semester
Popular Majors.
Social Sciences, Computer and Information Sciences and Related Majors, Engineering, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies
Application Requirements
A-G course grades with a 3.4+ GPA [If you do not meet the California A-G requirements, you may use the SMOA online U.S. High School program to supplement them].
High school diploma and transcripts
All junior through senior year courses and transcripts
TOEFL 100+/IELTS 7+/Duolingo 120+
For more information, please check:
Graduation Information
Graduation rate: 82 percent
Median Salary for Graduates: $54,348 USD
02 University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA
2022-2023 Admissions Data
Number of applicants in current season: 145,904
Number of admissions for the current season: 12,779
Acceptance rate of 8.8%
Acceptance average GPA of 4.20-4.31
The number of Chinese students was 2,304, accounting for 18% of admissions and 47% of international students.
School Introduction
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), or UCLA for short, is located in Westwood Heights, Los Angeles, California, United States, and is a member of the University of California system. UCLA was founded in 1919 and is the second oldest campus in the system. UCLA enjoys an excellent international reputation, and its academic standards and research strengths consistently rank among the highest in the United States and globally. UCLA has 12 different colleges, including the School of Art and Architecture, the School of Engineering, the School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Law, and the School of Medicine, offering a wide range of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. UCLA’s research facilities are very complete, with a number of centers of research in medicine, biology, chemistry, engineering, social sciences, and many other areas of exploration. In addition, the university’s library has an extensive collection of books, ranking first among public universities in the nation in terms of quantity.
UCLA also excels in sports, with multiple national championships to its credit, especially in basketball and soccer. At the same time, UCLA is very passionate about culture and the arts, with many excellent performing arts groups and art events.
Rankings:
US NEWS 2024 rankings Top 15 in the nation
Tuition for international students: $71,091
Popular Majors.
Social Sciences, Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, Math and Statistics, Engineering
Application Requirements
A-G course grades with a 3.4+ GPA [If you do not meet the California A-G requirements, you may use the SMOA online U.S. High School program to supplement them].
All courses and transcripts from junior to senior year of high school
TOEFL 100+/IELTS 7+/Duolingo 120+
For more information, please check:
https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/international-applicants
Graduation Information
Graduation rate: 84%
Median Salary of Graduates: 39,803 USD
03 University of California, Davis, UCD
2022-2023 Admissions Data
Number of applicants this season: 94,635
Number of admissions for the current season: 39,601
Acceptance rate: 41.8%
Acceptance average GPA of 4.03-4.27
The number of Chinese students was 3,649, accounting for 9.2% of admissions and 64% of international students.
School Introduction
The University of California, Davis, or UC Davis or UCD, is part of the University of California system and is located in Davis, California, USA. Founded in 1905 as an agricultural teaching and research center, it has grown into a full-service comprehensive university. The university offers a wide range of professional programs in the natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and the arts.
The agricultural and veterinary disciplines at UC Davis are highly regarded nationally and globally. The university’s research strengths in the fields of animal sciences and plant sciences are very strong, with many world-class laboratories and research facilities.
UC Davis also focuses on environmental and sustainability education and has made a name for itself in many related fields of study. For example, its programs in environmental science, ecology, and food science are among the top ranked in the world.
Rankings:
US NEWS 2024 rankings Top 28 in the nation
Tuition for international students: $73,963 (living in on-campus dorms)
Popular Majors
Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Social Sciences, Psychology, Engineering, Business, Management, Marketing and related majors
Application Requirements
A-G course grades with a GPA of 3.4+ [If you do not meet the California A-G requirements, you may use the SMOA online U.S. High School program to supplement them].
All junior through senior year courses and transcripts
TOEFL 100+/IELTS 7+/Duolingo 120+
For more information, please check:
https://www.ucdavis.edu/admissions/undergraduate/freshman/requirements
Graduation Information
Graduation rate: 66%
Median Salary of Graduates: 39,866 USD
04 University of California, San Diego, UCSD
2022-2023 Admissions Data
Number of applicants in current season: 130,841
Number of admissions for the current season: 32,314
Acceptance rate of 24.7%
Acceptance average GPA of 4.11-4.29
The number of Chinese students was 3,561, accounting for 11% of admissions and 50% of international students.
School Introduction
The University of California, San Diego, or UCSD, is part of the University of California system and is located in La Jolla-by-the-Sea, San Diego, California, USA. Founded in 1960, it has developed into a public research university with a high global reputation despite its relatively short history. The university is ranked nationally and internationally in many disciplines, including biological sciences, medicine, engineering, marine sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences.
UCSD has a strong emphasis on research, with several institutes conducting cutting-edge research in areas such as neuroscience, climate science, and nanotechnology. In addition, UCSD’s Scripps Research Institute is a world-renowned marine and earth science research organization.
UCSD’s campus has a very pleasant environment, neighboring the Pacific Ocean with beautiful ocean views. Student life at UCSD is also very diverse, with numerous student organizations and clubs for students to participate in.
UCSD is also committed to community service and philanthropy. Students are encouraged to participate in a variety of community service projects and to apply their knowledge to the betterment of the community and society.
Rankings:
US NEWS 2024 Ranking Top 28 in the nation
Tuition for International Students: $72,165 (live in on-campus dorms)
Popular Majors.
Biology, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Economics
Application Requirements
A-G course grades, 3.0+ GPA, no C’s [If you do not meet the California A-G requirements, you may use the SMOA online U.S. High School program to supplement them].
High school diploma and transcripts
All courses and transcripts from junior through senior year of high school
Recommendation letters
TOEFL 100+/IELTS 7+/Duolingo 120+
For more information, please check:
https://admissions.ucsd.edu/first-year/application-requirements.html
Graduation Information
Graduation rate: 72%
Median Salary for Graduates: $44,276 USD
05 University of California, Irvine, UCI
2022-2023 Admissions Data
Number of applicants this season: 121,095
Number of admissions for the current season: 31,181
Acceptance rate of 25.7%
Acceptance average GPA of 4.07-4.28
The number of Chinese students was 3,561, accounting for 11.4% of admissions and 50% of international students.
School Introduction
The University of California, Irvine (UCI), or UCI for short, is part of the University of California system and is located in Irvine, California, USA. Founded in 1965, it is a relatively young member of the University of California system. Despite its relatively short history, UCI has already beaten many older universities and ranked among the world’s top universities in teaching, research, etc. UCI has 14 colleges offering more than 80 undergraduate majors and 70 graduate majors. UCI’s 14 colleges offer more than 80 undergraduate and 70 graduate programs, with majors in public health, earth system science, biomedical engineering, chemistry, and computer science at the forefront in the U.S. and around the world.
In terms of scientific research, UCI focuses on interdisciplinary research and has a number of internationally recognized research teams. Its research achievements are mainly concentrated in the fields of life sciences, engineering sciences, social sciences and the arts, etc. UCI’s campus is regarded as one of the most beautiful in the United States, and it is a completely non-smoking campus, reflecting its campus culture that emphasizes physical and mental health and environmental protection. The university has an active student life with numerous student organizations, clubs and extracurricular activities.
Rankings:
US NEWS 2024 rankings Top 33 in the nation
Tuition for international students: $72,165 (living in the school’s dormitories)
Popular Majors.
Social Sciences, Engineering, Business, Management, Marketing and related majors, Psychology, Computer and Information Sciences and related majors.
Application Requirements
Grades in A-G courses with a 3.4+ GPA, no C’s [If you do not meet the California A-G requirements, you may take the SMOA online U.S. High School program to supplement them].
High school diploma and transcripts
All courses and transcripts from junior to senior year of high school
TOEFL 80+/IELTS 6.5+/Duolingo 115+
For more information, please check:
https://www.admissions.uci.edu/apply/first-year-students/index.php
Graduation Information
Graduation rate: 73%
Median Salary for Graduates: $37,809
06 University of California, Santa Barbara, UCSB
2022-2023 Admissions Data
Number of applicants in current season: 110,876
Number of admissions for the current season: 30,914
Acceptance rate of 27.9%
Acceptance average GPA is 4.13-4.29
The number of Chinese students was 2,151, accounting for 6.9% of admissions and 67% of international students.
School Introduction
The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), or UCSB for short, is a member school of the University of California system located in the scenic coastal region of Santa Barbara, California. Founded in 1891 as a teacher training school, UCSB joined the University of California system in 1944. The school has comprehensive and outstanding undergraduate and graduate programs offering a wide range of disciplines including the arts, humanities, social sciences, engineering, and the sciences. UCSB is ranked among the world’s top schools in many subject areas, with notable strengths in engineering, physics, and environmental disciplines. The school is also widely recognized for its research areas of oceanography, materials science, and chemistry.
The university has an activating campus culture, where students can participate in a variety of student organizations and clubs, as well as a wide range of artistic and cultural activities. As a waterfront university, UCSB is also rich in outdoor activities, including surfing, sailing, and beach volleyball.
Rankings:
US NEWS 2024 rankings Top 35 in the nation
Tuition for international students: $73,863 (live in on-campus dorms)
Popular Majors.
Social Sciences, Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Math and Statistics, Psychology, Communications, Journalism and related majors
Application Requirements
A-G course grades with a 3.4+ GPA, no C’s [If you do not meet the California A-G requirements, you may use the SMOA online U.S. High School program to repair them].
High school diploma and transcripts
All courses and transcripts from junior to senior year of high school
TOEFL 80+/IELTS 6.5+/Duolingo 115+
For more information, please check:
https://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/sites/default/files/2023-07/InternationalBrochure2024.pdf
Graduation Information
Graduation rate: 73%
Median Salary of Graduates: 36,242 USD
07 University of California, Merced, UCM
2022-2023 Admissions Data
Number of applicants in current season: 27,184
Number of admissions for the current season: 24,016
Acceptance rate of 88.3%
Acceptance average GPA of 3.48-4.08
The number of Chinese students was 77, accounting for 0.3% of admissions and 25% of international students.
School Introduction
The University of California, Merced, or UC Merced is a member of the University of California system located in Merced, California. Founded in 2005, it is the newest campus in the UC system. Despite its late founding, the school has grown significantly in just a few short years and has broken through in many areas, as well as breaking into the Top 100.
UC Merced offers undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs in a wide range of disciplines, including engineering, natural sciences, social sciences, business and medicine.
With a particular focus on research and innovation, UC Merced has state-of-the-art research facilities and is particularly strong in environmental and sustainability research, ecological and bioengineering, and research in health services and medical devices.
Rankings:
US NEWS 2024 rankings Top 60 in the nation
Tuition for international students: $73,964 (living in on-campus dorms)
Popular Majors.
Biology/Bioscience, Research and Experimental Psychology, Calculator Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Business Administration
Application Requirements
A-G course grades, 3.4+ GPA, no C’s [If you do not meet the California A-G requirements, you may use the SMOA online U.S. High School program to supplement them].
High school diploma and transcripts
All courses and transcripts from junior to senior year of high school
TOEFL 80+/IELTS 6.5+/Duolingo 115+
For more information, please check:
https://admissions.ucmerced.edu/first-year/requirements
Graduation Information
Graduation rate: 44%
Median Salary for Graduates: $36,737 USD
08 University of California, Riverside, UCR
2022-2023 Admissions Data
Number of applicants in current season: 56,938
Number of admissions for the current season: 40,054
Acceptance rate of 70.3%
Acceptance average GPA is 3.76-4.18
The number of Chinese students was 930, accounting for 2.3% of admissions and 47% of international students.
School Introduction
The University of California, Riverside, or UCR, is part of the University of California system and is located in Riverside, California, USA. Founded in 1907 as a university-resident experimental farm, it has been a full-fledged university since 1954. Despite its relatively short history, UCR has grown rapidly in that time to become a recognized research university.
UCR offers undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs in several disciplines, including the natural sciences, engineering, humanities and arts, social sciences, business and education. Among these fields, specializations in ecology, agricultural sciences, and environmental sciences are among the leading programs in the nation and even globally.
UCR also excels in research, making outstanding contributions especially in areas such as agricultural science and environmental science.
In addition, the campus has a beautiful environment with excellent facilities and a rich and colorful student life. There are many student organizations and clubs on campus, as well as a variety of cultural, artistic and sports activities.
Rankings:
US NEWS 2024 Ranking Top 76 in the nation
Tuition for international students: $73,111 (live in campus dorms)
Popular Majors
Social Sciences, Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Business, Management, Marketing and Related Professions, Psychology, Engineering
Application Requirements
A-G course grades with a 3.4+ GPA [If you do not meet the California A-G requirements, you may use the SMOA online U.S. High School program to supplement them].
High school diploma and transcripts
All courses and transcripts from junior through senior year of high school.
TOEFL 80+/IELTS 6.5+/Duolingo 115+
For more information, please check:
https://admissions.ucr.edu/firstyear#gpa-requirement
Graduation Information
Graduation rate: 62%
Median Salary for Graduates: $30,444
09 University of California, Santa Cruz, UCSC
2022-2023 Admissions Data
Number of applicants in current season: 68,821
Number of admissions for the current season: 43,159
Acceptance rate of 62.7%
Acceptance average GPA of 3.86-4.22
The number of Chinese students was 461, accounting for 1.1% of admissions and 42% of international students.
School Introduction
The University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), abbreviated as UCSC, is part of the University of California system and is located in the seaside city of Santa Cruz, California, USA. Founded in 1965, it gained attention in its infancy for its unconventional educational model and innovative and bold teaching philosophy. Despite its relatively short history compared to some other campuses, UCSC has developed into a globally recognized research university in a wide range of disciplines. UCSC offers a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate programs in the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, engineering, arts, and business. Among these, the astronomy and marine science programs are particularly recognized globally.
UCSC is committed to engaging in innovative research, with particular excellence in the fields of biomedical science, particle physics, marine science, environmental studies, and astronomy. UCSC’s astronomy and astrophysics research teams are globally renowned.
Rankings:
US NEWS 2024 Ranking Top 82 in the nation
Tuition for international students: $73,857 (live in on-campus dorms)
Popular Majors
Computer and Information Science, Psychology, Business/Managerial Economics, Cell/Cell and Molecular Biology, Sociology
Application Requirements
A-G course grades with a 3.4+ GPA [If you do not meet the California A-G requirements, you may use the SMOA online U.S. High School program to supplement them].
High school diploma and transcripts
All courses and transcripts from junior to senior year of high school
TOEFL 80+/IELTS 6.5+/Duolingo 115+
For more information, please check: https://admissions.ucsc.edu/freshmen
Graduation Information
Graduation rate: 62%
Median Salary of Graduates: 35,302 USD
Overall, the schools in the University of California system can be roughly categorized into three major tiers. At the top are UC Berkeley, Los Angeles, Davis, and San Diego, all four of which are ranked in the top 30 in the nation.
The second echelon of schools are UC Santa Barbara and Irvine, which are ranked in the top 50 nationally. While they are slightly behind the top schools in the overall rankings, they perform well in discipline-specific rankings, such as Davis’ Agriculture and Forestry program, which is ranked second in the global rankings.
The final tier of schools are UC Riverside, Santa Cruz and Merced, which are ranked in the top 80 nationally. It is worth mentioning that Merced is a school to watch, although it was founded in 2005 and is relatively young, it is growing rapidly.
This is the information I’m going to share about the University of California system, and I hope it will help you succeed in getting into the school of your choice!
What are SMOA AP credit courses?
St. Mary’s Online Academy (SMOA) is the online high school of St. Mary’s High School, a century-old school and one of Niche’s top 100 boarding schools in the U.S. St. Mary’s Online Academy (SMOA) offers pure U.S. high school credit courses, AP credit courses, and U.S. High School Diploma courses. Students can enjoy pure US high school personalized education and improve their GPA scores and academic backgrounds without leaving their homes in the Asian time zone. Our diplomas, credits, and transcripts are accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) Cognia (AdvancED), the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Association of American Boarding Schools (TABS), and the Western Boarding Schools Association (WBSA). AP courses are accredited by the College Board and the UC A-G Curriculum, and credits, transcripts, and diplomas are recognized by universities in the U.S. and around the world. Students who have earned online U.S. high school diplomas, credits and transcripts have been accepted into world-renowned universities and art colleges in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia.
It is an opportunity for students from domestic general high schools, public international departments, international schools and overseas high schools to both supplement their credits and improve their GPA. Students from domestic general high schools and international students can also participate in the American High School Diploma Program that we offer and apply to world universities with American High School status.
Choose SMOA’s U.S. high school program to help boost your high school GPA and get into a top college or university!
1-From the top 100 boarding high schools in the U.S.
St. Mary’s School, renowned for exceptional quality of education.
2-Elite teachers ensure teaching quality
Pure U.S. high school education, acknowledged globally.
3-Cognia authoritative certification
Highly recognized by universities for credits, transcripts and recommendation letters.
4-500+ graduates enter the world’s most prestigious schools
High credibility and reputation
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Process assessment, focus on final results
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4.33 out of 5.0 for regular, 5.0 out of 5.0 for AP
7-Rich course selection, 20+ AP courses
Year-round rolling classes, multiple class types, customizable
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No need to travel to Hong Kong or abroad for AP exam
9-Real-time classes in Asian time zones + asynchronous classes
Flexible and efficient learning
10-Professional learning platform and teaching system
Bilingual Learning Coach 7*24 Supervision
SMOA – Online U.S. High School 2024 is open for enrollment on a rolling basis (includes AP Calculus BC, AP Computer Science A, AP Psychology, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP Physics 1, AP Statistics, AP English Literature & Composition, AP Physics 2, Linear Algebra, Probability and Statistics, Earth and Space Science, Algebra, Fashion Design, Interior Design, and more), students can enroll at a time that works for them, or they can also choose one-on-one classes for more flexibility! We look forward to welcoming you~!