College Admissions · University of California · First-year application
UC First-Year Application Guide:Fall 2027 Requirements and Data
The University of California (UC) first-year application for fall 2027 admission has been open for drafting since August 1, 2026, and is submitted from October 1 to November 30. One application covers any of the nine undergraduate campuses, and the application fee is $80 per campus. UC does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission, and applicants answer four of the eight personal insight questions.
Application opens
August 1
Submission period
October 1 to November 30
Application fee
$80 per campus
Minimum GPA
3.0 (3.4 for nonresidents)
Personal insight questions
4 of 8, 350 words each
Decisions
March 1 to 31
UC First-Year Application Timeline: Eight Dates for Fall 2027 Admission
UC has no early application round, and all applicants share one deadline. The dates in the table come from the 2026-27 first-year dates and deadlines page on the UC admissions website.
Date
Event
August 1, 2026
The application opens and can be started
October 1 to November 30, 2026
Submission period for fall 2027 admission
October 1, 2026
Filing opens for the FAFSA, the California Dream Act Application (CADAA), and the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form
March 1 to 31, 2027
Campuses release admission decisions; some campuses may release them before March
March 2, 2027
Deadline for the FAFSA, the CADAA, and the GPA Verification Form
May 1, 2027
Deadline for admitted first-year students to submit the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)
July 1, 2027
Deadline for final transcripts to reach the campus the student will attend
July 15, 2027
Deadline for official AP and IB results to arrive
UC Berkeley and UC Merced are on the semester system, and the other campuses are on the quarter system. All campuses admit first-year students for the fall term.
UC First-Year Eligibility: 15 A-G Courses and a Minimum GPA
UC sets two minimum requirements for first-year applicants. The first is to complete 15 year-long A-G courses with a grade of C or better, at least 11 of them before grade 12. The second is a GPA of at least 3.0 in those courses, or 3.4 for students who are not California residents. Meeting the minimums establishes eligibility to apply; it does not indicate the level needed for admission.
Category
Subject
Requirement
UC recommendation
A
History
2 years
—
B
English
4 years
—
C
Mathematics
3 years
4 years recommended
D
Science
2 years
3 years recommended
E
Language other than English
2 years, or the equivalent of the second level of high school instruction
3 years recommended
F
Visual and performing arts
1 year
—
G
College-preparatory elective
1 year
—
Mathematics must include a geometry course, or an integrated mathematics course with sufficient geometry content (for example, Math II).
Mathematics and language courses completed in grades 7 and 8 can count if the high school accepts them as equivalent to its own courses. Courses in the other subjects must be completed in grades 9 through 12.
For California students, courses must appear on the UC A-G course list of the student's high school. The lists can be searched by school on the UC A-G course list website.
How UC Calculates GPA: Grades 10 and 11 Only, at Most 8 Honors Points
UC uses its own GPA calculation, and the result usually differs from the GPA on the school transcript. After the application is submitted, UC calculates the official UC GPA itself.
Step 1
Convert grades to grade points
Convert the letter grades in all A-G courses taken between the summer after grade 9 and the summer after grade 11 to grade points: an A is 4 points, a B is 3, a C is 2, and a D is 1. Pluses and minuses are not counted.
Step 2
Add honors points
Each semester of a UC-recognized honors course earns 1 extra point, up to 8 points across grades 10 and 11, of which at most 4 can come from grade 10. A grade of D or F in an honors course earns no extra point.
Step 3
Add up the points
Add all grade points and honors points together.
Step 4
Divide by the number of grades
Divide the total by the number of letter grades earned in this period. The result is not rounded.
Which courses count as honors
For California residents, UC-recognized honors courses include AP courses, IB Higher Level (HL) courses and designated IB Standard Level (SL) courses, UC-transferable college courses, and UC-certified honors courses that appear on the school's A-G course list. One college course counts as one grade and earns one point. For students who are not California residents, UC grants honors points only for AP and IB courses.
Three versions of the UC GPA
Weighted and capped GPA
Calculated by the four steps above, with honors points capped at 8. The GPA ranges of admitted students that UC campuses publish use this version.
Fully weighted GPA
Every UC-recognized honors course with a grade of C or better earns 1 extra point, with no cap. The maximum is 5.00.
Unweighted GPA
No honors points are added. The maximum is 4.00.
A worked example
A student takes five year-long A-G courses in grade 10 and five in grade 11, for 20 semester grades in total: 16 A grades and 4 B grades, or 76 grade points. Grade 10 includes 2 year-long AP courses; grade 11 includes 4 year-long AP courses and 1 UC-certified honors course. In all, 14 semester grades qualify for an extra point, and 8 are counted under the cap.
UC uses its own application system and is not part of the Common App. The application has eight sections and can be completed over several sessions.
About you
Basic information about the student and the family. The family size and income entered here determine whether the applicant qualifies for an application fee waiver.
Campuses & majors
Select the campuses and majors to apply to. Students who have not settled on a major can select an undeclared option.
Academic history
Enter every course and grade from all schools attended during high school, including high school mathematics and language courses taken in grades 7 and 8 and college courses taken during high school. UC asks applicants to work from the transcript rather than from memory.
Test scores
Report AP, IB, and English proficiency exam scores. SAT and ACT scores can be reported only after the application is submitted.
Activities & awards
Six categories: awards or honors, educational preparation programs, extracurricular activities, other coursework, volunteering and community service, and work experience. UC's guidance is to favor quality over quantity.
Scholarships & support programs
Select every scholarship category that applies; there is no limit on the number.
Personal insight questions
Answer four of the eight questions, with a maximum of 350 words for each response.
Review & submit
Confirm the academic information, choose whether to share application information with others, and pay the application fee. Very little can be changed after submission.
Application fees and waivers
The application fee is $80 per campus, or $95 for international and non-immigrant applicants, and is not refundable. Eligible US citizens, permanent residents, and applicants who qualify under AB 540 can receive a fee waiver for up to four campuses.
Recommendation letters and transcripts
UC does not require, and does not read, letters of recommendation at the application stage; individual campuses may request them separately during a supplemental review. Official transcripts do not need to be sent when applying.
UC Personal Insight Questions (PIQs): Answer Four of Eight
There are eight personal insight questions (PIQs). Applicants answer four of them, with a maximum of 350 words for each response. UC states that all eight questions are given equal consideration, so no choice of questions is better or worse than another.
1
Question 1: Leadership experience
An example of leadership in which the student positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to a group effort over time.
2
Question 2: Creativity
How the student expresses a creative side, whether in problem solving, original thinking, or artistic work.
3
Question 3: Talent or skill
The student's greatest talent or skill, and how it has been developed and demonstrated over time.
4
Question 4: Educational opportunity or barrier
How the student made use of a significant educational opportunity, or worked to overcome an educational barrier.
5
Question 5: Significant challenge
The most significant challenge the student has faced, the steps taken to overcome it, and how it affected academic achievement.
6
Question 6: Academic interest
An academic subject that inspires the student, and how that interest has been pursued inside and outside the classroom.
7
Question 7: Community contribution
What the student has done to make the school or community a better place.
8
Question 8: Other strengths
Beyond what the application already shows, what makes the student a strong candidate for admission to UC.
These are summaries of the eight questions. Applicants should write to the exact wording shown in the application.
Writing advice from UC
Start early, leaving time to prepare, write, and revise.
Support each point with specific examples rather than a list of accomplishments.
Write in the first person: UC wants to learn about the applicant's personality, talents, accomplishments, and potential.
UC does not grade grammar or spelling, but the writing should be clear and proofread before submission.
Advice from family, teachers, and friends is welcome, but the content must be the applicant's own and must not be plagiarized.
Additional comments field
The application also has an additional comments field, for circumstances that could not be explained anywhere else in the application. UC's guidance is that this field is not another essay.
UC evaluates every application through comprehensive review, looking beyond grades to how the student has used the opportunities available. All nine campuses use the same set of factors, but each campus weighs them differently.
GPA in all completed A-G courses, including extra points for UC-certified honors courses
The number of, content of, and performance in courses beyond the minimum A-G requirements
The number of and performance in UC-approved honors courses, AP courses, IB Higher Level courses, and transferable college courses
Identification by UC as ranking in the top 9 percent of the high school class at the end of grade 11 (ELC)
The quality of the grade 12 program, measured by the type and number of academic A-G courses in progress or planned
The quality of academic performance relative to the educational opportunities available at the high school
Outstanding performance in one or more subject areas
Outstanding work in one or more special projects in any academic field
Recent, marked improvement in academic performance, measured by GPA and the quality of coursework
Special talents, achievements, and awards; special skills and interests; and experiences that show promise for leadership, such as significant community service or participation in student government
Special projects completed in connection with the high school curriculum or with special school events
Academic accomplishments viewed in light of life experiences and special circumstances, such as low family income, being the first generation in the family to attend college, the need to work, or a difficult family situation
The location of the secondary school and the student's residence
Each campus reviews independently: a campus reading an application does not know the result at other campuses and does not consider which other campuses the applicant applied to.
UC states that undergraduate admission does not discriminate against, or grant preference to, any person on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.
Fall 2026 First-Year Admit Data for the Nine UC Campuses
The table shows the fall 2026 first-year admit profile published on the UC admissions website, which is preliminary data as of June 2026. GPA is the middle 50% range of admitted students, calculated from A-G courses in grades 10 and 11 with at most 8 honors points.
UC cautions that these figures are only a general guide to how selective each campus is and cannot be used to predict an individual applicant's chance of admission.
Selectivity differs widely among the colleges and majors within a campus; the figures in the table are totals for the whole campus.
The applicant pool differs each year, and the academic level needed for admission changes with it.
UC Applicants and Admits From the Five Irvine Public High Schools
UC publishes the number of applicants, admits, and enrollees from each source high school every year. The table shows the most recent year of systemwide figures for the five high schools in the Irvine Unified School District; a student who applies to multiple campuses is counted once.
Two Admission Guarantees for California Residents Applying to UC
A California resident who meets the minimum requirements and belongs to either of the two groups below, but is not admitted to any campus applied to, is offered a place at another campus if space is available. The student cannot choose that campus.
Statewide guarantee: the top 9 percent in California
UC uses the Statewide Index to determine whether a student ranks in the top 9 percent of California high school graduates. The index considers two things together: the total number of A-G courses completed and planned in grades 9 through 12, and the UC GPA. The lowest GPA on the index is 3.6.
Local guarantee (ELC): the top 9 percent of the high school class
At California high schools that participate in Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC), California residents whose GPA in UC-approved courses from grades 10 and 11 ranks in the top 9 percent of the class receive the ELC designation. The student must have a GPA of at least 3.0 and complete 11 specified A-G courses before grade 12. Screening is automatic after the application is submitted, and no separate application is needed.
The ELC designation is also one of the comprehensive review factors and is recorded in the application.
Four Things to Do After Submitting the UC Application
1
Keep a copy of the application
Record the UC Application ID. It is needed for each campus applicant portal and for checking admission decisions.
2
Update the application when needed
After submission, applicants can log in to change the phone number, email, mailing address, and test scores, and can add campuses that are still open. The activities and awards section and the personal insight questions cannot be changed after submission.
3
Report changes in courses or grades
For a change of school or an added or dropped course, notify the campuses applied to, except UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara. For a grade below C in a course, notify the campuses applied to, except UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego. After an offer of admission arrives, confirm with the admitting campus that it knows of these changes.
4
Wait for decisions and send documents
Campuses generally notify applicants of decisions by March 31. After the student accepts an offer, the final transcript must arrive by July 1, and official results such as AP and IB scores must arrive by July 15.
UC offers of admission are conditional. A campus reserves the right to withdraw an offer if the student drops a course or earns a grade below C.
Three EDUBUS Recommendations for Irvine Students Applying to UC
Calculate the UC GPA before grade 11 ends
The GPA ranges of admitted students that UC campuses publish use the weighted and capped version. Only a GPA calculated the same way can be compared with the ranges at the nine campuses to judge where each campus belongs on the college list.
Finish the academic history in August
Entering each course and grade is the most time-consuming part of the application, and it cannot be corrected after submission. EDUBUS recommends completing it against the transcript in August and having a parent or counselor check it in September.
Choose the questions before writing
All eight personal insight questions are treated equally. The test for choosing is which four best show what the rest of the application does not. The four responses should not repeat the same experience.
Take this page with you: the UC Application Handbook
EDUBUS
UC Application Handbook
Fall 2027 admission edition
From A-G courses and the GPA calculation to the personal insight questions and admit data for the nine campuses, arranged in the order of the application.
The application timeline: from the August 1 opening to the transcripts due the following July
The seven A-G subject requirements and a UC GPA worksheet
Key points for each section of the application and the eight personal insight questions
Fall 2026 applicants, admits, and GPA ranges at the nine campuses
PDF · 9 pages · Updated Nov 2026 · For: Families with students in grades 10 through 12
Download the free PDF
Registered. The documents are ready to download.All three documents are now available. To have a counselor walk through them for the student's grade and school, book a 30-minute initial assessment.
This device is registered. The PDF can be downloaded directly.
Do Irvine students need SAT or ACT scores to apply to UC?
Irvine students do not need SAT or ACT scores to apply to UC. The UC website states that neither admission decisions nor scholarship awards consider these scores. Scores can be reported only after the application is submitted, and they are used as an alternative way to meet minimum eligibility requirements or for course placement after enrollment.
Do Irvine students need letters of recommendation to apply to UC?
Irvine students do not submit letters of recommendation when applying to UC. UC does not require, and does not read, letters of recommendation at the application stage. Individual campuses may request them separately during a supplemental review, so students need to watch their email. Official transcripts also do not need to be sent when applying.
Do all honors courses at Irvine high schools earn extra points in the UC GPA?
Honors courses at Irvine high schools do not all earn extra points in the UC GPA. Only courses that appear on the school's UC A-G course list with an honors designation earn the point, and AP courses are among them. Honors courses that a school designates itself, without UC certification, earn no extra point. The UC GPA calculator on this site shows the designation of each course by school.
How many campuses can an Irvine student apply to with one UC application, and what does it cost?
With one UC application, an Irvine student can apply to any number of the nine undergraduate campuses. The application fee is $80 per campus and is not refundable. Eligible families can receive a fee waiver for up to four campuses, and eligibility is determined automatically from the family size and income entered in the application.
Can Irvine students change a UC application after submitting it?
After submitting a UC application, Irvine students can change the phone number, email, mailing address, and test scores, and can add campuses that are still open. The activities and awards section and the personal insight questions cannot be changed after submission. Changes in courses or grades must be reported as each campus requires.
When do Irvine students receive UC admission decisions?
UC campuses release decisions for fall 2027 admission from March 1 to 31, 2027, and some campuses may release them earlier. Admitted first-year students must submit the Statement of Intent to Register by May 1.
To see which UC campuses fit the student's record, start with an initial assessment
Leave the grade and high school, and an Irvine-based counselor will be in touch within one business day. The initial assessment takes 30 minutes, in person at the Irvine Ivy Center or online. The counselor estimates the UC GPA from the transcript and gives a first set of campus recommendations.
Scan to reach a counselor on WeChatHotline: (949) 383-4877WeChatEDUBUSerCopy the ID and add a counselor in WeChat
UC application: start with a free initial assessment30 minutes to estimate the UC GPA and campus tiers from the transcript
