According to the dates published on the University of California (UC) admissions website, the first-year application for fall 2027 admission opened for filling out on August 1, the submission period is in November, and the deadline is 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on November 30. The University of California has no early round: all nine undergraduate campuses share this single deadline, and one application can be sent to several campuses at once.
Who Is Affected
Irvine students in grade 12: This is the only submission window of the application season. There is no second chance, and there is none of the rolling or supplemental admission common at private universities.
Students in grade 11: Now is the time to keep grades steady. University of California admission decisions rely mainly on grades through the end of grade 11.
What to Do Now
Check courses and grades. The application asks students to enter every high school course and grade, one by one, including grade 9. Pull the transcript early and check it, especially the level credited for language courses and whether any A-G course grade is below C. The University of California does not accept A-G course grades below C, and the minimum GPA is 3.0 for California residents and 3.4 for nonresidents.
Do not wait until the last week. System traffic is heaviest in the final days of November, and courses and grades cannot be changed once submitted, so leave time to check them.
Families who need financial aid should note March 2. The deadline for the FAFSA, the California Dream Act Application, and the GPA Verification Form is March 2. That is earlier than most admission decisions are released, so these forms must be submitted before families know the admission results.
Upcoming Dates
Admission decisions are released between March 1 and 31, and some campuses may release them earlier. Admitted students must submit the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) by May 1. Final transcripts are due by July 1, and official AP and IB scores are due by July 15.
For the full timeline and the tasks at each stage, see University of California Application Timeline. For application planning services, see College Admissions Planning.
Sources
- University of California Admissions: Dates and deadlines for first-year applicants (accessed September 27, 2026)
- University of California Admissions: First-year requirements (GPA and A-G grade rules) (accessed September 27, 2026)
- CSS Profile Opens; Early Deadlines in NovemberThe 2027-28 CSS Profile opened October 1, and USC and Stanford ask early applicants to file in November. Fee waiver rules, both deadlines, and documents to prepare.
- California Class of 2026 SAT Average Is 1108College Board's Class of 2026 SAT report puts California's average at 1108, 63 points above the nation. Key figures and how Irvine applicants can use them.
- Common App Keeps Its Seven Essay PromptsCommon App keeps last year's seven essay prompts for 2026-27; the open topic was last season's top choice. The prompts and a drafting order for Irvine early applicants.
- Early Deadlines Split Between November 1 and 2November 1, 2026 is a Sunday, and the Common App grid updated September 25 puts some early deadlines on November 2. Dates for colleges Irvine students often apply to.
