The first-year admit data pages on the University of California (UC) admissions website show that the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) received 126,005 first-year applications for fall 2026 and admitted 38,165 students, an admit rate of 30.3%, and that the middle 50% of admitted students had high school GPAs of 4.06 to 4.27. UC notes that the figures are preliminary, as of June 2026. Twelfth-grade students in the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) are finalizing their UC campus choices before the November 30 deadline, and these figures offer a reference point.
Who is affected
Twelfth-grade students applying to UC this year, and 10th- and 11th-grade students beginning to plan their courses. The table lists the seven campuses whose pages give applicants, admits, and an admit rate:
| Campus | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate | Middle 50% GPA of admits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 146,692 | 15,903 | 10.8% | 4.20 to 4.30 |
| UC Berkeley | 133,154 | 13,967 | 10.5% | 4.16 to 4.28 |
| UC San Diego | 141,767 | 38,571 | 27.2% | 4.12 to 4.28 |
| UC Irvine | 126,005 | 38,165 | 30.3% | 4.06 to 4.27 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 108,512 | 47,716 | 44.0% | 4.05 to 4.27 |
| UC Davis | 104,864 | 48,015 | 45.8% | 4.00 to 4.25 |
| UC Santa Cruz | 79,048 | 64,867 | 82.1% | 3.79 to 4.20 |
These GPAs follow UC’s own formula: only 10th- and 11th-grade A-G courses, including up to eight honors courses. UC cautions that the figures are a general guide to selectivity, not a predictor of an individual’s chances, and that data for several colleges on a campus are grouped together, which masks differences among them.
What to do now
Calculate the UC GPA first. The weighted GPA on a school transcript usually differs from the UC GPA; the method is explained in How UC Calculates GPA: Five Honors-Point Rules.
Use ranges, not single numbers, to build the list. A student whose GPA falls below a campus’s middle range can treat that campus as a reach while adding campuses whose ranges match more closely. Admission results by Irvine high school are covered in UC Admissions by High School: Using the UC Infocenter. For overall college list planning, see College Admissions Planning.
Sources
- UC Admissions: First-year admit data (accessed October 3, 2026)
- UC Admissions: UC Irvine first-year admit data (accessed October 3, 2026)
- UC Admissions: UCLA first-year admit data (accessed October 3, 2026)
- UC Admissions: UC Berkeley first-year admit data (accessed October 3, 2026)
- UC Admissions: UC San Diego first-year admit data (accessed October 3, 2026)
- UC Admissions: UC Santa Barbara first-year admit data (accessed October 3, 2026)
- UC Admissions: UC Davis first-year admit data (accessed October 3, 2026)
- UC Admissions: UC Santa Cruz first-year admit data (accessed October 3, 2026)
- Irvine Valley College Fall College Fair Nov. 3The Irvine Valley College Transfer Center set its fall college fair for November 3 and scheduled October UC and CSU workshops ahead of the November 30 deadline.
- OCSA 2027-28 Applications Close December 30Orange County School of the Arts opened 2027-28 applications, due December 30, with the next Preview Day on November 7. Dates for placement activities and the lottery.
- UChicago 2026-27 Essays, Early Due November 2UChicago released its 2026-27 supplemental essays: a required Why UChicago question and a choice of six extended prompts. ED I and Early Action close November 2.
- SSAT November 14 Late Fee Begins October 25For the November 14 paper SSAT, a $59 late fee starts October 25 and a $100 rush fee November 1. Dates, levels, and registration steps for Irvine families.
