Canyon High School opened in 1973 in the Anaheim Hills area of Anaheim on a 40-acre campus and is one of four comprehensive high schools in the Orange Unified School District (OUSD). California Department of Education (CDE) data show 2,241 students enrolled in the 2025-26 school year. The school has offered International Baccalaureate (IB) courses since 1988 and is an IB World School, while also offering AP courses open to every student and 15 career technical education pathways. This page does not rate the school. It answers one question: how a student at this school should plan the four high school years.
How Canyon High School Is Structured for College Admissions
The school’s published data point to four features of Canyon High School.
First, AP and IB run side by side. The 2026-27 offerings sheet lists 24 AP courses; in May 2026, 879 students took 1,791 AP exams in 25 subjects, and 84% of exams earned a score of 3 or higher. Measured against 2,241 enrolled students, roughly four in ten students took an AP exam that year. The IB Diploma Programme is a two-year program for grades 11 and 12, and 20 students earned the IB Diploma in May 2026.
Second, school honors weighting and UC honors weighting do not match. The district’s Add-On Weighted GPA adds weight for AP, IB and honors courses, but the school’s core grade 9 and 10 honors courses, namely English 9 Honors, English 10 Honors, Math I, II and III Honors, and Biology Honors, are not on the UC-approved honors list. The honors courses UC does weight in grades 10 and 11 are mainly Chemistry Honors, Physics Honors, Physiology Honors and three world language honors courses.
Third, career pathways are broad. The 2026-27 offerings sheet lists 15 career technical education pathways, including the Aviation Academy, Patient Care, Sports Medicine, Engineering & Tech and Legal Practices, and most of them end with a professional internship.
Fourth, graduates split into two main groups. The School Profile shows 55% of graduates enrolling in four-year colleges and 42% in two-year community colleges. On the UC side, 235 students applied for fall 2025 and 194 were admitted, but UC Berkeley admitted 10 of 121 applicants and UCLA admitted 15 of 184.
How to Enroll at Canyon High School
The short answer: Canyon High School has no entrance exam; enrollment depends only on address and district approval, and the IB Diploma Programme is an internal application made by current students in the spring of grade 10. Three groups of families follow different routes.
Route 1: Living in the Canyon High School attendance area
- Confirm through the district School Locator that the address is assigned to Canyon High School; new students begin enrollment online through Aeries AIR
- Grade 8 students coming from El Rancho Charter School complete grade 9 course selection through the middle school process; incoming freshmen from other schools call the counseling office (714-628-5335) to begin enrollment
- Students with a B or better in grade 8 honors courses may continue in grade 9 honors; for others, counselors decide based on grades, test scores and teacher recommendations
Route 2: Living in the district, but assigned to another school
- Apply for district Open Enrollment, submitting an online application directly to each school of choice
- Open Enrollment for 2026-27 reopened on February 2, 2026; applications received after the closing date go on a waiting list and are processed as openings arise
- The district has not yet published the 2027-28 timeline
Route 3: Living outside the district (including Irvine)
- Obtain a signed release from the home district (Irvine Unified School District for Irvine residents) and take it to Canyon High School
- The school verifies space and forwards the request to the Office of Student and Community Services; requests for 2026-27 were accepted from February 2, 2026, and generally take 10 to 14 business days
- Approval reasons include a sibling attending school in the district and valid interest in a particular educational program not offered in the home district
- A denial can be appealed at two district levels, each within 10 business days, and finally to the Orange County Board of Education
| Attendance-area enrollment | Canyon High School enrolls by Orange Unified School District attendance area: students who live inside the boundary register by address, with no entrance exam. The district's School Locator determines which school an address is assigned to, and new students begin enrollment online through Aeries AIR. Grade 8 students coming from El Rancho Charter School complete grade 9 course selection through the middle school process; incoming freshmen from other schools and students transferring from outside the district call the counseling office (714-628-5335) to begin enrollment. |
|---|---|
| Choice within the district | District residents whose school of residence is not Canyon High School can apply for Open Enrollment, submitting an online application directly to each school of choice. Open Enrollment for 2026-27 reopened on February 2, 2026; applications received after the closing date go on a waiting list and are processed as openings arise. |
| Transfers from outside the district | Students who live outside the district, including Irvine residents, must first obtain a signed release from their home district and take it to the school they wish to attend; the school verifies space and forwards the request to the district's Office of Student and Community Services. Requests for 2026-27 were accepted starting February 2, 2026, and are generally processed within 10 to 14 business days. Approval reasons listed by the district include a sibling attending school in the district, finishing the school year after moving out mid-year, staying with a class graduating that year, and valid interest in a particular educational program not offered in the home district. A denial can be appealed at two district levels, each within 10 business days, and finally to the Orange County Board of Education. |
| Grade 9 honors placement | Students enrolled in honors classes in grade 8 and earning B grades or higher may continue in honors courses in grade 9. For other students, counselors weigh current grades, test scores and teacher recommendations to decide honors placement. On the grade 9 course selection sheet, Math I Honors, Math II, Math II Honors and Math III Honors require a teacher signature. |
| IB Diploma Programme | The IB Diploma Programme begins in grade 11, and students apply in the spring of grade 10. For 2026-27, applicants needed an academic weighted GPA of at least 3.0 with no grade lower than B-, a B or better in Math I, II or III, and a B or better in honors English or an A in regular English. The application packet, which includes a course request schedule, grade 9 and 10 transcripts and the program policies initialed by student and parent, was due to the IB coordinator by the end of lunch on Friday, March 6, 2026, with decisions sent in writing by March 27. |
Canyon High School UC Admissions: Twelve Years of Applicants, Admit Rates and GPA
The data below come from the UC Infocenter of the University of California Office of the President, reported by source high school and updated each year. They answer two questions: how many Canyon High School students apply to and are admitted by UC each year, and what GPA admitted students hold. GPA is the UC weighted, capped GPA, which counts only courses from grades 10 and 11.
The ten lines are hard to tell apart where they overlap. Hover over any campus name below to highlight that campus’s trend; click to keep it highlighted, and click again to clear it.Tap any campus name below to highlight that campus’s trend; tap again to clear it.
Official UC data · By high school of origin · 2014–2025
Year-by-Year Data for the Top Six UC Campuses
Parents focus most on six campuses: UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine and UC Davis. The table lists, by year, the number of Canyon High School students who applied to, were admitted by and enrolled at each campus, along with average GPA. Use the buttons to switch metrics.
From 2014 to 2025, the admit rate for Canyon High School applicants to UC Los Angeles fell from 14% to 8%, and to UC Berkeley fell from 10% to 8%; the rate at UC Irvine fell from 42% to 22%.
This table has five data views. Use the buttons below to view admits, applicants, enrollees, admit GPA, and applicant GPA; the button for the current view is highlighted in yellow.
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 10 (8%) | 15 (8%) | 26 (14%) | 34 (23%) | 45 (22%) | 20 (23%) |
| 2024 | 11 (9%) | 15 (8%) | 30 (17%) | 52 (33%) | 64 (31%) | 35 (38%) |
| 2023 | 12 (10%) | 17 (9%) | 36 (20%) | 40 (24%) | 66 (36%) | 36 (35%) |
| 2022 | 17 (15%) | 11 (7%) | 15 (10%) | 27 (20%) | 46 (29%) | 29 (31%) |
| 2021 | 21 (20%) | 17 (11%) | 43 (27%) | 32 (24%) | 53 (31%) | 37 (46%) |
| 2020 | 20 (25%) | 12 (10%) | 38 (31%) | 36 (34%) | 26 (17%) | 21 (37%) |
| 2019 | 18 (21%) | 12 (8%) | 20 (14%) | 22 (17%) | 55 (32%) | 16 (21%) |
| 2018 | 20 (23%) | 17 (12%) | 48 (35%) | 33 (26%) | 66 (42%) | 28 (33%) |
| 2017 | 19 (20%) | 18 (13%) | 44 (31%) | 35 (30%) | 65 (38%) | 22 (37%) |
| 2016 | 14 (15%) | 33 (26%) | 41 (34%) | 41 (41%) | 58 (44%) | 23 (45%) |
| 2015 | 14 (22%) | 13 (13%) | 38 (33%) | 21 (26%) | 47 (38%) | 11 (26%) |
| 2014 | 9 (10%) | 21 (14%) | 36 (25%) | 32 (29%) | 67 (42%) | 35 (42%) |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▼ 10% → 8% | ▼ 14% → 8% | ▼ 25% → 14% | ▼ 29% → 23% | ▼ 42% → 22% | ▼ 42% → 23% |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 121 | 184 | 185 | 147 | 208 | 86 |
| 2024 | 124 | 184 | 178 | 157 | 209 | 92 |
| 2023 | 125 | 181 | 176 | 168 | 185 | 103 |
| 2022 | 110 | 150 | 150 | 135 | 159 | 95 |
| 2021 | 104 | 157 | 161 | 135 | 171 | 81 |
| 2020 | 79 | 116 | 122 | 106 | 151 | 57 |
| 2019 | 87 | 149 | 147 | 127 | 170 | 75 |
| 2018 | 87 | 147 | 137 | 129 | 159 | 85 |
| 2017 | 97 | 143 | 141 | 117 | 169 | 59 |
| 2016 | 92 | 127 | 119 | 101 | 132 | 51 |
| 2015 | 64 | 98 | 114 | 82 | 124 | 43 |
| 2014 | 92 | 146 | 144 | 109 | 160 | 83 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 92 → 121 | ▲ 146 → 184 | ▲ 144 → 185 | ▲ 109 → 147 | ▲ 160 → 208 | ▲ 83 → 86 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 5 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 22 | 4 |
| 2024 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 30 | 4 |
| 2023 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 32 | 4 |
| 2022 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 4 |
| 2021 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 22 | 6 |
| 2020 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 11 | 8 | — |
| 2019 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 35 | 3 |
| 2018 | 12 | 13 | 8 | — | 27 | 3 |
| 2017 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 3 | 20 | 3 |
| 2016 | 6 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 24 | — |
| 2015 | 3 | 9 | 9 | — | 15 | — |
| 2014 | — | 11 | 9 | 7 | 22 | 5 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | — | ▼ 11 → 10 | ▼ 9 → 5 | ▼ 7 → 5 | 22 → 22 | ▼ 5 → 4 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 4.22 | 4.30 | 4.26 | 4.30 | 4.24 | 4.21 |
| 2024 | 4.28 | 4.28 | 4.27 | 4.26 | 4.21 | 4.25 |
| 2023 | 4.28 | 4.31 | 4.30 | 4.29 | 4.24 | 4.25 |
| 2022 | 4.27 | 4.32 | 4.29 | 4.30 | 4.27 | 4.30 |
| 2021 | 4.24 | 4.33 | 4.29 | 4.27 | 4.25 | 4.24 |
| 2020 | 4.19 | 4.27 | 4.24 | 4.23 | 4.17 | 4.21 |
| 2019 | 4.25 | 4.32 | 4.28 | 4.29 | 4.19 | 4.25 |
| 2018 | 4.28 | 4.33 | 4.29 | 4.27 | 4.23 | 4.28 |
| 2017 | 4.28 | 4.32 | 4.26 | 4.24 | 4.22 | 4.23 |
| 2016 | 4.34 | 4.33 | 4.29 | 4.23 | 4.22 | 4.24 |
| 2015 | 4.24 | 4.28 | 4.21 | 4.18 | 4.22 | 4.16 |
| 2014 | 4.32 | 4.33 | 4.31 | 4.23 | 4.20 | 4.17 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▼ 4.32 → 4.22 | ▼ 4.33 → 4.30 | ▼ 4.31 → 4.26 | ▲ 4.23 → 4.30 | ▲ 4.20 → 4.24 | ▲ 4.17 → 4.21 |
| Year | UC Berkeley | UC Los Angeles | UC San Diego | UC Santa Barbara | UC Irvine | UC Davis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025Latest | 4.06 | 4.00 | 3.99 | 3.98 | 3.95 | 3.94 |
| 2024 | 4.06 | 4.01 | 4.02 | 3.97 | 3.97 | 3.98 |
| 2023 | 4.06 | 4.02 | 4.01 | 4.01 | 4.00 | 4.01 |
| 2022 | 4.10 | 4.07 | 4.02 | 4.05 | 4.01 | 4.06 |
| 2021 | 4.04 | 3.98 | 3.96 | 3.94 | 3.92 | 3.98 |
| 2020 | 3.97 | 3.94 | 3.96 | 3.92 | 3.90 | 3.91 |
| 2019 | 4.05 | 4.00 | 3.96 | 3.94 | 3.94 | 3.97 |
| 2018 | 4.10 | 4.03 | 3.99 | 3.94 | 3.95 | 3.95 |
| 2017 | 4.04 | 3.99 | 3.96 | 3.89 | 3.91 | 3.90 |
| 2016 | 3.99 | 3.97 | 3.87 | 3.88 | 3.85 | 3.90 |
| 2015 | 4.00 | 3.96 | 3.92 | 3.83 | 3.90 | 3.80 |
| 2014 | 3.96 | 3.94 | 3.93 | 3.82 | 3.86 | 3.86 |
| Change, 2014–2025 | ▲ 3.96 → 4.06 | ▲ 3.94 → 4.00 | ▲ 3.93 → 3.99 | ▲ 3.82 → 3.98 | ▲ 3.86 → 3.95 | ▲ 3.86 → 3.94 |
Applications and Admissions by Campus in the Most Recent Year
| UC campus (fall 2025) | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate | Enrollees | Admit GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 121 | 10 | 8% | 5 | 4.22 |
| UC Los Angeles | 184 | 15 | 8% | 10 | 4.30 |
| UC San Diego | 185 | 26 | 14% | 5 | 4.26 |
| UC Davis | 86 | 20 | 23% | 4 | 4.21 |
| UC Irvine | 208 | 45 | 22% | 22 | 4.24 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 147 | 34 | 23% | 5 | 4.30 |
| UC Merced | 61 | 60 | 98% | — | 3.89 |
| UC Riverside | 149 | 142 | 95% | 22 | 3.96 |
| UC Santa Cruz | 56 | 46 | 82% | 4 | 3.99 |
Canyon High School GPA Weighting and Decile Rank
| School weighting | The 2026-27 School Profile states that OUSD uses an Add-On Weighted GPA: AP, IB and Honors courses passed in a semester add 0.2 to GPA. GPA is computed in January and June. |
|---|---|
| Class rank | The school calculates a decile rank for seniors using the weighted academic GPA earned in grades 9 through 11. |
| Graduation honors | A cumulative GPA of 4.7 or higher earns Summa Cum Laude, and 4.5 to 4.699 earns Magna Cum Laude. |
| UC calculation | UC applications use UC's own GPA: only A-G courses from grades 10 and 11 count, only honors, AP and IB courses approved on the UC A-G list earn extra points, and at most 8 semesters of honors points count (as noted on the school's Academic Requirements Rubric). |
| Courses UC weights | All AP courses; All IB courses; Chemistry Honors; Physics Honors; Physiology Honors; Spanish III Honors; UCCI Spanish IV H: Patient Care; French III Honors; Chamber Singers Honors; Orchestra Honors |
| School honors courses UC does not weight | English 9 Honors; English 10 Honors; Math I Honors; Math II Honors; Math III Honors; Biology Honors; Adv Treble Ensemble Honors |
| Repeating a course | With counselor approval, a student may repeat a course to raise the grade; both grades appear on the transcript, but credit is earned only once. |
This rule shapes course selection. In grade 9, English 9 Honors, Math I or Math II Honors, and Biology Honors raise the school GPA and the senior decile rank, but not the UC GPA, because UC counts only grades 10 and 11 and these courses are not on UC’s honors list. The courses UC weights in grades 10 and 11 are AP, IB, and honors courses such as Chemistry Honors, Physics Honors, Physiology Honors and World Language III Honors. Note that the 2024-25 School Profile described AP, IB and honors courses as weighted on a 5-point scale, while the 2026-27 edition uses the add-on wording; confirm the exact calculation with the school registrar.
The table below shows the cumulative GPA distribution for the 564 graduates of the Class of 2026, as published in the School Profile; the average was 3.74.
| Cumulative GPA | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 4.0 and above | 259 graduates |
| 3.5-3.99 | 100 graduates |
| 3.0-3.49 | 93 graduates |
| 2.5-2.99 | 60 graduates |
| 2.0-2.49 | 39 graduates |
| Below 2.0 | 10 graduates |
Canyon High School Four-Year Timeline
Grade 8
- From FebruaryOpen Enrollment and inter-district transfer requests open (February 2, 2026, for 2026-27)
- SpringComplete the grade 9 course selection sheet: honors math, Math II and Math III Honors need a teacher signature; students with a B or better in grade 8 honors may continue in honors
- August 13Taking Care of Business: receive the schedule, textbooks and student ID, and request schedule changes (2026)
Grade 9
- August 19First day of instruction for 2026-27
- Year-roundComplete a four-year plan with a counselor; beginning with the Class of 2030, take Ethnic Studies in one semester or the summer after grade 9
- MayAP Human Geography exam (for students in the course)
- SpringIndividual counselor meeting and grade 10 course selection
Grade 10
- By the end of grade 10Complete the online Health course
- Early MarchIB Diploma application due (March 6 in 2026), with decisions by March 27
- AprilIB parent and student onboarding meeting, where the academic integrity policy is shared
- SpringChoose grade 11 courses: decide between the IB Diploma and individual AP courses
Grade 11
- September-OctoberIB exam registration; the $400 junior fee is due in October
- FallIB Diploma candidates begin CAS and the Extended Essay
- SpringIB Theory of Knowledge meets daily at 7:30 a.m.
- MayAP and IB exams; the weighted academic GPA from grades 9-11 determines the senior decile rank
- SummerIB Diploma candidates complete the group CAS project
Grade 12
- OctoberUC, CSU, Common App and UC Personal Insight Questions workshops (October 2, 7, 13 and 21 in 2026)
- FallIB Theory of Knowledge; order transcripts through Parchment
- DecemberIB Extended Essay due
- June 10Class of 2027 graduation
Three milestones shape the path: grade 9 course selection in the spring of grade 8, which sets the math starting point and honors placement; the IB Diploma application in the spring of grade 10, which decides between the full Diploma and individual AP courses in grades 11 and 12; and the end of grade 11, when the weighted academic GPA from grades 9 through 11 sets the senior decile rank and grades 10 and 11 determine the UC GPA.
Canyon High School Signature Programs
- IB Diploma Programme (since 1988): Canyon High School is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School offering the two-year Diploma Programme in grades 11 and 12: six IB courses plus the core of Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and CAS. Students apply in the spring of grade 10 with an academic weighted GPA of at least 3.0, no grade below B-, and the required math and English grades. In May 2026, 20 students earned the IB Diploma, and 80% of IB certificate students passed their exams.
- Advanced Placement (AP): AP is the College Board's program of college-level courses and is open to all students at Canyon High School. The 2026-27 offerings sheet lists 24 AP courses; in May 2026, 879 students took 1,791 AP exams in 25 subjects, and 84% of exams earned a score of 3 or higher.
- Aviation Academy: A four-course career pathway: Aviation I introduces aviation careers (application required); Aviation II covers non-pilot careers such as aircraft maintenance, air traffic control, aerospace engineering and drone operations; and Aviation III completes private pilot ground school and flight simulator training, after which students are eligible for the FAA private pilot written exam. Students taking or having completed Aviation II can intern with aviation businesses. All three courses meet UC A-G "g".
- Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathways: The 2026-27 offerings sheet lists 15 pathways. Students complete a level-02 introductory course with a D- or better and then a level-03 course with a C- or better, in sequence, to become a pathway completer; most pathways end with a Professional Internship that requires an application.
- Arts, media and designGraphic Design, Digital Photography, Video Production, Animation and Dance
- Engineering, aviation and public serviceEngineering & Tech, Aviation Academy, Public Safety, and Emergency Response - Fire (off campus, grades 11-12)
- Health and educationPatient Care (the introductory Medical Core course meets "d"), Sports Medicine and Education
- Business and lawBusiness, Marketing (online) and Legal Practices
- Santiago Canyon College Dual Enrollment (CAPP): Through the Career Advanced Placement Program (CAPP), students can take Santiago Canyon College courses tuition-free while in high school, with credit that can count toward an associate or bachelor's degree; students pay for textbooks and a small health fee. Enrollment requires a Special Admit Form signed by a counselor, who weighs several factors, so not every request is approved.
- AVID: AVID 9 through 12 are college-preparatory electives that meet UC A-G "g" and serve students who aim for four-year colleges and need study skills and college support. From grade 10, students need a GPA of 2.5 or higher and must be enrolled in math and science; at least one honors, AP or IB course is recommended in grades 11 and 12, and AVID 12 requires AVID 11.
- Arts and media: Music includes auditioned honors ensembles such as Chamber Singers Honors, Orchestra Honors and Adv Treble Ensemble Honors; the dance company The Company, drama, journalism, yearbook and the campus broadcast program (Media Writing & Production) require applications.
Canyon High School Clubs and Academic Activities
The Associated Student Body (ASB) holds a club interest meeting at the start of each semester, and any student can start a club; Club Carnival, held twice a year, is where students join. The 2025-26 club list is in a spreadsheet that requires an OUSD login, so the full list is not visible on the public website.The school website does not describe academic competition teams in math, science or robotics. Students who want systematic preparation for AMC, physics or computer science competitions need to arrange training outside school.
Canyon High School Counseling Office and Transcripts
| Counselors and meetings | Six counselors are assigned by student last name, supported by one registrar and two counseling secretaries. Students may visit during nutrition, lunch or after school without an appointment. Counselors present in classes twice a year, meet with each student individually every spring to review goals, course selections and academic plans, and complete a four-year plan with each student in grade 9. |
|---|---|
| Recommendations | Students applying only to UC and CSU do not need a school report or counselor recommendation; students applying to private or out-of-state colleges through the Common App or similar systems submit the request form on the Senior Corner page by the deadlines counselors publish. |
| Application-season workshops | Application-season workshops for the Class of 2027: the UC application on October 2, the CSU application on October 7, the Common App on October 13, UC Personal Insight Questions on October 21, counselor application support on October 27-29, and the Santiago Canyon College application on November 18, all with sign-up in the Career Center. |
| Transcripts and test scores | Canyon High School does not send official transcripts or test scores: transcripts are ordered through Parchment (for students who attended or graduated in 2005 or later), and students send SAT and ACT scores themselves through the College Board and ACT. |
| Standardized tests | UC and CSU currently do not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission; the school CEEB code is 052267. |
| Summer school | Orange Unified School District's summer school offers both credit recovery and acceleration courses to district students who have promoted from grade 8 or are enrolled in grades 9 through 11, after consultation with a counselor; the district also partners with Santiago Canyon College on summer dual enrollment courses. Parents of students who need summer credit recovery receive letters in May. Health and Ethnic Studies can both be taken in the summer. |
For the grade levels and prerequisites of every course, see Courses and course selection; for math pathways, see Math pathways; and for choosing between AP and IB, see AP and IB.
Canyon High School College Planning Guide: Frequently Asked Questions
Can Irvine families transfer to Canyon High School?
Canyon High School belongs to the Orange Unified School District, so Irvine residents need an inter-district transfer to attend. The family first obtains a signed release from its home district (Irvine Unified School District for Irvine residents) and takes it to Canyon High School, which verifies space and forwards the request to the district's Office of Student and Community Services; decisions generally take 10 to 14 business days. Requests for 2026-27 were accepted starting February 2, 2026. One approval reason the district lists is valid interest in a particular educational program not offered in the home district, but approval depends on space and the district's review of each case; a denial can be appealed at two district levels and finally to the Orange County Board of Education.
How do students apply to the Canyon High School IB Diploma Programme, a question Irvine families often ask?
Canyon High School's IB Diploma Programme begins in grade 11, and students apply in the spring of grade 10. For 2026-27, applicants needed an academic weighted GPA of at least 3.0 with no grade below B-, a B or better in Math I, II or III, and a B or better in honors English or an A in regular English. Applications were due to the IB coordinator by March 6, 2026, with decisions sent by March 27. The school website does not say whether out-of-district students can transfer for the IB program alone, so Irvine families considering that route should confirm with the district first.
Irvine families ask: are honors courses weighted in Canyon High School GPA?
Canyon High School weights honors courses in its own GPA. The 2026-27 School Profile states that OUSD uses an Add-On Weighted GPA in which AP, IB and Honors courses passed in a semester add 0.2 to GPA, computed each January and June. UC applications follow UC's own rules: English 9 Honors, English 10 Honors, Math I, II and III Honors, and Biology Honors are not on the UC-approved honors list, so UC counts them as standard courses.
How do Canyon High School students do in UC admissions, for Irvine families comparing options?
Canyon High School had 235 students apply to the University of California for fall 2025, and 194 were admitted to at least one campus, according to official source-school data from the University of California Office of the President. By campus, UC Irvine admitted 45 of 208 applicants, UCLA 15 of 184, and UC Berkeley 10 of 121. The average weighted GPA of admitted students was 4.30 at UCLA and UC Santa Barbara and 4.24 at UC Irvine.
How is the Canyon High School schedule organized, for Irvine families planning ahead?
Canyon High School runs a rotating odd/even block schedule: students typically take six year-long courses, attending periods 1, 3 and 5 on odd days and periods 2, 4 and 6 on even days, each 100 minutes long. Each course earns 5 credits per semester, for 30 credits per semester. Zero period lasts 52 minutes and meets daily when offered; it must be requested and is not guaranteed, and a student with a zero period and six classes in total is released at 1:10 p.m.
Where do Canyon High School graduates go, for Irvine families asking?
Canyon High School's 2026-27 School Profile reports that 55% of graduates enroll in four-year colleges and universities, 42% in two-year community colleges, 2.4% enter the workforce full time and 0.6% enter military service. The Class of 2026 had 564 graduates with an average cumulative GPA of 3.74, and 259 of them had a GPA of 4.0 or higher. California Department of Education data show a four-year cohort graduation rate of 97.9% and an A-G completion rate of 74.1% for the Class of 2025.
