Admission Trends of 2025- University of California Colleges
Known for its commitment to academic excellence, research innovation, and public service, UC has played an important role in shaping advancements in science, technology, medicine, and the arts. The system boasts world-renowned faculty, including Nobel laureates and pioneers across various fields. While it ensures that high-quality education is accessible to California residents, it remains a top choice for international students, who are drawn to its vibrant campuses, cutting-edge research opportunities, and global reputation. University of California | Ivy Central
The year 2024-25 has seen a couple of noteworthy trends.
Applications: At a time when the competition to gain admissions at a top U.S. university is increasing, UCs saw a slight dip in overall applications signaling a plateau or minor decline in interest. First-year applications received were 205,158 (down 1% or 1,973 applications). Surprisingly applications from California first-year were also less by 2.6% from the previous year, i.e negative 3,520 applications. Underrepresented group (URG) applications dropped from 47.1% to 46.5% of the total applicant pool. Yet the UC system continues to prioritize equity, accessibility, and academic excellence, ensuring that diverse voices and perspectives co-exist on their campuses.
- African American: -5% (-453)
- Hispanic/Latino(a): -3.6% (-1,927)
- American Indian: -3.4% (-29)
- Pacific Islander: -1.5% (-6)
- Asian: -0.4% (-155)
- White: -3.4% (-911)
International applications
There has been a marked rise in international applications (+8.7% i.e. +2,567), indicating UC’s global appeal remains strong, even as domestic nonresident interest wanes (-2.4% i.e. -1,020)This could reflect affordability issues or shifting perceptions among out-of-state US applicants.
According to the San Fransisco Chronicle, here’s a breakdown of the application data. Detailed application data for other UC campuses, such as UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, and UC Irvine, were not specified in the available sources. For comprehensive and updated statistics, you can refer to the UC Office of the President’s Institutional Research and Academic Planning page ucop.edu.
| UC Campus | Fall 2025 Applications | Change from Fall 2024 |
| UC Merced | Significant increase | 0.449 |
| UC Riverside | Increase | 0.179 |
| UC Davis | 120,131 | 0.041 |
| UC Santa Cruz | Decrease | -7.20% |
For students seeking a transformative college experience with the chance to engage in groundbreaking research, global networking opportunities, and a strong alumni community, the UC system offers unparalleled value.
As we await more clarity on the remaining campuses’ data, we’ll continue to update this analysis to provide a complete, up-to-date picture of UC’s evolving application trends.
