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University of California, San Diego
San Diego, California | Estd in 1960 | Government University
THE Rank : 32 | QS Rank : 53
About University of California
The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) is one of the top 15 research universities in the world and among the top public universities in the US. The University was established in 1960 and is located in La Jolla, California. UCSD is very popular among students for its unparalleled academic and research facilities, especially in the field of Biological Sciences. UCSD is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).
The University of California's acceptance rate is approximately 34% because of the highly selective admission criteria of the institution. The examination requirements for entry at USCD are programme-specific, but some courses may require GMAT or GRE scores. English language proficiency can be demonstrated through IELTS, TOEFL, DET, etc. The nearest application deadline is the 30th of November, 2023, and the application fee is $155 for international students.
USCD offers over 200 undergraduate and graduate degree programmes and has a total student population of 42,968 (Fall 2022). About 9,000 international students from 112 countries are studying at the university. The University requires a GPA of 3.4 or better for admission to the UG programme. The University of California rankings by the QS and THE have placed the university among the top 70 universities in the world. The University has produced 27 Nobel Laureates and 3 Pulitzer Prize winners.
The University of California San Diego has small liberal arts colleges combined with the university. This plan was borrowed from the Oxford and Cambridge Universities’ concept to provide a family of colleges. USCD has 10 campuses spreading across the nation and the main campus is located in San Diego which is the southernmost of the ten campuses. The San Diego campus is resting on approximately 1,152 acres. UC San Diego also consists of eight undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools as well as six undergraduate residential colleges.
University of California Highlights
- Domestic: 29455
- International: 3641
University of California Ranking and Stats
The University of California is ranked 62nd in the QS World University Rankings; 31st in the QS WUR Ranking By Subject, and 121-130th in the QS Graduate Employability Ranking of 2024. The Times Higher Education has ranked the University at 34th place in the World University Rankings 2024; 43rd in the US College Rankings 2022, and 29th in the World Reputation Rankings 2022. The QS Sustainability Rank of UCSD is 34.
According to the U.S. News and World Report 2024, the University is in 20th place in Best Global Universities and has advanced two spots to become the sixth-best public university in the U.S.
The subject-wise rankings according to the U.S. News and World Report 2024 are Gastroenterology and Hepatology(1st), Microbiology(3rd), Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology(4th), Neuroscience and Behavior(11th), Clinical Medicine(19th), Psychiatry/Psychology(25th), and Computer Science(36th).
Parametric Score and Ranking 2023
Ranking by year
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University of California Courses
The University of California offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate majors across a range of disciplines including Arts, Biological Sciences, Computer Science and Engineering, International Studies, Linguistics, etc. The popular courses with the most undergraduate students are Biology, Economics, Psychology, Chemistry, Political Science, Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), Communication, International Studies, and Bioengineering.
The Faculty of Biological Sciences with most of its academic programmes getting ranked among the top 20 in the world by the U.S. News Report, offers excellence in building the academic and professional aptitude of the students.
Accreditation
University of California Cost Of Living
The cost of living at the University of California is inclusive of the cost of studying at the university and other living expenses such as transportation costs, accommodation charges, and other miscellaneous costs. International students coming to study at UCSD must be well-informed about the academic and non-academic costs they have to incur so that they can make financially sound decisions for themselves. The actual costs of living in the U.S. may vary depending on the lifestyle and preference of the student.
Is it expensive to study at California University?
International students are expected to pay around $72,165 for full-time study for one academic year based on 12 units while living on campus. The systemwide tuition and fees are a direct cost and part of the UC Tuition Stability Plan, which includes Tuition, the Student Services Fee, and undergraduate Nonresident Supplemental Tuition. Under the plan, these fees will remain flat for up to six years.
The students can also enrol themselves in the part-time study programme for both UG and Graduate studies. To be a part-time graduate students must enrol themselves for 6 units. The cost of studying for the UG part-time programme is $12,243 and for the Graduate half-time programme is $20,464. The total cost of a part-time programme includes the following components,
Tuition and Fees
Graduate Student Association Fee (Graduate students)
University Center Fee
Recreation Facility Fee
Mandatory Health Insurance
Student Transportation Fee
University of California cost of living for international students (UG-full-time)
Cost Item | Expenses |
Tuition and Fees (UG) | $18,480 (1st academic year) |
Food & Housing | $17,325 (on-campus) $15,567 (off-campus) |
Books, course materials, supplies, and equipment | $1,308 |
Transportation Expenses | $858 (on-campus) $1,500 (off-campus) |
Miscellaneous Personal Expenses | $1,620 (on-campus) $1,791 (off-campus) |
Non-California Resident Supplemental Tuition | $31,830 |
Total cost | $72,165 (on-campus) $71,220 (off-campus) |
University of California Admission and Application
The University of California admission criteria require applicants to meet the academic and English proficiency requirements of the academic programme of their choice. The applicants must check their programme requirements before applying through the university’s online application portal. The acceptance rate for international students is 34% approximately which shows that the university is highly selective in its admission process.
How to Apply?
The applicants must follow the given steps to apply at the University of Columbia.
Visit the official website of the university at ucsd.edu.
Click on the link ‘Apply Now’ given on the homepage.
Click on the ‘Sign in to the UC application’ link to proceed.
Click on ‘Create an account’ in the next step.
Fill in all the details to register as a new applicant.
Login credentials will be sent via the registered email address of the applicant.
Use the credentials to log into the portal and fill out the application.
Upload all the required documents (scanned and PDF).
Pay the application fee and submit the form.
Note: Upload both the back and front sides of the transcript document even if the back side is blank.
Application Fee
International applicants must pay an application fee of $155.
Documents required for the UG Programme
Senior Secondary School (class 12th) Certificate.
Official Academic Transcripts of the secondary and any post-secondary education (all the institutions attended after class 12th), if any.
Statement of purpose stating the reason for choosing to study at UCSD.
Proof of English proficiency as per the university/programme requirements.
Any other document required by the selected degree programme.
Documents required for the Graduate Programme
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a university or institution recognised by the University of California.
Official transcripts of the University.
GMAT or GRE Scorecard, if required by the chosen degree programme.
Statement of purpose stating the purpose of choosing to study at UCSD.
Proof of English proficiency as per the university/programme requirements.
Any other document required by the selected degree programme.
Note 1: Uploaded transcripts should be recent and must include the name of the applicant, the institution name, dates of attendance, grades/marks received, credits, and grading legend.
Note 2: International applicants are required to complete and submit a WES Course-by-Course ICAP evaluation for each degree earned. Applicants can create their account at wes.org.
University of California Scholarship
The University of California offers a limited number of scholarships for international students. They are eligible for very few scholarships and are generally ineligible for student loans. Most of the scholarships are offered as fellowship programmes for Graduate students on the basis of academic excellence. Some of these scholarships are mentioned below. International students can also apply for several other scholarships in the U.S.
The students enrolled in the undergraduate programme of the University can avail of various external scholarships such as Pharmica International Scholarship, Ruffhouse Scholarship, The Pheonix Capital Group Scholarships, and others. The information regarding these scholarships along with the eligibility and application process is available on the university website (ucsd.edu.) under the Admissions and Aid section.
Graduate Fellowship Programmes at the California University
Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholarships
Fulbright
Environmental Research and Education Foundation
International Dissertation Field Research Fellowships (IDRF)
University of California Eligibility
The eligibility requirements for admission to the University of California may vary depending on the various academic programmes. The applicants can check their eligibility under the list of academic programmes. The minimum eligibility requirements are as follows.
A minimum GPA of 3.4 or better is required for first-year UG applicants.
A minimum score or grade that is equivalent to grade B in the United States is required.
A minimum of GMAT or GRE scores may vary according to the degree programmes.
Must meet the English proficiency requirements.
Note: Some programmes require additional tests, the applicants must check the concerned department to determine which tests are required
GRE Code: 4836
English Language Proficiency Requirements
International applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate their proficiency in the English language through proficiency tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, etc. The applicants may get an exemption from this requirement if they have earned a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree with grades of B (GPA 3.0) or better from the college or university whose primary language of instruction is English.
English Proficiency Tests Scores accepted at the University of California
Tests | Overall Scores |
TOEFL iBT | 83 (UG) 85 (Graduate) |
7 (UG and Graduate) | |
115 (UG) | |
65 (Graduate) |
TOEFL code: 4836
Note: The English proficiency scores are general. Programme-specific minimum scores may vary.
University of California Campus Facilities
Boys Hostel
UC San Diego also offers residential facilities for the students of the university. Students interested in availing the facility need to apply on the Housing Application portal of the university. Students will get housing facilities based on the acceptance of their application forms and availability of rooms. All the students must fill in the application forms for housing before the deadline. All the rooms offered to students are provided with basic furniture and required amenities.
Girls Hostel
UC San Diego also offers residential facilities for the students of the university. Students interested in availing the facility need to apply on the Housing Application portal of the university. Students will get housing facilities based on the acceptance of their application forms and availability of rooms. All the students must fill in the application forms for housing before the deadline. All the rooms offered to students are provided with basic furniture and required amenities.
Library
UC San Diego has a number of libraries specialising in different subjects and areas. All the libraries are equipped with a huge collection of books, databases, e-journals, articles, and digital collections. The libraries also have computer services in case of searching any informative resources for students. Other services of printing and scanning are also available inside the library.
Classrooms
Wifi
Laboratories
Alumni Associations
Swimming Pool
Gym
Sports
Parking Facility
Auditorium
Cafeteria
Medical/Hospital
I.T Infrastructure
University of California International Office Details
The University of California is the 7th leading institution in the U.S. and is highly sought after by students from across the globe for its remarkable reputation in the fields of academics and research and several benefits of studying in the U.S.
As per the International Students & Programs Office (ISPO) Impact Report of 2021-2022, there are 8,966 total international students studying at UC San Diego making up approximately 21% of the total campus population.
Is it hard to get into the university as an international student?
The admission criteria of UCSD are highly selective with an acceptance rate of about 34%. International students can contact the University of California at the given details.
International Student Services Staff
Mailing Address: University of California San Diego, Division of Extended Studies International Student Services, 9600 North Torrey Pines Road, Bldg. E, La Jolla, CA 92037-1100, USA
Email: ipinfo@ucsd.edu
Telephone: +1 (858) 534-6784
Fax: +1 (858) 534-5703
University of California Gallery
Gallery
FAQ's
A minimum GPA of 3.4 is required for international applicants for admission to the first-year UG programme. The requirements may vary as per the courses.
The acceptance rate of the University is approx. 34% which shows that the institution is highly selective. Successful applicants must exceed the minimum UC admission criteria in order to get admission to the university.
As per the U.S. News and World Report, the University of California San Diego is quite expensive for students coming from out of state. It is much higher than the national average cost of out-of-state tuition of $27,320.
University of California San Diego is ranked 20th place in Best Global Universities in the US News and World Report Rankings, 2024.
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