UCSB Acceptance Rate – How Competitive Is It for In-State vs. Out-of-State Applicants?

Do you want to study at the most prestigious public sector institute that ensures academic excellence and helps you succeed in your professional life? The University of California, Santa Barbara, can be your next educational destination to grow personally and professionally. However, the UCSB acceptance rate is low for in-state and out-of-state students.

Getting admission to this marvelous institute is like running miles without comfortable shoes, especially from another state. Recent data from the University of California, Santa Barbara, shows only 32.9% of students are able to secure an educational seat for themselves. It highlights the level of competitiveness a student will have to go through during the application process.

This application process involves multiple steps, from showing your extracurricular achievements to explaining why you are interested in this institute via essays. In this guide, we will comprehensively discuss the acceptance rate for in-state and out-of-state students who want to study at UCSB.

UCSB Acceptance Rate for In-State vs. Out-of-State Students

Let’s be honest! As students, we all want to study at public sector universities that focus on blending theoretical knowledge with practical skills. UCSB is among those institutes that ensure both and pave the way for students’ success. It has dedicated departments and staff who help you every step of the way.

However, getting admission to the University of California, Santa Barbara, requires a neck-breaking effort. You have to prepare your application months, and sometimes years, before the admission opening. Preparing your application will become even more challenging when you don’t know how to curate essays. Please remember that the success of your application to this institute is heavily dependent on the essays you have to write according to specific guidelines.

If you have no idea about it, you can avail of London-based admission essay writing services. These platforms take the time to understand your story and craft compelling, detail-rich essays that boost your chances of success, just as they’ve done for countless other students.

Here, we will explain all the nitty-gritty of the UCSB acceptance rate in 2025 and why there is a discrepancy between in-state and out-of-state application outcomes.

1. In-state vs UCSB Out-of-state Acceptance Rate

While there are no official stats available from the University of California, Santa Barbara, it is believed that in-state students get a preference over out-of-state students. There is no major difference between the application outcomes for both student types. According to College Transitions, the acceptance rate for in-state students is 28%, and it is 27% for out-of-state students. However, the university doesn’t provide us with such stats.

There is a common notion that the University of California, Santa Barbara, is funded by the taxpayers of California. Therefore, the educational institute must serve residents first. Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that out-of-state students can’t get chances to study at this prestigious institute. The institute believes that the enrollment of out-of-state students brings revenue to the university, so they can also get a chance to study here.

Here are a few tips for you if you are an out-of-state student who wants to choose this university for further education:

• Focus on Essays: Essays are the most important part of the application process. Every school or department requires you to write about yourself and your previous educational and professional background. You will need to focus on curating flawless and easy-to-read essays that will impress the admission committee.
• Ensure High Academic Grades: The University of California, Santa Barbara, values academic grades more than any other institution. If you are planning to join this institute in the coming years, you will need to focus on your grades from now on.
• Contribute to the Society: You will also have to show your leadership qualities to the university. That will only be possible if you are contributing to the society by actively taking part in various activities, such as attending workshops and helping your neighbours and fellow students.

2. UCSB Acceptance Rate for Transfer

No worries if you did not get a chance to study at the University of California, Santa Barbara. You can still apply here and secure a seat for yourself, especially if you are from California. The university allows students to transfer their classes and subjects if they fulfill certain criteria set by the committee.  There is also good news for you. The acceptance rate for transfers is higher than the admission rate.

According to College Vine, the success rate for students who are transferring their courses is 60%, almost double the admission application outcomes for in-state and out-of-state students. Your chances of a successful academic transfer will increase significantly if you are studying at a California community college. This university has a special quota for such students who want to transfer and enhance their academic excellence. However, a student must meet the guidelines of UCSB and then submit their application for transfer to ensure success.

Here are a few tricks for you if you are thinking about transferring your course:

• Complete IGETC: Do you know about the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum? IGETC is a set of courses essential for students who want to transfer their courses to the University of California, Santa Barbara. The California community colleges allow and help students to complete them easily. Please remember that the acceptance rate for UCSB is heavily dependent on these courses. Therefore, give your best and perform exceptionally to ensure a successful transfer.
• Maintain GPA: If you are a resident of California, you will have to maintain a 2.4 GPA. On the other hand, out-of-state students must have a GPA of 2.8 if they want to transfer their courses. These are only a few requirements, and exceptional candidates always exceed them for a smooth and hassle-free transfer.

3. UCSB Acceptance Rate by Major

As you know, there are multiple schools at every university. The guidelines and admission criteria always vary for each department, and you have to customise your application accordingly. For instance, if you are applying for the CS school, you must have higher academic grades and well-researched essays. 

There are also some famous schools at the University of California, Santa Barbara, that are highly competitive and getting admission to these schools can be difficult even if your application has minor flaws.

These are some famous schools of this educational institute, along with their acceptance rate by major:

• UCSB CS Acceptance Rate: Securing admission to the Computer Science department at any university is always an uphill task for students. That becomes even more difficult when you apply to UCSB. According to the University of California, Santa Barbara, the acceptance rate in the CS department for the last ten years has been between 2% and 4%.
• UCSB Engineering Acceptance Rate: The acceptance for the engineering school at UCSB isn’t also very high. Most in-state and out-of-state students don’t succeed in getting admission to this top-notch school. The Indigo Research states that only 9% of students get a chance to study here, showing the level of competitiveness in this department.
• Economics Acceptance Rate: Studying in the Economics department is also challenging for students. However, this school is not as competitive as other departments, such as engineering and computer science. That doesn’t mean a student will get admission easily or without strict scrutiny.

Make sure to follow the guidelines of various schools, whether you are writing an essay or showing your extracurricular achievements. It will help you secure a seat and get a chance to study at one of the most well-reputed institutes in the USA.

4. UCSB Appeal Acceptance Rate

Most students are not ready to face the reality of rejection. They believe that their application was up to the mark, and the institute made an unjustifiable decision regarding their applications. They hurriedly started applying appeals against the decision of the admission committee. 

Most of the students fail in their appeals because they are unable to propose any new information to satisfy the review committee. Please remember that UCSB is a very competitive institution, and if your application is rejected, there is no need to panic.

Filing an appeal will only go in your favour if you believe the initial application was missing some important information. Other than that, appealing just for the sake of appeal will, for sure, lead to a rejection again. Plus, you need to follow a very careful approach when filing an appeal against the decision of the admission officers.

Here are tips for you if you want to submit an appeal to UCSB:

• Find Out Missing Information: You will have to find out the information that was missing, whether in your CV or essays. Without appropriate and impressive information, it will be challenging for you to impress the review committee.
• Follow the Guidelines: The University of California, Santa Barbara, has a dedicated portal to file an appeal. Furthermore, they also designed a webpage where you can read all the necessary guidelines that a student must follow against the admission decision.

What Is UCSB’s Acceptance Rate?

The University of California, Santa Barbara, has five schools, offering more than two hundred courses. The acceptance rate for every school and program varies. For instance, the acceptance rate for the computer science department has been around 3% for the last ten years. Similarly, the acceptance rate for engineering is 9%. 

However, the overall acceptance rate for in-state and out-of-state applicants remains below 30%. Usually, in-state students have a higher acceptance rate due to multiple factors, such as the university’s preference to serve locals on a priority basis.

What Majors is UCSB Known for?

UCSB is a well-known institute worldwide due to its well-reputed and research-driven schools. These are some majors the University of California, Santa Barbara, is famous for:

• Engineering and Computer Science: UCSB has global recognition for its engineering and computer science departments, especially when you are studying material sciences and computer engineering.
• Environmental Sciences: As you are well aware of the coastal location of UCSB, the university specialises in marine biology and environmental studies. A student can shine on their academic journey by being admitted to these departments.
• Physics: Notable laureates have called the University of California, Santa Barbara, their home. The students who graduate from this school work in international labs, contributing to the world.

How Prestigious Is UCSB?

UCSB has a respected position among the top public universities. According to the US News, it’s ranked 39th in the list of national public universities in the USA. Plus, professionals and students get millions of dollars yearly to conduct their studies to contribute to the world. 

It includes several Nobel Prize winners and internationally renowned scholars. The University of California, Santa Barbara, isn’t as famous as MIT or Harvard; however, its prestige is undeniable among academic professionals and students.

What Is the Easiest Major at UCSB?

This is a subjective and tricky question because its answer is based on your skills and interests. If you are good at math or science, computer engineering or physics may seem easy to you. 

On the other hand, if you are interested in understanding human behaviour, the humanities and social sciences can be a cup of tea for you. The simplicity of a subject will always vary according to your interest and previous education. Therefore, choose a program or degree that is in line with your skills and interests.

Last Words

It’s not bad if you dream of studying at the University of California, Santa Barbara. However, you have to cover a long way to get there, from showing your extracurricular activities to earning good academic grades. Without submitting detailed and impressive essays during the application process, it will be difficult for you to get a chance to study there.

If you’re uncertain about crafting a compelling essay for UCSB, buy admission essays online from trusted professionals. Expertly written and tailored to highlight your strengths, these essays can significantly enhance your application and improve your chances of getting accepted.

Author Bio

Ion Morgan is a professional essay writer who has been curating essays that are well-structured and full of arguments. Paying close attention to every section, Ion ensures to back every claim or argument with solid and scientific evidence in an essay.