UC Sees Increase in Applications From Transfer, Historically Excluded Students

Updated on March 8, 2024

Edited by

The University of California system received a quarter of a million applications for fall 2024, a 1.5% increase from last year’s admissions cycle.

Entrance sign to the University of California campus in Berkeley, California.

Credit: Image Credit: Margaret Attridge

The University of California released data about fall 2024 applications.
UC saw an increase in fall 2024 applications, driven by increased interest from transfer students, California residents, and historically excluded groups.
UC received a quarter of a million applications for fall 2024, a 1.5% increase from the previous admissions cycle.

The University of California (UC) system saw a rise in applications for fall 2024, propelled by a growth in applications from transfer students, California residents, and students from historically excluded groups, according to data released by the university.

UC received 250,436 applications for fall 2024, a 1.5% increase from the fall 2023 admissions cycle. The total number of applications for fall 2024 includes 206,893 first-year admission applications and 43,543 applications for transfer admission.

The UC campuses in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Irvine received the most California first-year applications. Those campuses, and Berkeley, also lead the system in out-of-state first-year and international applications, along with California Community College transfers.

We are pleased to see such an outstanding pool of students from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences apply to the University of California, Michael Drake, president of the University of California, said in a press release.

Prospective students and their families recognize that a degree from the University of California sets them up for lifelong career success. The increase in applications underscores the quality of the educational experience and the long-term social mobility a UC education can provide underrepresented students.

Applications from Hispanic and Latino/a students increased by 2.2%, making up 39% of all in-state, first-year student applications. Hispanic and Latino/a students comprise the largest race/ethnicity to apply to UC, compared to 30% Asian American students and 20% white students.

Additionally, applications from African American students grew by 6.3%, and American Indian applications rose by 1.7%. However, applications from Pacific Islander students decreased by 5%.

One of the biggest wins was an increase in transfer applications, which fell last year, mirroring the decline in enrollment at community colleges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transfer applications grew 9% compared to last year’s enrollment cycle.

Additionally, students applying for transfer from California Community Colleges increased by 8%, from 30,088 last year to 32,483 this year.

According to UC, the systemwide number of applications is unduplicated. This means that even if students apply to multiple campuses, the system will still count them once.

UC’s undergraduate application was open from Aug. 1-Dec. 1, 2023. Seven of the 10 campuses in the system extended the application deadline to Jan. 15, primarily for transfer students.