The 251,907 total is a modest increase over last year's 249,824. First-year applications across the system were essentially flat, while transfer applications grew meaningfully, with California Community College students driving most of that increase. California resident applications held steady, which is consistent with the UC's core mission of serving students from the state.

But averages can be misleading. The real story is in the campus-by-campus breakdown below, ranked by the size of the increase. Some of these numbers should genuinely change how students think about their college lists.

UC Applications 2026 by Campus

UC Santa Cruz  |  +18.7%
Total: 92,333  (+14,560 from last year)  |  First-year: 78,832  |  Transfer: 13,501

This is the number that should get the most attention. Santa Cruz added more than 14,500 applications in a single year, a nearly 19 percent increase that is unlike anything else in the system this cycle. First-year applications alone jumped by more than 12,000. For students who have been treating Santa Cruz as a comfortable option on their list, that assumption deserves a hard look. A campus this size does not have the infrastructure to simply absorb 19 percent more applicants and admit them all. Admit rates will fall. Students relying on last year's figures to gauge their chances are working with outdated information. UCSC decisions are typically released in March.

UC Berkeley  |  +6.2%
Total: 159,344  (+9,235 from last year)  |  First-year: 133,128  |  Transfer: 26,216

Berkeley had a remarkable 2025. Two faculty members received Nobel Prizes, and the campus was ranked the number one public university in the country by US News, the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, and Forbes simultaneously. That kind of recognition has a direct and measurable effect on application volume. First-year applications rose about 5 percent, but the transfer side jumped 12 percent to a record high, which is the figure worth watching. More than 26,000 transfer applications for a fixed number of transfer seats means that pathway is tightening fast. Berkeley traditionally releases decisions on Ivy Day alongside Ivy League institutions (March 26, 2026).

UC Merced  |  +6.1%
Total: 54,900  (+3,155 from last year)  |  First-year: 48,499  |  Transfer: 6,401

Merced's growth story has been building for two years now. Last year the campus recorded a staggering 44.9 percent increase in applications, jumping from 35,714 to 51,745 in a single cycle. This year it added another 6.1 percent. Two consecutive years of strong growth suggest this is a genuine shift in how students perceive the campus, not a one-time anomaly. Its recent R1 research designation has added real credibility to its profile, and transfer applications alone grew by more than 2,700 this year. Merced also moved faster than anyone else in the system this cycle: decisions were already sent out in December 2025, months ahead of every other UC campus. It remains one of the most accessible entry points into the UC system, and increasingly, students are choosing it as a genuine first option.

UC Riverside  |  +5.0%
Total: 87,048  (+4,144 from last year)  |  First-year: 72,295  |  Transfer: 14,753

Riverside grew steadily across both pipelines. Its role in the community college transfer pathway remains important, and it continues to be a destination for students coming through the UC's statewide admission guarantee. As the gap between Riverside and the more selective campuses continues to narrow, students should factor that into their list-building. Decisions are typically released in March.

UC San Diego  |  +4.9%
Total: 168,066  (+7,916 from last year)  |  First-year: 141,752  |  Transfer: 26,314

UCSD added nearly 8,000 applications and is the second most applied-to campus after UCLA. This tells you something about where it stands in students' minds. The campus has been on a sustained upward trajectory for years, driven largely by its reputation in STEM fields. Engineering, computer science, and the biological sciences continue to attract serious applicants from across the country and internationally. Decisions are typically released in March.

UCLA  |  +2.3%
Total: 177,317  (+4,020 from last year)  |  First-year: 146,672  |  Transfer: 30,645

UCLA remains the most applied-to campus in the UC system and one of the most applied-to universities in the world. A 2.3 percent increase sounds modest, but at this scale it still means thousands of additional applicants competing for the same seats. UCLA's position at the top of the demand chart is unchanged, and it remains a reach school for the overwhelming majority of students who apply. Decisions are expected in March.

UC Irvine  |  +2.3%
Total: 153,025  (+3,375 from last year)  |  First-year: 125,987  |  Transfer: 27,038

Irvine continues its steady climb and now receives more than 153,000 applications. What stands out is the transfer volume: more than 27,000 transfer applications make Irvine one of the busiest transfer destinations in the entire system. Its reputation in the sciences, business, and computer science draws consistent demand, and impacted majors in those areas remain competitive. Decisions are typically released in mid to late March.

UC Davis  |  +1.8%
Total: 122,271  (+2,140 from last year)  |  First-year: 104,850  |  Transfer: 17,421

Davis set a record for the third consecutive year, with a record high of 70,354 California resident first-year applicants. The campus plans to enroll approximately 9,100 new students combined across first-year and transfer, a figure that has not grown at the same pace as applications. Even a 1.8 percent increase matters when seats are fixed. Davis remains a well-regarded campus with particular strengths in agriculture, biological sciences, and veterinary medicine. First-year decisions are expected in the first half of March, with transfer decisions following in late March.

UC Santa Barbara  |  -1.3%
Total: 127,369  (-1,614 from last year)  |  First-year: 108,503  |  Transfer: 18,866

Santa Barbara was the only campus in the system to see fewer applications than last year. The decline is small and almost certainly reflects shifting student behavior rather than any change in the campus's desirability. UCSB remains highly competitive with strong programs in the sciences, engineering, and the arts. If anything, students who have been hesitant about including it on their list may find this a reasonable moment to take a closer look. Decisions are typically released in March

Last year, international applications were one of the defining headlines. International students made up about 16% of the overall first-year applicant pool. At Berkeley, Davis, and San Diego, international applicants accounted for roughly 18 to 20 percent of first-year applications. 

This cycle, that acceleration has leveled off. International first-year applications are essentially flat compared to last year. Nevertheless, at UCLA, Berkeley, San Diego, Irvine, and Davis, international applicants still represent a substantial share of the first-year pool, with roughly one in six applications coming from outside the United States. 

At Merced and Riverside, the picture looks very different. International applications make up a much smaller portion of the pool, and more than 85 percent of first-year applicants are California residents. The competitive environment at those campuses is shaped far more by in-state demand than by global volume.

For international students planning to apply next year, this difference matters. If you are applying to campuses that already attract very large international pools, you are facing intense global competition. If you are open to campuses that receive fewer international applications, you may find a comparatively less crowded international applicant space.

If you are a junior reading this and planning to apply this fall, the most important thing to understand is that application volume does not reset from one year to the next. When a campus absorbs a 19 percent increase in applications in a single cycle, as Santa Cruz did, that higher number becomes the new baseline. If enrollment holds steady and the student experience remains strong, that demand rarely disappears the following year. It either stabilizes at that higher level or continues to inch upward. In practical terms, the competitive environment for Fall 2027 applicants is unlikely to soften. Even if application growth slows, it is improbable that it reverses completely. 

At this point in the year, your 11th grade course schedule is set and first semester grades are already on your transcript. What you can control now is consistency. Strong second-semester performance matters because it is the most recent academic evidence you will submit. Finish junior year as strongly as possible.

Beyond academics, junior year is the time to deepen your extracurriculars rather than diversify. Colleges are not looking for new activities in junior and senior year. They are looking for continuity, leadership, and impact. Take the roles you already hold and expand them. Lead a project. Mentor younger students. Build something tangible. Depth carries more weight than adding another club to the list.

Finally, rethink your list assumptions early. A campus that felt like a comfortable target two years ago may no longer be. Rising application volume means you should build a balanced UC list with at least one campus where your academic profile clearly exceeds the median, not just matches it.

Record applications across a system that cannot simply add seats means one thing: this admissions cycle is more competitive than any before it, and it affects everyone, from students waiting on decisions in March to juniors building their list for next fall.

Lower Acceptance Rates Predicted

Acceptance rates at most campuses will likely be lower this year than last year. UC campuses cannot simply decide to admit more students. When applications go up and seats stay the same, admit rates go down. Simple math. If you have been using last year's acceptance rates to gauge your chances, treat those numbers as a ceiling, not a baseline.

Build Your List with Current Data

The categories of likely, target, and reach need to be updated. A campus that felt like a solid target last year may be a reach this year. UC Santa Cruz is the most dramatic example, but the pattern runs across the system. Building a balanced list means being honest about where you actually stand relative to each campus's current admitted student profile, not where you stood relative to last year's numbers. If you are planning for next cycle, now is the time to reassess.

Brace Yourself, But Know Your Options

If you are currently waiting on decisions, understand that this is the most competitive UC admissions cycle on record. A rejection this year is not a reflection of your potential. It is a reflection of a system under pressure. If direct admission does not go the way you hoped, the transfer path is real and it is growing. Transfer applications across the UC system increased this cycle, and campuses like Berkeley, Irvine, and UCLA each received between 26,000 and 30,000 transfer applications alone. Thousands of students are successfully using that route every year. Starting at a California Community College and transferring into a UC is a smart and affordable path to the same degree. And beyond the UC system, there are outstanding colleges that will give you an exceptional education. College is what you make of it. The name on the diploma matters far less than what you do while you are there.

On a personal note
As an application reader for UC San Diego, I have seen firsthand the care and thoughtfulness that goes into reviewing each application. I am proud to have contributed a small part to shaping the incoming class, and I have nothing but respect for the students who put themselves out there every year. Go Tritons.

Data sources
All numbers are based on official data released by the University of California Office of the President (February 2026)