But there is a catch: certain programs require additional materials in addition to the standard UC application. These supplemental materials can make or break your admission to competitive majors in the arts, business, and specialized dual-degree programs.

Every year, qualified students miss out on admission because they didn't know about supplemental requirements until it was too late. They submitted their UC application, thought they were done, and never realized their major or program required a portfolio, audition, or additional essays with deadlines just weeks away. Here is everything you need to know so that this does not happen to you this year.

Before we dive into supplements, let's review what every UC applicant needs to complete.

The UC Application includes:

• Your academic history and grades from 9th-12th grade. The UCs re-calculate their own GPA using only 10th and 11th grade courses. Use our A-G GPA Calculator to see what your UC GPA will be.

• Activities and awards, up to 20 entries

• Four Personal Insight Questions (PIQs): you choose 4 out of 8 prompts, each with a 350-word limit (Struggling with these? Check out our PIQ At-Home Workshop for expert strategies)

• Self-reported test scores: UC admissions is test-blind for SAT/ACT, but you can report AP exam scores, and international students may need to submit English proficiency test scores.

Deadline
The UC application opened on August 1st and is due December 1st, 2025, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. This is a hard deadline with no extensions. The UC application portal is notorious for slowing down, glitching, or even crashing during the final days before the deadline due to the huge number of students trying to submit at once. We strongly recommend submitting your application a few days early.

Eligibility
You must meet UC's A-G course requirements to be eligible for admission. These are 15 specific high school courses that all UC applicants must complete. (Not sure if you are on track? Read our complete guide to A-G Subject Requirements and use our A-G GPA Calculator to verify your eligibility.)

Now, let's talk about what comes after you submit that application for certain majors and programs.

Generally, a supplemental application is any extra material required beyond your regular UC application. What you will need depends entirely on your chosen campus and major, but these supplements typically fall into a few categories. This is your chance to demonstrate specialized talent or commitment that can't be captured in grades and essays alone.

Portfolio
Portfolios are curated collections of your creative work: think 10-20 pieces of your best artwork, design projects, or visual media. Art and design programs use these to assess your technical skills, artistic vision, and creative range. You'll typically submit digital files through a dedicated portal.

Auditions
Auditions showcase your performance abilities in music, dance, or theater. These can be live (in-person at the campus) or recorded video submissions. For music auditions, you might perform two contrasting pieces; for dance, you would typically demonstrate technique across multiple styles. Faculty is evaluating your skill level, artistry, and potential for growth.

Essays and Videos
Supplemental essays and videos are common for competitive business and dual-degree programs. These short-answer questions or video responses let admissions officers understand your specific interest in the program, your goals, and why you're a strong fit. Berkeley's Haas and M.E.T. programs are prime examples.

Letters of Recommendation
Letters of rec provide an outside perspective on your abilities and character. In the UC system, only UC Berkeley requests these, and only by invitation for specific applicants; they are not universally required.

Questionnaires
Supplemental questionnaires are occasional, invitation-only forms sent to clarify information in your application or request grade updates. Berkeley, Davis, UCLA, and UC San Diego use supplemental questionnaires as part of augmented review will email you if they need one.

Good news: most UC applicants only need to complete the standard UC Application. Supplemental applications mainly affect students pursuing:

• • • Arts programs (visual arts, music, dance, theater, design)

    • Berkeley's Haas School of Business

    • Nursing programs (like UCLA Nursing)

    • Special dual-degree or combined programs (Berkeley's Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology or Global Management Program)

If you fall into one of these categories, mark your calendar: supplemental deadlines often come as early as mid-December.

Only a handful of University of California programs require extra materials beyond the regular UC Application.

UC Berkeley asks for supplemental essays and a video for its selective business and dual-degree programs: Business Administration (Haas School of Business), Global Management Program (GMP), and Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology (M.E.T.). 

UC Davis has no admission-stage supplements: students applying for Landscape Architecture complete a separate major application only after enrolling.

UC Irvine requires portfolios or auditions for Art, Dance, and Music, with an optional audition for Drama. 

UCLA applicants must complete school-specific supplemental applications if they select majors in the School of the Arts and Architecture, the Herb Alpert School of Music, the School of Theater, Film and Television, or the School of Nursing. 

UC Merced has a supplemental process for its medical pathway, the San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education Plus (SJV PRIME+). 

UC Riverside requires transfer students applying to Art (B.A./B.F.A.) to submit a portfolio. 

UC Santa Barbara mandates supplements for the College of Creative Studies and auditions for their Dance B.A. and Music B.M. programs. 

UC Santa Cruz expects transfer applicants to the Art B.A. to provide a portfolio. 

UC San Diego offers optional submissions for creative majors such as Visual Arts, Theatre & Dance, and Music, where applicants may upload portfolios or audition videos to strengthen their application.

Berkeley’s Haas School of Business is a good example of how UC supplemental applications work. If you are applying to Berkeley’s Business Administration major, you must complete a separate Haas supplemental application in addition to the UC application. Submitting the UC application alone does not place you into consideration for Haas!

What the Haas Supplemental Includes
Haas evaluates applicants through the lens of its four Defining Leadership Principles: Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always, and Beyond Yourself. These principles are not slogans. They are the framework admissions officers use to assess your essay, video responses, and activities. Strong applications demonstrate these qualities through concrete experiences rather than simply naming them. For first-year applicants, the supplemental application typically includes the following components.

Written Essay
A short essay explaining why you want to study business at Haas specifically, how your experiences have shaped your goals, and how you align with Haas’s Defining Leadership Principles. This essay serves a different purpose than the UC Personal Insight Questions, and you should not reuse them.

Video Essay
Applicants respond to short, interview-style prompts on camera through the Haas portal. Before recording, you must verify your identity by showing a valid photo ID such as a passport, driver’s license, or school ID. The name on the ID must match the name on your application. The prompts vary slightly from year to year but commonly ask you to reflect on your interest in business and Haas, a leadership or teamwork experience, or how your values would contribute to the Haas community. This is not meant to be a scripted or highly produced video. Admissions officers are looking for clear and thoughtful responses.

Activities or Resume Expansion
The supplemental also allows you to expand on leadership roles, impact, or recent activities that may not be fully captured in the UC application’s activities list. Although the resume section may be listed as optional, we strongly recommend completing it. In college admissions, “optional” almost never means unnecessary. This section gives you space to clarify leadership, impact, and growth that may not be fully visible in the UC application, and leaving it blank is a missed opportunity.

Timing
The Haas supplemental deadline typically falls after the December 1 UC application deadline, often in January. Each year, qualified students miss out simply because they assume Berkeley will automatically review them for Haas once the UC application is submitted. Missing the Haas supplemental does not weaken your application. It removes you from consideration for the business major entirely.

Checklist
If Haas is on your list, make sure you do all of the following.

✅  Select Business Administration (Haas) correctly on the UC application

✅  Monitor your email and Berkeley portal after submitting the UC application

✅  Complete the Haas written essay

✅  Prepare for the video essay and have a matching photo ID ready

✅  Submit all Haas materials by the supplemental deadline, typically in January

Skipping any required component results in automatic disqualification from Haas, regardless of grades or achievements. 

Even if your major does not require a separate supplemental application, some UC applicants may be invited to participate in Augmented Review after submitting their UC application. This process is completely separate from program-specific supplementals. Instead, it is used when an initial application does not provide a complete picture of an applicant’s qualifications. 

In practice, campuses such as UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, and UC Davis use augmented review for a limited group of applicants, capped at 15% of the pool. It is typically reserved for students close to the admission line who show strong promise or whose circumstances warrant additional context.

What Triggers Augmented Review
According to UC admissions guidance, requests may be triggered by factors such as:

☐  Unusual grade patterns or sharp fluctuations

☐  Discrepancies between coursework, grades, and exam results

☐  Gaps or irregularities in academic history

☐  Significant personal, family, health, or financial challenges

☐  Participation in educational preparation programs

☐  Exceptional achievements or talents that require explanation

What It Includes
Applicants selected for augmented review are invited to submit one or more of the following supplemental items. We recommend to provide as much information and context as possible to strenghten your profile.

✅  A written questionnaire with paragraph-length responses that allow the applicant to elaborate on special talents, accomplishments, extraordinary circumstances, or school and home environment

✅  Senior year fall semester grades or the most recent available academic update

✅  Up to two letters of recommendation, or other third-party input from individuals such as teachers, counselors, coaches, or program coordinators

Letters of recommendation are permitted only for applicants selected for augmented review, applicants considered for admission by exception, or applicants undergoing special review. Unsolicited letters are not accepted or considered. 

What the Request Looks Like
If you are selected for augmented review, the campus will email you directly with a request for additional information. These requests are usually sent between December and February and often come with short deadlines. Watch your email box like a hawk!

The questions are intentionally broad and are meant to clarify something already in your UC application, such as a major accomplishment, special talent, academic trend, educational preparation program, or personal circumstance. Before responding, review your original application to understand what may have prompted the request. In your response, focus on adding context rather than introducing new claims. When writing, explain achievements, describe challenges, and clearly connect programs or experiences to your academic preparation. 

What It Means for Your Application
Receiving an augmented review request is not a negative signal. It typically means the admissions office wants more information rather than making a decision with incomplete context. However, because the campus specifically requested this material, missing the deadline can harm your chances. It is an opportunity to strengthen your application at a critical point in the UC admissions process.

1. Check your major requirements before submitting the UC application. Don't assume you are done once you submitted. Visit your campus' admissions website and look up your specific major.

2. Watch your inbox like a hawk between December and January. Supplemental portals, questionnaires, and invitation links arrive by email. Check spam folders too.

3. Mark supplemental deadlines on your calendar, they come fast. Some deadlines fall in mid-December, just weeks after the December 1st UC Application deadline.

4. Understand your backup options. Programs like Berkeley M.E.T. and GMP will consider you for alternate majors if you are not admitted to the selective program. Others won't. Know your safety net.

5. Don't skip required supplements. Even perfect grades won't save you. Missing a required supplement means automatic rejection from that specific major.

For most UC applicants, the four Personal Insight Questions are all essays you will write. But if you pursue creative fields, competitive business programs, or specialized dual-degree paths, you will need to put in extra work and plan ahead. 

The good news? These supplements give you a chance to showcase talents and passions. These additional applications are your opportunity to shine. Before you hit submit on your UC Application, take five minutes to verify whether your major requires anything extra. Future you will thank you.

And, if you are selected for Augmented Review process, you have a unique opportunity to strengthen your application before final admissions decisions are made. Don't miss it.

Navigating the UC system doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We offer expert tools and guidance to help you put your best foot forward:

PIQ At-Home Workshop
Learn how to write compelling Personal Insight Questions that stand out to admissions officers. You will get practical strategies and templates for all eight PIQ prompts to craft authentic, memorable responses that showcase who you are.

A-G GPA Calculator
Not sure if you have completed all the required A-G courses? Wondering about your UC GPA? Use our interactive calculator to verify your eligibility, compute your 10th–11th grade UC GPA, and spot any gaps before you submit your application.

Need last-minute help?
You don’t have to figure it out alone. Reach out for one-on-one UC application support, essay guidance, and last minute application review (including Augmented Review).