Radical Excellence

Panoramic ocean views and enchanting redwood forests make UC Santa Cruz one of the most beautiful college campuses in the United States, but UCSC is so much more than just a pretty place. In 2023, Princeton Review named UCSC the #2 public university in the nation for students “making an impact” on the world. The impact and quality of our campus’s research and education also earned UCSC an invitation to shape higher education as one of just 71 members in the prestigious Association of American UniversitiesThe accolades and awards bestowed on UC Santa Cruz are true testaments to the success of our hard-working students and insatiably curious faculty leaders and researchers.

Reputation & Rankings

As a selective campus, UC Santa Cruz attracts passionate student and faculty entrepreneurs, artists, researchers, inventors, and organizers. The reputation of our campus stands on our community.

sammy the slug mascot

Recent Awards

In 2024, UC Santa Cruz won the Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization, in recognition of our outstanding and diverse programs for international students and scholars.

In addition, we are proud to be the recipient of the Seal of Excelencia from the organization Excelencia in Education, affirming our leading place among Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). To earn this award, colleges had to demonstrate effectiveness in educating Latinx students, and they had to show that they are environments where Latinx students grow and thrive.

Economics

Honors Programs

UC Santa Cruz offers a variety of honors and enrichment programs, including:

  • Our College Scholars Program
  • Departmental and division honors and intensive programs
  • Residential college honors
  • Field studies and internships
  • International, national, statewide, and UC-wide honor societies and intensive programs of study
Honors and Awards

UC Santa Cruz Statistics

Frequently requested statistics are all here. Enrollment, gender distribution, average GPAs of admitted students, admission rates for frosh and transfers, and more!

students at cornucopia