California residents
We have two paths to UC that recognize and reward the academic accomplishment of the state's best students.
Applicants who qualify for admission by one of the following paths and are not admitted to a campus they apply to will be offered admission at another campus if space is available.
Statewide path
Students must rank in the top 9 percent of California students, according to our admissions index.
Local path (ELC)
Students must rank in the top 9 percent of their own high school graduating class.
Who is a California resident?
A student is considered a resident for admissions purposes if he or she can answer yes to any of the following questions:
- If you're under 18, does at least one of your parents live in California?
- Have you lived in California for the last 12 months?
- Have you attended high school in California for at least two years?
- Does your parent work for UC or an affiliated lab?