Out-of-state students

In addition to our commitment to California students, we believe that out-of-state students bring a diversity of backgrounds that add an important dimension to the educational experience and campus community.

Admission requirements

UC sets slightly different criteria for applicants who are not California residents. If you’re an out-of-state applicant, you must meet the same admission requirements as a California-resident student, but with one important difference: 

• You must earn a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.4 or better in the 15 college-preparatory courses (A-G courses), with no grade lower than a C.

Some other distinctions that you should keep in mind as an out-of-state applicant:

• There is no pre-approved course list for schools outside of California. Referring to the A-G course list site (a database of UC-certified course lists in California schools) and the 15 college-preparatory course categories can provide guidance on the types of courses that have been UC-approved.
• Honors courses are calculated differently. In calculating an out-of-state student's GPA to determine if the 3.4 minimum has been met, UC will grant honors weight for AP or IB courses only, but not for school-designated honors courses. The weight is given to letter grades of A, B, or C. School-designated honors courses may be considered in the campus comprehensive review process.
• Letters of recommendation are not required. Please do not submit them as part of your application. However, some campuses/majors may request letters of recommendation as part of a supplemental application review.
• We require you to self-report your grades when filling out your application. UC does not require official transcripts to be sent with the application; however, you must refer to your transcript to ensure the information you enter is accurate. Send in a final, official transcript by July 1 if you are admitted. 
• As a public institution, we prioritize admission for California residents. However, all of our campuses offer admission to out-of-state students. 

Residency 

For admission purposes, we ask questions about residency on the application. We use this information to make an initial determination of whether or not a student is a California resident or a nonresident student to assess admission requirements. 

Please keep in mind that this process is different than determining residency for the purposes of fees and tuition. Residency for fee and tuition purposes is determined by the campus’ Office of the Registrar after admission, based on documentation provided in the admission application and/or additional documentation requested after admission.