University of California-Santa Barbara Acceptance Rate
Santa Barbara, California · Public · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 110,871
- Admitted
- 30,804
- Yield
- 16.4%
- Test policy
- Test-blind
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, University of California-Santa Barbara's acceptance rate has fallen from 36.3% in 2014–15 to 27.8% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 66,813 to 110,871 (+66%) over that period.
Its 27.8% rate makes University of California-Santa Barbara more selective than about 93% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 84 tracked California schools, it is more selective than about 81%.
In 2023–24, women were admitted at a higher rate (30.4% for women vs 24.6% for men, a 5.8-point gap). University of California-Santa Barbara has been test-blind (scores not considered) since 2021–22. Of admitted students, 16.4% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 66,813 | 24,283 | 36.3% | 4,738 |
| 2015–16 | 70,536 | 23,026 | 32.6% | 4,473 |
| 2016–17 | 77,112 | 27,581 | 35.8% | 4,996 |
| 2017–18 | 81,824 | 26,846 | 32.8% | 4,538 |
| 2018–19 | 92,306 | 29,726 | 32.2% | 5,094 |
| 2019–20 | 93,446 | 27,626 | 29.6% | 4,935 |
| 2020–21 | 90,961 | 33,384 | 36.7% | 4,847 |
| 2021–22 | 105,641 | 30,824 | 29.2% | 4,900 |
| 2022–23 | 110,995 | 28,688 | 25.8% | 4,967 |
| 2023–24 | 110,871 | 30,804 | 27.8% | 5,043 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 60,480 | 18,402 | 30.4% |
| Men | 50,391 | 12,402 | 24.6% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-blind (not considered).
How University of California compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is University of California-Santa Barbara's acceptance rate?
University of California-Santa Barbara's acceptance rate is 27.8% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (30,804 admitted of 110,871 applicants).
Is University of California-Santa Barbara test optional?
University of California-Santa Barbara is test-blind: SAT/ACT scores are not considered in admission.
How many people apply to University of California-Santa Barbara?
University of California-Santa Barbara received 110,871 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 30,804.
Is University of California-Santa Barbara getting harder to get into?
University of California-Santa Barbara has become harder to get into: its acceptance rate went from 36.3% in 2014–15 to 27.8% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: www.ucsb.edu/.