Average SAT Score for UC San Diego (2025-26 Data)
Key Takeaways
- UC San Diego has no average SAT score: the University of California is test-blind and does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions or scholarships.
- UC San Diego's Common Data Set 2025-26 marks the SAT and ACT as not considered for admission, even if submitted, for students applying for Fall 2027, and leaves its SAT percentiles blank.
- The Fall 2025 first-year class had an average high school GPA of 3.88; 85% had a GPA of 3.75 or higher.
- For the Fall 2025 class, 136,750 students applied and 39,054 were admitted, about 28.6% by our calculation; for international applicants it was about 30.9%.
- The University of California application for Fall 2027 is open from October 1 to November 30, 2026. There is no early action or early decision round.
Table of Contents
UC San Diego has no average SAT score to report, because it does not use the SAT. The University of California is test-blind: “UC will not consider SAT or ACT test scores when making admissions decisions or awarding scholarships” (University of California, filling out the application). UC San Diego’s own Common Data Set 2025-26 leaves every SAT percentile blank and reports instead that the Fall 2025 class had an average high school GPA of 3.88.
The Common Data Set is the standard report universities publish about their own entering class. Below: what UC San Diego’s test-blind policy means, the grade profile it does publish, its deadlines, and what an SAT score is still useful for if UC San Diego is on your list.
Does UC San Diego use SAT scores in admission?
No. In section C8 of its Common Data Set 2025-26, UC San Diego answers “No” to whether it makes use of SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions, and marks the SAT and the ACT as “Not considered for admission, even if submitted” for students applying for Fall 2027 (UC San Diego Common Data Set 2025-26, section C8).
That is what test-blind means. A test-optional university reads your score if you send one; a test-blind one does not read it at all, so a high score cannot help and a low one cannot hurt. Because no scores are used, section C9, where universities report the percentage of students submitting the SAT and their 25th, 50th and 75th percentile scores, is empty in UC San Diego’s report. Any “average SAT score for UC San Diego” you see quoted for a recent class did not come from the university.
The scores are not entirely without use. The University of California says SAT and ACT scores “may be used as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility or for course placement after you enroll,” and that they “may only be reported in your application post-submission” (University of California, filling out the application).
What grades do UC San Diego students have?
With no test scores in the decision, the Common Data Set’s grade figures are the closest measure of where the admitted class sits.
| High school GPA | Share of Fall 2025 first-year class |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 31% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 54% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 13% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 2% |
| Measure | Fall 2025 entering class |
|---|---|
| Average high school GPA | 3.88 |
| Students who submitted a high school GPA | 94% |
| Students submitting SAT scores | Not reported (SAT not considered) |
Source for every figure: UC San Diego Common Data Set 2025-26, sections C11 (GPA distribution, all enrolled students) and C12 (average GPA), published by the university’s Institutional Research office. Retrieved 6 October 2026. The next Common Data Set, for the Fall 2026 class, will replace these figures.
When is the UC San Diego application deadline?
UC San Diego takes applications through the single University of California application. The filing period for Fall 2027 admission runs from October 1 to November 30, 2026, and the University of California says Fall 2027 admission decisions are released from March 1 to 31, with some campuses releasing earlier (University of California, dates and deadlines). UC San Diego lists the same window, “Oct. 1-Nov. 30”, as its application submission period (UC San Diego Admissions, how to apply). There is no early action or early decision round.
How selective is UC San Diego for international students?
For the Fall 2025 class, 136,750 students applied, 39,054 were admitted and 7,801 enrolled. Of those, 24,254 applicants were international students, 7,496 were admitted and 1,409 enrolled (Common Data Set 2025-26, section C1, residency breakdown). By our calculation from those figures, that is an admit rate of about 28.6% overall and about 30.9% for international applicants.
Is the SAT still worth taking if you are applying to UC San Diego?
For UC San Diego itself, no score will change the decision. Most students applying to the US, though, apply to more than one university, and many of the others do read the SAT. If your list mixes UC campuses with test-optional or test-required universities, a strong score still matters for those. Estimate your SAT score with our SAT score calculator to see where a practice result places you.
If you have not sat a full test yet, take a free full-length SAT practice test for a baseline, and the SAT self-prep course covers both sections if the other universities on your list need a score. To work out which universities on your list read the SAT and which do not, talk to an admissions counsellor about your university shortlist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average SAT score for UC San Diego?
There is none to report. UC San Diego is test-blind, so it does not use SAT scores, and its Common Data Set 2025-26 leaves every SAT percentile in section C9 blank. Any recent SAT average quoted for UC San Diego did not come from the university.
Does UC San Diego require the SAT?
No. The University of California says it will not consider SAT or ACT scores when making admissions decisions or awarding scholarships, and UC San Diego’s Common Data Set lists both tests as not considered for admission, even if submitted, for Fall 2027 applicants.
Is UC San Diego test-optional or test-blind?
Test-blind. A test-optional university reads a score if you send one. A test-blind university does not read it at all, so a score can neither help nor hurt your application to UC San Diego.
Should I send my SAT score to UC San Diego?
It will not be used in the admission decision. The University of California says SAT and ACT scores may only be reported after you submit the application, and may be used to meet minimum eligibility requirements or for course placement after you enroll.
What GPA do you need for UC San Diego?
UC San Diego does not publish a minimum in its Common Data Set. The Fall 2025 first-year class averaged a 3.88 high school GPA; 31% had a 4.0 and 54% had between 3.75 and 3.99.
What is the UC San Diego acceptance rate?
For the Fall 2025 class, 136,750 students applied and 39,054 were admitted (Common Data Set 2025-26, section C1). That is an admit rate of about 28.6% by our calculation.
How many international students does UC San Diego admit?
For the Fall 2025 class, 24,254 international students applied, 7,496 were admitted and 1,409 enrolled (Common Data Set 2025-26, section C1). That is an admit rate of about 30.9% for international applicants, by our calculation.
When is the UC San Diego application deadline for Fall 2027?
The University of California application filing period for Fall 2027 runs from October 1 to November 30, 2026. Decisions are released from March 1 to 31, 2027, and some campuses release earlier.
Does UC San Diego have early action or early decision?
No. UC San Diego admits first-year students through the single University of California application, which has one filing period, October 1 to November 30.
Is the SAT worth taking if I am applying to UC San Diego?
Not for UC San Diego itself. It is worth taking if other universities on your list read SAT scores, which many US universities outside the University of California do.
