Recently, UC Admissions released the latest 2022 application data, covering both freshmen and transfer students.
Freshman application numbers surpassed 210,000 for the first time. Compared to 2021, freshman applications increased by 7,140, rising 3.5% from 203,700 in Fall 2021 to 210,840 in Fall 2022, another record high.
Because of the pandemic, community college enrollment nationwide dropped in Fall 2021, and this trend was even more pronounced in California's community colleges, with enrollment falling 15% compared to 2020.
This directly led to a 13% decrease in UC applications from California community colleges for 2022. This is actually good news for students already enrolled in community colleges, as they face less competition from new community college entrants, while freshman admissions become increasingly fierce.
As one of the largest public university systems in the U.S., the UC system consistently attracts a high number of applicants. To gain admission, it's essential to start preparing early!
UC Campus Freshman Application Trends
Let’s take a look at the latest UC freshman application data by campus.
Compared to 2021, all UC campuses saw modest increases in freshman applications.
UCLA: 149,000 Freshman Applicants
With nearly 150,000 applications this year, UCLA remains the most-applied-to UC campus.
UC Berkeley: 128,000 Freshman Applicants
This year's applications crossed the 120,000 mark, a 13% increase from last year. Combined with the ongoing enrollment freeze and policies to reduce out-of-state and international student seats, this is a double blow for Berkeley applicants, especially international students, making admission even harder.
UCSD: 131,000 Freshman Applicants
Slightly behind UCLA, UCSD consistently ranks second in total applications. Freshman applications increased by 11% compared to last year. For the past two years, UCSD had the highest number of international applicants among UC campuses, but this year it was narrowly surpassed by UCLA and UC Berkeley.
UCI: 119,000 Freshman Applicants
An increase of about 11,000 applicants, roughly 10%, over last year.
Other campuses like UCSB, UC Davis, UC Riverside, UCSC, and UC Merced also experienced modest increases in total applications.
Looking at international student applications alone, all UC campuses except UCSC saw steady growth.
International Applicant Ranking by Campus
UCLA → UC Berkeley → UCSD → UCI → UCSB → UC Davis → UCSC → UC Riverside → UC Merced
UC Campus Transfer Application Trends
Now let’s examine transfer application trends.
Total transfer applications dropped from 46,155 last year to 40,399 this year, a decrease of about 12.4%. International transfer applications fell from 5,448 to 3,964.
UC Berkeley: 19,000 Transfer Applicants
Berkeley’s transfer applications fell from 22,000 last year to 19,000, a decrease of 12.8%. International transfer applicants dropped from 3,731 to 2,686, a 28% decline!
UCLA: 24,000 Transfer Applicants
Like freshman applications, UCLA received the most transfer applications among UC campuses. However, international transfer applicants to UCLA also saw a significant drop, from 4,117 last year to 2,922 this year, a 29% decline, on par with UC Berkeley’s drop.
UCSD: 19,000 Transfer Applicants
Similar to UC Berkeley, total transfer applicants dropped from 22,000 to 19,000, and international transfer applicants fell from 3,394 to 2,397, a 29% decrease.
UCI: 22,000 Transfer Applicants
UCI has always been a popular choice for transfer students, ranking second in applications after UCLA. Applications fell by 12% from last year’s 25,000. International transfer applicants decreased by 29%, from 3,477 to 2,448.
UCSB: 17,000 Transfer Applicants
Total applicants dropped by 14%, from 20,000 last year to 17,000 this year.
At UC Davis, UC Riverside, and UC Merced, total applications also declined, with international applicant numbers falling even more sharply.
This situation primarily stems from the sharp drop in community college enrollment in the U.S. in Fall 2020, which directly led transfer applications to fall back to 2019 levels.
The decrease in transfer applicants is actually good news for those applying this year.
Ongoing UC Turmoil Means Tougher Admissions Is Here to Stay
Recently, a month before admissions decisions were due, UC Berkeley notified applicants that it would be forced to reduce its incoming freshman class by at least 3,050 students (one-third) for Fall 2022.
For the 150,000 applicants and their families this year, this was a devastating blow.
As early as last June, the California government passed a budget-driven enrollment cut bill that poured cold water on international applicants:
Over five years starting in Fall 2022, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and UCSD—the three most popular campuses—will reduce the proportion of out-of-state undergraduates from 22% to 18%, freeing up about 4,500 spots for in-state students.
Additionally, the permanent elimination of SAT/ACT scores, and the gradual phasing out of D and F grades for high school students in some California districts, have cast a shadow over international applicants.
By comparison, the transfer admissions landscape is somewhat less intense, but those considering transferring should not let their guard down. We will continue to monitor UC admissions results going forward.
In any case, it is inevitable that gaining admission to top UC schools will only become more difficult in the future.
As public universities, many of the UC’s decisions are influenced by the local political climate—a difficult reality.
As international students, the only way to remain invincible in this ever-changing admissions landscape is to plan and prepare early, and continuously enhance your own abilities.
