University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), or UC Santa Cruz, is a public university that was established in 1965. The campus has a total area of 2,000 acres and is situated 121 kilometers south of San Francisco. UC Santa Cruz’s main campus location was chosen over a similar proposal to build the institution closer to San Jose, the most populous city in California (and also known as the capital of ‘Silicon Valley’). Also, owing to the variety of graduate and undergraduate degrees it provides, it has developed into a modern research institution.

UCSC is a public-collegiate research university and one of ten campuses in the University of California system. Notable alumni of the University of California, Santa Cruz include Huey P. Newton, an African-American revolutionary; Maya Rudolph, American comedian; Bell Hooks, writer:  Geoffrey Dunn, American author; and several Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists such as Martha Mendoza, Andrew E. Kramer,  among others.

According to the US News & World Report 2021, UC Santa Cruz was ranked tied for 58th on the list of ‘Best Global Universities’. It was also tied 97th on the list of ‘Best National Universities’ in the US.

Academics

The campus was created to facilitate contemporary architecture, innovative instructional methods, and undergraduate research. In addition to approximately 41 minors and over 64 undergraduate majors, the university also offers 65 graduate programs in different subjects.

Courses Offered

The major fields in which undergraduate courses are offered by UCSC include:

  • Academic English
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Anthropology
  • Applied Linguistics
  • Legal Studies
  • Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology
  • Global and Community Health
  • Games and Playable Media
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Literature

The major fields in which graduate courses are offered include:

  • Digital Arts & New Media
  • Art: Environmental Art & Social Practice
  • Film & Digital Media
  • Music
  • Social Documentation
  • Theatre Arts
  • Visual Studies

Admissions for International Students

Undergraduate Students need to submit the following:

DocumentsAcademic Transcripts, Financial documents
Application Fees$70-$140
Type of DeadlineSpring, Winter & Fall
Intake seasons & deadlinesDates for students applying for fall 2023:
October 1, 2022 -The application period for the fall of 2023 begins. November 30, 2022 – UC Application filing the last date for fall 2023
For all on-time freshmen candidates, admissions decisions for the class of 2023 appear on my.ucsc.edu from February to mid-March of that year.
Language Proficiency TestsIELTS score above 6.5TOEFL score above 78

Tuition Fees

The table below provides fee information for undergraduate and postgraduate courses for the academic year 2022-2023.

Undergraduate Course Fees 2022-2023

On-CampusOff-CampusCommuter
Tuition and Fees $14,070$14,070$14,070
International Resident Tuition$29,754$29,754$29,754
Total International Resident Budget$67,722$65,940$58,983

Graduate Course Fees – 2022-2023 

On-CampusOff-CampusCommuter
Campus Health Insurance$4,665$4,665$4,665
International Student Tuition Fees$15,102$15,102$15,102
Total International Student Fees$60,354$60,354$45,960

Scholarships

The University of California, Santa Cruz scholarships are distributed till the fourth year to international students, ranging from $12,000 to $40,000. Over $3.7 million in undergraduate scholarships are made available by UC Santa Cruz each year, helping you pay for your education. These scholarships are awarded in accordance with criteria that often match the goals and objectives of the award’s donor. 

Country or city of residence, particular interests, and declared study major are a few criteria. The majority of UCSC scholarships are awarded based on both financial needs and academic merit. For additional information about graduate scholarships and honours, students can visit the university’s official website.

How to Apply

Complete your financial assistance application by March 2nd each year to be eligible for all scholarships. Your scholarship application is included in your UC Admissions Application. It is also crucial to elaborate on your participation in extracurricular activities in your personal statement as it might be taken into consideration when awarding scholarships.

Note: For the autumn of the following year, the UC Admissions application opens in November while financial aid applications begin in October.

Scholarships 

A few of the private scholarships available to international students are provided below. 

  • Alliance for Women in Media Scholarships
  • Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation Scholarships
  • Association of Firearm and Took Mark Examiners
  • BMO Capital Markets Lime Scholarship
  • Ellice T. Johnston Scholarship for Ceramic Arts
  • Government Finance Officers Association
  • Visionary Integration Professionals Women in Technology Scholarship
  • Women in Aerospace Scholarship

In addition to the above-mentioned scholarships, Institutional awards like our Regents Scholarship and Deans Award may be considered for international students.

The University of California, Santa Cruz is also committed to ensuring that its campus is safe for all its students. 24*7 patrol service, security check-ins while entering and exiting the campus, and emergency services (such as ambulance, emergency room, and university Police, among others) are some of the measures instituted by the university to achieve this goal.

Therefore, if you are seeking an enriching academic experience at a renowned university in the US, then UC Santa Cruz is the place to be. We hope that this article provides you with all the information required to make an informed decision about enrolling in this institution. We wish you all the best!

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