Admissions Data Show 5% Increase in Student Applications for UCSB

This year, UC Santa Barbara had a record total of 128,596 applicants — a 5% increase from last year — and 35% of California applicants were first-generation college students.

The Nexus obtained data on applicants from UC Santa Barbara’s 2022 admissions cycle from UCSB’s Media Relations Manager Kiki Reyes.  

Key elements from released data showed that a majority of applicants — 66% — are from California, with an even split of 17% out-of-state and international students each. 

Additionally, the top three applicant demographics are Asian-Americans, at 36%, Chicanx/Latinx, at 30%, and White, at 26%. 

Although data on admitted applicants has not been released by the UC Office of the President, Reyes said that the university expects the class of first-year students to look similar to what it has been in previous years. 

In 2021, UCSB had 126,204 total applicants, a 29.1% acceptance rate for freshman applicants and a 48.8% acceptance rate for transfer applicants. The university cannot release finalized acceptance rate data until all waitlist offers have been completed, Reyes said.