California residents
About 90 percent of UC undergraduates are California residents. They are a vibrant and diverse group, encompassing the cultural, racial, socioeconomic and geographic richness of our state.
Two paths to UC
For the highest-achieving California applicants, we have two programs. If you are in one of the following groups and you are not admitted to any of the UC campuses you apply to, you'll be offered a spot at another campus if there's space.
Statewide path
You must rank in the top 9 percent of California students according to our admissions index.
Local path
You must rank in the top 9 percent of your graduating class at a participating California high school. This is also known as Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC).
Selection process by campus
While all UC campuses use the same 14 factors to evaluate applications, they often apply these factors differently. Be sure to review each campus’s selection process: