How to Apply to Mathematics at UC Santa Barbara: Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Financial Mathematics and Statistics in the College of Letters and Science, Starting in a Pre-Major and Moving to the Full Major, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), undergraduate mathematics is offered by the Department of Mathematics in the College of Letters and Science, with BS degrees in Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Financial Mathematics and Statistics, and a BA in Mathematics. Here is what you need to know to apply, based on the mathematics department’s and the Office of Admissions’ websites, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Computer science has its own dedicated guide on this site and is not covered here; Financial Mathematics and Statistics is a joint major with the Department of Statistics and Applied Probability, and statistics is mentioned only in passing.

1. Degrees

• Degrees listed: the department’s study plans page lists suggested plans for the BS in Mathematics, BS in Applied Mathematics, BS in Financial Mathematics & Statistics, BA in Mathematics, and the BA in Mathematics with a High School Teaching Emphasis; it also lists a math minor and a minor in mathematics for high school teaching.
• What distinguishes them (from the department’s Guide to Our Majors, whose file name carries 2020, so check unit counts against the current catalog and advisors): the BS in Mathematics is the pure, theory-focused degree, with 52 units of upper-division coursework; the BS in Applied Mathematics applies mathematics to real-world problems, particularly in the physical sciences and engineering, with 52 upper-division units; the BS in Financial Mathematics & Statistics is a joint major with the Department of Statistics and Applied Probability with 56 upper-division units and economics in its preparation; the BA in Mathematics is more flexible, with Liberal Arts and High School Teaching emphases, and 40 upper-division units.
• When you choose: the guide says students commonly choose a track when they begin upper-division work in their junior year, and many start the pre-major on one track and later change; the introductory proofs course is described as a good way to tell a passion for pure math from one for applied math.
• Distinction in the Major: requires 120 units, an overall GPA of at least 3.5, at least 24 upper-division mathematics and statistics units with a GPA of at least 3.5, and either a senior thesis (Math 197A-B) or a two-quarter graduate sequence with grades of A in both courses. The college also has a Letters and Science Honors Program (section 4).
• Department awards: the 2020 edition of the guide mentions the Mochizuki and Wilder awards, the Ostrow-Bruckner scholarship (junior L&S and CCS math students with a 3.5 major GPA and financial need) and the Adil Yaqub scholarship (graduating seniors planning a K-12 math teaching credential); whether these are current is not published on the pages read, so ask the department.

2. Admission: start in the pre-major, then move to the full major

• When you apply: Admissions says the College of Letters and Science does not consider choice of major and requires no supplemental application, apart from auditions for dance and music performance majors; its FAQ says majors in the college are not selective. So the major you list does not change how you are evaluated in the college, but it does not mean you enter the full major directly, as below.
• Pre-major status: the FAQ says some majors admit new students to a “pre-major” status, which does not make admission more or less selective; you must take a set of required courses with a department-set GPA to declare the full major. The department’s change-of-major page describes two stages, Pre-Math and Full Math.
• Non-math to Pre-Math: complete at least two math courses at UCSB or an accredited community college or university; you can petition during the quarter of your second course and the department processes it the next quarter. It is approved only with a combined 2.5 GPA in those two courses taken at UCSB, or 3.3 if taken at another institution (including other UCs).
• Pre-Math to Full Math: petition in the quarter you finish the pre-major requirements; processed the next quarter, and approved only if all pre-major requirements are done with a 2.5 GPA and all preparation for the major is complete. Freshman petitions cannot be processed until spring quarter of the freshman year; transfer students’ until winter quarter of the first year.
• Pre-major courses (Guide to Our Majors, 2020 edition): Calculus I-III, linear algebra, differential equations and an introductory proofs course at a 2.5 GPA, plus one physics and one computer science course that are not part of the 2.5 GPA but are given heavy consideration. The financial mathematics major also lists microeconomics, macroeconomics and statistics courses.
• Enrollment limits: the FAQ says letters and science majors have no cap; the department’s pages read do not mention a cap on moving from pre-major to full major; this is not published there, so ask the undergraduate advisors.

3. Prerequisites

• High school courses (UC-wide): first-year applicants must complete UC-approved A-G courses with a grade of C or better; the GPA in A-G courses from the 10th and 11th grades (including summers) must be at least 3.0 for California residents and 3.4 for non-residents. The A-G mathematics details are not listed on the pages read; see the UC admissions website. The department sets no separate high school calculus requirement on the pages read; this is not published there.
• Math Placement Exam (MPE): the department says it determines readiness for Math 2A or 3A (Math 34AB, for social and biological science majors, needs no exam). It is free, taken online without registration, has 60 multiple-choice questions, and a placement code from 1 to 4 appears in GOLD within two weeks: 4 allows Math 3A, 3 allows 2A or 3A, 2 allows 2A, and 1 allows neither; results are valid for one calendar year.
• AP credit (department page): Calculus AB 3, 4 or 5 gives 4 units for Math 3A and placement into Math 2B or 3B; Calculus BC 3, 4 or 5 gives 8 units for Math 3AB and placement into Math 4A; Precalculus gives no credit, with a 3 placing into Math 2A and a 4 or 5 into Math 3A.
• IB and A-Level credit: IB Higher Level Mathematics Analysis & Approaches (from spring 2022) 5, 6 or 7 gives 8 units for Math 3AB and placement into Math 4A; Cambridge A-Level Mathematics (from 2022) grade A, B or C gives 4 units for Math 3A and placement into Math 3B; A-Level Mathematics Further (from 2022) grade A, B or C gives 4 units for Math 4A and placement into Math 4B. The department accepts no other credit by examination.
• Admissions note for transfers: AP/IB scores can satisfy minimum transfer requirements and some major preparation, but never all of them; if Math 3A/3B were satisfied by AP/IB, more courses are needed for major screening (section 9).
• Math competitions: the admissions pages read do not say how competitions are viewed.

4. Deadlines and materials (freshmen)

• Timeline: the UC Application opens August 1; the filing period for fall 2027 is October 1 to November 30; decisions are in mid-March; the Statement of Intent to Register is due May 1, official transcripts July 1 and official test scores (AP, IB, TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo) July 15. UCSB admits for fall only.
• Application fee: per the FAQ, $80 per campus for US residents and $95 for international students; qualified US residents (or certain visa holders) can get a fee waiver for up to four campuses through the UC Application.
• Testing: UCSB does not use SAT or ACT scores in admission or scholarship decisions; they may be used for course placement and are optional.
• Recommendations and extras: the FAQ says UCSB does not review unsolicited transcripts, letters of recommendation or supplemental material and decides on the UC Application alone; the College of Creative Studies is the exception, which is a different college. The pages read do not ask for a mathematics teacher’s letter.
• How applications are reviewed: meeting eligibility is only a minimum; UCSB uses 13 holistic review factors, reviewing achievements and personal qualities in the context of opportunities and challenges, and does not compare your application with others.
• Honors: the Letters and Science Honors Program is open to first-year and transfer students and offers small seminars with faculty; the FAQ points to uged.ucsb.edu/honors-program, which was not read, so eligibility details are not published in the pages read.
• Changing the major on an application: the FAQ says requests can be emailed between December 1 and January 31, and elsewhere says that UCSB is currently unable to fulfil change-of-major requests; both statements appear, so check with Admissions.

5. US domestic applicants

• Costs: the 2026-27 budget for a new 2026-cohort student in the residence halls: tuition and student services fee $15,588, campus-based fees $2,085, books $1,515, rent $13,203, food $10,782, transportation $789, health care $4,008, personal $2,652, phone $324, total $50,946 for a California resident; with the non-resident supplemental tuition of $39,270, the total is $90,216. This is a budget, not a bill; the figures for fall 2027 entry are not published on the page read.
• Residency and minimum GPA: A-G GPA of at least 3.0 for California residents and 3.4 for non-residents. Residency-based priority or guaranteed admission is not stated on the freshman pages read.
• Aid: the FAQ says most UCSB aid is for California residents based on need; complete the scholarships section of the UC Application and file the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application (March 2 for California residents, plus the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form); enrolled students can use the Scholarship Universe search tool.
• Testing: SAT/ACT not used; see section 4.

6. International applicants

• How to apply: through the UC Application, for fall only; do not convert grades or calculate a UC GPA, but report coursework and grades exactly as on your record, which is evaluated in the context of your country’s system. Do not submit transcripts when applying unless asked.
• Minimum curriculum: Admissions lists minimums by country; for the IB Diploma, at least six exams with three at Higher Level, an overall average of 5 with no exam below 4 and a diploma score of 30 or higher; for British systems, at least five GCSE/IGCSE exams with a 3.4 GPA and at least three A-Level exams with a 3.0 GPA and no grade below C.
• Predicted results: you may apply before final results are out and report predicted results; if admitted you submit official results sent by the examining board.
• Documents after admission: students who accept an offer submit official records for grades 9 to 12, a graduation certificate and official exam results, sent directly by the original school or examining board (“pass-along” transcripts are not accepted); secondary records generally need translation only if in a non-Roman alphabet.
• English: required if your native language is not English and your education was in a country where the language of instruction was not English, or you have fewer than three years of English instruction. TOEFL iBT 80 (tests before January 2026) or 4.5 (January 2026 or later); IELTS 6.5; Duolingo 115; or ACT English Language Arts 24, SAT Writing and Language 31 (the digital SAT Reading and Writing score is not approved), AP English Language or Literature 3 or above, IB English (Language A) SL 6 or 7 or HL 5, 6 or 7, or a C or better in a UC-transferable college English composition course. Scores are valid for two years and must be completed by the December test date before enrollment and sent directly.
• Visa and funds: admitted students can request an I-20 after submitting the Statement of Intent to Register, and must show proof of first-year funding to the Office of International Students and Scholars.
• Aid: Admissions says financial aid and scholarships for international students are very limited; as a California public university it primarily awards aid to US residents, and international students are responsible for securing private funding.

7. Applicants from China

• Minimum requirement: the international freshman page lists for China: completion of the graduation certificate from upper middle school and the Senior High School Graduate Certificate with a B average.
• Gaokao: the admission pages read do not say how Gaokao results are used; this is not published there, so contact the Office of Admissions.
• Records: the international rules in section 6 apply: report coursework and grades exactly as on your record; after admission, official grade 9 to 12 transcripts sent by the original school and the graduation certificate. The page says translation is needed for records not in the Roman alphabet but does not say country by country how this applies to Chinese records, so confirm with Admissions. Requirements for the Huikao are not published on the pages read.
• International curricula: IB and A-Level students can use the credit rules in section 3.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see section 5.
• Department programs: the department site lists a Summer Undergraduate Research Program, the Math Lab, an Education Abroad Program in mathematics and taking graduate-level courses; these pages were mostly not read. Department-specific scholarships are not published on the pages read except those in the 2020 guide (section 1).
• Outcomes: the 2020 Guide to Our Majors gives “possible career paths” for each degree, for example that the BS in Mathematics prepares for graduate work, law school, MBA programs and medical school and that government organisations recruit mathematicians for cryptology and modelling; the BS in Applied Mathematics for cryptology, engineering or systems analysis; and the financial mathematics major for MA/PhD programs in financial mathematics or banking, insurance and investment. These are descriptions; the pages read print no employment data.

9. Transfer students

• General eligibility: all transfer applicants meet the same requirements: a seven-course pattern (two English composition, one mathematics beyond intermediate algebra, four from at least two of arts and humanities, behavioural and social sciences, and biological and physical sciences) with C or better; and 60 semester or 90 quarter units of UC-transferable credit with a GPA of at least 2.4 for California residents and 2.8 for non-residents; a selective GPA for most majors is 3.4 and above. These must be met by the end of the spring term before transfer.
• Mathematics is a “selective major” with required preparation: Admissions lists all biology, chemistry/biochemistry, mathematics, economics and physics majors in the college as selective for transfer. Applicants to the Mathematics BA/BS or Applied Mathematics BS must complete Calculus 1 and 2 (UCSB Math 3A and 3B), at least one more course from linear algebra (Math 4A), differential equations (Math 4B) or multivariable/vector calculus (Math 6A-B), with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or better in these courses and no grade below C; if Math 3A and/or 3B were satisfied by AP/IB, two additional courses from those options are required for major screening. The FAQ says only engineering, economics, mathematics and biology currently require specific major preparation courses. This sits beside the FAQ statement that letters and science majors are not selective; the pages read do not explain how the two fit together, so confirm with Admissions.
• Reaching the full major: the department says transfer students’ petitions cannot be processed until winter quarter of the first year. If two or more pre-major courses remain on arrival, they must be finished with a UC GPA of at least 2.5; if one remains, it needs a C+ or better plus one upper-division Math/PSTAT course with a C or better; if all are done, two upper-division Math/PSTAT courses with a C or better.
• Advice: the department strongly recommends finishing as much of the pre-major as possible before transferring, because of the 200-unit rule that allows students admitted as juniors six regular quarters, that is two years, and most math classes form a linear sequence. It suggests finishing linear algebra, differential equations and multivariable calculus before transfer. Math 8 (introduction to higher mathematics) is described as one of the most crucial classes; few community colleges offer an exact match, most students take it at UCSB, and it is offered every quarter including summer.
• Recommended GPA: the FAQ recommends 3.2 or higher overall for most majors (3.6 for engineering), and 3.5 or higher for out-of-state or non-California community college students.
• Dates: UC Application opens August 1; TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee) September 1 to 30; UC Application October 1 to November 30; Transfer Academic Update December 15 to January 31 (updates through March 15); decisions in mid-April; Statement of Intent to Register June 1; transcripts July 1; test scores and IGETC or Cal-GETC certification July 15.
• Credit transfer: use ASSIST for California community college equivalents; UCSB has no articulation agreements outside the California community colleges and counselors cannot pre-evaluate courses. International transfer applicants also need two transferable English composition courses, and English courses at non-US institutions where English is not the language of instruction do not count; the Duolingo English Test is optional for them and not taking it is no disadvantage.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Submit the UC Application between October 1 and November 30 with the $80 fee; no SAT/ACT or letters of recommendation needed; A-G GPA of 3.0 or higher (3.4 for non-residents)
• For aid, California residents also file the FAFSA or Dream Act Application by March 2

International applicants (including China):

• $95 fee; report grades as on your record; prepare TOEFL 80 (4.5 on the new scale), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 115
• After admission send official transcripts and the graduation certificate and show first-year funds to the Office of International Students and Scholars; ask Admissions how the Gaokao is used

After entry:

• Use the MPE or AP/IB scores to choose the starting course; after freshman spring, petition for the full major with a 2.5 GPA in the pre-major courses

Transfer students:

• Before transfer complete Calculus 1 and 2 and one more of linear algebra, differential equations or multivariable calculus with a 2.75 GPA and no grade below C; TAG in September and the UC Application in October to November

Sources: University of California, Santa Barbara, Mathematics: undergraduate; Mathematics: change of major requirements; Mathematics: course placement and credit; Mathematics: prospective transfer students; Mathematics: Distinction in the Major; Mathematics: proposed courses and study plans; Mathematics: A Guide to Our Majors (2020 edition); Admissions: dates and deadlines; Admissions: freshman eligibility and selection; Admissions: international freshman eligibility and selection; Admissions: English proficiency; Admissions: international applicants; Admissions: transfer eligibility and selection; Admissions: international transfer; Admissions: selective majors for transfer; Admissions: FAQ; Financial aid: 2026-27 cost of attendance. Dates are for fall 2027 entry. The Guide to Our Majors is the 2020 edition, so check degree requirements against the current catalog and department advisors. Costs are 2026-27 budget figures. See UCSB for the latest.