Selective Major Guidance for Continuing Students

What programs have selective majors on our campus?

• School of Biological Sciences
• Data Science
• Public Health
• Jacobs School of Engineering – all majors in these departments:
  
  • Bioengineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Computer Science and Engineering
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Before Summer 2025

The process for applying to switch into a selective major before summer 2025 is given on each department’s website.

Switching into a Selective Major Starting Summer 2025

• When: Applications will be open once per year between Summer and Fall quarters.
  • Available: Mid-late July 2025.
  • Deadline: September 1 each year.
  • NOTE: Public Health majors only will have an additional selection cycle for new transfer students only at the end of the fall quarter.

• When to Expect Final Decisions: Decisions will be made after Summer grades are finalized. 
  • Students will be notified of their selection status once all spaces in the major are filled. If offered a spot, students will need to accept the offer by a given deadline.

Academic Requirements:

• Students must have completed the required screening courses for the desired major with a C- or higher in each course.
  • Screening courses are set by individual departments to ensure students have foundational knowledge for success. See linked department pages above for a list of the screening course requirements for each major.
• Students must have a minimum 2.0 UC GPA.

 Student Status:

• Must be a continuing student in good academic standing.
  • New Freshman Admits (NFRS): Students who have been enrolled for 1-6 quarters at UC San Diego (not including summer) may apply, typically after their first or second year. 
  • Transfer Students (TRAN): Transfer students do not typically change their majors after matriculation because of the impact of their time to degree.  
    • For Summer 2025 only: Transfer students enrolled for 1-3 quarters at UC San Diego (not including summer) may apply after their first year.
    • For Fall 2025 and after: Transfer students admitted to UC San Diego Fall 2025 and after will no longer be allowed to apply to selective majors in the Summer application cycle after their first year. Selective majors may opt to admit transfer students after the Fall or Winter in their first year at UC San Diego but are not required to do so.
• Note about Enrollment Status:
  • Eligibility extends to students who are full-time or part-time during Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters. Summer quarters are not counted.
  • Quarters with full withdrawal or non-enrollment do not count.

Selection Process:

Selection into the selective major will be based on a point system. Students with the highest number of points will be selected into the major until the number of slots available is reached.  Points are awarded based on the following:

• 3.0 GPA or Higher in major screening courses: 1 point
• California Residency: 1 point
• Pell Grant Eligibility: 1 point
• First-Generation College Status: 1 point (Based on initial UC San Diego application information)

Tiebreaker: When students at the cutoff boundary have the same number of points, students will be selected from this group via a uniform random process.

ALTERNATIVE MAJOR OPTIONS FOR SELECTIVE MAJORS

If you are not selected into a selective major, please consider one of these alternative options.

Not sure yet which major to choose? Explore your options.

Review the full list of UCSD majors.

Why are some majors selective?

Selective majors are those that receive more applications than there are available spaces. These majors are very popular, meaning that departments cannot always accommodate all qualified students. Reasons for selective status include limited space, teaching, and/or laboratory resources. If the demand for a major is continuously larger than available spaces, the major might choose to become selective.

Who is eligible to apply for a selective major?

Continuing students in good standing who have completed the screening criteria with C- or higher in each course may apply. Students need a minimum 2.0 UC GPA to apply. 

In Summer 2025, NFRS (New Freshman) admits who have been enrolled for between one and six quarters at UC San Diego (not including summers) may apply. Typically this means after their first or second year.

In Summer 2025, TRAN (Transfer) admits who have been enrolled for between one and three quarters at UC San Diego (not including summers) may apply.  Typically this means after their first year. This eligibility timeline is likely to change for transfer students in Summer 2026.

This eligibility timeline will change for transfer students in Summer 2026 (students admitted to UC San Diego for Fall 2025 and after). Transfer students admitted Fall 2025 and after will no longer be allowed to apply to selective majors in the Summer application cycle after their first year. Selective majors may opt to select transfer students after the Fall or Winter in their first year at UC San Diego but are not required to do so.

Full-time and part-time Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters are counted. Summer quarters are not counted. Quarters of full withdrawal or non-enrollment do not count.

How and when do students apply?

Students must complete the screening courses set by the individual department with C- or higher grades in each course. Departments intentionally set screening courses based on foundational coursework necessary for future success in the major.

The selective major application will be available at least one time each year during the Summer session, with the deadline of September 1.  Applications will be accepted beginning mid-late July 2025. Decisions will be made after Summer grades are finalized.

In Summer 2025, both NFRS (New Freshman) and TRAN (Transfer) admits are eligible to apply as described above.  In Summer 2026, this may change based on department feedback and the move from the Capped Major Tool to the Triton Student System. 

After Fall 2025 there will be an additional selection cycle to Public Health only* for Transfer admits who have completed exactly one term at UC San Diego.

 *Additional cycles for other majors might be added for Transfer admits in future quarters.

Who decides if a student can switch to a selective major?

The Division of Undergraduate Education oversees the process, in collaboration with technical support from the Jacobs School of Engineering Office of Engineering Computing and Enrollment Management. Students who have completed the screening courses and are in good standing will be reviewed using a point system that awards one point each for having a 3.0 GPA or higher in the major screening courses; California residency; Pell Grant eligibility; and first-generation status. Students with the highest number of points will be selected until all available spaces within the major have been filled. Ties will be broken using random selection. 

Once students are offered a spot in the major, they have a deadline by which to accept the offer.

How does a student know if they are first-gen?

First-generation student status is defined by the UC Office of the President as neither parent earning a bachelor’s degree, regardless of whether they attended a two-year or four-year institution. The information is collected from the student’s initial application for admission to UC San Diego. This information cannot be changed. Students can review what they submitted by logging back into the UC Admission application (see top right corner for Sign in). 

How does a student know if they are Pell-eligible?

Pell Grant eligibility is determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students receive a summary report after they have submitted their FAFSA. For new students, the FAFSA summary report will state whether they are eligible for a Pell Grant or not. For continuing students, they can review their financial aid award status online to view whether or not they received a Pell Grant.

How does a student know if they are a California resident?

A student can determine whether they are classified as an in-state resident based on the tuition they are charged. See Understanding Residency for more information about how the University of California determines residency for tuition purposes.

What happens if changing to a selective major would delay a student’s graduation timeline?

The Quarter Limit policy states that students admitted to UC San Diego as first time first-year students are allowed a maximum of 12 quarters of enrollment (summers excluded). Students admitted as transfer students are allowed 6 quarters of enrollment at UC San Diego. If moving into a selective major will extend a student’s time to degree beyond that limit, students will need to submit a completion plan to be approved by both their major advisors and College advisors. Reasonable requests will be approved. Students should consult their College advisors with questions regarding the Quarter Limit policy.

What happens if a student isn’t selected into a selective major?

Students should consider alternative majors. Advising resources are available to help.

NFRS students who apply after their first year of enrollment may apply a second and final time after their second year of enrollment.

There is no appeal process for students not selected into a selective major.

Can students double major if they have one selective major?

Yes. The student must apply to and be selected to the selective major through the annual process. If they accept the offer, their primary major on record will then be changed to the selective major. The student must then follow the steps of the Double Major Petition process to add the second, non-selective major.

Can students double major with two selective majors?

We strongly discourage students from double majoring in two selective majors. However, whether it is allowed depends on the two majors a student wants to pursue.

Per Senate policy, students cannot double major in two majors within the Jacobs School of Engineering. Students cannot double major within a single department (e.g., can’t pursue two Public Health majors). Also, students cannot double major in Data Science with Computer Science and Engineering. 

If a student intends to double major in two selective majors, they must consult their current department/School advisor before taking action.

If a student wants to double major with Biology and another selective major, Biology must be listed as the primary major. The student must apply to and be selected into Biology through the selective major process. If the student accepts the offer, their primary major on record will then be changed to Biology, and their previous major will be removed. The student must then follow the steps of the Double Major Petition process to add the second selective major back to their record.  Computer Science and Engineering has the same policy. Those interested in double majoring in Biology with Computer Science and Engineering should consult both advising offices to discuss implications.

Can students apply to multiple selective majors?

No. Selective Major Tool only allows students to apply to one major per cycle.

How many students will be selected for each selective major?

It depends, and it is likely to change every year. Enrollment Management and the Division of Undergraduate Education work with each academic department to set targets for new students annually. Based on incoming student enrollment, departments will then provide a non-zero number of seats which will be available for continuing students in the upcoming year’s selective major cycle.  

Departments should list data on their websites to transparently show past selection cycles.

Example: Biology

Will the selective status of majors change each year?

Possibly. Some majors (e.g., Computer Science and Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Bioengineering) continue to have extremely high demand, and we anticipate they will remain selective. Other majors may become selective or non-selective over time as resource allocation and student demand varies. As of Fall 2024, NanoEngineering and Structural Engineering are not selective.  Newly selective majors will be identified before the end of Winter quarter each year. They will remain open to current students through the spring quarter, but will be closed to incoming students until the continuing student selective major selection cycle they are eligible for.

Who can I contact with questions?

For questions about screening courses and the timeline to plan courses, students should contact the department advisors via the Virtual Advising Center.

For questions about the selective major application process and policies not answered on this page, students should contact selective-majors@ucsd.edu.