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  1. Undergraduate Education
  2. Academics
  3. Selective Major Process
  4. Selective Majors at UC San Diego

Selective Major Guidance

Beginning summer 2025, selective majors allow students to apply to switch in once per year.  Selection will be based on a point system that considers academic performance and other factors: California residency, first-generation status and Pell eligibility. Only students who have completed the required screening courses and have a minimum 2.0 UC GPA are eligible to apply.

Apply Here

The application cycle is closed and will be open by August 1. The link to apply will be available right here. Applications are due September 1.

You should NOT use the Selective Major application process to switch between two selective majors in the same department (ex: switching within MAE).  In those cases, please submit a request via the Major/Minor Tool to request to switch between selective majors in the same department. NOTE: Nanoengineering majors SHOULD submit an application via the Selective Major Application posted here to request to switch to Chemical Engineering.

Current Selective Majors

Application

First-year admitted students (summer 2025 and beyond) and transfer-admitted students (summer 2025 only)

  • When to apply: Applications for first-year students will be open once per year between summer and fall quarters.
    • Available: by August 1 2025 - will be posted on this page.
    • Deadline: September 1 each year.  
    • NOTE: The summer 2025 cycle is open to both first-year admitted students and transfer-admitted students who  meet the eligibility criteria.  Starting summer 2026 the summer application cycle will be open to first-year admitted students only.
  • When to expect final decisions: Decisions will be made after UC San Diego Summer Session 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.

Transfer-admitted students (after summer 2025)

 Only Public Health and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering will have application cycles for continuing transfer-admitted students after summer 2025.   Public Health will have a cycle for transfer-admitted students between fall and winter quarters (starting at the end of fall 2025 for fall 2025 admitted transfer students), and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering will have a a cycle for transfer-admitted students between winter and spring quarters (starting at the end of winter 2026 for fall 2025 admitted transfer students).  Deadlines for these cycles will be posted in late summer or early fall 2025.

All other selective majors will not allow transfer-admitted students to switch in after summer 2025. 

Eligibility Criteria

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 at UC San Diego. 
    • 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.
        • after Fall 2025: Public Health will select Transfer students who have been enrolled at UCSD for 1 quarter
        • after Winter 2026 (subject to change): Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering will select Transfer students who have been enrolled at UCSD for 2 quarters
  • 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 average for major screening courses taken at UC San Diego: 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.

See the FAQ page for questions about how points are determined.

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.

FAQ

Please see the FAQ page for answers to many common questions.

Contact

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 or the FAQ page, students should contact selective-majors@ucsd.edu.