For students starting college in fall 2027, the University of California application opened August 1, 2026, and can be submitted from October 1 to November 30, 2026. Financial aid forms are due March 2, 2027, admission decisions arrive in March, and admitted students must accept by May 1, 2027. One application covers all nine UC campuses. Below is every official date and a simple plan for getting the application in well before the deadline.
Fall 2027 UC dates at a glance
From the University of California dates and deadlines page for first year applicants:
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| August 1, 2026 | Application opens for fall 2027 applicants |
| October 1, 2026 | Filing period opens; FAFSA, California Dream Act Application and Cal Grant GPA Verification Form open |
| October 1 to November 30, 2026 | Fall 2027 application filing period |
| March 1 to 31, 2027 | Admission decisions (some campuses may release earlier) |
| March 2, 2027 | Deadline for the FAFSA, California Dream Act Application and GPA Verification Form |
| May 1, 2027 | Deadline to submit the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) |
| July 1, 2027 | Final official transcripts due to the campus you will attend |
| July 15, 2027 | Official AP and IB results due |
Some campuses also accept applications for spring 2027 during July 1 to 31, 2026; most first year students apply for fall. Dates can change, and in some past years UC has extended the deadline, so do not plan on an extension.
What goes into the UC application
UC’s counselor training on the application basics lists the parts students fill in themselves:
- Academic history: students self report every A to G course and grade from 9th grade on, using an unofficial transcript. Official transcripts are not sent until after a student commits.
- Activities and awards: six categories (awards and honors, educational preparation programs, extracurricular activities, other coursework, volunteering and work experience). Quality and detail matter more than a long list.
- Personal insight questions: four short answers chosen from eight prompts, up to 350 words each. See our guide to the UC personal insight questions.
- Additional comments: an optional space of up to 550 characters for unusual circumstances, not another essay.
- Test scores: UC does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions or scholarships.
- Fees: the application fee is charged per campus, and eligible students can have the fee waived for up to four campuses.
A month by month plan for seniors
August and September
- Create the UC application account and enter courses and grades while the transcript is in front of you.
- Use the A to G requirements checker and the UC and CSU GPA calculator to see where you stand.
- Choose your four personal insight questions and write first drafts.
- List activities with hours per week and weeks per year.
October
- Submit the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application as soon as it opens; many California high schools submit the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form for seniors, so confirm with the counselor.
- Revise the personal insight questions with feedback, keeping every word your own.
- Decide on campuses and majors, and check any major that asks for extra material.
November
- Aim to submit by mid November, not on November 30, when help lines and websites are busiest.
- Save the confirmation and check the email account used on the application.
December to February
- Keep grades steady. Offers of admission are conditional on finishing senior year as planned.
- Watch for requests from campuses and set up each campus applicant portal.
March to July
- Read decisions and financial aid offers side by side.
- Submit one Statement of Intent to Register by May 1.
- Send final transcripts by July 1 and AP or IB results by July 15.
How UC GPA fits in
UC uses a GPA built only from 10th and 11th grade A to G grades with capped honors points, and California residents need at least a 3.0 to meet the minimum. Our UC and CSU GPA calculator works it out from your grades. Applying to the California State University too? Read how the CSU application and impaction work and use the California senior year checklist to track both systems.
Where a mentor helps
Many application problems come down to timing: drafts that never start, courses entered at the last minute, a deadline missed by a day. A mentor works with the student each week on a simple plan, breaks the application into small tasks, keeps the personal insight question drafts moving and keeps grades from slipping in the fall. Parents get updates instead of having to chase.
- A weekly application calendar built backward from November 30.
- Accountability for drafts, the activities list and financial aid forms.
- Study and time routines so senior fall grades hold up.
- Calm, steady support for a student who feels behind.
Mentoring is not tutoring, test prep or admissions consulting, and no one can promise admission. Blackburn Mentoring works one on one by video nationwide and in person in Los Angeles, including families across Los Angeles County. Book a free 20 minute intro call to talk through your plan.
Related
- UC personal insight questions: how to approach them
- California senior year checklist for UC and CSU
- CSU application and impaction explained
- UC and CSU GPA calculator
- FAFSA timeline
- Mentoring for high school students
Common questions
When is the UC application deadline for fall 2027?
November 30, 2026. The filing period runs October 1 to November 30, 2026, and the application has been open to start since August 1, 2026.
Can I submit the UC application before October 1?
You can start and save it from August 1, but submission opens October 1.
Do I need SAT or ACT scores for UC?
No. UC does not consider SAT or ACT scores when making admission decisions or awarding scholarships.
When do UC admission decisions come out?
UC lists March 1 to 31, 2027 for fall 2027 first year decisions, and some campuses may release decisions earlier.
What is the UC financial aid deadline?
Submit the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application and the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form by March 2, 2027.
Do I send transcripts with the UC application?
No. Students self report their courses and grades. Final official transcripts go only to the campus a student will attend, by July 1, 2027.
This guide is general information, not official admissions advice. Dates and rules can change; the official UC and CSU sites and your counselor decide.
Get started
Want help turning this into a plan for your student? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or book a free intro call.
Free, by video, 20 minutes, with a member of our team. Weekdays 9 to 5 Pacific.