Undergraduate Tuition & Fees
ON THIS PAGE
Tuition and Fees Overview
How much will your UC Santa Cruz education cost? This page outlines tuition and fees by academic year and provides details about the UC Tuition Stability Plan, registration charges, billing deadlines, and refund schedules. You’ll also find information on cost of attendance, military education benefits, and how your starting year impacts your fees.
Some or all instruction for all or part of the Academic Year may be delivered remotely. Tuition and fees have been set regardless of the method of instruction and will not be refunded in the event instruction occurs remotely for any part of the Academic Year. Figures for tuition and fees represent currently approved or proposed amounts and may not be final. Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California as determined to be necessary or appropriate. Final approved tuition and fee levels may differ from the amounts presented.
Tuition and fees by academic year
Beginning fall 2022, the University of California, Santa Cruz implemented the Board of Regents’ Tuition Stability Plan. The plan helps students and families budget for a UC education by keeping UC tuition stable and predictable and providing new resources for financial aid. For more information, please visit UC Tuition Stability Plan.
For information on undergraduate cost of attendance and associated budgets, please visit Cost of Attendance, hosted by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship.
Undergraduate Student Fees by First Admit Year
The fee chart below includes separate tabs with student fees delineated by year admitted to the university. A student who started at UC Santa Cruz in academic year 2025-26 should use the Enrolled in Academic Year 2025-26 tab to determine their fees, while a student who started at UCSC in academic year 2021-22 would use the Enrolled in Academic Year 2021-22 or Earlier tab.
Charges are subject to change without notice. Some or all instruction for all or part of the Academic Year may be delivered remotely. Tuition and fees have been set regardless of the method of instruction and will not be refunded in the event instruction occurs remotely for any part of the Academic Year. Figures for tuition and fees represent currently approved or proposed amounts and may not be final. Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California as determined to be necessary or appropriate. Final approved tuition and fee levels may differ from the amounts presented.
UC Santa Cruz Registration Fees
The tuition, fees, and charges posted here are estimates based on currently approved amounts. These figures may not be final. Actual tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change by the Regents of the University of California and could be affected by state funding reductions. Accordingly, final approved levels (and thus a student’s final balance due) may differ from the amounts shown.
New students starting summer 2016 or later, please note that classification of nonresident at any time during your academic career impacts your eligibility for university aid programs. These include but are not limited to university grant, USHIP grant, university loan, etc. For more information please contact the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office.
Registration fees are due and payable before the beginning of each quarter. The billing dates and deadlines for payment are found in the Academic and Administrative Calendar, and online at Student Business Services. The information is also included with the billing statement; for more information on billing and methods of payment, go to the Student Business Services website.
The Records Management Fee is charged to all new undergraduate, graduate (including professional master’s), and summer session-only students upon initial entry.
For background information including, when applicable, referendum language and fund distribution, go to the Dean of Students Student Fees website, which also links to fee information for UCSC Summer Session.
UC Student Association (UCSA) and UC Graduate and Professional Council (UCGPC)
Undergraduate students may opt out of the UCSA or UCGPC Association charges by submitting an online form before the third-week deadline of the affected quarter. If you opted out and wish to opt-in, you will need to complete the same form. Follow the navigation below to access the form in your MyUCSC portal.
- MyUCSC >> Undergraduate Student eForms tile >> UCSA Registration Fee Opt-out link in the left navigation
U.S. Department of Defense Tuition Assistance (TA) Program
The U.S. Department of Defense Tuition Assistance (TA) Program requires that participating institutions charge tuition to TA recipients on a per-unit or per-course basis rather than as a flat amount per term. Please visit the following links for more information: