University of California - San Diego Campus

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University of California - San Diego Campus Campus Life: Photos, Videos, Facilities

San Diego, California

3.0 /5

(2 Reviews)

Shiksha popularity ranking

#36 in World

#18 in USA

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Estd. 1960

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Last updated on 19 Jun '25

UC San Diego
Campus Life

The University of California San Diego is a public research university established in 1960. The university is recognized as one of the top 20 research universities worldwide. It is part of the public research university system of the University of California, located in La Jolla, San Diego, California, United States. Currently, there are over 45,200 students as of Fall 2024. The table below includes the highlights of the University of California San Diego campus:

Campus Detail	Stats
Established	1960
Total area	1,200 acres
Location	La Jolla, San Diego, California, United States
No. of campuses	1
University type	Public
UC San Diego Campus highlights	Download

Also read: Universities & Colleges in San Diego, USA

University of California San Diego Campus Overview

The University of California San Diego is among the most popular campuses globally for international students. The university offers quality education with better career growth to its students. UCSD has been among the top 10 public universities in the USA for over a decade. The US San Diego campus is accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The university campus is mostly surrounded by beautiful beaches. The average temperature in San Diego is around 25°C year-round.

UC Mobile App: Students can download the UC San Diego Mobile app to get their class schedule, campus events, and other updates.

Library: UC San Diego Library is the premier resource for our voracious community of change makers. William Pereira designed the university’s library in the late 1960s and it serves nearly 355,000 visitors annually.

Colleges: The group of eight colleges comes under the University of California San Diego and offers undergraduate and graduate courses to students. Every one of the colleges on campus features rigorous academics, excellent faculty, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Careers: At UC San Diego, graduates get better job opportunities after or during their studies. The university offers an abundance of rewarding career opportunities to students.

Student Life: The University of California San Diego has many student organizations. The Office of Student Life offers programs, campus collaborations, and placemaking to create an inclusive community

Accommodation: The incoming undergraduate students will be eligible for a two-year on-campus housing guarantee. Students get residence hall (suite) and apartment assignments will be at double occupancy and some limited triple occupancy rooms.

Location: The nearest commercial airport to UC San Diego is San Diego International Airport (SAN), which is about a 25-minute drive away. The distance between the University of California, San Diego, and San Diego Airport (SAN) is 20 miles.

Apply for the University of California San Diego admissions

University of California San Diego Athletics

The intercollegiate athletic teams of UC San Diego are also referred to as UC San Diego Tritons, which compete in NCAA Division I as a member of the Big West Conference. Other sporting affiliations of the Tritons include MPSF (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation), WWPA (Western Water Polo Association), and WIRA (Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association). UCSD also has a mascot named King Triton and sponsors a total of 24 intercollegiate sports programs.

UCSD has won a total of 278 national, regional, and conference championships. Some of the sports teams for Men and Women include Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Volleyball, Water Polo, etc.

University of California San Diego Other Campuses

The University of California San Diego has only one campus, and it is one of the popular campuses of the University of California.

Name of the campus	Details
University of California San Diego	Main Campus

University of California San Diego Top Courses

When it comes to UC San Diego courses, it provides over 160 undergraduate majors to choose from. The average freshman retention rate for UCSD is 94%, and the UCSD acceptance rate stands around 25%. The list of some of the popular courses at UCSD is below, along with the percentage of degree majors recipients.

Bachelors Degree	%	Masters Degree	%
Cognitive Science	7.94%	Computer Science	18%
Anatomy	6.02%	Financial Mathematics	6.49%
Computer Science	5.7%	Bioengineering & Biomedical Engineering	6.31%
International & Global Studies	5.62%	Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods	5.84%
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics	3.94%	Management Science	5.8%
General Psychology	3.85%	International Relations & Affairs	4.65%

Also read: Most popular programs in the USA

University of California San Diego On Campus Living

The incoming undergraduate students will be eligible for a two-year on-campus housing guarantee. Students get residence hall (suite) and apartment assignments will be at double occupancy and some limited triple occupancy rooms. They must meet the eligibility requirements for the two-year housing guarantee:

Students must reside in on-campus housing for the entirety of their admission year

Students must maintain their housing contract for the academic year or a full 12-month contract (Pepper Canyon West only)

Students must meet the admissions and housing deadlines to receive a housing offer and maintain the two-year housing guarantee.

University of California San Diego Housing

UC San Diego provides both on-campus and off-campus residency to its students. The rates for the academic session 2025-26 are given below. It is to be noted that these rates are inclusive of a one-time USD 20 (INR 1,730) Activity Fee and USD 30 (INR 2,600) Admin Fee (for Quarterly + Monthly options).

Residence Hall	Fall Quarterly Installments	Winter Quarterly Installments	Spring Quarterly Installments
Single Room	USD 6,647 (INR 5,76,095) USD 7,065 (INR 6,12,323) USD 7,587 (INR 6,57,565)	USD 6,196 (INR 5,37,007) USD 6,587 (INR 5,70,895) USD 7,076 (INR 6,13,276)	USD 6,196 (INR 5,37,007) USD 6,587 (INR 5,70,895) USD 7,076 (INR 6,13,276)
Double Room	USD 6,058 (INR 5,25,046) USD 6,474 (INR 5,61,101) USD 6,996 (INR 6,06,343)	USD 5,641 (INR 4,88,905) USD 6,033 (INR 5,22,880) USD 6,522 (INR 5,65,261)	USD 5,641 (INR 4,88,905) USD 6,033 (INR 5,22,880) USD 6,522 (INR 5,65,261)
Triple Room	USD 5,656 (INR 4,90,205) USD 6,072 (INR 5,26,260) USD 6,594 (INR 5,71,501)	USD 5,264 (INR 4,56,230) USD 5,656 (INR 4,90,205) USD 6,145 (INR 5,32,587)	USD 5,264 (INR 4,56,230) USD 5,656 (INR 4,90,205) USD 6,145 (INR 5,32,587)

Residence Hall

Fall Quarterly Installments

Winter Quarterly Installments

Spring Quarterly Installments

Single Room

USD 6,647 (INR 5,76,095)
USD 7,065 (INR 6,12,323)

USD 7,587 (INR 6,57,565)

USD 6,196 (INR 5,37,007)
USD 6,587 (INR 5,70,895)

USD 7,076 (INR 6,13,276)

USD 6,196 (INR 5,37,007)

USD 6,587 (INR 5,70,895)

USD 7,076 (INR 6,13,276)

Double Room

USD 6,058 (INR 5,25,046)

USD 6,474 (INR 5,61,101)

USD 6,996 (INR 6,06,343)

USD 5,641 (INR 4,88,905)

USD 6,033 (INR 5,22,880)

USD 6,522 (INR 5,65,261)

USD 5,641 (INR 4,88,905)

USD 6,033 (INR 5,22,880)

USD 6,522 (INR 5,65,261)

Triple Room

USD 5,656 (INR 4,90,205)

USD 6,072 (INR 5,26,260)

USD 6,594 (INR 5,71,501)

USD 5,264 (INR 4,56,230)

USD 5,656 (INR 4,90,205)

USD 6,145 (INR 5,32,587)

USD 5,264 (INR 4,56,230)

USD 5,656 (INR 4,90,205)

USD 6,145 (INR 5,32,587)

1 USD = INR 86.67

Explore campus life through the lens UC San Diego Others(1)

UC San Diego
Campus details

Campus

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San Diego Campus

Main Campus

3/5(1 Reviews)

The University of California San Diego Campus is among the best campuses globally. Established in the vibrant city of San Diego, California, USA in 1960 the UC San Diego Campus is spread over an area of 1200 acres . The university operates on a total of 1 campus . The university offers courses on both the ug, pg and Doctorate levels in fields such as

Engineering,
Business & Management Studies,
IT & Software, Science,
Medicine & Health Sciences.

Some of the top specializations offered are Computer Science, Finance, General Medicine, Electrical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering. The faculty-to-student ratio is 1:26 which helps students interact one-on-one with their experienced professors.

UC San Diego photos and videos

University of California - San Diego Campus San Diego Campus Price Center photos

UC San Diego accommodation

On-Campus Accommodation

AVAILABLE

University of California, San Diego give students both undergraduate and graduate a wide variety of choices to ensure a comfortable living experience on-campus with 2 options-
- Residence Hall
- Apartme

University of California, San Diego give students both undergraduate and graduate a wide variety of choices to ensure a comfortable living experience on-campus with 2 options-
- Residence Hall
- Apartment Housing
Incoming freshmen who meet all admissions and housing deadlines will have a 2 year housing guarantee
Meal plans are available to both residence hall and apartment students
University has
- 10 restaurants including speciality locations such as Mexican, Vegan, Pacific Rim, and Sushi
- 6 markets open until 1 am
- 2 roaming food trucks

Masters

Bachelors

Accommodation Expense

On-campus housing:hdh.ucsd.edu/

Double Occupancy - Shared Bedroom: $477 monthly rates and (PG)

Meal Expense

Total Annual Cost:USD 4154
Living expense links:hdhgradfamilyhousing.ucsd.edu/co...

Off-Campus Accommodation

AVAILABLE

Off-campus housing:student.com/us/san-diego
collegestudentapartments.com/cit...
apartments.com/san-diego-ca/stud...

The average rent is 1200 USD/month
The residence type includes studio apartments, 3 bedroom apartments, 4 bedroom apartments, shared apartments and Condo
Amenities include a common dining area, outdo

The average rent is 1200 USD/month
The residence type includes studio apartments, 3 bedroom apartments, 4 bedroom apartments, shared apartments and Condo
Amenities include a common dining area, outdoor entertainment area, individual study rooms and a fully-equipped kitchen
All homes come with central A/C, full-size Washer and Dryer
The student residences are located in close proximity to learning institutions as well as local convenience stores, shopping centres and grocery shops

San Diego Campus ratings & reviews

3/5

1 Verified Review Info Icon

Student Views (Based on Reviews)

0% students never faced discrimination in this university

Vibe of Campus

Stressful

Academically oriented

Internships3

Part time work1

Post study jobs3

Quality of faculty3

Student Life1

Value for money3

Public transportation4

Safety5

Indian Food5

Permanent Immigration2

Deepak Sridhar

MS in Signal and Image Processing - Batch of 2027

Offered by University of California - San Diego Campus

4.2

Good courses, faculty, research and career options make UCSD a top choice

Tips: Students should look at the cost of living and financial aid options before joining the campus as it is generally expensive to live around San Diego area. Students should clearly be prepared in choosing their track either industry or academic research and start preparing for it from day one. The courses require prior requisites and so students have to carefully look at the track they choose relevant to their interests and put in efforts to achieve their goals. Teaching assistantships are very competitive but might be available during the second year of your program. You'll have to do well on the courses and maintain good contact with the professor if you are looking to get one. Some students get TAs outside their department which is an option to consider. Courses are rigorous and the quarter system is fast-paced. So one has to adapt to this structure.

Likes (Safety): The college administration considers safety to be of utmost importance with annual safety reviews happening every year. Any safety is immediately published to make you aware of the incidents. The campus has security officers to report to even at night times. The area around campus is filled with student population, so there is no concern for safety.

Dislikes (Permanent Immigration): Due to the H1B immigration system, permanent immigration system is convoluted although it might take longer than expected. There are no specifics to the university, this is general for all US universities. Given a chance I would immigrate to this country especially considering the state-the-art work done at many companies

Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 1400

Prepping time for classes25 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryUSD 150000

Reviewed on 11 Feb 2024Read more

Anonymous

Master of Science in Computer Engineering - Batch of 2027

Offered by University of California - San Diego Campus

The college has its pros and cons.

Tips: The college is academically oriented and the social life here is very less. The quarter system moves very fast and it is hard to learn something new given the very little time we get. Students barely get time to study or do things that will make them learn and implement something new, unless you hyper specialize in a particular area.

Likes (Safety): The area around the campus is pretty much safe with very few homeless people. There's public transport like shuttle buses from student housing and campus, but the frequency of that reduces after 6 and stops after 9 or 10 PM. It's safe to walk back to the graduate student housing in the night, although I haven't heard many bad experiences doing so, it's still advisable not to walk back alone in the night and have at least another person with you.

Dislikes (Student Life): The college is not very socially active and there are barely any student gatherings or meet-ups, so it's socially dead and it's not like other colleges in the East Coast, where students get time to party and chill. This is a pretty rigorous and fast paced college, so student life takes a hit.

Total Monthly ExpenseUSD 1500

Prepping time for classes23 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryUSD

Reviewed on 25 Nov 2025Read more

View All 2 Reviews

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UC San Diego
FAQs on Campus

Q: How much does off-campus living cost at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD)?

International students can also search for off-campus housing using multiple search options. The table below includes the list of few options with their cost for per academic year:

Off Campus Listings	Cost
Village View (1 - 2 Beds)	USD 2,625 - USD 3,025
Coral Bay (1 - 2 Beds)	USD 1,834 - USD 2,663
La Jolla Nobel (1 Bed)	USD 2,612 - USD 2,705
Regents Court (1 - 3 Beds)	USD 3,411 - USD 7,431

Q: What are the benefits of living on campus at University of California, San Diego?

Major benefits of living on campus at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) are mentioned below:

UC Mobile App: Students can download UC San Diego Mobile app to get their class schedule, campus events, and other updates.

Library: UC San Diego Library is the premier resource for our voracious community of change makers. William Pereira designs the university’s library in the late 1960 and it serve nearly 355,000 visitors annually.

Careers: At UC San Diego, graduates get better job opportunities after or during the study. The university offers an abundance of rewarding career opportunities to students.

Students Life: The University of California San Diego has many student organizations. The office of student life offer programs, campus collaborations, and placemaking, to create an inclusive community

Q: What majors is UCSD best known for?

UCSD provides over 160 undergraduate majors to choose from to its students. The popular courses for a Bachelor's Degree include Cognitive Science, Anatomy, Computer Science, International and Global Studies, Econometrics & Quantitative Economics, General Psychology, General Biological Sciences, etc.

Whereas, for a Master’s Degree, the list of popular courses at UC San Diego includes Computer Science, Financial Mathematics, Bioengineering & Biomedical Engineering, Other Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods, Management Science, International Relations & Affairs, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, etc.