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

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:

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.

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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.

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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. 

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).

1 USD = INR 86.67