Editing University of California, San Diego

{{Short description|Public research university in San Diego, California}}
{{Redirect|UCSD}}
{{About|text=For the California State University university, see [[San Diego State University]]. For the private university, see [[University of San Diego]].}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox university
 | name                   = {{nowrap|University of California,}} {{nowrap|San Diego}}
 | image                  = Seal of the University of California, San Diego.svg
 | image_upright          = .7
 | motto                  = ''[[Fiat lux]]'' ([[Latin]])
 | mottoeng               = "[[Let there be light]]"
 | accreditation          = [[WASC Senior College and University Commission|WSCUC]]
 | established            = {{start date and age|1960|11|18}}
 | type                   = [[Public university|Public]] [[Land-grant university|land-grant]] [[research university]]
 | parent                 = [[University of California]]
 | academic_affiliations  = {{hlist|[[Association of American Universities|AAU]]|[[Association of Pacific Rim Universities|APRU]]|[[Universities Research Association|URA]]|[[National Sea Grant College Program|Sea-grant]]|[[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program|Space-grant]]}}
 | endowment              = $1.36 billion (2023)<ref>As of June 30, 2023. {{cite web |url=https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/nacubo1-nacubo-prd-dc8b/media/Nacubo/Documents/EndowmentFiles/2023-NCSE-Endowment-Market-Values-FINAL.xlsx |title=U.S. and Canadian 2023 NCSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2023 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY22 to FY23, and FY23 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student |date=February 15, 2024 |publisher=National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) |access-date=July 25, 2024 |format=XLSX |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523180252/https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/nacubo1-nacubo-prd-dc8b/media/Nacubo/Documents/EndowmentFiles/2023-NCSE-Endowment-Market-Values-FINAL.xlsx |archive-date=May 23, 2024 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 | chancellor             = [[Pradeep Khosla]]<ref name="Chancellor">{{cite news |url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/may/16/uc-regents-confirm-new-ucsd-leader-set-pay/ |last=Gardener |first=Michael |title=New UCSD Leader's Salary Draws Fire |newspaper=[[U-T San Diego]] |date=May 16, 2012 |access-date=May 5, 2013 |archive-date=June 1, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601063146/http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/may/16/uc-regents-confirm-new-ucsd-leader-set-pay/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
 | faculty                = 10,810 (fall 2023)<ref name="head count">{{cite web|url=https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/uc-employee-headcount|title=UC Employee Headcount|publisher=University of California|access-date=December 12, 2023|archive-date=December 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212045528/https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/uc-employee-headcount|url-status=live}}</ref>
 | administrative_staff   = 28,878 (fall 2023)<ref name="head count"/>
 | students               = 43,381 (fall 2023)<ref name="Enrollment">{{cite web|url=https://blink.ucsd.edu/instructors/courses/enrollment/week3.html|title=Final Registration Reports (Official Third-Week Statistics)|access-date=December 12, 2023|archive-date=December 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212050105/https://blink.ucsd.edu/instructors/courses/enrollment/week3.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
 | undergrad              = 33,792 (fall 2023)<ref name="Enrollment"/>
 | postgrad               = 9,589 (fall 2023)<ref name="Enrollment"/>
 | city                   = [[La Jolla]], [[San Diego, California]]
 | state                  = 
 | country                = United States
 | campus                 = Large city<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=san+diego&s=all&pg=2&id=110680|title=IPEDS-University of California-San Diego|access-date=November 7, 2021|archive-date=November 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107205839/https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=san+diego&s=all&pg=2&id=110680|url-status=live}}</ref>
 | campus_size            = {{convert|2178|acre|ha}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://finreports.universityofcalifornia.edu/index.php?file=18-19/pdf/fullreport-1819.pdf |title=University of California Annual Financial Report 18/19 |publisher=University of California |page=9 |access-date=October 12, 2020 |archive-date=September 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923042236/https://finreports.universityofcalifornia.edu/index.php?file=18-19%2Fpdf%2Ffullreport-1819.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
 | coordinates            = {{Coord|32.8801|N|117.234|W|region:US-CA_type:edu|display=title,inline}}
 | free_label             = Newspaper
 | free                   = ''[[UCSD Guardian|The Guardian]]''
 | colors                 = UC San Diego Navy, Blue, Yellow, and Gold<ref>{{cite web |url=https://brand.ucsd.edu/logos-and-brand-elements/color-palette/index.html |title=UC San Diego Color Palette |access-date=December 5, 2022 |archive-date=July 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725191109/https://brand.ucsd.edu/logos-and-brand-elements/color-palette/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><br>{{color box|#182B49}}&nbsp;{{color box|#00629B}}&nbsp;{{color box|FFCD00}}&nbsp;{{color box|#C69214}}
 | sporting_affiliations  = {{hlist|[[NCAA Division I]] – [[Big West Conference|Big West]]|[[Mountain Pacific Sports Federation|MPSF]]|[[Western Water Polo Association|WWPA]]|[[Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association|WIRA]]}}
 | sports_nickname        = [[UC San Diego Tritons|Tritons]]
 | mascot                 = [[Triton (mythology)|King Triton]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ucsdtritons.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5800&ATCLID=187452|title=UCSD Mascot - King Triton|date=September 6, 2005|access-date=February 18, 2012|work=UC San Diego Athletics|publisher=University of California, San Diego|archive-date=September 30, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930145022/http://www.ucsdtritons.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5800&ATCLID=187452|url-status=live}}</ref>
 | website                = {{official URL}}
 | logo                   = University of California, San Diego logo.svg
 | logo_upright           = .7
 | logo_size              = 200px
}}

The '''University of California, San Diego'''{{efn |The UC San Diego Editorial Style Guide suggests to use no comma in its full name: '''University of California San Diego'''.<ref>{{cite web | title=UC San Diego Editorial Style Guide |url=https://blink.ucsd.edu/technology/websites/training/writing/styleguide/index.html#UCSD | website=blink.ucsd.edu | publisher=UC San Diego |access-date=April 3, 2024 |archive-date=September 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924080750/https://blink.ucsd.edu/technology/websites/training/writing/styleguide/index.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The official campus name approved by the [[Regents of the University of California]] in November 1960 uses a comma.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Stadtman|first1=Verne A.|title=The University of California, 1868–1968|url=https://archive.org/details/universityofcali00stad|url-access=registration|date=1970|publisher=McGraw-Hill|location=New York|pages=[https://archive.org/details/universityofcali00stad/page/410 410]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Atkinson |first1=Richard C. |author1-link=Richard C. Atkinson |title=Official Designation of UC Campuses |url=https://policy.ucop.edu/_files/da/2-26-99name.html |website=policy.ucop.edu |publisher=Regents of the University of California |access-date=March 21, 2024 |archive-date=February 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226001917/https://policy.ucop.edu/_files/da/2-26-99name.html |url-status=live |date=1999-02-26}}</ref> The current systemwide University of California Brand Guidelines published by the University of California Office of the President also use a comma.<ref>{{cite web | title=Editorial, Brand Guidelines, University of California |url=https://brand.universityofcalifornia.edu/guidelines/editorial.html |website=brand.universityofcalifornia.edu |publisher= Regents of the University of California |access-date=April 3, 2024 |archive-date=December 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231210212530/https://brand.universityofcalifornia.edu/guidelines/editorial.html |url-status=live}}</ref> }} ('''UC San Diego''' or colloquially, '''UCSD''') is a [[public university|public]] [[Land-grant university|land-grant]] [[research university]] in [[San Diego]], California, United States. Established in 1960 near the pre-existing [[Scripps Institution of Oceanography]] in [[La Jolla]], UC San Diego is the southernmost of the ten campuses of the [[University of California]]. It offers over 200 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, enrolling 33,096 undergraduate and 9,872 graduate students, with the second largest student housing capacity in the nation.<ref name=beds22k /> The university occupies {{convert|2178|acre|ha}} near the [[Pacific coast]].<ref name="Area">{{cite web |url=http://physicalplanning.ucsd.edu/plans/docs/LRDP_Chap2.pdf |title=Long Range Development Plan 2004 |access-date=May 5, 2013 |work=Physical & Community Planning |publisher=University of California San Diego |pages=28–29 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215545/http://physicalplanning.ucsd.edu/plans/docs/LRDP_Chap2.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

UC San Diego consists of 12 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools as well as 8 undergraduate [[residential colleges]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Colleges |url=https://admissions.ucsd.edu/why/colleges/ |access-date=2023-07-20 |website=admissions.ucsd.edu}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://wsph.ucsd.edu/ |title= Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science |access-date= March 22, 2020 |archive-date= March 22, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200322235353/https://wsph.ucsd.edu/ |url-status= live }}</ref>  The university operates 19 organized research units as well as 8 School of Medicine research units, 6 research centers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and 2 multi-campus initiatives.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blink.ucsd.edu/sponsor/ora/orus/roster.html|title=UC San Diego ORU Roster and Contacts|access-date=August 19, 2014|archive-date=August 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804040919/http://blink.ucsd.edu/sponsor/ora/orus/roster.html|url-status=live}}</ref> UC San Diego is also closely affiliated with several regional research centers such as the [[Salk Institute for Biological Studies]], [[Scripps Research]], [[Sanford Burnham Prebys]], and the [[Sanford Consortium]].

UC San Diego is considered a [[Public Ivies|Public Ivy]]. It is [[Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education|classified]] among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".<ref>{{cite web |title=Carnegie Classifications Institution Lookup |url=https://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/lookup/view_institution.php?unit_id=110680 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200722024953/https://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/lookup/view_institution.php?unit_id=110680 |archive-date=July 22, 2020 |access-date=21 July 2020 |website=carnegieclassifications.iu.edu |publisher=Center for Postsecondary Education}}</ref> UC San Diego faculty, researchers, and alumni have won 27 [[Nobel Prize]]s, 3 [[Fields Medal]]s, 8 [[National Medal of Science|National Medals of Science]], 8 [[MacArthur Fellows Program|MacArthur Fellowships]] and 4 [[Pulitzer Prize]]s.<ref name="Awards2">{{cite web|url=http://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/faculty/about.html|title=About the Faculty|publisher=University of California San Diego|work=Academic Affairs|access-date=May 1, 2013|archive-date=April 19, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419165620/http://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/faculty/about.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Jacobs staff2">{{cite web|url=http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/about/about_facts/na_members.shtml|title=Members of the National Academies|publisher=University of California San Diego|work=[[Jacobs School of Engineering]]|access-date=February 18, 2012|archive-date=March 23, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323022455/http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/about/about_facts/na_members.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title='Central Park Five' composer Anthony Davis wins the Pulitzer Prize for music|first1=Jessica|last1=Gelt|first2=Makeda|last2=Easter|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2020-05-04/anthony-davis-pulitzer-prize-music-central-park-five-opera-long-beach|date=2020-05-04|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-11|archive-date=May 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511070523/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2020-05-04/anthony-davis-pulitzer-prize-music-central-park-five-opera-long-beach|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-03-06 |title=50 Universities with the Most Nobel Prize Winners |url=https://www.bestmastersprograms.org/50-universities-with-the-most-nobel-prize-winners/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |website=BestMastersPrograms.org |language=en-US |archive-date=March 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309040815/https://www.bestmastersprograms.org/50-universities-with-the-most-nobel-prize-winners/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=University of California Nobel Laureates |url=http://nobel.universityofcalifornia.edu/list.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130316124306/http://nobel.universityofcalifornia.edu/list.html |archive-date=March 16, 2013 |access-date=April 30, 2013 |publisher=[[University of California]]}}</ref> Additionally, of faculty past and present, 41 have been elected to the [[National Academy of Engineering]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Members Directory |url=https://www.nae.edu/default.aspx?id=20412&groupby=Affiliation&sortdir=ascending&qaff=University%20of%20California,%20San%20Diego&qdec=both |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=NAE Website |language=en}}</ref> 110 to the [[National Academy of Sciences]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-03 |title=Directory - NAM |url=https://nam.edu/membership/members/directory/?jsf=epro-posts:content-feed&tax=institution:329,695 |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=nam.edu |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofsandiego.com/tech/2015/04/29/5-san-diego-scientists-elected-to-national-academy-sciences/|title=5 San Diego Scientists Elected to National Academy|date=April 29, 2015|work=Times of San Diego|publisher=Times of San Diego LLC|ref=5 San Diego Scientists Elected to National Academy|last1=Jennewein|first1=Chris|access-date=February 18, 2016|archive-date=February 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160225154912/http://timesofsandiego.com/tech/2015/04/29/5-san-diego-scientists-elected-to-national-academy-sciences/|url-status=live}}</ref> 36 to the [[National Academy of Medicine]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-03 |title=Directory - NAM |url=https://nam.edu/membership/members/directory/?jsf=epro-posts:content-feed&tax=institution:329,695 |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=nam.edu |language=en-US}}</ref> and 130 to the [[American Academy of Arts and Sciences]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Member Directory {{!}} American Academy of Arts and Sciences |url=https://www.amacad.org/directory?field_affiliation=university%20of%20california,%20san%20diego&field_class_section=All&field_class_section_1=All&field_deceased=All&sort_bef_combine=field_election_year_DESC |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=www.amacad.org}}</ref>
{{toclimit|3}}

==History==
When the [[Regents of the University of California]] originally authorized the San Diego campus in 1956, it was planned to be a graduate and research institution, providing instruction in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering.<ref name="Kerr">{{Cite book | last=Kerr | first=Clark | title=The Gold and the Blue: A Personal Memoir of the University of California, 1949-1967 Volume I: Academic Triumphs | year=2003 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMEZ_47vXkAC&pg=PA257 | pages=248, 254–260 | location=[[Berkeley, California|Berkeley]] | publisher=[[University of California Press]] | access-date=July 20, 2009 | isbn=978-0-520-22367-7 | archive-date=April 23, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423040753/https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Gold_and_the_Blue_Volume_One/jMEZ_47vXkAC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA257&printsec=frontcover | url-status=live }}</ref> Local citizens supported the idea, voting the same year to transfer to the university {{convert|59|acre|ha}} of mesa land on the coast near the pre-existing [[Scripps Institution of Oceanography]]. The Regents requested an additional gift of {{convert|550|acre|ha}} of undeveloped mesa land northeast of Scripps, as well as {{convert|500|acres|ha}} on the former site of [[Camp Calvin B. Matthews|Camp Matthews]] from the federal government, but [[Roger Revelle]], then director of the Scripps Institution and main advocate for establishing the new campus, jeopardized the site selection by exposing the La Jolla community's exclusive real estate business practices, which were antagonistic to minority racial and religious groups. This outraged local conservatives, as well as Regent [[Edwin W. Pauley]].<ref name="Kerr" /> Revelle also got involved in a bitter debate with [[Jonas Salk]] over where Salk's [[Salk Institute for Biological Studies|proposed institute]] would be located relative to the new campus.<ref name="Kerr" />[[File:Scripps Institute of Oceanography Monument Sign.jpg|thumb|264x264px|[[Scripps Institution of Oceanography]] at UC San Diego ]]UC president [[Clark Kerr]] satisfied San Diego city donors by changing the proposed name from the University of California, La Jolla, to the University of California, San Diego.<ref name="Timeline">{{cite web|url=http://ucsd.edu/timeline/|title=Campus Timeline|publisher=University of California, San Diego|access-date=April 29, 2013|archive-date=April 19, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419113242/http://ucsd.edu/timeline/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Kerr" /> The city voted to agree to its part of the deal in 1958, and the UC Board of Regents approved construction of the new campus in 1960. Because Revelle's tactless approaches to the clashes with Pauley and Salk had damaged his reputation with the board of regents, Kerr realized he could not nominate Revelle as the campus's first chancellor. Revelle's nomination would have become "an angry and drawn-out affair" and greatly detracted from the campus's future development. [[Herbert York]], first director of [[Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory]], was selected instead.<ref name="Kerr" /> York planned the main campus according to the "[[Oxbridge]]" model, relying on many of Revelle's ideas.<ref name="Stadtman1" />
According to Kerr, "San Diego always asked for the best," though this created much friction throughout the UC system, including with Kerr himself, because UC San Diego often seemed to be "asking for too much and too fast."<ref name="Kerr" />  Kerr attributed UC San Diego's "special personality" to Scripps, which for over five decades had been the most isolated UC unit in every sense: geographically, financially, and institutionally.<ref name="Kerr" />  Scripps had originally explored the simple idea of adding a small program for graduate students to its existing research program.<ref name="Kerr" /> Over time, that idea evolved into something much larger and more complex, and it was a great shock to the Scripps community to learn that Scripps was now expected to become the nucleus of a new UC campus and would now be the object of far more attention from both the university administration in Berkeley and the state government in Sacramento.<ref name="Kerr" />

UC San Diego was the first general campus of the University of California to be designed "from the top down" in terms of research emphasis.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kerr|first1=Clark|title=The Gold and the Blue: A Personal Memoir of the University of California, 1949–1967, Volume 1|date=2001|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=9780520223677|page=257|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jMEZ_47vXkAC&pg=PA257|access-date=11 July 2020|archive-date=July 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200722100213/https://books.google.com/books?id=jMEZ_47vXkAC&pg=PA257|url-status=live}}</ref> Local leaders disagreed on whether the new school should be a technical research institute or a more broadly based school that included undergraduates as well. [[John Jay Hopkins]] of [[General Dynamics|General Dynamics Corporation]] pledged one million dollars for the former while the City Council offered free land for the latter.<ref name="Stadtman1"/><ref name="Gribble">{{cite news |url=http://www.sandiegometro.com/2000/sep/coverstory.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080417234035/http://www.sandiegometro.com/2000/sep/coverstory.html|archive-date=April 17, 2008|title=Forty Years of UCSD Perspective|last=Gribble|first=Joanne |date=September 2000|work=San Diego Metropolitan|access-date=July 20, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> The original authorization for the San Diego campus given by the [[Regents of the University of California|UC Regents]] in 1956 approved a "graduate program in science and technology" that included undergraduate programs, a compromise that won both the support of General Dynamics and the city voters' approval.<ref name="Stadtman1"/>

Nobel laureate [[Harold Urey]], a physical chemist from the [[University of Chicago]]; [[James R. Arnold]], a pioneering cosmochemist; and [[Hans Suess]], who had published the first paper on the [[greenhouse effect]] with Revelle in the previous year were early recruits to the faculty in 1958.<ref name="Gribble"/> [[Maria Goeppert Mayer]], later the second female [[List of Nobel laureates|Nobel laureate]] in [[physics]], was appointed professor of physics in 1960.<ref name="Gribble"/> The graduate division of the school opened in 1960 with 20 faculty in residence, with instruction offered in the fields of physics, [[biology]], [[chemistry]], and [[earth science]]. Before the main campus completed construction, classes were held in Scripps Institution of Oceanography.<ref name="Stadtman1"/>

By 1963, new facilities on the mesa had been finished for the School of Science and Engineering, and new buildings were under construction for Social Sciences and Humanities. Ten additional faculty in those disciplines were hired, and the whole site was designated the First College of the new campus (it was later renamed after Roger Revelle). York resigned as chancellor that year and was replaced by [[John Semple Galbraith]].<ref name="Gribble"/> The undergraduate program accepted its first class of 181 freshman at [[Revelle College]] in 1964.<ref name="Stadtman1">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/universityofcali00stad|url-access=registration|last=Stadtman |first=Verne A. |year=1970 |title=The University of California, 1868-1968|pages= [https://archive.org/details/universityofcali00stad/page/407 407]–411|publisher=[[McGraw-Hill]]|access-date=May 5, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Stadtman |first=Verne A. |title=The Centennial Record of the University of California |year=1967 |publisher=[[Regents of the University of California]] |journal=Office of the Secretary |url=http://content.cdlib.org/xtf/view?docId=hb4v19n9zb&doc.view=frames&chunk.id=div00852&toc.depth=1&toc.id=div00852&brand=calisphere |access-date=August 10, 2007 |archive-date=April 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423040756/https://widget.surveymonkey.com/collect/website/js/tRaiETqnLgj758hTBazgd46SduUZpYUxcQeMqqpNylC0X9iWSnNXmorY0s_2BzB_2FIz.js |url-status=live }}</ref> Second College was founded in 1964, on the land deeded by the federal government, and named after environmentalist [[John Muir]] two years later.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/uchistory/general_history/campuses/ucsd/overview.html |title=San Diego: Historical Overview |work=University of California History Digital Archives |publisher=[[University of California, Berkeley]] |access-date=February 20, 2013 |archive-date=March 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306161912/http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/uchistory/general_history/campuses/ucsd/overview.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[University of California, San Diego School of Medicine|School of Medicine]] also accepted its first students in 1966.<ref name="Gribble"/>

Political theorist [[Herbert Marcuse]] joined the faculty in 1965. A champion of the [[New Left]], he reportedly was the first protester to occupy the administration building in a demonstration organized by his student, political activist [[Angela Davis]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2007/aug/23/bourgeois-marxist/|title=The Bourgeois Marxist|last=Fokos|first=Barberella|date=August 23, 2007|newspaper=San Diego Reader|access-date=July 20, 2009|archive-date=August 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802063136/http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2007/aug/23/bourgeois-marxist/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[American Legion]] offered to buy out the remainder of Marcuse's contract for $20,000; the Regents censured Chancellor [[William J. McGill]] for defending Marcuse on the basis of [[academic freedom]], but further action was averted after local leaders expressed support for Marcuse.<ref name="Gribble"/> Further student unrest was felt at the university, as the United States increased its involvement in the [[Vietnam War]] during the mid-1960s, when a student raised a [[Viet Minh]] flag over the campus.<ref name="Stadtman1"/> Protests escalated as the war continued and were only exacerbated after the National Guard [[Kent State shootings|fired on student protesters]] at [[Kent State University]] in 1970. Over 200 students occupied Urey Hall, with one student setting himself on fire in protest of the war.<ref name="Stadtman1"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://obrag.org/?p=6972 |title=I was in a sit-in at UC San Diego when we heard about the killings at Kent State. |publisher=OB Rag |date=May 4, 2010 |access-date=February 20, 2012 |archive-date=July 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110703040459/http://obrag.org/?p=6972 |url-status=live }}</ref> On May 11, 1970, George Winne, Jr., an undergraduate student majoring in history, [[Self-immolation of George Winne Jr.|killed himself]] on campus by [[self-immolation]] while carrying a sign that read "In God's name, End this war".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Joyner |first=Owen |date=1970-05-12 |title=Student Sets Self Afire; Dies to Protest War |url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb14004249/_1.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710062652/https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb14004249/_1.pdf |archive-date=2017-07-10 |work=Triton Times |pages=1 |volume=10 |issue=11}}</ref>

Early research activity and faculty quality, notably in the sciences, was integral to shaping the focus and culture of the university. Even before UC San Diego had its own campus, faculty recruits had already made significant research breakthroughs, such as the [[Keeling Curve]], a graph that plots rapidly increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and was the first significant evidence for global [[climate change]]; the [[Kohn–Sham equations]], used to investigate particular atoms and molecules in [[quantum chemistry]]; and the [[Miller–Urey experiment]], which gave birth to the field of [[Abiogenesis|prebiotic chemistry]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Briggs |first=Helen |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7120770.stm |title=50 years on: The Keeling Curve legacy |work=BBC News |date=December 2, 2007 |access-date=February 20, 2013 |archive-date=July 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717054115/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7120770.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Miller |first=Stanley L. |author2=Harold C. Urey |title=Organic Compound Synthesis on the Primitive Earth |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]] |date=July 1959 |volume=130 |pages=245–51 |doi=10.1126/science.130.3370.245 |pmid=13668555 |issue=3370|bibcode=1959Sci...130..245M}} "Dr. Urey is on the staff of the University of California, La Jolla, California"</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=The 1953 Stanley L. Miller Experiment: Fifty Years of Prebiotic Organic Chemistry |author=A. Lazcano, J. L. Bada |journal=Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres |volume=33 |date=June 2004 |pages=235–242 |doi=10.1023/A:1024807125069 |pmid=14515862 |issue=3 |bibcode=2003OLEB...33..235L|s2cid=19515024 }}</ref>

Engineering, particularly computer science, became an important part of the university's academics as it matured. University researchers helped develop [[UCSD Pascal]], an early machine-independent programming language that later heavily influenced [[Java (programming language)|Java]];<ref>{{cite web |url=http://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=1017013 |title=A Conversation With James Gosling |work=[[ACM Queue]] |publisher=[[Association for Computing Machinery]] |date=July 1, 2004 |access-date=May 5, 2013 |archive-date=July 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716194245/http://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=1017013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://invent.ucsd.edu/technology/cases/1995-prior/SD1991-807.shtml |title=UCSD Pascal Copyright |work=Technology Transfer Office |publisher=University of California, San Diego |date=June 1, 1979 |access-date=February 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120228234529/http://invent.ucsd.edu/technology/cases/1995-prior/SD1991-807.shtml |archive-date=February 28, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ucsdmag.ucsd.edu/magazine/vol1no3/features/pascal.htm |title=UCSD Pascal and the PC Revolution |publisher=UC San Diego Alumni Association |last=Foster |first=Christine |date=September 2004 |access-date=February 20, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306235001/http://ucsdmag.ucsd.edu/magazine/vol1no3/features/pascal.htm |archive-date=March 6, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.threedee.com/jcm/psystem/index.html |title=The UCSD P-System Museum |publisher=Jefferson Computer Museum |access-date=February 20, 2013 |archive-date=July 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717041815/http://www.threedee.com/jcm/psystem/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> the [[National Science Foundation Network]], a precursor to the [[Internet]]; and the [[Network News Transfer Protocol]] during the late 1970s to 1980s.{{ref RFC|977}}

Under [[Richard C. Atkinson]]'s leadership as chancellor from 1980 to 1995, the university strengthened its ties with the city of San Diego by encouraging [[technology transfer]] with developing companies, transforming San Diego into a world leader in technology-based industries. He oversaw a rapid expansion of the [[Jacobs School of Engineering|School of Engineering]], later renamed after [[Qualcomm]] founder [[Irwin M. Jacobs]], with the construction of the [[San Diego Supercomputer Center]]<ref name="Occupation">{{cite web|url=http://physicalplanning.ucsd.edu/plans/docs/LRDP_AppendixA.pdf|title=UCSD Existing Buildings by Location and Year Occupied 2002-03|work=Physical & Community Planning|publisher=University of California, San Diego|access-date=April 29, 2013|archive-date=June 28, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628123042/http://physicalplanning.ucsd.edu/plans/docs/LRDP_AppendixA.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> and establishment of the computer science, electrical engineering, and bioengineering departments.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/about/about_hx/images/family_tree.jpg |title=Jacobs School of Engineering Family Tree |work=[[Jacobs School of Engineering]] |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=May 3, 2013 |format=JPG |archive-date=March 23, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323022459/http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/about/about_hx/images/family_tree.jpg |url-status=live }}</ref> Private donations increased from $15 million to nearly $50 million annually, faculty expanded by nearly 50%, and enrollment doubled to about 18,000 students during his administration. By the end of his chancellorship, the quality of UC San Diego graduate programs was ranked 10th in the nation by the National Research Council.<ref>{{Cite journal|doi=10.1177/0891242407299426|volume=21|issue=3 |pages=203–222|last1=Smilor|first1=Raymond|last2=O'Donnell|first2=Niall|last3=Stein|first3=Gregory|last4=Welborn |first4=Robert S. |title=The Research University and the Development of High-Technology Centers in the United States|journal=Economic Development Quarterly|date=August 1, 2007|s2cid=153947180}}</ref>

The university continued to undergo further expansion during the first decade of the new millennium with the establishment and construction of two new professional schools —&nbsp;the [[Skaggs School of Pharmacy]] and the [[Rady School of Management]]—and the [[California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology]], a research institute run jointly with [[University of California, Irvine|UC Irvine]]. UC San Diego also reached two financial milestones during this time, becoming the first university in the western region to raise over $1 billion in its eight-year fundraising campaign in 2007<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/general/06-081BillionFundraisingLM-.asp |title=UC San Diego Becomes Region's First University to Top $1 Billion in a Fundraising Campaign |work=UCSD News Center |publisher=University of California, San Diego |date=June 8, 2007 |access-date=July 16, 2009 |archive-date=August 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802195321/http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/general/06-081BillionFundraisingLM-.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> and also obtaining an additional $1 billion through research contracts and grants in a single fiscal year for the first time in 2010.<ref name="Timeline"/> Despite this, due to the [[2008–12 California budget crisis|California budget crisis]], the university loaned $40 million against its own assets in 2009 to offset a significant reduction in state educational appropriations.<ref>{{cite news|title=To soften cuts, UCSD to borrow from itself, $40 million internal loan announced by campus|last=Yang Su|first=Eleanor|newspaper=[[U-T San Diego]]|date=October 7, 2009|access-date=May 5, 2013|url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2009/oct/07/soften-cuts-ucsd-borrow-itself/?education&zIndex=178537|archive-date=September 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928094405/http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2009/oct/07/soften-cuts-ucsd-borrow-itself/?education&zIndex=178537|url-status=live}}</ref> The salary of [[Pradeep Khosla]], who became chancellor in 2012, has been the subject of controversy amidst continued budget cuts and tuition increases.<ref name="Chancellor"/> In 2012, campus launched a 10-year, $2 billion fundraising campaign, which the campus completed 3 years early in 2019, making it the youngest university in the United States to have completed a $2 billion fundraiser.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Campaign for UC San Diego hits $2 billion making it the youngest university in the U.S. to surpass that fundraising goal - The University of California San Diego announced that the Campaign for UC San Diego has achieved its $2 billion fundraising ...|url=http://www.sdnews.com/view/full_story/27662283/article-Campaign-for-UC-San-Diego-hits-$2-billion--making-it-the%C2%A0youngest-university-in-the-U-S--to-surpass-that-fundraising-goal?instance=sdnews|access-date=2021-04-24|website=www.sdnews.com|archive-date=April 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424024341/http://www.sdnews.com/view/full_story/27662283/article-Campaign-for-UC-San-Diego-hits-$2-billion--making-it-the%C2%A0youngest-university-in-the-U-S--to-surpass-that-fundraising-goal?instance=sdnews|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Historic: How UC San Diego Became the Youngest School to Raise $2 Billion (and Counting)|url=https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2019/8/27/uc-san-diego-is-the-youngest-university-in-the-us|access-date=2021-04-24|website=Inside Philanthropy|date=August 27, 2019 |language=en-US|archive-date=April 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424024340/https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2019/8/27/uc-san-diego-is-the-youngest-university-in-the-us|url-status=live}}</ref>

On November 27, 2017, the university announced it would leave its longtime athletic home of the [[California Collegiate Athletic Association]], an [[NCAA Division II]] league, to begin a transition to [[NCAA Division I]] in 2020. It joined the [[Big West Conference]], already home to four other UC campuses ([[University of California, Davis|Davis]], [[University of California, Irvine|Irvine]], [[University of California, Riverside|Riverside]], [[University of California, Santa Barbara|Santa Barbara]]). The university transitioned to NCAA Division I competition on July 1, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Division One Here We Come|url=https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/feature/division-one-here-we-come|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200207010401/https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/feature/division-one-here-we-come|archive-date=February 7, 2020|access-date=2020-02-07|website=ucsdnews.ucsd.edu}}</ref> The transition period will run through the 2023–24 school year.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://ucsdguardian.org/2017/11/27/accepted-to-big-west-conference-ucsd-will-finally-be-a-division-i-school/|title=Accepted to Big West Conference, UCSD Will Finally Be a Division-I School|work=UCSD Guardian|access-date=November 27, 2017|language=en-US|archive-date=November 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171128085636/http://ucsdguardian.org/2017/11/27/accepted-to-big-west-conference-ucsd-will-finally-be-a-division-i-school/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In connection with the [[2024 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses|University Pro-Palestine Protests]], an encampment was formed adjacent to Library Walk on May 1, 2024. To much controversy, the encampment was cleared on UC San Diego's central campus by 200 officers in riot gear on May 6, 2024, resulting in 64 arrests.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bogel-Burroughs |first=Nicholas |date=2024-05-06 |title=Police Raid U.C. San Diego Encampment and Arrest 64 Protesters |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/06/us/ucsd-campus-protests-arrests.html |access-date=2024-05-09 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Students responded to the arrests with a [[Walkout|walk-out]] two days later.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Henry |first=Kelvin |date=2024-05-09 |title=UC San Diego students walk out of class as part of pro-Palestinian protests |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/uc-san-diego-students-walk-out-of-class-pro-palestinian-protests/3510124/ |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=NBC 7 San Diego |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Campus==
{{wide image|UCSD-Warren Pano.jpg|1090px|align-cap=center|Panorama of the [[Jacobs School of Engineering]] on [[Earl Warren College]] mall. From left to right: [[Geisel Library]], Engineering Building Unit (EBU) I, the Powell-Focht Bioengineering Building, the Computer Science Building, and EBU II (visible through trees)}}
[[File:Geisel Library, UCSD.jpg|thumb|[[Geisel Library]], named for Theodor Geisel, better known as [[Dr. Seuss]]]]
UC San Diego is located in the residential neighborhood of [[La Jolla]] of northern [[San Diego]], bordered by the communities of [[La Jolla Shores]], [[Torrey Pines, San Diego|Torrey Pines]], and [[University City, San Diego|University City]]. The main campus consists of 761 buildings that occupy {{convert|1152|acre|ha}}, with natural reserves covering about {{convert|889|acre|ha}} and outlying facilities taking up the remaining area.<ref name="Area" /> The [[Interstate 5 in California|San Diego Freeway (Interstate 5)]] passes through the campus and separates [[UC San Diego Health|Jacobs Medical Center]] and Mesa apartment housing from the greater part of the university. The [[Preuss School]], a college-preparatory [[charter school]] established and administered by UC San Diego, also lies on the eastern portion of the campus.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://preuss.ucsd.edu/about-preuss/index.html |title=About Preuss |work=[[Preuss School]] |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=July 16, 2009 |archive-date=March 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329085944/http://preuss.ucsd.edu/about-preuss/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Standing at the center of the university is the iconic [[Geisel Library]], named after [[Dr. Seuss]] following a $20 million donation from his wife [[Audrey Geisel]]. Library Walk, a heavily traveled pathway leading from the library to Gilman Drive, lies adjacent or close to [[Price Center]], Center Hall, International Center, and various student services buildings, including the Student Services Center and the Career Services building. The layout of the main campus centers on the library, which is roughly surrounded by the eight residential colleges of [[Revelle College|Revelle]], [[John Muir College|Muir]], [[Thurgood Marshall College|Marshall]], [[Earl Warren College|Warren]], [[Eleanor Roosevelt College|Roosevelt]], [[Sixth College|Sixth]], [[Seventh College|Seventh]], and [[Eighth College|Eighth]], in addition to the [[University of California, San Diego School of Medicine|School of Medicine]]. The eight colleges maintain separate housing facilities for their students and each college's buildings are differentiated by distinct architectural styles. As residential colleges were added while the university expanded, buildings in newer colleges were designed with styles that were starkly different from that of the original campus. The disparate architectural styles led [[Travel + Leisure]], in its October 2013 issue, to name the university as one of the ugliest campuses in America, likening it to "a cupboard full of kitchen appliances whose function you can't quite fathom."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-ugliest-college-campuses/7|title=America's Ugliest College Campuses|work=Travel + Leisure|date=October 2013|access-date=September 19, 2014|archive-date=September 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140929092943/http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-ugliest-college-campuses/7|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute building.jpg|thumb|Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute building]]
In addition to its academic and housing facilities, the campus features eucalyptus groves,<ref>{{cite web|title=Tree Wars|url=http://ucsdmag.ucsd.edu/magazine/vol2no1/features/wars.htm|last=Henter|first=Heather|work=@ucsd|publisher=UCSD Alumni Association|date=January 2005|access-date=February 19, 2012|archive-date=April 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170429055741/http://ucsdmag.ucsd.edu/magazine/vol2no1/features/wars.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Birch Aquarium]], and several major research centers. The Scripps Institution owns a sea port and several open ocean vessels for marine research.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shipsked.ucsd.edu|title=The Scripps Fleet|work=[[Scripps Institution of Oceanography]]|publisher=University of California, San Diego|access-date=April 30, 2013|archive-date=April 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424103155/http://shipsked.ucsd.edu/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://shipsked.ucsd.edu/Marine_Facility|title=Nimitz Marine Facility|work=[[Scripps Institution of Oceanography]]|publisher=University of California, San Diego|access-date=April 30, 2013|archive-date=April 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401014816/http://shipsked.ucsd.edu/Marine_Facility/|url-status=live}}</ref> Several large shake facilities, including the world record holding Large High Performance Outdoor Shake Table, used for earthquake simulations, are also maintained by the university.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nees.ucsd.edu/about|title=About Us|work=NEES @ UC San Diego|publisher=University of California, San Diego|access-date=April 30, 2013|archive-date=July 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130708102841/http://nees.ucsd.edu/about/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The university has actively sought to reduce carbon emissions and energy usage on campus, earning a "gold" sustainability performance rating in the Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System (STARS) survey. It was also praised in ''The Princeton Review's Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2013 Edition'' for its strong commitment to sustainability in its academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/uc_san_diego_named_one_of_greenest_colleges_in_u.s._and_canada_by_princeton|title=UC San Diego Named One of Greenest Colleges in U.S. and Canada by Princeton Review|publisher=University of California, San Diego|date=April 24, 2013|access-date=April 30, 2013|archive-date=April 28, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428042051/http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/uc_san_diego_named_one_of_greenest_colleges_in_u.s._and_canada_by_princeton|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Academic facilities===
[[File:Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center.jpg|thumb|The Sulpizio Family Cardiovascular Center houses the Departments of Cardiology and Emergency Medicine at UC San Diego Health]]
When the campus opened in 1964, it consisted only of [[Revelle College]] and [[Scripps Institution of Oceanography]]. The school's rapid increase in enrollment and opening to undergraduate students over its first decade spurred major campus expansion. [[John Muir College|Muir]], [[Thurgood Marshall College|Marshall]], and [[Earl Warren College|Warren]] Colleges were established and built during the late 1960s through 1980s as the student population continued to grow considerably. Initially, the campus followed a rough north–south axis alongside [[U.S. Route 101 in California|Historic Route 101]], though construction in the following decades deviated from this, with the core of the campus shifting towards Geisel Library.<ref name="Timeline"/>

The school's two engineering departments were merged into the [[Jacobs School of Engineering|School of Engineering]] (renamed the Jacobs School of Engineering in 1987 in honor of Irwin Jacobs, founder of Qualcomm, and his wife Joan Jacobs) in 1982. New buildings have been continually added as the division expands. Major additions include the [[San Diego Supercomputer Center]], completed in 1986; Powell-Focht Bioengineering Hall, completed in 2003; and the Structural and Materials Engineering building, completed in 2012.<ref name="Occupation"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://facilities.ucsd.edu/NA/NamedBuildings/Building.htm?Bkey=593|title=Powell-Focht Bioengineering Hall|work=FacilitiesLink|publisher=University of California, San Diego|access-date=April 29, 2013|archive-date=March 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322030223/https://facilities.ucsd.edu/NA/NamedBuildings/Building.htm?Bkey=593|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/news/news_releases/release.sfe?id=1254|title=Engineers, Visual Artists and Medical Device Researchers Work Large and Small in New UC San Diego Building|work=[[Jacobs School of Engineering]]|publisher=University of California, San Diego|date=September 5, 2012|access-date=April 29, 2013|archive-date=May 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510034953/http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/news/news_releases/release.sfe?id=1254|url-status=live}}</ref> Significant construction work on the previously undeveloped northern part of campus also took place during this time. Two graduate professional schools, the [[School of Global Policy and Strategy]] and the [[Rady School of Management]], were constructed in the area adjacent to and near the Supercomputer Center, as well as [[Eleanor Roosevelt College|Roosevelt College]], a transfer student apartment complex called The Village at Torrey Pines, and the [[RIMAC (UC San Diego)|RIMAC]] athletic facilities.

=== Arts facilities ===
UC San Diego's Joan and Irwin Jacobs Theatre District, located just south of [[Revelle College]], houses the Mandell Weiss Center for the Performing Arts. The center's facilities are shared with [[La Jolla Playhouse]], a [[Tony Awards|Tony Award]]-winning professional theatre which is partnered with the university. UC San Diego and La Jolla Playhouse share four large performance venues in the Theatre District: the [[Mandell Weiss Theatre]], the Mandell Weiss Forum, the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre, and the Theodore and Adele Shank Theatre. These venues, on top of hosting the undergraduate and graduate productions of the UC San Diego Department of Theatre and Dance, often host the Playhouse's professional productions of plays and musicals, of which several have transferred to [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]. Other theatre performance facilities at UC San Diego include the Molli and Arthur Wagner Dance Building, also located within the Theatre District, and the Arthur Wagner Theatre located in [[Revelle College]]'s Galbraith Hall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theatre.ucsd.edu/facilities/index.htm|title=Theatres & Facilities|website=theatre.ucsd.edu|access-date=2019-10-26|archive-date=July 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200710071243/http://theatre.ucsd.edu/facilities/index.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lajollaplayhouse.org/who-we-are/about-the-playhouse/|title=About the Playhouse|website=La Jolla Playhouse|language=en|access-date=2019-10-26|archive-date=June 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607165352/https://lajollaplayhouse.org/who-we-are/about-the-playhouse/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theatre.ucsd.edu/facilities/theatres/galbraith.htm|title=Theatres & Facilities - Galbraith Hall|website=theatre.ucsd.edu|access-date=2019-10-26|archive-date=February 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220063853/http://theatre.ucsd.edu/facilities/theatres/galbraith.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Other arts facilities include the 800-seat Mandeville Auditorium and [[Conrad Prebys Music Center]], used by UC San Diego's music department, as well as Mandeville Center, the Visual Arts Facilities (VAF) building, and the Structural and Material Engineerings (SME) building, used by UC San Diego's visual arts department.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://music-cms.ucsd.edu/about/facilities.html|title=Facilities|website=music-cms.ucsd.edu|access-date=2019-10-26|archive-date=October 12, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012043039/http://music-cms.ucsd.edu/about/facilities.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://visarts.ucsd.edu/about/facilities.html|title=Facilities|website=visarts.ucsd.edu|access-date=2019-10-26|archive-date=October 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027155728/http://visarts.ucsd.edu/about/facilities.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022, UC San Diego opened the Epstein Family Amphitheater, a 2,650-seat [[Amphitheatre|open air]] performance venue featuring a year-round program (including summer) of concerts, performances, and events.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robbins |first=Gary |date=2022-10-19 |title=UC San Diego will open major outdoor amphitheater on Thursday |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2022-10-19/ucsd-open-amphitheater |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rubalcava |first=Amanda |date=June 15, 2023 |title=It's Showtime: Epstein Family Amphitheater Ushers in its Inaugural Summer Season |url=https://today.ucsd.edu/story/its-showtime-epstein-family-amphitheater-ushers-in-its-inaugural-summer-season |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=today.ucsd.edu |language=en}}</ref>

The 1978 film [[Attack of the Killer Tomatoes|''Attack of the Killer Tomatoes'']] was filmed on campus.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Sklar |first=Debbie L. |date=2025-04-04 |title='Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!' and 9 other off-the-wall movies filmed in San Diego |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/arts/2025/04/04/attack-of-the-killer-tomatoes-and-9-other-off-the-wall-movies-filmed-in-san-diego/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250405081551/https://timesofsandiego.com/arts/2025/04/04/attack-of-the-killer-tomatoes-and-9-other-off-the-wall-movies-filmed-in-san-diego/ |archive-date=2025-04-05 |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=[[Times of San Diego]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Public art===
{{Further|Stuart Collection}}
More than a dozen public art projects, part of the [[Stuart Collection]], decorate the campus. The first, and a particularly wel ''[[Sun God (statue)|Sun God]]'', a large winged creature by [[Niki de Saint Phalle]] located near the Faculty Club. Other collection pieces include [[Richard Fleischner]]'s ''La Jolla Project'' (a collection of [[Stonehenge]]-like stone blocks), [[Do Ho Suh]]'s ''[[Fallen Star]]'' (a house sitting atop an engineering building in Warren College), a table by [[Jenny Holzer]], an installation by [[Bruce Nauman]] on the Powell Structural Systems Laboratory titled ''Vices and Virtues'', and three metallic [[Eucalyptus]] trees by [[Terry Allen (artist)|Terry Allen]].

[[File:Snake Path, UCSD.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Image of the Snake Path taken from one of the upper floors in Geisel Library. |Snake Path, east of Geisel Library.]]
The collection also includes a work by [[Alexis Smith (artist)|Alexis Smith]] consisting of a path made of a large coiling snake whose head guides towards Geisel Library, with a quote from [[John Milton]]'s ''[[Paradise Lost]]'' carved along its length: "And wilt thou not be loath to leave this Paradise, but shalt possess a Paradise within thee, happier far." The path circles around its own garden and a large granite book-shaped block. One of the newest additions to the collection is [[Tim Hawkinson]]'s giant teddy bear made of six boulders located in between the newly constructed [[Calit2]] buildings.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/05/arts/05lab.html|title=Researchers Look to Create a Synthesis of Art and Science for the 21st century|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=February 3, 2008|last=Markhoff|first=John|date=November 5, 2005|archive-date=November 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114003751/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/05/arts/05lab.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Another notable campus sight was the graffiti staircase of Mandeville Hall, a series of corridors that had been tagged with [[graffiti]] by generations of students over decades of use; this was recently replaced with the Graffiti Art Park.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://artpark.ucsd.edu/about-the-park.html |title=About The Park |publisher=Artpark.ucsd.edu |date=February 3, 2014 |access-date=April 9, 2016 |archive-date=October 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010074923/http://artpark.ucsd.edu/about-the-park.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Students in the university's visual arts department also create temporary public art installations as part of their coursework. In 2007, the university sponsored a $56,000 [[performance art]] project to develop a sense of community at the sprawling campus.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070218/news_1a18place.html |title='Place': Building a community at UCSD |newspaper=[[U-T San Diego]] |access-date=February 7, 2008 |last=Steinberg |first=Janice |date=February 18, 2007 |archive-date=October 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014190632/http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070218/news_1a18place.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Shepard Fairey]], most notable for his [[Barack Obama "Hope" poster]], painted a mural at the [[Ché Café]], one of UC San Diego's most famous buildings and collectives, on an outside wall facing Scholars Drive, that features the likenesses of [[Martin Luther King Jr.]] and other political figures. Underground street artist Swampy created a large piece inside the Ché Café, visible through the courtyard depicting his signature mammoth skeleton. Local San Diego artist Mario Torero, in collaboration with university art students, painted a mural at the Café in commemoration of Angela Davis and Rigoberta Menchú, along with other notable political figures. The Ché Café remains a hub for underground and politically progressive artists. Torero was invited back to the university in 2009 to create a mural called "Chicano Legacy" based on content suggested by [[Chicano]] students.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/thisweek/2009/10/19_mural.asp |title=Students Welcomed to Campus by New Mural Celebrating Chicano History |newspaper=This Week @ UCSD |access-date=January 1, 2010 |last=Clark |first=Christine |date=October 19, 2009 |archive-date=November 13, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113101037/http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/thisweek/2009/10/19_mural.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> The mural is a $10,000 digital image on a {{convert|15|by|50|ft|adj=on}} canvas mounted on the exterior of Peterson Hall, which includes representations of [[César Chávez]] and [[Dolores Huerta]] as well as the kiosk structure at [[Chicano Park]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2009/oct/13/celebration-culture/ |title=A celebration of culture |newspaper=[[U-T San Diego]] |access-date=January 1, 2010 |last=Berestein |first=Leslie |date=October 13, 2009 |archive-date=September 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928223627/http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2009/oct/13/celebration-culture/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2016 a mural entitled "Enduring Spell" was completed by El Mac in the Argo courtyard,<ref>{{cite web|title="Enduring Spell" by El Mac in San Diego|url=http://www.streetartnews.net/2016/03/enduring-spell-el-mac-san-diego.html|website=StreetArtNews|date=March 24, 2016|access-date=April 6, 2016|ref=elmac|archive-date=March 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160329074704/http://www.streetartnews.net/2016/03/enduring-spell-el-mac-san-diego.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Transportation===
UC San Diego maintains about 17,000 parking spaces and offers a number of alternative transportation options.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sustainability.ucsd.edu/initiatives/transportation-alternatives.html |title=Alternative Transportation |work=Sustain UCSD |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=April 28, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426020852/http://sustainability.ucsd.edu/initiatives/transportation-alternatives.html |archive-date=April 26, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://parking.ucsd.edu/survey/Survey%20of%20Parking%20Space%20Occupancy%20Levels/Quarterly%20Tables/Occupancy%202012-2013-3%20Winter.pdf |title=University of California, San Diego Survey of Parking Space Occupancy Levels, Winter 2013 |publisher=University of California, San Diego |work=UCSD Transportation Services |access-date=April 28, 2013 |archive-date=April 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423040753/http://transportation.ucsd.edu/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The university runs a shuttle system, which is provided free for students, faculty, and staff, that services the main campus, [[UC San Diego Medical Center, Hillcrest|UC San Diego Medical Center]], university affiliated research centers, as well as nearby apartment complexes. As part of a greater initiative to reduce the university's impact on the environment, a portion of the shuttle fleet has been refitted to exclusively use biodiesel fuel derived from vegetable oil.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sustainability.ucsd.edu/initiatives/green-line.html |title=Green Line Shuttle |work=Sustain UCSD |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=April 28, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130426113954/http://sustainability.ucsd.edu/initiatives/green-line.html |archive-date=April 26, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2023, UC San Diego Triton Transit begun operating electric shuttles for its SIO route. However, plans to expand electric bus usage are currently paused as the company who manufactures the buses has declared bankruptcy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=therealchickenj0e |date=2023-02-06 |title=The new electric bus is out by CPMC on Rupertus (the road with the painted circles)! |url=http://www.reddit.com/r/UCSD/comments/10vhu3j/the_new_electric_bus_is_out_by_cpmc_on_rupertus/ |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=r/UCSD}}</ref> UC San Diego also reserves parking spaces for carpools, maintains a fleet of on-campus [[Zipcar]]s, and provides free bike rentals.
[[File:San Diego Trolley System (2024).svg|thumb|San Diego Trolley with Blue Line Extension to UC San Diego]]
Additionally, since November 21, 2021, the university can be accessed by the [[San Diego Trolley]]. On that day, the existing [[Blue Line (San Diego Trolley)|Blue Line]] was [[Blue Line (San Diego Trolley)#Mid-Coast extension|extended]] north from [[downtown San Diego]] to UC San Diego and the University City area, the culmination of construction starting in 2016. The extension gave the campus two trolley stations: [[UC San Diego Health La Jolla station|UC San Diego Health La Jolla]] and [[UC San Diego Central Campus station]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Meyer |first1=Matt |title=It's finally here: Riders take first trips on trolley extension with 9 new stops |url=https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/its-finally-here-riders-take-first-trips-on-trolley-extension-with-9-new-stops/ |access-date=21 November 2021 |agency=Fox 5 San Diego |date=July 19, 2022 |archive-date=January 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127200043/https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/its-finally-here-riders-take-first-trips-on-trolley-extension-with-9-new-stops/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A major goal of the project is to ease traffic and parking on campus while providing more accessible transportation to nearby areas. As part of the university's existing public transit partnerships, all students have unlimited access to MTS regional buses and trolleys, as well as most [[North County Transit District]] transportation services, upon paying a "transportation fee" as part of registration.<ref>{{cite web|title=Triton U-Pass|url=http://u-pass.ucsd.edu|access-date=February 2, 2015|ref=upass|archive-date=February 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202113526/http://u-pass.ucsd.edu/|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Construction ===
Several facilities are currently under construction at the UC San Diego campus. Most prominently, the construction of new mixed-use residential areas which the university calls "Living and Learning Neighborhoods". The neighborhoods contain residential housing, classrooms, lecture halls, dining, and occasionally underground parking.

The first neighborhood constructed, the North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood, was completed in 2020. The neighborhood currently primarily houses students from [[Sixth College]], and is located between John Muir College and Thurgood Marshall College.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://plandesignbuild.ucsd.edu/projects/transforming/ntplln.html|title=North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood|website=Planning, Design and Construction|access-date=September 9, 2019|archive-date=January 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101060653/https://plandesignbuild.ucsd.edu/projects/transforming/ntplln.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> 
[[File:UCSD_PCWLLN_Construction.jpg|thumb|Pepper Canyon West Living & Learning Neighborhood under construction as viewed from [[UC San Diego Central Campus station]].]]
The university currently has three Living & Learning neighborhoods under construction. The soonest to open is the Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood, which will house approximately 2,000 undergraduate students. The neighborhood is set to be the location of [[Eighth College]]. Construction began early 2022, and would take place over what were previously two parking lots. The neighborhood had an anticipated opening date of Fall 2023, but was extended due to construction delays.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-08-17 |title=Campus housing shortage leaves more than 2,300 UC San Diego students on waiting lists for beds |url=https://www.lajollalight.com/news/education/story/2023-08-17/campus-housing-shortage-leaves-more-than-2-300-uc-san-diego-students-on-waiting-lists-for-beds |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=La Jolla Light |language=en-US}}</ref> The Theatre District Living & Learning Neighborhood is currently scheduled to open between Fall 2023 and Spring 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://plandesignbuild.ucsd.edu/projects/transforming/fclln.html|title=Future College Living and Learning Neighborhood|website=Planning, Design and Construction|access-date=September 9, 2019|archive-date=December 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229234830/http://plandesignbuild.ucsd.edu/projects/transforming/fclln.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The only currently open building is the ''Podemos'' building, which contains housing as well as academic instruction rooms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=University of California San Diego |url=http://map.concept3d.com/?id=1005 |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=map.concept3d.com |language=en}}</ref> The Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood features an underground parking garage.

The Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood is also currently under construction. The neighborhood is located in the west segment of the Pepper Canyon area of the university, next to [[UC San Diego Central Campus station]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pepper Canyon West Housing Construction to Start This Summer |url=https://today.ucsd.edu/story/pepper-canyon-west-housing-construction-to-start-this-summer |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=today.ucsd.edu |language=en}}</ref> The Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood is expected to house 1,300 transfer students and upper-division undergraduate students from all eight UC San Diego colleges in single-occupancy rooms.<ref name="Current Projects">{{Cite web |title=Current Projects |url=https://plandesignbuild.ucsd.edu/projects/current.html#Pepper-Canyon-West-Living-and-L |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=plandesignbuild.ucsd.edu}}</ref> The Pepper Canyon West Living & Learning Neighborhood is expected to open Fall 2024.

The Ridge Walk North Living and Learning Community is also currently under construction at UC San Diego. This neighborhood is located in the easternmost portion of [[Thurgood Marshall College]], and is expected to house 2,400 undergraduate students, primarily from Thurgood Marshall College. Construction is estimated to finish between Fall 2025 and Winter 2026.<ref name="Current Projects"/>

In May 2023, the university announced the construction of Triton Center, a new facility near University Center that will host numerous student services along with an Alumni & Welcome Center.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McKenna |first=Shauna |date=May 1, 2023 |title=Triton Center |url=https://today.ucsd.edu/story/triton-center |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=UCSD Today |language=en}}</ref> It is expected to open Winter of 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Current Projects |url=https://plandesignbuild.ucsd.edu/projects/current.html#Triton-Center |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=plandesignbuild.ucsd.edu}}</ref>

In September 2023, chancellor Pradeep Khosla announced his intention to present a housing proposition to the [[Regents of the University of California]]. The housing proposition currently aims to house an additional 6,000 students, though Khosla states he is open to changing the scale of the project. The proposition is expected to reach the Regents sometime in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-03 |title=For subscribers: UC San Diego badly needs housing. How about a village for 6,000 students? |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/education/story/2023-09-03/khosla-proposes-even-larger-expansion-of-ucsd |access-date=2023-09-05 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> If the proposition is accepted by the regents, the new student housing would occupy what is currently Pepper Canyon East.

The university also has various planned and ongoing projects in other locations, such as at [[Scripps Institution of Oceanography]], [[UC San Diego Health]] La Jolla, and at [[UC San Diego Medical Center, Hillcrest|UC San Diego Medical Center]] in Hillcrest. These projects include renovations to [[Birch Aquarium]], a new fire station, and a 30-acre science research center, among many.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Current Projects |url=https://plandesignbuild.ucsd.edu/projects/current.html |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=plandesignbuild.ucsd.edu}}</ref>

==Academics and administration==
UC San Diego is a large, primarily residential, public research university accredited by the [[Western Association of Schools and Colleges]] that offers a four-year [[Bachelor of Arts]] and [[Bachelor of Science]] degree to undergraduate students.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://accreditation.ucsd.edu/ |title=Accreditation |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=July 18, 2009 |archive-date=August 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802192533/http://accreditation.ucsd.edu/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The full-time undergraduate program, which administered by Division of Undergraduate Education (2014) comprises the majority of enrollments at the university. The university offers 125 bachelor's degree programs traditionally organized into five disciplinary divisions: arts and humanities, biological sciences, engineering, mathematics and physical sciences, and social sciences.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ir.ucsd.edu/Files/Fastfacts/0708%20ucsd%20fast%20facts.pdf |title=University of California, San Diego Triton Stats 2007-2008 |work=Institutional Research |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=July 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326223751/http://ir.ucsd.edu/Files/Fastfacts/0708%20ucsd%20fast%20facts.pdf |archive-date=March 26, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ucsd.edu/learn/academics/degrees.html|title=Departments and Programs|publisher=University of California, San Diego|access-date=May 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511063239/http://www.ucsd.edu/learn/academics/degrees.html|archive-date=May 11, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Students are also free to design special majors or engage in dual majors.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://revelle.ucsd.edu/academics/acad-info/major.html |title=Guidelines for Individual Majors |work=[[Revelle College]] |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=April 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114071916/http://revelle.ucsd.edu/academics/acad-info/major.html |archive-date=November 14, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 38% of undergraduates major in the social sciences, followed by 25% in biological sciences, 18% in engineering, 8% in sciences and math, 4% in humanities, and 3% in the arts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://studentresearch.ucsd.edu/sriweb/enroll/ugdisc.pdf |title=Undergraduate Enrollment by Major Field of Study |work=Student Affairs |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=September 6, 2010 |archive-date=June 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612034745/http://studentresearch.ucsd.edu/sriweb/enroll/ugdisc.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:USCD Rady School of Management and The Village West Building 1 Dormitory, La Jolla, CA, USA - panoramio (1).jpg|thumb|UC San Diego [[Rady School of Management]] and a Seventh College dormitory.]]
[[File:School of Global Policy and Strategy - RCLC01.jpg|thumb|West exterior of the [[UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy|School of Global Policy and Strategy]]]]
UC San Diego's comprehensive graduate program, which administered by the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs] (2018) is composed of several divisions and professional schools (in parentheses their founding), including [[Scripps Institution of Oceanography]] (1903), [[University of California, San Diego School of Medicine|School of Medicine]] (1968), Institute of Engineering in Medicine (2008), [[University of California, San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy|School of Global Policy and Strategy]] (1986), [[Jacobs School of Engineering]] (1964), [[Rady School of Management]] (2001), [[Skaggs School of Pharmacy]] (2002), [[Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science]] (2019), Halicioğlu Data Science Institute (2018), School of Arts and Humanities (1965), School of Biological Sciences (1961), School of Physical Sciences (1960) and School of Social Sciences (1986). The university offers 35 masters programs, 47 doctoral programs, five professional programs, and nine joint doctoral programs with [[San Diego State University]] and other UC campuses.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ir.ucsd.edu/Files/Fastfacts/0708%20ucsd%20fast%20facts.pdf|title=University of California, San Diego Triton Facts |work=Institutional Research|publisher=University of California, San Diego|year=2010|access-date=February 20, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326223751/http://ir.ucsd.edu/Files/Fastfacts/0708%20ucsd%20fast%20facts.pdf|archive-date=March 26, 2009}}</ref> UC San Diego has highly ranked graduate programs in biological sciences and medicine,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/primary-care-rankings|title=Best Medical Schools: Primary Care Rankings|magazine=U.S. News & World Report|year=2009|access-date=May 18, 2009|archive-date=April 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100421213522/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/primary-care-rankings|url-status=live}}</ref> economics, social and behavioral sciences, physics, and computer engineering.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/computer-engineering-rankings?int=2049a7 |title=Best Computer Engineering Programs |magazine=U.S. News & World Report |year=2013 |access-date=April 29, 2013 |archive-date=April 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130416021932/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-engineering-schools/computer-engineering-rankings?int=2049a7 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The university also offers a continuing and public education program through the UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies. (1966) <ref name="extension">{{cite web|url=https://extendedstudies.ucsd.edu/about-division-of-extended-studies|title=About UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies}}</ref> Approximately 50,000 enrollees per year are educated in this branch of the university,<ref name="extension"/> which offers over 100 professional and specialized certificate programs.<ref name="extension"/> Courses are offered at Extended Studies facilities, located both on the main campus and off-campus, and also online.<ref name=extension/> UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies offers programs in Arts & Humanities, Business & Leadership, Data Analysis & Mathematics, Digital Arts, Education, Engineering, Environment & Sustainability, International Programs, Languages, Law, Occupational Safety & Health, Pre-College, Sciences, Technology, and Writing, as well as public programs such as the UC San Diego Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and the Helen Edison Lecture Series.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://extension.ucsd.edu |title=UC San Diego Extension Areas of Study |date=December 16, 2016 |website=University of California, San Diego |publisher=UC San Diego |access-date=August 27, 2015 |archive-date=August 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150828115423/http://extension.ucsd.edu/ |url-status=live }}</ref> UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies also plans to open a 66,000-square-foot hub at the corner of Park Boulevard and Market Street in East Village referred to as the Innovative Cultural and Education Hub. The project is slated to be completed in 2020 and plans to "advance the burgeoning tech ecosystem downtown, contribute to the city's lively arts and culture scene, and connect in multiple ways with diverse neighborhoods such as Barrio Logan, the Diamond District, and Golden Hill."<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/sd-utbg-ucsd-downtown-innovation-20161214-story.html|title=UC San Diego's urban hub to be catalyst for region|last=WALSHOK|first=Pradeep K. Khosla & Mary|newspaper=sandiegouniontribune.com|access-date=December 17, 2016|archive-date=December 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161216170445/http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/sd-utbg-ucsd-downtown-innovation-20161214-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/sd-fi-ucsddowntown-20161208-story.html|title=UCSD opening permanent downtown outpost|last=Showley|first=Roger|newspaper=sandiegouniontribune.com|access-date=December 17, 2016|archive-date=December 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215205057/http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/sd-fi-ucsddowntown-20161208-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/dec/12/uc-san-diego-announces-downtown-hub/|title=UC San Diego Announces Downtown Hub|newspaper=KPBS Public Media|access-date=December 17, 2016|archive-date=December 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161214175549/http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/dec/12/uc-san-diego-announces-downtown-hub/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Residential colleges===
[[File: Earl Warren College 5 2017-10-19.jpg|thumb|Warren College contains most of the engineering buildings]]
UC San Diego's undergraduate division is organized into eight [[residential college]]s, each headed by its own [[Provost (education)|provost]]. They all set their own general education requirements, manage separate administrative and advising staff, and grant unique degrees. In chronological order by date of foundation, the eight colleges are:
# [[Revelle College]], founded in 1964 as First College, emphasizes a "Renaissance education" through the Humanities sequence which integrates history, literature, and philosophy. It has highly structured requirements.
# [[John Muir College]], founded in 1967 as Second College, emphasizes a "spirit of self-sufficiency and individual choice" and offers loosely structured general-education requirements.
# [[Thurgood Marshall College]], founded in 1970 as Third College, emphasizes "scholarship, social responsibility and the belief that a liberal arts education must include an understanding of one's role in society".
# [[Earl Warren College]], founded in 1974 as Fourth College, requires students to pursue a major of their choice while also requiring two "programs of concentration" in disciplines unrelated to each other and their major "toward a life in balance".
# [[Eleanor Roosevelt College]], founded in 1988 as Fifth College, focuses its core education program on a cross-cultural interdisciplinary course sequence entitled "Making of the Modern World", has a foreign language requirement, and encourages studying abroad.
# [[Sixth College]], founded in 2001, has a focus on "historical and philosophical connections among culture, art, and technology."
# [[Seventh College]], founded in 2020, enrolled its first cohort of students in fall 2020, with the theme "A Changing Planet."
# [[Eighth College]], founded in 2021, enrolled its first cohort of students in fall 2023, with the theme of "Engagement & Community"

Students affiliate with a college based upon its particular philosophy and environment as majors are not exclusive to specific colleges. Revelle and Sixth enroll the largest number of undergraduate students, followed by Warren, Muir, Roosevelt, and Marshall.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://studentresearch.ucsd.edu/_files/stats-data/enroll/ugcoll.pdf |title=Undergraduates by College |work=Student Affairs |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=July 18, 2009 |archive-date=September 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928172355/http://studentresearch.ucsd.edu/_files/stats-data/enroll/ugcoll.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Each undergraduate college sets different requirements for awarding graduation and provost's honors, separate from departmental and [[Phi Beta Kappa]] honors.

===Governance===
{{Main|Regents of the University of California}}
As one of the 10 general campuses of the [[University of California]] system, UC San Diego is governed by a 26-member [[Regents of the University of California|board of regents]] consisting of 18 officials appointed by the [[governor of California]], seven ''[[ex officio]]'' members, and a single student regent. The current president of the University of California is [[Michael V. Drake|Michael Drake]], and the [[Chancellor (education)|administrative head]] of UC San Diego is [[Pradeep Khosla]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/aboutuc/governance.html |title=Governance at UC |publisher=[[University of California]] |access-date=July 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204194008/https://universityofcalifornia.edu/aboutuc/governance.html |archive-date=December 4, 2008}}</ref> Academic policies are set by the school's Academic Senate, a legislative body composed of all university faculty members.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://senate.ucsd.edu/aboutus.htm |title=About the UCSD Senate |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=April 30, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529012640/http://senate.ucsd.edu/aboutus.htm |archive-date=May 29, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Nine vice chancellors manage academic affairs, research, diversity, marine sciences, student affairs, planning, external relations, business affairs, and health sciences and report directly to the chancellor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/PPM/docs/10-0.pdf |publisher=University of California, San Diego |title=UCSD Administrative Organization Chart |access-date=April 18, 2009 |archive-date=December 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081203041401/http://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/PPM/docs/10-0.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

There have been a total of 2 [[University of California student regent|student regents]] from UC San Diego, Linda Rae Sabo in 1982, an undergraduate senior at the time,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-01-11 |title=University of California Office of the President |url=http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/factsheets/studentregents.html |access-date=2024-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111213833/http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/factsheets/studentregents.html |archive-date=January 11, 2014 }}</ref> and Hayley Weddle in 2019, a graduate student at the time.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hayley Weddle - Student Regent |url=https://socialsciences.ucsd.edu/news/newsletter/2018-hayley-weddle-student-regent.html |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=socialsciences.ucsd.edu}}</ref>

=== Research ===
[[File: Applied Physics and Mathematics.jpg|thumb|Applied Physics and Mathematics]]
The ''Nature Index'' lists UC San Diego as 6th in the United States for research output by article count in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Institution outputs {{!}} Nature Index|url=https://www.natureindex.com/institution-outputs/generate/All/countries-United%20States%20of%20America%20(USA)/All/n_article|access-date=2019-08-08|website=www.natureindex.com|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308110812/https://www.natureindex.com/institution-outputs/generate/All/countries-United%20States%20of%20America%20(USA)/All/n_article|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, UC San Diego spent $1.403 billion on research, the 6th highest expenditure among academic institutions in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rankings by total R&D expenditures |url=https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/profiles/site?method=rankingBySource&ds=herd |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113144205/https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/profiles/site?method=rankingBySource&ds=herd |archive-date=January 13, 2017 |access-date=August 27, 2020}}</ref> The [[National Science Foundation]] ranked UC San Diego 7th among American universities for research and development expenditures in 2021 with $1.42 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Universities Report Largest Growth in Federally Funded R&D Expenditures since FY 2011 {{!}} NSF - National Science Foundation |url=https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf23303 |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=ncses.nsf.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zalaznick |first=Matt |date=2023-01-06 |title=Billion-dollar business: These are higher ed's top 30 R&D performers |url=https://universitybusiness.com/r-d-research-and-development-billion-dollar-top-30-college-university-higher-ed-spenders/ |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=University Business |language=en-US}}</ref> The university operates several organized research units, including the [[Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences]] (CASS), the Center for Drug Discovery Innovation, and the Institute for Neural Computation.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Organized Research Units|url=https://research.ucsd.edu/ORU/index.html|access-date=2020-08-27|website=research.ucsd.edu|archive-date=June 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620192943/https://research.ucsd.edu/ORU/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> UC San Diego also maintains close ties to the nearby [[Scripps Research]] and [[Salk Institute for Biological Studies]]. In 1977, UC San Diego developed and released the [[UCSD Pascal|UCSD Pascal programming language]]. The university was designated as one of the original national [[Alzheimer's disease]] research centers in 1984 by the [[National Institute on Aging]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Campus Timeline|url=https://ucsd.edu/timeline/|access-date=2020-08-28|website=ucsd.edu|archive-date=September 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919231615/https://ucsd.edu/timeline/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2018, UC San Diego received $10.5 million from the [[National Nuclear Security Administration]] to establish the Center for Matters under Extreme Pressure (CMEC).<ref>{{Cite web|title=UC San Diego Receives $10.5 Million from National Nuclear Security Administration to Create Center of Excellence|url=https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/10.5_million_from_national_nuclear_security_administration_to_create_center|access-date=2020-08-27|website=ucsdnews.ucsd.edu|archive-date=August 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200830132653/https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/10.5_million_from_national_nuclear_security_administration_to_create_center|url-status=live}}</ref>

The university founded the [[San Diego Supercomputer Center]] (SDSC) in 1985, which provides high-performance computing for research in various scientific disciplines. In 2000, UC San Diego partnered with [[University of California, Irvine|UC Irvine]] to create the [[California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology|Qualcomm Institute]], which integrates research in [[photonics]], [[nanotechnology]], and [[Wireless|wireless telecommunication]] to develop solutions to problems in energy, health, and the environment.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Qualcomm Institute - UC San Diego|url=https://qi.ucsd.edu/about.php|access-date=2020-12-30|website=qi.ucsd.edu|archive-date=October 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029183756/https://qi.ucsd.edu/about.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

UC San Diego also operates [[Scripps Institution of Oceanography]] (SIO), one of the largest centers of research in earth science in the world, which predates the university itself. Together, SDSC and SIO, along with funding partner universities [[California Institute of Technology|Caltech]], [[San Diego State University|SDSU]], and [[University of California, Santa Barbara|UC Santa Barbara]], manage the [[High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network]] (HPWREN).<ref>{{Cite web|title=High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network|url=http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/|access-date=2020-12-30|website=hpwren.ucsd.edu|archive-date=January 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123005241/http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Rankings===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{{Infobox US university ranking
<!-- National rankings -->| Forbes_NU = 21
| USNWR_NU = 29
| Wamo_NU = 24
| WSJ_NU = 30
<!-- Global rankings -->| QS_W = 72
| THE_W = 34
| USNWR_W = 21
| ARWU_W = 18
}}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed" style="float:right; text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=4 style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|UC San Diego Tritons|color=white}}" |National Program Rankings<ref>{{cite magazine|title=University of California--San Diego - U.S. News Best Grad School Rankings|magazine=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=September 10, 2024|url=https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/university-of-california-san-diego-110680/overall-rankings|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! Program
! Ranking
|-
| Political Science || 8
|-
| Engineering || 10
|-
| Fine Arts || 10
|-
| Pharmacy || 12
|-
| Economics || 14
|-
| Psychology || 12
|-
| Earth Sciences || 9
|-
| Biological Sciences || 17
|-
| Computer Science || 13
|-
| Physics || 21
|-
| Pharmacy || 18
|-
| Mathematics || 20
|-
| Chemistry || 20
|-
| Medicine: Research || 21
|-
| Medicine: Primary Care || 26
|-
| Biostatistics || 34
|-
| Sociology || 31
|-
| History || 30
|-
| Statistics || 41
|-
| English || 53
|-
| Public Affairs || 57
|-
| Business || 78
|}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed" style="float:right; text-align:center"
|-
! colspan=4 style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|UC San Diego Tritons|color=white}}" |Global Subject Rankings<ref>{{cite magazine|title=University of California--San Diego - U.S. News Best Global University Rankings|magazine=U.S. News & World Report|access-date=September 10, 2024|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/university-of-california-san-diego-110680|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! Program
! Ranking
|-
| Gastroenterology & Hepatology || 1
|-
| Microbiology || 5
|-
| Cell Biology || 7
|-
| Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology || 7
|-
| Biology & Biochemistry || 7
|-
| Molecular Biology & Genetics || 10
|-
| Neuroscience & Behavior || 12
|-
| Pharmacology & Toxicology || 15
|-
| Marine & Freshwater Biology || 16
|-
| Geosciences || 28
|-
| Immunology || 16
|-
| Clinical Medicine || 20
|-
| Computer Science || 44
|-
| Psychiatry/Psychology || 21
|-
| Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences || 24
|-
| Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging || 46
|-
| Plant & Animal Science || 28
|-
| Public, Environmental & Occupational Health || 28
|-
| Endocrinology & Metabolism  || 28
|-
| Social Sciences & Public Health || 54
|-
| Oncology || 35
|-
| Infectious Diseases || 50
|-
| Plant & Animal Science || 51
|-
| Arts & Humanities || 54
|-
| Chemistry || 69
|-
| Engineering || 101
|-
| Surgery || 104
|-
| Materials Science || 60
|-
| Economics & Business || 98
|-
| Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems || 80
|-
| Physics || 66
|-
| Nanoscience & Nanotechnology || 88
|-
| Environment/Ecology || 108
|-
| Mathematics || 120
|-
| Artificial Intelligence || 88
|-
| Electrical & Electronic Engineering || 165
|-
| Civil Engineering || 97
|-
| Space Science || 81
|-
| Energy & Fuels || 114
|-
| Optics || 132
|-
| Ecology || 157
|}
{{col-end}}

====National rankings====
UC San Diego is ranked 5th as Best Public University by ''Academic Ranking of World Universities]''<ref name="ARWU">{{cite web |last=Rubalcava |first=Amanda |date=August 15, 2022 |title=UC San Diego Named 5th Best Public University by Academic Ranking of World Universities |url=https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/uc-san-diego-named-5th-best-public-university-by-academic-ranking-of-world-universities?_ga=2.58835817.532586092.1661141787-1943205135.1658642093 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119210953/http://www.shanghairanking.com/ARWU2014.html |archive-date=January 19, 2015 |publisher=ShanghaiRanking Consultancy}}</ref> and 16th in the U.S. by the Center for World University Rankings.<ref name="Top 100 Universities">{{cite web|url=http://cwur.org/top100.html|title=Top 100 Universities|publisher=Center for World University Rankings|access-date=July 23, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717114037/http://cwur.org/top100.html|archive-date=July 17, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> ''[[Washington Monthly]]'' ranked the university 24th in its 2024 National University ranking, based on its contribution to the public good as measured by social mobility, research, and promoting public service.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024 National University Rankings |url=https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024-college-guide/national/ |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=Washington Monthly |language=en-US}}</ref> UC San Diego ranked fifth in the nation in terms of research and development expenditures in 2018, with $1.265 billion spent.<ref>{{cite web |title=Table 20. Higher education R&D expenditures, ranked by FY 2018 R&D expenditures: FYs 2009–18 |url=https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/herd/2018/html/herd18-dt-tab020.html |website=ncsesdata.nsf.gov |publisher=[[National Science Foundation]] |access-date=21 July 2020 |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930141919/https://ncsesdata.nsf.gov/herd/2018/html/herd18-dt-tab020.html |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Kiplinger]]'' in 2014 ranked UC San Diego 14th out of the top 100 best-value public colleges and universities in the nation, and 3rd in California.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/index.php |publisher=[[Kiplinger]] |title=Kiplinger's Best College Values |date=March 2014 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |archive-date=December 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161218160250/http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/index.php |url-status=live }}</ref> UC San Diego was ranked 29th among national universities in the United States and 6th among public universities by ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'''s 2025 rankings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US News and World Report 2025 Best Colleges--University of California, San Diego |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-california-san-diego-1317}}</ref> ''ScienceWatch'' ranks UC San Diego 7th of federally funded U.S. universities, based on the citation impact of their published research in major fields of science and the social sciences and 12th globally by volume of citations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sciencewatch.com/inter/ins/09/09Top20Overall/|title=The Most-Cited Institutions Overall, 1999-2009|year=2009|access-date=May 5, 2013|work=ScienceWatch|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters|Reuters]]|archive-date=March 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307133535/http://sciencewatch.com/inter/ins/09/09Top20Overall/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/science/impact06.asp|title=UC San Diego Ranks 7th in Nation for Scientific 'Impact'|last=McDonald|first=Kim|publisher=University of California, San Diego|date=November 15, 2006|access-date=May 5, 2013|archive-date=October 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215546/http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/science/impact06.asp|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Global rankings====
[[File:Jacobs Medical Center southwest.jpg|thumb|[[Jacobs Medical Center]] as seen from the southwest path]]
Recognized as a [[Public Ivy]], UC San Diego is a highly regarded research institution, ranked 11th in the world by the ''Nature Index'',<ref>{{cite web|title=Nature Index - 2017|url=https://www.natureindex.com/annual-tables/2017/institution/academic/all|website=natureindex.com|access-date=September 7, 2017|archive-date=September 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908022110/https://www.natureindex.com/annual-tables/2017/institution/academic/all|url-status=live}}</ref> 14th in the world by the ''Scrimago Institutions Rankings'',<ref>{{cite web|title=Scrimago Institutions Rankings (Higher Education)-2017|url=http://www.scimagoir.com/rankings.php?sector=Higher%20educ.|access-date=September 7, 2017|archive-date=April 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401184023/http://scimagoir.com/rankings.php?sector=Higher%20educ.|url-status=live}}</ref> 14th in the world by the ''Lens Metric'',<ref>{{cite web|title = Lens In4M Metric|url = https://www.lens.org/lens/in4m#/rankings/locations|website = lens.org|access-date = August 9, 2017|archive-date = August 10, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170810011851/https://www.lens.org/lens/in4m#/rankings/locations|url-status = live}}</ref> 14th best university in the world according to ''TBS Rankings'',<ref>{{cite web|title=The Best Schools|url=https://thebestschools.org/features/100-best-universities-in-world-today/|access-date=August 6, 2015|archive-date=July 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724202932/http://www.thebestschools.org/features/100-best-universities-in-world-today/|url-status=live}}</ref> 16th in ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''{{'}}s 2017 global university rankings,<ref name="USNglobal">{{cite magazine |title=U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/rankings?page=2 |magazine=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=October 25, 2016 |archive-date=July 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719131354/https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/rankings?page=2 |url-status=live }}</ref> 15th in the world by the ''[[Academic Ranking of World Universities]]'',<ref>{{cite web|title = Academic Ranking of World Universities - 2017 {{!}} World University Ranking - 2017 {{!}} Top 500 universities {{!}} Shanghai Ranking - 2017|url = http://www.shanghairanking.com/ARWU2017.html|website = www.shanghairanking.com|access-date = September 7, 2017|archive-date = January 19, 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190119012717/http://www.shanghairanking.com/ARWU2017.html|url-status = live}}</ref> 16th best university in the world by the ''Centre for Science and Technology Studies of Leiden University Ranking'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leidenranking.com/ranking/2015 |title=''CWTS Leiden Ranking'' |publisher=Leiden University |access-date=July 7, 2015 |archive-date=April 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423040828/https://www.leidenranking.com/ranking/2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> 18th in the world by the ''Center for World University Rankings'',<ref>{{cite web|title = University of California, San Diego Ranking {{!}} CWUR 2016.|url = http://cwur.org/2017.php|website = cwur.org|access-date = March 30, 2018|archive-date = October 16, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171016222035/http://cwur.org/2017.php|url-status = live}}</ref> 18th in the world by ''University Ranking by Academic Performance'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.urapcenter.org/2017/world.php?q=MS0yNTAw |title=''University Ranking by Academic Performance 2016-17 World Ranking'' |access-date=March 30, 2018 |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142002/http://www.urapcenter.org/2017/world.php?q=MS0yNTAw |url-status=live }}</ref> and 5th best public university in the world by the ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings''.<ref>{{cite web |title = World University Rankings 2017 |date = September 6, 2017 |url = http://fox5sandiego.com/2017/09/05/ucsd-ranked-among-top-universities-in-the-world-2/ |access-date = September 7, 2017 |archive-date = September 6, 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170906033402/http://fox5sandiego.com/2017/09/05/ucsd-ranked-among-top-universities-in-the-world-2/ |url-status = live }}</ref>

The University of California San Diego is ranked 15th by the ''Academic Ranking of World Universities,''<ref name=ARWU/> and is ranked 17th "Best University in the World" by the ''Center for World University Rankings'' for 2016.<ref name="Top 100 Universities"/> ''U.S. News & World Report'' named UC San Diego the 15th best university in the world for 2017 for research, global and regional reputation, international collaboration, and several highly cited papers.<ref name=USNglobal/> In 2017, UC San Diego was ranked 30th in the world by the ''[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings]].''<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2017/reputation-ranking#!/page/1/length/25/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/stats |title= World Reputation Rankings 2017 |magazine= The Times Higher Education Supplement |access-date= July 5, 2017 |archive-date= June 17, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170617115713/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2017/reputation-ranking#!/page/1/length/25/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/stats |url-status= live }}</ref> UC San Diego was also ranked 38th overall in the world, and 11th in biological sciences, 16th in life sciences, and medicine, 19th in economics and econometrics, 31st in mathematics, and 44th in computer science and information systems by ''[[QS World University Rankings]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=QS World University Rankings® 2018 |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2018 |access-date=June 29, 2017 |archive-date=May 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508114558/http://www.topuniversities.com/institution/hanyang-university/wur |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2015, the Centre for Science and Technology Studies at Leiden University named UC San Diego 16th in the world for scientific impact.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leidenranking.com/ranking/2014|title=CWTS Leiden Ranking 2014|access-date=December 2, 2014|archive-date=May 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150511220356/http://www.leidenranking.com/ranking/2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Graduate school rankings====
The UC San Diego School of Medicine is ranked tied for 18th for research and 12th for primary care in the 2018 ''U.S. News & World Report'' rankings.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/university-of-california-san-diego-04011 |title=Best Graduate Schools - Medicine |magazine=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=March 15, 2017 |archive-date=October 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024232301/http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-medical-schools/university-of-california-san-diego-04011 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Rady School of Management at UC San Diego is ranked 17th in the world for faculty research and 8th for alumni entrepreneurship in the 2014 [[Financial Times]]’ Global MBA.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/global-mba-ranking-2014 |title=Financial Times Global MBA Rankings 2014 |newspaper=Financial Times |date=December 4, 2014 |access-date=December 4, 2014 |archive-date=January 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140128010440/http://rankings.ft.com/businessschoolrankings/global-mba-ranking-2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2014 the Rady School ranked 1st in the nation in intellectual capital by [[Bloomberg Businessweek]], which measured faculty research published in the top 20 business journals from 2009 to 2013.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-11/best-business-schools-2014-the-complete-rankings-table |title=Financial Times Global MBA Rankings 2014 |magazine=Businessweek |date=December 4, 2014 |access-date=December 4, 2014 |archive-date=November 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141124164639/http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-11-11/best-business-schools-2014-the-complete-rankings-table |url-status=dead }}</ref> UC San Diego was named 8th in the nation among doctoral institutions for the number of students who study abroad for a full academic year, according to the [[Institute of International Education]] Open Doors report.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iie.org/Research-and-Publications/Open-Doors/Data/US-Study-Abroad/Leading-Institutions-Duration-Institutional-Type/2011-12 |title=Financial Times Global MBA Rankings 2014 |publisher=Institute of International Education |date=December 4, 2014 |access-date=December 4, 2014 |archive-date=December 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141206091205/http://www.iie.org/Research-and-Publications/Open-Doors/Data/US-Study-Abroad/Leading-Institutions-Duration-Institutional-Type/2011-12 |url-status=live }}</ref> Three doctoral programs at UC San Diego—biological sciences, bioengineering, and [[Scripps Institution of Oceanography]]—are 1st in the nation in the [[National Research Council (United States)|National Research Council]]'s Data-Based Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs report.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.nap.edu/rdp/index.html??record_id=12850#download |title=National Research Council Data-Based Assessment of Research-Doctorate Programs Report |publisher=National Research Council |date=December 4, 2014 |doi=10.17226/12994 |pmid=22379653 |isbn=978-0-309-16030-8 |access-date=April 23, 2021 |archive-date=May 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160504131149/http://www.nap.edu/rdp/index.html?%3Frecord_id=12850#download |url-status=live |author1=National Research Council (US) Committee on an Assessment of Research Doctorate Programs |last2=Ostriker |first2=J. P. |last3=Kuh |first3=C. V. |last4=Voytuk |first4=J. A. }}</ref>

====Departmental rankings====
Departmental rankings (including specialties) in the national top 10 according to the 2018 ''U.S. News & World Report'' Best Graduate Schools<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-california-san-diego-110680/overall-rankings |title=U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools 2018 University of California San Diego national rankings |magazine=U.S. News & World Report |date=March 14, 2017 |access-date=November 14, 2012 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214017/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-california-san-diego-110680/overall-rankings |url-status=live }}</ref> report include biomedical engineering/bioengineering (2nd);  neuroscience/neurobiology (2nd); biochemistry (10th); discrete mathematics and combinatorics (3rd); plasma physics (7th); econometrics (4th); public finance (8th); political science (9th); international politics (4th); comparative politics (4th); behavioral neuroscience (4th); cognitive psychology (8th); and time-based media/new media (3rd).

Departmental rankings in the global top 10 according to the 2015 ''U.S. News & World Report'' Best Graduate Schools report<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/university-of-california-san-diego-110680 |title=U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools 2015 University of California San Diego global rankings |magazine=U.S. News & World Report |date=December 4, 2014 |access-date=September 17, 2017 |archive-date=September 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916191248/https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/university-of-california-san-diego-110680 |url-status=live }}</ref> include: biology and biochemistry (6th); molecular biology and genetics (8th); neuroscience and behavior (6th); pharmacology and toxicology (5th); and psychiatry and psychology (8th).

Departmental rankings in the global top 20 according to the [[Academic Ranking of World Universities]] (ARWU)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shanghairanking.com/World-University-Rankings/University-of-California-San-Diego.html|title=Academic Ranking of World Universities 2015 University of California San Diego global rankings|publisher=Academic Ranking of World Universities|date=September 16, 2015|access-date=December 4, 2014|archive-date=December 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220142948/http://www.shanghairanking.com/World-University-Rankings/University-of-California-San-Diego.html|url-status=live}}</ref> for 2015 include chemistry (18th); computer science (14th); and economics/business (19th). Since introduced in 2017, the ARWU Subject Rankings has ranked mechanical engineering at UC San Diego as the top (1st) public university program in the US (2017–2020). Mechanical engineering at UC San Diego has also consistently ranked as a top 5 US overall and a top 10 program worldwide since the introduction of subject rankings by ARWU.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shanghairanking.com/Shanghairanking-Subject-Rankings-2017/mechanical-engineering.html|title=Subject Ranking of World Universities 2017 Mechanical Engineering global rankings|publisher=Academic Ranking of World Universities|date=June 26, 2017|access-date=July 11, 2020|archive-date=July 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712034012/http://www.shanghairanking.com/Shanghairanking-Subject-Rankings-2017/mechanical-engineering.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Departmental rankings in the global top 20 according to the [[QS World University Rankings]] for 2015 include earth and marine sciences (13th);<ref>{{cite web|title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015 - Earth & Marine Sciences|url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/earth-marine-sciences#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|access-date=September 16, 2015|archive-date=August 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150823045636/http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/earth-marine-sciences#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|url-status=live}}</ref> biological sciences (14th);<ref>{{cite web|title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015 - Biological Sciences|url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/biological-sciences#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|access-date=September 16, 2015|archive-date=September 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150918034414/http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/biological-sciences#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|url-status=live}}</ref> economics and econometrics (18th);<ref>{{cite web|title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015 - Economics & Econometrics|url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/economics-econometrics#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|access-date=September 16, 2015|archive-date=September 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912032953/http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/economics-econometrics#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|url-status=live}}</ref> and pharmacy and pharmacology (20th).<ref>{{cite web|title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015 - Pharmacy & Pharmacology|url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/pharmacy-pharmacology#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|access-date=September 16, 2015|archive-date=September 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914055543/http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/pharmacy-pharmacology#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|url-status=live}}</ref> Additional rankings within the global top 40 include politics and international studies (21st);<ref>{{cite web|title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015 - Politics & International Studies|url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/politics#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|access-date=September 16, 2015|archive-date=February 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201093818/http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/politics#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|url-status=live}}</ref> medicine (22nd);<ref>{{cite web |title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015 - Medicine |url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/medicine#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search= |access-date=September 16, 2015 |archive-date=August 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813032509/https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/medicine#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search= |url-status=live }}</ref> mathematics (28th);<ref>{{cite web|title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015 - Mathematics|url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/mathematics#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|access-date=September 16, 2015|archive-date=September 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915085106/http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/mathematics#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|url-status=live}}</ref> linguistics (31st);<ref>{{cite web|title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015 - Linguistics|url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/linguistics#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|access-date=September 16, 2015|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923154404/http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/linguistics#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|url-status=live}}</ref> and electrical engineering (34th).<ref>{{cite web|title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015 - Engineering - Electrical & Electronic|url=http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/engineering-electrical-electronic#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|access-date=September 16, 2015|archive-date=August 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150828070726/http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/university-subject-rankings/2015/engineering-electrical-electronic#sorting=rank+region=+country=+faculty=+stars=false+search=|url-status=live}}</ref>

''ScienceWatch'' placed UC San Diego 1st in [[social psychology]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/11/apr3-11_1/|title=Social Psychology: High-Impact U.S. Institutions, 2005-09|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters|Reuters]]|work=ScienceWatch|date=April 3, 2011|access-date=May 5, 2013|archive-date=April 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404100159/http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/11/apr3-11_1/|url-status=live}}</ref> 2nd in [[oceanography]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/10/jan10-10_1/|title=Oceanography: Most Prolific U.S. Institutions, 2004-08|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters|Reuters]]|work=ScienceWatch|date=January 10, 2010|access-date=May 5, 2013|archive-date=April 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404100205/http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/10/jan10-10_1/|url-status=live}}</ref> 3rd in [[international relations]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/09/aug2-09_1/|title=International Relations: High-Impact U.S. Institutions, 2004-08|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters|Reuters]]|work=ScienceWatch|date=August 2, 2009|access-date=May 5, 2013|archive-date=April 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404100213/http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/09/aug2-09_1/|url-status=live}}</ref> 5th in [[molecular biology]] and [[genetics]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases-test/thomson-scientific-examines-biologys-hottest-institutions-authors-and-journals-57014372.html|title=Thomson Scientific Examines Biology's Hottest Institutions, Authors and Journals|publisher=PR Newswire |date=February 20, 2006|access-date=May 5, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.in-cites.com/institutions/mol_1995-2005.html |title=The Most-Cited Institutions in Molecular Biology & Genetics, 1995-2005|date=March 2006|access-date=March 26, 2008|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters|Reuters]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512021025/http://in-cites.com/institutions/mol_1995-2005.html|archive-date=May 12, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> 17th in [[engineering]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/08/jul6-08_4/|title=Institution Rankings in Engineering 1997-2007|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters|Reuters]]|work=ScienceWatch|date=July 6, 2008|access-date=May 5, 2013|archive-date=April 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404100241/http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/08/jul6-08_4/|url-status=live}}</ref> and 18th in [[Neuroscience]] and [[Behavior]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/09/apr26-09_1D/|title=Institution Rankings in Neuroscience & Behavior, 1998-2008|publisher=[[Thomson Reuters|Reuters]]|work=ScienceWatch|date=April 26, 2013|access-date=May 5, 2013|archive-date=October 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004071449/http://sciencewatch.com/dr/sci/09/apr26-09_1D/|url-status=live}}</ref> using non-survey, quantitative based metrics to determine research impact.

''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' has ranked UC San Diego's graduate theatre program among the top ten drama schools in 2016 (6th), 2017 (5th), 2018 (4th), 2019 (3rd), 2020 (3rd), and 2021 (5th) also ranking the undergraduate theatre program as one of the top five in the nation in 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/25-best-drama-schools-895029/item/tisch-school-arts-nyu-top-894947 |title=25 Best Drama Schools |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=July 17, 2016 |access-date=July 17, 2016 |archive-date=July 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160727214653/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/25-best-drama-schools-895029/item/tisch-school-arts-nyu-top-894947 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/25-best-drama-schools-an-acting-degree-1007229 ''25 Best Drama Schools for an Acting Degree''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170530121409/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/25-best-drama-schools-an-acting-degree-1007229 |date=May 30, 2017 }}, [[The Hollywood Reporter]], Retrieved May 26, 2017</ref><ref>[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/25-best-drama-schools-an-acting-degree-ranked-1112232/item/top-25-schools-2018-uc-san-diego-1112185 ''The 25 Best Drama Schools for an Acting Degree, Ranked''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180812022259/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/25-best-drama-schools-an-acting-degree-ranked-1112232/item/top-25-schools-2018-uc-san-diego-1112185 |date=August 12, 2018 }}, [[The Hollywood Reporter]], Retrieved May 21, 2018</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/top-25-graduate-schools-an-acting-degree-ranked-1215174/item/2019-top-acting-grad-schools-brown-university-1215179|title=Brown University - Top 25 Graduate Schools for an Acting Degree, Ranked|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=June 10, 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-10-27|archive-date=October 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027031434/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/top-25-graduate-schools-an-acting-degree-ranked-1215174/item/2019-top-acting-grad-schools-brown-university-1215179|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Admissions===
{|  class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:85%; margin:10px; text-align:center; font-size:85%; margin:auto"
|+ ''Fall Freshman Statistics''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Common Data Set, 2019-2020|url=https://ir.ucsd.edu/_files/stats-data/common-data-set/UCSD_CDS_2019-2020.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=January 26, 2022|publisher=University of California, San Diego|archive-date=April 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210405232752/https://ir.ucsd.edu/_files/stats-data/common-data-set/UCSD_CDS_2019-2020.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://studentresearch.ucsd.edu/_files/stats-data/admissions/freshmen/ap.pdf |title=Academic Preparation: A Decade of Change |work=Student Research and Information |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=February 21, 2015 |archive-date=February 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222022647/http://studentresearch.ucsd.edu/_files/stats-data/admissions/freshmen/ap.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://studentresearch.ucsd.edu/_files/stats-data/admissions/freshmen/ffapadac.pdf |title=First-Time Freshmen |work=Student Research and Information |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=February 21, 2015 |archive-date=February 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222030832/http://studentresearch.ucsd.edu/_files/stats-data/admissions/freshmen/ffapadac.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ucop.edu/institutional-research-academic-planning/data-reports/key-reports/student-workforce-data.html |title=UC Student/Workforce data &#124; UCOP |publisher=Ucop.edu |access-date=April 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405191907/http://www.ucop.edu/institutional-research-academic-planning/data-reports/key-reports/student-workforce-data.html |archive-date=April 5, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
! 
!2022
!2019!! 2018 !! 2017 !! 2016 !! 2015 !! 2014 !! 2013 !! 2012
|-align="center"
! Applicants
|131,229
|99,133
| 97,899 || 88,456 || 84,208 || 78,056 || 73,440 || 67,400 || 60,805
|-align="center"
! Admitted
|31,102
|32,062
| 29,577 || 30,204 || 30,028 || 26,509 || 24,595 || 24,832 || 22,963
|-align="center"
! Admit rate
|22.7%
|32.3%
| 30.2% || 34.1% || 36.0% || 34.0% || 33.5% || 36.8% || 37.8%
|-align="center"
! Enrolled
|6,547
|6,021
| 6,704 || 5,699 || 5,746|| 5,292|| 4,922 || 5,228 || 4,573
|-align="center"
! Average GPA
|4.21
|4.08
| 4.07 || 4.08 || 4.05|| |4.08|| 4.08 || 4.06 || 4.00
|-align="center"
! SAT range
|Test Blind
|1250–1470
| 1300–1520 || NA || 1750–2073|| |1800–2150|| 1760–2110 || 1750–2080 || 1750–2070
|-align="center"
! ACT range
|Test Blind
|24–33
| 28–34 || 26–31 || 26–31|| |27–32|| 26–32 || 26–31 || 26–31
|}

UC San Diego is categorized by ''U.S. News & World Report'' as "most selective" for college admissions ratings within the United States.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-californiasan-diego-1317 |title=University of California--San Diego |magazine=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=June 11, 2015 |archive-date=December 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121221135356/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/university-of-californiasan-diego-1317 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-18 |title=UC Schools Acceptance Rates 2023: Easiest and Hardest Schools to Get Into |url=https://blog.collegevine.com/uc-schools-acceptance-rates |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=CollegeVine Blog |language=en}}</ref> For the fall 2022 admissions cycle, the school received 150,963 applications from both freshman and transfer applicants. Of those 150,963 applications, 131,229 applications were from prospective freshmen with UC San Diego granting admission to just 31,102 applicants, almost 9,000 fewer than the previous year (acceptance rate of 23.7% for the fall 2022 admission cycle).<ref>{{Cite web |title=University of California, San Diego |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-california-san-diego-1317 |website=U.S. News & World Report}}</ref>

In 2009, UC San Diego mistakenly sent Admit Day welcome emails to all its 47,000 freshmen applicants, instead of just the 17,000 who had been admitted.<ref>{{cite web |last=Page |first=Eric |url=http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Youre-Out-Youre-In-No-Youre-Out.html |title=Oops! UCSD Sends Acceptance E-mail to Wrong List |publisher=NBC San Diego News |date=April 1, 2009 |access-date=April 30, 2013 |archive-date=May 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525044100/http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Youre-Out-Youre-In-No-Youre-Out.html |url-status=live }}</ref> However, school officials quickly realized the mistake and sent an apology email within two hours.<ref>{{cite web |last=Holland |first=Gale |url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ucsd-reject1-2009apr01,0,7943711.story |title=UC San Diego admissions gaffe dashes students' hopes - again |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=April 1, 2009 |access-date=July 16, 2009 |archive-date=April 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090404045422/http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ucsd-reject1-2009apr01,0,7943711.story |url-status=live }}</ref>

Graduate admissions are largely centralized through the Office of Graduate Studies. However, the [[Rady School of Management]], [[Scripps Institution of Oceanography]], and the [[School of Global Policy and Strategy]] (GPS) handle their own admissions. For Fall 2012, the [[UC San Diego School of Medicine]] offered admission to 5% of its applicants.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ucsdguardian.org/news-and-features/campus/item/26025-ucsd-enrollment-falls-by-272#.UXkbQCXFHZt |title=UCSD Enrollment Falls by 272 |work=[[UCSD Guardian|The Guardian]] |publisher=University of California, San Diego |date=October 31, 2012 |access-date=April 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413011148/http://www.ucsdguardian.org/news-and-features/campus/item/26025-ucsd-enrollment-falls-by-272#.UXkbQCXFHZt |archive-date=April 13, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Student life==
{| class="wikitable floatright sortable collapsible"; text-align:right; font-size:80%;"
|+ style="font-size:90%" |Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2020
|-
! Race and ethnicity<ref>{{cite web |title=College Scorecard: University of California-San Diego |url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?110680-University-of-California-San-Diego |publisher=[[United States Department of Education]] |access-date=8 May 2022 |archive-date=May 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509004054/https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?110680-University-of-California-San-Diego |url-status=live }}</ref>
! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Total
|-
| [[Asian Americans|Asian]]
|align=right| {{bartable|33|%|2||background:purple}}
|-
| [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]]
|align=right| {{bartable|22|%|2||background:green}}
|-
| [[Non-Hispanic whites|White]]
|align=right| {{bartable|19|%|2||background:gray}}
|-
| [[Foreign national]]
|align=right| {{bartable|17|%|2||background:orange}}
|-
| Other{{efn|Other consists of [[Multiracial Americans]] & those who prefer to not say.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|7|%|2||background:brown}}
|-
| [[African Americans|Black]]
|align=right| {{bartable|2|%|2||background:mediumblue}}
|-
! colspan="4" data-sort-type=number |[[Economic diversity]]
|-
| [[American lower class|Low-income]]{{efn|The percentage of students who received an income-based federal [[Pell grant]] intended for low-income students.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|33|%|2||background:red}}
|-
| [[Affluence in the United States|Affluent]]{{efn|The percentage of students who are a part of the [[American middle class]] at the bare minimum.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|67|%|2||background:black}}
|}

In all, the university offers classical orchestras, [[intramural sports]], and over 550 student organizations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tonga.ucsd.edu/studentorgregistration/RdOnlyList.aspx |title=UCSD Student Organizations 2012-2013 |work=Center for Student Involvement |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=April 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616104709/http://tonga.ucsd.edu/studentorgregistration/RdOnlyList.aspx |archive-date=June 16, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sportsclubs.ucsd.edu/index.php |title=UC San Diego Recreation - Sports Clubs |work=UC San Diego Athletics |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=April 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618021302/http://sportsclubs.ucsd.edu/index.php |archive-date=June 18, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> 38 national and local Greek organizations are hosted on campus,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://students.ucsd.edu/student-life/involvement/greek-life/how-to-join.html |publisher=University of California, San Diego |title=How to Join |access-date=May 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215104854/https://students.ucsd.edu/student-life/involvement/greek-life/how-to-join.html |archive-date=December 15, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> with fraternity and sorority members representing 20% of the student population.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://smysp.stanford.edu/family/ucsd.html |publisher=[[Stanford University School of Medicine]] |title=UC San Diego |access-date=April 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617061842/http://smysp.stanford.edu/family/ucsd.html |archive-date=June 17, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The university operates on an [[academic quarter (year division)|academic quarter system]], with three primary quarters beginning in late September and ending in mid-June.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://blink.ucsd.edu/instructors/resources/academic/calendars/2024.html |title=Academic and Administrative Calendar 2024–2025 |date=2024-10-16 |accessdate=2024-12-21 |website=ucsd.edu}}</ref> 44% of undergraduate students receive federal [[Pell Grant]]s.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Economic Diversity Among All National Universities |url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/economic-diversity/ |magazine=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=June 11, 2015 |archive-date=May 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508085729/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/economic-diversity |url-status=live }}</ref>

The undergraduate student body government is the Associated Students of the University of California, San Diego, organized as a cabinet and senate,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://as.ucsd.edu |title=Associated Students of UCSD |publisher=University of California, San Diego |work=UC San Diego Associated Students |date=June 8, 2009 |access-date=July 16, 2009 |archive-date=January 28, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128124626/http://as.ucsd.edu/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>ASUCSD Minutes, December 16, 1964</ref> while graduate students are represented by the Graduate Student Association, a proportional representative body with membership depending on the number of students in each graduate department.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gsa.ucsd.edu/ |title=UCSD Graduate Student Association |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=July 16, 2009 |archive-date=July 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090722011742/http://gsa.ucsd.edu/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Additionally, graduate students who serve as teaching assistants are represented by the UC-wide union of Academic Student Employees. Each of the eight residential colleges has its own [[student council]] as well. Most student media publications distributed on-campus are services provided and governed by ASUCSD, including Triton Television,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ucsdttv.squarespace.com/ |title=Triton Television |publisher=Triton Television |access-date=April 21, 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220127092125/https://ucsdttv.squarespace.com/ }}</ref> the school's student run film studio, and the [[KSDT Radio|KSDT radio station]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ksdt.ucsd.edu/ |title=KSDT |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=April 30, 2013 |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511074812/http://ksdt.ucsd.edu/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A notable exception is ''[[UCSD Guardian|The Guardian]]'', which is directly governed by the university's Student Affairs department. Other student newspapers, include titles such as Black Voices, ''New Indicator''<ref>{{cite web |title=UCSD Student Newspapers |url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/search?f%5Bcollection_sim%5D%5B%5D=UCSD+Student+Newspapers&per_page=50&sort=score+desc%2C+system_create_dtsi+desc%2C+title_ssi+asc |website=Library Digital Collections |publisher=UC San Diego Library |access-date=17 April 2025}}</ref> (New Indicator Collective), Revellations, North star, Revelle Times, The New Wave, Sandscript, and Ujima.<ref>{{cite web |title=UCSD Student Newspapers |url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/collection/bb9318959d |website=library.ucsd.edu |access-date=17 April 2025 |date=1960}}</ref>

[[File:Price Center, UCSD.jpg|thumb|[[Price Center]]]]
[[Price Center]], often referred to as PC, is the main student hub and is located in the center of campus, just south of [[Geisel Library]]. The building houses restaurants, the central bookstore, a movie theater, and office space for student organizations and faculty.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://theuniversitycenters.ucsd.edu/aboutus.php |title=UCSD University Centers |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=May 3, 2013 |archive-date=April 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130411053250/http://theuniversitycenters.ucsd.edu/aboutus.php |url-status=live }}</ref> A student referendum was passed in 2003 to nearly double Price Center, this "East expansion" was officially opened to the public on May 19, 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/thisweek/2008/05/19_pce-launch.asp |title=Campus Celebrates Opening of Price Center Expansion with Launch Party |publisher=University of California, San Diego|date=May 19, 2008 |access-date=July 16, 2009 |archive-date=December 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201051604/http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/thisweek/2008/05/19_pce-launch.asp |url-status=dead|first1=Ioana|last1=Patringenaru}}</ref> Many campus cooperatives, stores as well as The Hub (UCSD's Basic Needs program) operate out of the Student Center which is located towards the south-east of campus.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 8, 2025 |title=Directory |url=https://universitycenters.ucsd.edu/visit/directory.html#SC-Level-1 |url-status=live}}</ref>

There are also seven community resource centers that cultivate community among faculty, staff, and students: the Cross-Cultural Center, the Women's Center, the Student Veterans Resource Center, the Intertribal Resource Center, the Raza Resource Centro, the Black Resource Center and the LGBT Resource Center. UC San Diego was the last UC campus to have such centers. All three, especially the Cross-Cultural Center that was created first, were founded in the mid-1990s as a result of student movements that demanded change despite opposition by the campus administration.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ccc.ucsd.edu |title=Welcome to the Cross-Cultural Center |publisher=University of California, San Diego |work=Cross Cultural Center |access-date=July 16, 2009 |archive-date=August 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802093005/http://ccc.ucsd.edu/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 8, 2025 |title=Community Resource Centers |url=https://grad.ucsd.edu/student-life/health-wellbeing/community-resource-centers/index.html |url-status=live |website=UC San Diego}}</ref>

The [[Ché Café]] is a student [[worker cooperative]] and [[social center]] that is perhaps best known for its role as a venue for underground music scene.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://checafe.ucsd.edu/about.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021004013810/http://checafe.ucsd.edu/about.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 4, 2002 |title=The Ché Café Collective |work=[[Ché Café]] |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=April 30, 2013 }}</ref> It is an on-and-off again [[vegan]] cafe and catering operation as well. The Ché also acts as a resource for the music and art departments on campus through hosting art shows, performances, and film screenings. Some of the most notable touring bands or musicians who have played at the Ché include: [[Bon Iver]], [[Green Day]], [[Rise Against]], [[Jimmy Eat World]], [[Matt & Kim]], [[Billy Corgan]], [[Blonde Redhead]], [[Bomb the Music Industry!]], [[The Get Up Kids]], [[Deerhoof]], [[Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes]], [[Chumbawamba]], [[Mike Watt]], [[Hella (band)|Hella]], [[Dan Deacon]], [[Unwound]], and [[Jawbreaker (band)|Jawbreaker]]. Prominent local San Diego bands such as [[The Locust]] and [[Pinback]], and national tours such as [[Mates of State]] and [[The Dillinger Escape Plan]] have given the [[Ché Café]] some fame and praise as a radical vegan collective despite its small size and limited sound equipment.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thechecafe.blogspot.com/p/booking.html |title=Booking |work=[[Ché Café]] |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=April 30, 2013 |archive-date=May 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140519214657/http://thechecafe.blogspot.com/p/booking.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Watermelon Drop UCSD.jpg|thumb|The June 2007 Watermelon Drop, an annual tradition at [[Revelle College]]]]

===Former television station===
K35DG-D channel 35, branded on-air as UCSD TV, was a [[low-power broadcasting#Television|low-powered]], [[Class A television service|Class A]] UCTV-[[network affiliate|affiliated]] [[television station]] [[city of license|licensed]] owned by the University of California, San Diego. On [[cable television|cable]], the station was carried on [[Spectrum (cable service)|Spectrum]] digital channel 1231 and [[Cox Communications|Cox]] digital channel 135. The [[broadcast transmitter|transmitter]] was located atop [[Mount Soledad]] and aired public [[lecture]]s, [[documentary|documentaries]] and [[fine arts]] programming from UCTV, with [[black-and-white]] [[movie]]s on Saturday. In the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC)'s [[Spectrum reallocation#Broadcast incentive auction|incentive auction]], K35DG-D sold its spectrum for $24,020,383; at the time, the station indicated that it would enter into a post-auction channel sharing agreement.<ref name="fcc-k35dgsale">{{cite web|title=FCC Broadcast Television Spectrum Incentive Auction Auction 1001 Winning Bids|url=http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2017/db0413/DA-17-314A2.pdf|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=September 19, 2017|date=April 4, 2017}}</ref> K35DG-D ceased operations October 25, 2017,<ref name="fcc-k35dgoff">{{cite web|title=Suspension of Operations of a Digital Class A Station Application|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/draftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076f915f490f5f015f4f3821601c69&id=25076f915f490f5f015f4f3821601c69&goBack=N|website=Licensing and Management System|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=October 31, 2017|date=October 24, 2017}}</ref> and its license was surrendered to the FCC for cancellation on October 27, 2017; UCSD TV continues to be carried on Cox, Spectrum, and [[AT&T U-Verse|AT&T]].<ref name="fcc-k35dgdefunct">{{cite web|title=Cancellation Application|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/draftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076f915f5883d0015f59cb8b9406ae&id=25076f915f5883d0015f59cb8b9406ae&goBack=N|website=Licensing and Management System|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=October 29, 2017|date=October 26, 2017}}</ref>

===Traditions===
The student body government coordinates a wide variety of concerts and events during the year. UC San Diego begins the fall quarter with Welcome Week to introduce new students to campus clubs and activities,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome Week|url=https://thecolleges.ucsd.edu/nonresidentinfo/before/welcome.html|access-date=2021-02-02|website=thecolleges.ucsd.edu|archive-date=February 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216130737/http://thecolleges.ucsd.edu/nonresidentinfo/before/welcome.html|url-status=live}}</ref> starting the week with the All Campus Dance. The [[Hullabaloo (festival)|Hullabaloo]] music festival takes place every November as part of the university's Founders' Celebration. Bear Garden, a carnival held near Price Center, takes place every quarter throughout the year. Additionally, events are frequently held at the Loft, a performance lounge within Price Center.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://asce.ucsd.edu/about |title=About ASCE |work=AS Concerts & Events |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=April 29, 2013 |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512052323/http://asce.ucsd.edu/about |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Sun God Festival]], named after [[Sun God (statue)|the statue]] in the [[Stuart Collection]], has become one of the largest annual campus events.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Niki de Saint Phalle - Sun God |url=https://stuartcollection.ucsd.edu/artist/de-saint-phalle.html#About-the-Sculpture |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=stuartcollection.ucsd.edu}}</ref> It is held annually in mid-May on the seventh week of the spring quarter. The festival has grown over its history into a 20,000 person event, featuring an eclectic mix of art, dance, and musical performances. Past performers have included: [[Kendrick Lamar]], [[Porter Robinson]], [[Macklemore]], [[Silversun Pickups]], [[Wiz Khalifa]], [[Drake (entertainer)|Drake]], [[T.I.]], [[Third Eye Blind]], [[Ludacris]], [[Michelle Branch]], [[Sara Bareilles]], [[The Roots]], [[My Chemical Romance]], and [[Joji (musician)|Joji]]. The 2017 festival featured [[ScHoolboy Q]], [[DJ Mustard]], [[Bad Suns]], Manila Killa and [[Khalid (American singer)|Khalid]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=To|first1=Jacky|title=ASCE Reveals Secret Sun God Artist: Louis the Child|url=http://ucsdguardian.org/2016/04/25/asce-reveals-secret-sun-god-artist-louis-the-child/|access-date=March 28, 2017|work=UCSD Guardian|date=April 25, 2016|ref=ASCE Reveals Secret Sun God Artist: Louis the Child|archive-date=March 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330215542/http://ucsdguardian.org/2016/04/25/asce-reveals-secret-sun-god-artist-louis-the-child/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Another popular campus tradition is the Watermelon Drop, which takes place at the end of the spring [[academic quarter (year division)|quarter]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.10news.com/news/47th-annual-giant-watermelon-drop-held-at-ucsd |title=47th Annual Giant Watermelon Drop Held At UCSD |work=ABC News |date=June 3, 2011 |access-date=May 3, 2013 |archive-date=October 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004182001/http://www.10news.com/news/47th-annual-giant-watermelon-drop-held-at-ucsd |url-status=live }}</ref> The Watermelon Drop is one of the campus' oldest traditions, famously originating in 1965 from a physics exam question centering on the velocity on impact of a dropped object. A group of intrigued students pursued that line of thought by dropping a watermelon from the top floor of Revelle's Urey Hall to measure the distance from the splat to the farthest travelling piece of fruit.

===Housing===
The eight undergraduate residential colleges have separate, unique housing facilities for their students. First-year students are usually housed in the residence halls while upperclassmen live in the college apartments. Transfer students are housed in separate facilities from the residential colleges, in an area called The Village at Pepper Canyon.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hdh.ucsd.edu/thevillage/ |title=UC San Diego Transfer Student Housing at The Village |work=UC San Diego Housing |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=April 30, 2013 |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508214639/http://hdh.ucsd.edu/thevillage/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The housing facilities vary in design, though nearly all of them are of [[Modern architecture|modern]] or [[Brutalist architecture|brutalist]] style. The vast majority of entering freshmen and about 40 percent of all undergraduates in Fall 2012 chose to live in campus residence halls or apartments.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://studentresearch.ucsd.edu/sriweb/UCSDCollegeProfile.pdf |title=UC San Diego College Portrait |work=Student Research and Information |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=April 30, 2013 |archive-date=May 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527172144/http://studentresearch.ucsd.edu/sriweb/UCSDCollegeProfile.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%; margin:10px; text-align:center; font-size:85%; margin:auto"
|-
! College<ref>{{Cite web|title=Colleges|url=https://admissions.ucsd.edu/why/colleges/|access-date=2021-04-23|website=admissions.ucsd.edu|archive-date=April 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414032305/https://admissions.ucsd.edu/why/colleges/|url-status=live}}</ref>!! Founded 
!Motto!! Emphasis !! Writing Sequence 
!Dining Hall<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dining Services Menus and Hours |url=https://hdh-web.ucsd.edu/dining/apps/diningservices/Restaurants |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230623173319/https://hdh-web.ucsd.edu/dining/apps/diningservices/Restaurants |archive-date=2023-06-23 |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=hdh-web.ucsd.edu}}</ref>!! Festival 
|- align="center"
! [[Revelle College]]
| 1964 
|Purpose, Truth, Vision|| Renaissance education || Humanities (HUM) 
|64 Degrees|| Watermelon Drop Festival, Revellution 
|- align="center"
! [[John Muir College]]
| 1967 
|Celebrating the Independent Spirit|| Individual Choice || Muir College Writing Program (MCWP) 
|Pines|| Muirstock 
|- align="center"
! [[Thurgood Marshall College]]
| 1970 
|Developing the Scholar and the Citizen|| Social responsibility || Dimensions of Culture (DOC) 
|OceanView|| Marshallpalooza 
|- align="center"
! [[Earl Warren College]]
| 1974 
|Toward a life of balance|| Balanced education || Warren Writing/Ethics (WCWP)
|Canyon Vista|| Warren Live!
|- align="center"
! [[Eleanor Roosevelt College]]
| 1988 
|Developing World Citizens Through Scholarship, Leadership, and Service
| International studies || Making of the Modern World (MMW)
|Ventanas|| |Rockin' Roosevelt
|- align="center"
! [[Sixth College]]
| 2001 
|Preparing Effective Citizens for the 21st Century
| Connections between culture, art and technology 
| Culture, Art and Technology (CAT)
|Restaurants at Sixth College|| |Chocolate Festival, Kuncocshun 
|- align="center"
! [[Seventh College]]
| 2020 
|A Changing Planet|| Environmental sustainability || Synthesis (SYN)
|The Bistro|| |N/A
|-
![[Eighth College]]
|2021
|Engagement & Community
|Solving issues within the local community and beyond
|Critical Community Engagement (CCE)
|N/A
|N/A
|}

Accommodations are made for students with specific needs. Undergraduate couples and families have the option of living in housing facilities that are normally available only to graduate students.<ref>{{cite web|title=Graduate, Professional, and Undergraduate Students with Children|url=http://hdh.ucsd.edu/arch/studentschildren.asp|access-date=April 29, 2013|work=UC San Diego Housing|publisher=University of California, San Diego|archive-date=November 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106050019/http://hdh.ucsd.edu/arch/studentschildren.asp|url-status=live}}</ref> The university also dedicates a portion of its facilities for those who wish to live in [[Gender-neutral housing|gender-neutral]] or LGBT housing.<ref>{{cite web|title=UC San Diego Housing Rates and Services|url=http://hdh.ucsd.edu/housing/value.asp|access-date=April 29, 2013|work=UC San Diego Housing|publisher=University of California, San Diego|archive-date=March 8, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308142933/http://hdh.ucsd.edu/housing/value.asp|url-status=live}}</ref>

Reflecting UC San Diego's diversity, International House, a complex of apartments located in Eleanor Roosevelt College, is dedicated to cross-cultural exchange between American and international students, housing about 350 students from more than 30 countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=About Us|url=http://ihouse.ucsd.edu/about/index.html|access-date=February 20, 2012|work=International House|publisher=University of California, San Diego|archive-date=March 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306222647/http://ihouse.ucsd.edu/about/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> International learning is fostered through formal programs including current affairs discussions, cultural nights, and a community newsletter. Upper-division undergraduates from all eight colleges, graduate students, faculty, and researchers are eligible to live in International House, located in the Eleanor Roosevelt College townhouses. Demand is very high for this special program and there is often a waitlist. Spaces in International House are not guaranteed and admission requires a separate application.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Six Colleges and La Jolla Living|url=http://hdh.ucsd.edu/housing/location.asp|access-date=February 20, 2013|work=UC San Diego Housing|publisher=University of California, San Diego|archive-date=January 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130111223056/http://hdh.ucsd.edu/housing/location.asp|url-status=live}}</ref>

Housing plans also offer students access to dining facilities, which were named by [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]] as the most [[Vegan|vegan-friendly]] in the United States.<ref>{{cite news|date=November 15, 2012|title=PETA names UCSD most 'vegan-friendly' large school in the United States|work=City News Service|publisher=Southwest Riverside News Network|url=http://www.swrnn.com/2012/11/15/peta-names-ucsd-most-vegan-friendly-large-school-in-the-united-states/|url-status=dead|access-date=November 16, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203150556/http://www.swrnn.com/2012/11/15/peta-names-ucsd-most-vegan-friendly-large-school-in-the-united-states/|archive-date=February 3, 2013}}</ref> Each student is allotted a certain number of "Dining Dollars" to purchase meals at any dining hall and groceries at any on-campus market.

{{As of|2024|07}}, UC San Diego had 22,000 beds of student housing inventory, giving it the second-highest capacity in the United States behind [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]].<ref name=beds22k>{{cite web |last1=Robbins |first1=Gary |last2=Molnar |first2=Phillip |title=UC San Diego poised to super-size dorms to ease chronic housing shortage |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/07/14/uc-san-diego-poised-to-super-size-dorms-to-ease-chronic-housing-shortage/ |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |publisher=MediaNews Group |access-date=3 August 2024 |date=14 July 2024}}</ref><ref name=khoslahousingstatement>{{cite web |last1=Khosla |first1=Pradeep |author1-link=Pradeep Khosla |title=UC San Diego Increasing Housing, Lowering Overall Cost of Education |url=https://chancellor.ucsd.edu/chancellor-khosla/blog/uc-san-diego-increasing-housing-lowering-overall-cost-of-education |website=chancellor.ucsd.edu |access-date=5 September 2023}}</ref> The university currently offers two years guaranteed housing to both its incoming freshmen and its incoming transfer students,<ref>{{cite web|title=HDH Search|url=http://housing.ucsd.edu/faq.asp#guarantee|access-date=August 11, 2018|website=housing.ucsd.edu|archive-date=February 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215173237/http://housing.ucsd.edu/faq.asp#guarantee|url-status=live}}</ref> and it intends to reach a capacity that will enable it to offer a four-year housing guarantee.<ref name=khoslahousingstatement/>

===Greek life===
UC San Diego boasts a large Greek community and supports several fraternities and sororities. Each belongs to one of three governing councils. Social fraternities belong to the Interfraternity Council, while social sororities belong to the Panhellenic Council.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tritongreeks.org/|title=Triton Greeks|website=Triton Greeks|language=en-US|access-date=August 6, 2018|archive-date=August 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806085047/https://tritongreeks.org/|url-status=live}}</ref> The university also sponsors a Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), which currently recognizes 8 fraternities and 7 sororities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mgctritons.weebly.com/about-us.html|title=About Us|website=MGC UCSD|access-date=August 6, 2018|archive-date=August 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806084956/https://mgctritons.weebly.com/about-us.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Greek organizations at UC San Diego do not have chapter houses.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://ucsdguardian.org/2005/11/07/housing-or-not-the-party-goes-on-for-greek-orgs/|title=Housing or not, the party goes on for Greek orgs - UCSD Guardian|date=November 7, 2005|work=UCSD Guardian|access-date=August 6, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=August 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806085254/http://ucsdguardian.org/2005/11/07/housing-or-not-the-party-goes-on-for-greek-orgs/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Athletics==
{{Main|UC San Diego Tritons}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; clear:right; margin:0 0 1em 1em"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=UC San Diego Tritons|Men's sports|Women's sports}}
|-
| [[UC San Diego Tritons baseball|Baseball]] || Basketball
|-
| [[UC San Diego Tritons men's basketball|Basketball]] || Cross Country
|-
| Cross Country || Fencing
|-
| Fencing || Rowing
|-
| Golf || Soccer
|-
| Rowing || Softball
|-
| Soccer || Swimming & Diving
|-
| Swimming & Diving || Tennis
|-
| Tennis || Track & Field
|-
| Track & Field|| Volleyball
|-
| Volleyball || Water Polo
|-
| Water Polo || Triathlon
|-
| Triathlon ||
|}
On November 27, 2017, the university announced that its athletic programs have begun a 6-year transition process from [[NCAA Division II]] to [[NCAA Division I|Division I]], where it will be a member of the [[Big West Conference]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/division1|title=UC San Diego to Join NCAA Division I Big West Conference|website=ucsdnews.ucsd.edu|access-date=November 27, 2017|archive-date=November 30, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171130112746/http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/division1|url-status=live}}</ref> As of 2017 most of UC San Diego's 23 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams still participate in Division II, 12-member [[California Collegiate Athletic Association]], and some compete independently. The water polo, fencing, and men's volleyball teams compete as part of Division I conferences.<ref>{{cite web|title=UC San Diego Athletics Quick Facts|url=http://www.ucsdtritons.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5800&ATCLID=204968702|access-date=May 3, 2013|archive-date=April 24, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424082103/http://www.ucsdtritons.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5800&ATCLID=204968702|url-status=live}}</ref> Before joining Division II in 2000, the school participated at the [[NCAA Division III|Division III]] level.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/drooz/20021028drooz.html|title=Giving it the old college Triton|newspaper=[[U-T San Diego]]|access-date=February 25, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305075434/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/drooz/20021028drooz.html|archive-date=5 March 2016|url-status=dead|last=Drooz|first=Alan|date=November 4, 2002}}</ref> The teams compete at the university's [[RIMAC (UC San Diego)|RIMAC]] facility, [[Triton Ballpark]], and LionTree Arena. The University of California, San Diego, was ranked #1 among all NCAA D-II schools in the country and #40 overall (for all divisions), according to the [[Next College Student Athlete]]'s 2018 NCSA Power Rankings.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncsasports.org/best-colleges/best-division-2-colleges |title=NCAA Division 2 Colleges, NCSA College Power Rankings2018 |publisher=NCSA College Power Ranking Report |access-date=February 14, 2019 |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327092346/https://www.ncsasports.org/best-colleges/best-division-2-colleges |url-status=live }}</ref> The NCSA Power Rankings recognize the best colleges and universities in the U.S. for student-athletes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncsasports.org/best-colleges |title=NCSA College Power Rankings, Top Athletic and academic universities |publisher=NCSA College Power Ranking Report |access-date=February 14, 2019 |archive-date=February 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209180750/https://www.ncsasports.org/best-colleges |url-status=live }}</ref> UC San Diego athletics also ranked #1 in men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's track and field, men's and women's tennis, men's golf, women's rowing, softball, and baseball, among all NCAA D-II schools. Additionally, UC San Diego ranked #1 in Men's Water Polo and Men's Volleyball among NCAA D-I schools.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncsasports.org/best-colleges/best-mens-water-polo-colleges |title=Men's Water Polo Colleges, NCSA College Power Rankings 2018 |publisher=NCSA College Power Ranking Report |access-date=February 9, 2019 |archive-date=February 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214180245/https://www.ncsasports.org/best-colleges/best-mens-water-polo-colleges |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:UCSD Tritons Softball 02-02-13.jpg|thumb|right|The Tritons [[softball]] team in 2013]]
In all, the Tritons have won a total of 30 national championships in golf, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball, and water polo.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Championships|work=UC San Diego Athletics|publisher=University of California, San Diego|url=http://www.ucsdtritons.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5800&DB_OEM_ID=5800&KEY=&ATCLID=187372|access-date=May 3, 2013|archive-date=May 12, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512231757/http://www.ucsdtritons.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5800&DB_OEM_ID=5800&KEY=&ATCLID=187372|url-status=live}}</ref> The 2006–07 season was marked as UC San Diego's best since moving to Division II, with 19 athletic programs qualifying for post-season competition, including 17 for the NCAA Championships. Eight of those teams finished with a top five national ranking.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ucsdtritons.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5800&ATCLID=921992 |title=Earl Edwards Named the NACDA Division II West Region Athletic Director of the Year |publisher=University of California, San Diego |work=UC San Diego Athletics |date=September 2, 2005 |access-date=July 16, 2009 |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717140523/http://www.ucsdtritons.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5800&ATCLID=921992 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Until 2007, UC San Diego was the only Division II school that did not offer athletic [[scholarship]]s. In 2005, the NCAA created a rule that made it mandatory for all D-II programs to award athletic grants. Consequently, a measure was proposed to begin offering $500 "grants-in-aid" to all 600 intercollegiate athletes in order to meet this requirement. A student [[referendum]] was passed in February 2007, authorizing a $329 annual student fee to fund a raise in coaches' salaries, hire more trainers, and provide all athletes with a $500 scholarship.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070203/news_7m3ucsd.html|title=Athletic fee hike approved at UCSD|last=Yang Su|first=Eleanor|date=February 3, 2007|newspaper=[[U-T San Diego]]|access-date=July 22, 2009|archive-date=October 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014190836/http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070203/news_7m3ucsd.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The athletic department considered a move to Division I in 2011. The student body would have needed to approve a doubling of student fees to allow the university to meet minimum scholarship requirements for D-I participation. However, students overwhelmingly rejected this measure in 2012, halting any efforts for a move to Division I at that time.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.lajollalight.com/2012/03/27/uc-san-diego’s-move-to-division-i-gets-‘no’-vote/|title=UC San Diego's move to Division I gets 'no' vote|last=Dailey|first=Phil|date=March 27, 2012|newspaper=La Jolla Light|access-date=May 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523010544/http://www.lajollalight.com/2012/03/27/uc-san-diego%E2%80%99s-move-to-division-i-gets-%E2%80%98no%E2%80%99-vote/|archive-date=May 23, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On May 24, 2016, students at UC San Diego passed the vote to move their athletics to NCAA Division I. The school's newspaper, ''The Guardian,'' reported that voter turnout was 35 percent of the undergraduate population, when the measure only needed 20 percent to pass.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/UCSD-Division-I-Vote-Students-380696221.html |title=UC San Diego Students Vote to Take All Sports to Division I |last=NBC 7 staff |newspaper=NBC San Diego |date=May 24, 2016 |access-date=May 29, 2016 |archive-date=May 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528205347/http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/UCSD-Division-I-Vote-Students-380696221.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The university offers 30 [[sports club]] teams, including [[badminton]], [[baseball]], [[cycle sport|cycling]], [[dancesport]], [[ice hockey]], [[lacrosse]], [[rugby football|rugby]], [[sailing (sport)|sailing]], [[Association football|soccer]], [[snow skiing]], [[tennis]], [[volleyball]], [[Ultimate (sport)|ultimate]], [[water polo]], and [[waterskiing]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Sports Clubs|work=UC San Diego Recreation|publisher=University of California, San Diego|url=https://recreation.ucsd.edu/competitive-sports/sports-clubs/|access-date=August 31, 2020|archive-date=September 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922000523/https://recreation.ucsd.edu/competitive-sports/sports-clubs/|url-status=live}}</ref> The UC San Diego [[Surfing|surf]] team has won the national championship six times and is consistently rated one of the best surfing programs in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/feb/22/surfers-san-diego-ucsd/ |title=UC San Diego a Top Surfing School |last=Robbins |first=Gary |newspaper=[[U-T San Diego]] |date=February 22, 2013 |access-date=May 3, 2013 |archive-date=October 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004220339/http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/feb/22/surfers-san-diego-ucsd/ |url-status=live }}</ref> UC San Diego does not have a football team. However, the university participated in intercollegiate football for one year during the 1968 season. The newly recruited Tritons lost all seven games that they played.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/San-Diego-Magazine/January-2002/Front-Pages/index.php?cp=3&cparticle=3&si=2&siarticle=2#artanc|title=A San Diego Football Flashback: UCSD's 1968 Pigskin Experiment|last=Brice|first=John|date=January 2002|newspaper=San Diego Magazine|access-date=May 3, 2013|archive-date=June 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605191851/http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/San-Diego-Magazine/January-2002/Front-Pages/index.php?cp=3&cparticle=3&si=2&siarticle=2#artanc|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Administration==
===List of chancellors===
The following persons have served as the UCSD chancellor:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://chancellor.ucsd.edu/about/past-chancellors/index.html |title=Past UC San Diego Chancellors |publisher=UC San Diego}}</ref>


{| class=wikitable style="text-align:left"
|-
!{{Abbr|No.|Number}}
!Portrait
!Chancellor
!Term start
!Term end
!Notes
|-
|1
|[[File:Herbert York.jpg|70px]]
|[[Herbert York]]
|February 18, 1961
|November 30, 1964
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2018/02/18/feb-18-1961-york-named-uc-san-diego-chancellor/ |title=Feb. 18, 1961: York named UC San Diego Chancellor |date=February 18, 2018 |newspaper=[[The San Diego Union-Tribune]]}}</ref>
|-
|2
|[[File:Noimage.svg|70px]]
|[[John Semple Galbraith]]
|December 1, 1964
|June 20, 1968
|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb5905580m/_1.pdf |title=Galbraith Resigns |date=September 24, 1967 |volume=2 |issue=1 |page=1 |newspaper=[[Triton Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SCS19670924.1.6&srpos=1&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-chancellor+Galbraith+resigns------- |title=UC Chancellor At San Diego Resigns |newspaper=[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]] |volume=111 |number=225 |page=6 |date=September 24, 1967 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]]}}</ref>
|-
|3
|[[File:Noimage.svg|70px]]
|[[William J. McGill]]
|June 21, 1968
|August 31, 1970
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb9660066x/_2.pdf |title=William J. McGill named Chancellor of UCSD |date=June 21, 1968 |publisher=UC San Diego}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb2970575c/_2.pdf |title=New Biography for Chancellor McGill |date=April 2, 1969 |publisher=UC San Diego}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb8431377j/_2.pdf |title=Dr. McGill appointed to Columbia as Presiden |date=February 2, 1970 |publisher=UC San Diego}}</ref>
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|Acting
|[[File:Herbert York.jpg|70px]]
|[[Herbert York]]
|nowrap|September 1, 1970
|January 31, 1972
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb1878424n/_2.pdf |title=Dr. Herbert York named Acting Chancellor |date=July 17, 1970 |publisher=UC San Diego}}</ref>
|-
|4
|[[File:Noimage.svg|70px]]
|[[William D. McElroy]]
|February 1, 1972
|June 30, 1980
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb2970569z/_2.pdf |title=Statement from William McElroy with his plans to resign; Statement from David Saxon accepting McElroy's resignation; Biographical data of William McElroy |date=August 13, 1979 |publisher=UC San Diego}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/Notices/1999/1999-2-18-2.html |title=Obituary for Former UC San Diego Chancellor and National Science Foundation Director William D. McElroy |date=February 18, 1999 |publisher=UC San Diego}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=NCT19790813.1.1&srpos=3&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-chancellor+McElroy+resigns------- |title=McElroy resigns UCSD chancellor job |newspaper=[[North County Times]] |volume=67 |page=1 |date=August 13, 1979 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]]}}</ref>
|-
|5
|[[File:RCARobes.jpg|70px]]
|[[Richard C. Atkinson]]
|July 1, 1980
|nowrap|September 30, 1995
|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=UCR19800403.2.9&srpos=1&e=------198-en--20--1--txt-txIN-chancellor+Atkinson+McElroy------- |title=Regents appoint new UCSD chancellor |newspaper=Highlander |volume=26 |number=20 |page=4 |date=April 3, 1980 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]]}}</ref> Atkinson left UCSD to become UC president<ref>{{cite news |url=https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb4642771g/_1.pdf |title=Atkinson New Chancellor |date=March 13, 1980 |volume=39 |number=48 |pages=1, 6 |first=Jeff |last=Beresford-Howe |newspaper=The Daily Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://rca.ucsd.edu/docs/AtkinsonPresidencyTimeline.pdf |title=Atkinson Presidency Timeline |date=August 2003 |publisher=UCSD}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/atkinson-leave-top-uc-post-next-fall |title=Atkinson to leave top UC post next fall |first=Amy |last=Agronis |date=November 22, 2002 |publisher=UC Davis}}</ref>
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|Interim
|[[File:Marjorie Caserio, 1965.jpg|70px]]
|[[Marjorie Caserio]]
|October 1, 1995
|June 30, 1996
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/Notices/1995/1995-9-15-2.html |title=Caserio Named Interim Chancellor |date=September 15, 1995 |publisher=UCSD}}</ref>
|-
|6
|[[File:Noimage.svg|70px]]
|[[Robert C. Dynes]]
|July 1, 1996
|October 1, 2003
|Dynes left UCSD to become UC president<ref>{{cite web |url=https://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/Notices/1996/1996-4-11-1.html |title=Dynes Named UCSD Chancellor |date=April 11, 1996 |publisher=UCSD}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/Notices/2003/2003-6-11-3.html |title=UCSD Chancellor Dynes Named New UC President |date=June 11, 2003 |publisher=UCSD}}</ref>
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|Acting
|[[File:Noimage.svg|70px]]
|Marsha Chandler
|October 2, 2003
|August 15, 2004
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://adminrecords.ucsd.edu/Notices/2003/2003-8-1-1.html |title=Appointment - UCSD Acting Chancellor |date=August 1, 2003 |publisher=UCSD}}</ref>
|-
|7
|[[File:Marye Anne Fox CHF Heritage Day 2012 Rush 003.JPG|70px]]
|[[Marye Anne Fox]]
|August 16, 2004
|June 2012
|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/fox-officially-named-ucsd-chancellor |title=Fox officially named UCSD chancellor |first=Amy |last=Agronis |date=April 16, 2004 |publisher=UC Davis}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://today.ucsd.edu/story/uc_san_diego_chancellor_marye_anne_fox_to_step_down_june_2012 |title=UC San Diego Chancellor Marye Anne Fox to Step Down June 2012 |first=Jeff |last=Gattas |date=July 5, 2011 |work=UC San Diego Today}}</ref>
|-
|8
|[[File:Pradeep Khosla.jpg|70px]]
|[[Pradeep Khosla]]
|August 1, 2012
|present
|<ref>{{cite news |url=https://link.ucop.edu/2012/05/22/regents-approve-appointment-of-khosla-as-uc-san-diego-chancellor/ |title=Regents approve appointment of Pradeep K. Khosla as UC San Diego chancellor |date=May 22, 2012 |publisher=University of California}}</ref>
|-
|}

==Alumni==
{{Main|List of University of California, San Diego people}}{{More citations needed|section|date=August 2024}}{{center|1='''Notable UC San Diego living alumni include''':}}

<gallery class="center" widths="160" heights="160">
File:Angela Davis en Bogotá, Septiembre de 2010.jpg|[[Angela Davis]]<br />[[United States|American]] [[professor]] known for her political [[activism]], establishment of the [[Critical Resistance]], and speeches on [[social justice]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]], [[Philosophy]])
File:Kuan Chung-ming from VOA.jpg|[[Kuan Chung-ming]]<br />[[Taiwan]]ese Former Minister of the [[National Development Council (Taiwan)|National Development Council]] and the [[Council for Economic Planning and Development]], Professor of [[Finance]] at [[National Taiwan University]] ([[Doctorate of Philosophy|PhD]], [[Economics]])
File:Mike Judge by Gage Skidmore.jpg|[[Mike Judge]]<br />[[Primetime Emmy Award]] winner and creator of ''[[Beavis and Butt-Head]]'', ''[[King of the Hill]]'', and ''[[Silicon Valley (TV series)|Silicon Valley]]'' ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]], [[Physics]])
File:Billy Beane - General Manager Oakland As (5964095428).jpg|[[Billy Beane]]<br />President of the [[Oakland Athletics]], former professional [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] athlete, and known for his depiction in ''[[Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game|Moneyball]]'' ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], [[Economics]])
File:Craigventer2.jpg|[[Craig Venter]]<br />Professor of [[Genomics]] at [[University at Buffalo|Buffalo]] known for sequencing the second [[human genome]], contributing to the [[Human Genome Project]], and establishing [[The Institute for Genomic Research]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]] & [[Doctorate of Philosophy|PhD]], [[Biomedical sciences|Biomedical Sciences]])
File:George and Laura Bush with Khaled Hosseini in 2007 detail2.JPG|[[Khaled Hosseini]]<br />[[Physician]] known for setting forth medicine in [[Afghanistan]] for the [[George W. Bush]] administration, the [[United Nations]], and production of novels such as ''[[The Kite Runner]]'' ([[Doctor of Medicine|MD]], [[Medicine]])
File:Nick Woodman 2014.jpg|[[Nick Woodman]]<br />Founder and [[chief executive officer]] of [[GoPro]], Former investor in [[Shark Tank]], and known for his philanthropy within the [[Silicon Valley Community Foundation]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]], [[Visual arts|Visual Arts]])
File:Susumu Tonegawa Photo.jpg|[[Susumu Tonegawa]]<br />Winner of the [[Nobel Prize]] in [[Medicine]], Founder of the [[Picower Institute for Learning and Memory]] at [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]], Former director of the [[RIKEN Brain Science Institute]] ([[Doctorate of Philosophy|PhD]], [[Biology]])
File:David J. Peterson by Gage Skidmore.jpg|[[David J. Peterson]]<br />American [[Constructed language|language creator]], writer, and artist, who has constructed languages for television and movies such as  ''[[Thor: The Dark World]]'',  ''[[Doctor Strange (2016 film)|Doctor Strange]]'', and the [[Dothraki language|Dothraki]] and [[Valyrian languages|Valyrian]] languages for the television series ''[[Game of Thrones]]''. ([[Master of Arts|MA]], [[Linguistics]])
File:Benicio Del Toro - Guardians of the Galaxy premiere - July 2014 (cropped).jpg|[[Benicio Del Toro]]<br />Actor known for his roles in ''[[Traffic (2000 film)|Traffic]]'', ''[[21 Grams]]'', ''[[Sicario (2015 film)|Sicario]]'', and the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]] (did not graduate)
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[TRI-D (rocket engine)]]
* [[S*]], a collaboration between seven universities and the Karolinska Institutet for training in bioinformatics and genomics

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.ucsdtritons.com UC San Diego Athletics website]

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