University of California (UC) 2025-26 Essay Prompts

University of California schools continue to be among the best public universities in the country. Writing your UC essays isn’t just another box to check—it’s your chance to speak directly and memorably to the admissions teams. This year, applicants choose 4 out of 8 Personal Insight Questions, each with a 350-word cap, to reveal who they are beyond test scores and GPA. While no prompt has an advantage over another, the UCs want to see your personality, your growth, and your perspective woven into real stories.

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.  

2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

UCLA campus

3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?  

4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. 

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? 

8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

If you're interested in applying to a UC school and need help with your essays - or any part of your application - College Hive, a California-based company, is here to help.