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About Triton Firsts: First-Gen Community

As of fall 2023, 36% (12,278) of UC San Diego’s undergraduate students identify as a first-generation college student. UC San Diego recognizes that first-generation college students face unique systemic barriers to success, but we also celebrate and note the strengths and talents they bring to the campus community.  

To provide greater support for UC San Diego’s first-generation college students, Triton Firsts’ goal is to inspire and equip first-generation students to excel during their undergraduate journeys through engagement with first-generation professors, lecturers, researchers, staff, graduate students, and alumni at UC San Diego. 

Triton Firsts invites faculty, staff, and alumni who were also the first in their families to graduate from college to support first-generation students through: 

  • Sharing their stories of resilience, setbacks and success
  • Participating in high-impact faculty-student interactions
  • Collaborating with campus departments to provide a culture of support for first-generation college students.

Get Engaged, Build Community!

Research shows that positive relationships with faculty and staff greatly impact student retention (Bordes & Arredondo, 2005; Schreiner et al., 2011; Strayhorn, 2008; Torres & Hernandez, 2009).  Furthermore, it is evident that each interaction with faculty, staff, and administrators plays a role in shaping students’ perception of the campus (Braxton et al., 2004). 

When students have positive interactions with faculty, staff, and administrators, they are far more likely to believe that their institution is a place where they can thrive and as such, students demonstrate a greater degree of social integration and persistence when attaining their goals (Braxton et al., 2004).

Please join us in this Triton Firsts initiative which focuses on creating relationships between first-generation faculty, staff, and students. Be a part of a community that reassures students that despite the challenges they may face, they will be supported and they have everything it takes to succeed at UC San Diego!

First-Gen Representation at UC San Diego

UCSD First Generation Undergraduate Fall Enrollment

UCSD First Generation Undergraduate Fall Enrollment

As of fall 2023, 36% of UC San Diego's undergraduate students identify as first-generation college students, amounting to over 12,000 individuals. This significant representation underscores the university's commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for students who are the first in their families to pursue higher education.

UCSD First Generation Undergraduate Freshman Fall Enrollment

UCSD First Generation Undergraduate Freshman Fall Enrollment

n Fall 2023, approximately 45% of incoming freshmen across the University of California system identified as first-generation college students. While specific data for UC San Diego's freshman class isn't provided, the campus's overall undergraduate first-generation representation stands at 36%, suggesting a significant presence among first-year students. 

UCSD First Generation Undergraduate Transfers Fall Enrollment

UCSD First Generation Undergraduate Transfers Fall Enrollment

Among UC San Diego's Latinx undergraduate population, 24% are transfer students, with 67% of Latinx students identifying as first-generation.

Fall 2023 UCSD First Generation Undergraduate Demographic Profile

Fall 2023 UCSD First Generation Undergraduate Demographic Profile

As of Fall 2023, first-generation college students—those whose parents have not earned a four-year degree—comprise a significant portion of the University of California's undergraduate population. Systemwide, 37% of UC undergraduates identify as first-generation students. This includes 36% of entering freshmen and 43% of entering transfer students, highlighting the university's commitment to educational access and social mobility.

Demographic Highlights:

  • Underrepresented Groups (URGs): Over half (52%) of first-generation undergraduates are from URGs, including African American, Latino/Chicano, and Native American students.

  • Economic Background: A significant majority (62%) of first-generation students are recipients of federal Pell Grants, indicating a lower-income status.

  • Gender Distribution: Nearly 59% of first-generation undergraduates are women, 40% are men, and about 1% identify with other gender identities or did not specify.

  • Transfer Students: Approximately 26% of first-generation undergraduates entered UC through transfer pathways, highlighting the university's role in facilitating educational advancement for community college students.

These statistics underscore the University of California's dedication to fostering an inclusive academic environment that supports students from diverse backgrounds, particularly those who are the first in their families to pursue higher education.

In accordance with applicable Federal and State law and University policy, the University of California does not discriminate, or grant preferences, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and/or other protected categories.