How to get licensed with U of California Santa Cruz

U of California Santa Cruz licenses its trademarks through CLC (Learfield), which runs collegiate licensing in the Brand Manager 360 portal. Brands apply once as a company, get approved by a first school, finish onboarding, then add schools one New License Request at a time.

Licensing managed by
CLC
Where you apply
Brand Manager 360
Typical collegiate royalty
10–15% of net sales
License types

Licenses U of California Santa Cruz offers.

Each type is its own approval. Most brands start with the standard license and add others once they’re selling.

  • Standard trademark

    The core license to put the school's names and logos on products, in the categories and sales channels you're approved for.

  • NIL

    Lets you pair the school's marks with current athletes' names, images and likenesses. The athletes' rights are secured separately, usually through a group licensing partner.

  • Promotional & premium

    For giveaways, corporate gifts and promotional items rather than products sold at retail.

  • Specialty collections

    2 programs

    Separate approvals for specific marks and collections, such as vintage logos, anniversaries, campus collections and co-branded lines.

Step by step

Getting your U of California Santa Cruz license.

  1. 01

    Apply to CLC as a company (Phase 1)

    Submit the company application in Brand Manager 360: who you are, what you make, where it's made and how you'll sell it. Name U of California Santa Cruz and a focused list of other schools you actually want. A short, credible list gets approved faster than every school you can think of.

  2. 02

    Win U of California Santa Cruz's approval

    Your request goes to U of California Santa Cruz's licensing director. The questions are consistent: is the product incremental to current licensees, is there real retail demand, are the channels focused, is the product actually different, and will you protect the brand and supply chain? Write the marketing plan for U of California Santa Cruz specifically, not a reused template.

  3. 03

    Finish Phase 2 onboarding

    After a school approves, CLC moves you into Phase 2: certificate of insurance and additional insured endorsement sent together, a hologram order from CLC's supplier, factory disclosures, and an Authorized Manufacturer Agreement signed by each factory.

  4. 04

    Pay the advance and sign the agreement

    You'll get an invoice and a license agreement to sign electronically. CLC takes check, ACH or wire. Move quickly: a school's approval expires after 90 days if the paperwork isn't finished.

  5. 05

    Get categories, channels and designs approved

    Designs can only be submitted under categories already on your contract, and you can only sell in approved channels. New schools expect first artwork within about 30 days, and a denied design has a 10-day resubmit window in Brand Manager 360.

  6. 06

    Report royalties every month

    CLC royalty reports are due monthly by the 20th, including months with no sales. Every royalty-bearing line needs the design's UPI and each retailer needs a CLC retailer code.

Mistakes that slow U of California Santa Cruz approvals

  • Requesting every sales channel instead of the ones you'll use.
  • Reusing another school's plan with the old school's name still in it.
  • A claims-made insurance policy, or an endorsement sent separately from the certificate.
  • Letting an approval sit past its 90-day window.
Deep diveThe full CLC licensing guideInsurance details, denial reasons, and how to write the request and marketing plan.Read the guide →
FAQ

U of California Santa Cruz licensing questions.

Who handles licensing for U of California Santa Cruz?
U of California Santa Cruz's trademark licensing is managed by CLC, and brands apply through Brand Manager 360.
What types of licenses does U of California Santa Cruz offer?
U of California Santa Cruz offers standard trademark, NIL, promotional & premium and specialty collections licenses. Each is approved separately, so a standard license doesn't cover NIL, promotional or specialty products.
What royalty rate and advance will I pay for U of California Santa Cruz?
Collegiate royalty rates usually fall between 10% and 15% of net sales, and most schools also charge an advance when the license is issued, which is credited against the royalties you owe. U of California Santa Cruz's exact rate and advance are set in its license agreement. Onbase can walk you through what to expect before you apply.
Do I need a license to sell products with U of California Santa Cruz's logo?
Yes. Any product that uses U of California Santa Cruz's names, logos or marks needs a license, and every design has to be approved before it's produced or sold.
Can Onbase help me get licensed with U of California Santa Cruz?
Yes. Onbase runs license acquisition for brands end to end: the company application, the U of California Santa Cruz request and marketing plan, onboarding documents, and design approvals.

Get licensed

Get licensed with U of California Santa Cruz.

Onbase runs the CLC application for you, from the company profile to signed agreements and approved designs.