The Office of Admissions and Relations with Schools is responsible for the admission of new undergraduate freshman and transfer students. Inquiries may be addressed to the Office of Admissions and Relations with Schools, 204 Administration Building, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-1075; telephone (949) 824-6703; World Wide Web: http://www.admissions.uci.edu/. The Office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The information on admission to UCI presented below is organized as follows:
Categories of Application
Admission as a Freshman Applicant
Admission to the University Program for High School Scholars
Admission as a Transfer Applicant
Nonresident Admission Requirements
Admission of International Students
Advanced Placement Credit
Application Procedures
An undergraduate applicant is a student who wishes to complete a program of study leading to a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, or Bachelor of Science degree.
A freshman applicant is a student who has graduated from high school or has completed a California Certificate of Proficiency, an equivalent proficiency examination from another state, or the General Educational Development (GED) Certificate, but has not enrolled in a regular session of any collegiate-level institution. Summer sessions immediately following graduation are excluded in the determination of freshman status.
The University considers a transfer applicant as a student who has completed high school and who has been a registered student in a regular session of a college or university. Students who meet this definition cannot disregard their college record and apply as freshmen. To be considered as a California community college transfer applicant to UCI, a student must have completed at least 30 semester units/45 quarter units at one or more California community colleges.
A nonresident applicant is a student whose legal permanent residence (as determined by the University) is outside of the State of California. Nonresident applicants are generally required to pay Nonresident Tuition and must also present a higher grade point average than is required of California residents. Refer to the Nonresident Admission Requirements section for further information.
An applicant for readmission is a student who was formerly registered and enrolled at UCI and who has interrupted the completion of consecutive quarters of enrollment. See Readmission: Undergraduate and Graduate Students.
A second baccalaureate applicant is a college graduate who because of a change of objective wishes to obtain a second bachelor's degree in a major different from that of the first degree.
An international applicant is a student who holds or expects to hold a student, exchange, visitor, or diplomatic visa and who wishes to attend school in the United States.
A University Program for High School Scholars (UPHSS) applicant is an exceptionally talented high school senior who wishes to begin university-level work. Participants are officially registered UCI students who enroll in the same courses and are evaluated on the same basis as full-time undergraduates. UPHSS students enroll in one or two UCI courses on a reduced-fee basis concurrently with their high school courses.
The undergraduate admissions policy of the University of California is guided by the University's commitment to serve the people of California and the needs of the State, within the framework of the California Master Plan for Higher Education.
The University's eligibility requirements follow the guidelines set forth in the Master Plan, which specify that the top one-eighth of the State's high school graduates be eligible for admission to the University of California. These requirements, described in detail in the Minimum Admission Requirements for Freshmen section, are designed to ensure that all eligible students are adequately prepared for University work. Meeting eligibility requirements entitles an applicant to be considered for admission but does not constitute an offer of admission.
In recent years, the number of freshman applicants to UCI has exceeded the number of spaces available. Since the campus cannot admit all eligible applicants, it must use standards that are more demanding than the minimum UC requirements to select students. These standards, which the University calls selection criteria, are used to identify applicants who have demonstrated the highest academic achievement and who have a variety of other qualities that can contribute to the strength and diversity of the campus community.
In the case that UCI is unable to accommodate all qualified applicants in their first-choice major, those students who indicate a valid alternate major may be offered admission in that major. Students who wish to change their major after enrolling at UCI must submit a change of major petition.
UCI seeks to enroll students who have a demonstrated record of academic excellence. The level of performance needed to gain admission varies from year to year depending on the size and the academic quality of the applicant pool and the number of enrollment spaces. All applicants are assessed for evidence of academic achievement and potential. Although the number and type of courses completed, and grades and test scores earned remain important elements in the selection process, UCI recognizes that merit is demonstrated in many forms and can be measured in different ways.
The following criteria are used to select the freshman class:
* The number of college preparatory courses completed and the level of achievement in those courses including: courses completed beyond the minimum subject requirements; University-approved honors courses, e.g., College Board Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate Higher Level courses, and transferable college courses completed; the quality of the senior-year program, as measured by the type and number of academic courses in progress or planned.
* Academic grade point average (GPA) calculated on all academic courses completed in the subject areas specified by the University's eligibility requirements. UC Irvine uses a maximum of eight honors grade points in determining the UC GPA.
* Scores on the SAT I (or ACT) and three required SAT II Subject Tests.
* Evidence of intellectual or creative achievement or substantial public service. This criterion recognizes extraordinary, sustained achievement in any field of intellectual endeavor, for example, a student who has received significant recognition for literary or scientific accomplishments, a student who has demonstrated a strong commitment to the visual and/or performing arts, or a student who has demonstrated substantial public service in any academic field of study.
* Special talents, achievements, and awards in a particular field, such as in the visual and performing arts or in athletic endeavors; special interests, such as intensive study and exploration of other cultures; experiences that demonstrate unusual promise for leadership, such as significant community service or significant participation in student government; or other significant experiences or achievements that demonstrate the applicant's promise for contributing to the intellectual vitality of a campus.
* Academic accomplishments in light of the applicant's life experiences and special circumstances. These experiences and circumstances may include, but are not limited to, disabilities, low family income, first generation to attend college, need to work, disadvantaged social or educational environment, difficult personal and family situations or circumstances, refugee or veteran status.
Students interested in the Engineering majors and the Information and Computer Science major should be aware of the following provisions.
School of Engineering: Applicants must complete four years of high school mathematics, including at least one year beyond intermediate algebra.
Information and Computer Science: The number of applicants that can be admitted to this major is limited.
The University defines a freshman applicant as a student who has graduated from high school or completed a California Certificate of Proficiency, or the General Educational Development (GED) examination, and who has not enrolled in a regular session of any collegiate-level institution. Summer sessions are excluded in the determination.
Freshman applicants who are not residents of California should refer to the Nonresident Admission Requirements section.
Applicants who do not meet the requirements for admission at the time of high school graduation may be considered after they meet the requirements for admission in advanced standing (see Admission as a Transfer Applicant). Transfer credit will be granted for an acceptable course from an accredited college or university taken while still in high school if reported on a valid transcript issued by the college which conducted the course.
The requirements described below represent the minimum academic standards students must attain to be eligible for admission to the University. Meeting minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee admission. Admission to UC Irvine and the program of choice often requires students to meet more demanding standards.
California Residents
There are three paths to satisfying the University's minimum admission requirements for freshmen students: eligibility in the statewide context, eligibility in the local context, and eligibility by examination alone.
Eligibility in the Statewide Context
Eligibility in the statewide context is the pathway by which most students attain UC eligibility. To be eligible in the statewide context, students must satisfy the Subject, Scholarship, and Examination Requirements described below.
UC Subject Requirement
The UC subject requirement consists of several courses from six core subjects. (This will change to seven core subjects effective fall 2003, when one unit of visual and performing arts course work will be added.) These required courses are called the "a through f" subjects. Students are required to complete 15 "a through f" subjects as described below. (A one-year course is equal to one unit; a one-semester course is equal to one-half unit.) Also, at least seven of the 15 units must have been earned in courses taken during the last two years of high school. To meet the subject requirement, these courses must appear on a certified course list which is available in the high schools for California applicants and on the World Wide Web at http://www.ucop.edu/pathways/infoctr. The Office of Admissions and Relations with Schools will review and accept courses that meet the requirements for applicants graduating from out-of-State schools.
"a through f" Course Requirements
a. History/Social Science: 2 years required. Two years of history/social science, including one year of U.S. history or one-half year of U.S. history and one-half year of civics or American government; and one year of world history, cultures, and geography.
b. English: 4 years required. Four years of college-preparatory English composition and literature.
(All English courses must require frequent and regular writing and reading of classic and modern literature, poetry, and drama. Only two semesters of a certified English-as-a-second-language [ESL] course will be accepted. Also, not more than two semesters of ninth-grade English will be accepted for this requirement.)
c. Mathematics: 3 years required; 4 recommended. Three years of mathematics elementary algebra, geometry, and advanced (second-year) algebra.
(Mathematics courses taken in grades 7 and 8 may be used to meet part of this requirement if they are accepted by the high school as equivalent to its own courses.)
d. Laboratory Science: 2 years required; 3 recommended. Two one-year courses in laboratory science providing knowledge in at least two of these three disciplines: biology (which includes anatomy, physiology, marine biology, aquatic biology, among others), chemistry, and physics. Two years of an integrated sciences program are acceptable provided the courses cover the basic concepts of two of the three fundamental disciplines. Laboratory courses in earth/space sciences are acceptable if they have as prerequisites or provide basic knowledge in biology, chemistry, or physics. Not more than one year of ninth-grade laboratory science can be used to meet this requirement.
e. Language Other Than English: 2 years required; 3 recommended. Two years of a single language other than English in which there is substantial literature. Courses should emphasize speaking and understanding, and include instruction in grammar, vocabulary, reading, and composition.
(Language other than English courses taken in grades 7 and 8 may be used to meet this requirement if they are accepted by the high school as equivalent to its own courses. Students are strongly encouraged to complete three or four years of one language in preparation for the UCI language other than English breadth requirement.)
f. College-Preparatory Electives: 2 years required. Two years (four semesters), in addition to those required in the "a-e" requirements chosen from the following areas: visual and performing arts, history, social science, English, advanced mathematics, laboratory science, and languages other than English-- a third year in the language used for the "e" requirement or two years of another language.
The general objective of the elective program is to improve the student's analytical ability, promote their artistic development, and strengthen their oral and writing skills. Electives should involve considerable reading and writing in an amount appropriate to the course and the subject matter. The emphasis in elective courses should be to prepare for future college-level work.
Change Effective Fall 2003. Beginning with applicants for fall 2003 the Subject Requirement will include one unit of course work in visual and performing arts (dance, drama/theatre, music, or visual arts). The number of college preparatory electives required will be reduced from two units to one, so the total number of Subject Requirements units will remain at 15. The visual and performing arts requirement will be labeled the "f" requirement and the college preparatory elective requirement will be labeled the "g" requirement.
Courses Satisfying the "f" Requirement:
History: All history courses should require extensive reading and writing. Courses should enable students to establish a breadth of understanding of history (for example, world history, political history, or economic history) and should provide an understanding of the human past, including its relation to the present. Courses should develop a student's critical thinking, ability to evaluate historical data, and ability to analyze and synthesize evidence.
English: All English courses should require substantial reading with frequent and extensive practice in writing which is carefully evaluated and criticized. A course in journalism, speech, debate, or drama is acceptable if it meets the rigor in reading and writing stated above. An advanced-level course in English as a second language may be acceptable provided it meets the standards outlined under the "b" requirement.
Advanced Mathematics: Courses in mathematics with second-year algebra as a prerequisite such as trigonometry, linear algebra, precalculus (analytic geometry and mathematical analysis), calculus, combinatorics, probability, and statistics are acceptable electives.
A computer science course is an acceptable mathematics elective if it fulfills the following objectives. The course should enable each student to express algorithms in a standard computer language such as Pascal, BASIC, FORTRAN, or COBOL. By the end of the course each student should complete substantial programming projects in the language used. The course should also involve the study and mastery of various aspects of computer science: how computers deal with data and instructions, the internal components of a computer, and the underlying computer logic.
Laboratory Science: A laboratory science course should be a course in the biological or physical sciences in which students make their own observations and measurements and analyze these data to obtain further information. On average the laboratory activities should involve an amount of time equivalent to at least one full class period per week.
An introductory science course normally offered in the ninth grade is an acceptable science elective provided it is designed to prepare students for laboratory science courses in the tenth grade and beyond. The course must provide an introduction to the fundamental principles of physical and biological science. Laboratory activities as defined above shall be included. (A terminal course designed only to meet graduation requirements is not an acceptable science elective.)
Language Other Than English: It is recommended that elective courses be in the same language used to satisfy the language other than English "e" subject requirement. Elective courses in this language must have at least two years of the language as prerequisite. In order for a second language to qualify as an elective, at least two years of this language must be completed.
Social Science: Courses should be in one of the social sciences: anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, or sociology, or, alternatively, courses should be interdisciplinary, drawing knowledge from two or more of these fields. Course objectives should include as many of the following as are applicable to the field: (1) to understand the development and basic features of major societies and cultures, (2) to examine the historic and contemporary ideas that have shaped the world, (3) to understand the fundamentals of how differing political and economic systems function, (4) to examine the nature and principles of individual and group behavior, and (5) to study social science methodologies.
In order to develop a student's critical thinking, ability to evaluate ideas and information, and ability to analyze and synthesize qualitative and quantitative evidence in the laboratory and in the field, a social science course must include a body of basic knowledge, extensive reading, and written and oral exposition.
Courses which are designed to meet State-mandated social studies graduation requirements are acceptable provided that they meet the above criteria. Courses of an applied, service, or vocational character are not acceptable social science electives.
Visual and Performing Arts: Courses in this area consist of instruction in dance, drama/theatre, music, and the visual arts. Courses should give specific attention to as many of the fundamental arts components as possible, including the perceptual, the creative, the historical, or the critical as are applicable.
Courses should enable students to understand and appreciate artistic expression and, where appropriate, to talk and write with discrimination about the artistic material studied. Courses devoted to developing creative artistic ability and those devoted to artistic performance should have prerequisites (either course work or experience approved by the instructor) and should assume proficiency beyond the introductory level.
Courses must require on average the equivalent of a five-period class per week. Work outside of class must be required; for example, portfolio/performance preparation, reading, writing, or critical listening/viewing.
Dance courses offered for physical education credit or under any other departmental arrangement are acceptable provided they include content satisfying the above criteria.
Courses which are primarily athletic, or body conditioning are not acceptable visual and performing arts electives.
Scholarship Requirement
The Scholarship Requirement defines the grade point average (GPA) students must attain in the required "a-f" subjects and the SAT I (or ACT) and SAT II scores students must earn to be eligible for admission to the University.
Students with a GPA of 2.8 or higher satisfy the minimum Scholarship Requirement if they achieve the test score total indicated in the Eligibility Index.
The University calculates the GPA in the "a-f" subjects by assigning point values to the grades a student earns, totaling the points, and dividing the total by the number of "a-f" course units. Points are assigned as follows: A=4 points, B=3 points, C=2 points, D=1 point, and F=0 points.
Only grades the student earns in "a-f" subjects in grades 10-12 are used to calculate the GPA. Courses taken in the ninth grade can be used to meet the Subject Requirement if the student earns a grade of C or better, but they will not be used to calculate the GPA.
Honors-Level Courses. Advanced Placement courses, higher-level courses offered through the International Baccalaureate Program, courses certified by the University as honors courses, and college courses in the "a through f" college preparatory subjects that are transferable are examples of honors-level courses. The University assigns extra grade points for up to four units of honors-level courses taken in the last three years of high school. NOTE: No more than two units of honors-level courses taken in grade 10 may be assigned extra points. Grades in honors courses will be counted as follows: A = 5 points, B = 4 points, and C = 3 points. Grades of D are not assigned extra points. To be counted, these grades must have been earned in University-approved honors-level courses in history, English, advanced mathematics, laboratory science, language other than English, computer science, social science, and the visual and performing arts.
Eligibility in the Local Context
Under the Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) pathway, the top four percent of students at each participating California high school are designated UC-eligible and guaranteed admission to one of UC's eight general campuses, beginning with students entering UC in fall 2001.
To be considered for ELC, students must complete 11 specific units of the Subject Requirement by the end of the junior year. With the assistance of each participating high school, the University will identify the top four percent of students on the basis of GPA in the required course work.
The 11 units include: 1 unit of history/social science, 3 units of English, 3 units of mathematics, 1 unit of laboratory science, 1 unit of language other than English, and 2 units chosen from among the other subject requirements.
The University will notify ELC students of their status at the beginning of their senior year. Students designated UC-eligible through ELC must submit the University's undergraduate application during the November filing period and complete remaining eligibility requirements--including the Subject and Examination Requirements--to enroll.
ELC students are guaranteed a spot at one of UC's eight undergraduate campuses, though not necessarily at their first-choice campus.
Comprehensive information about ELC is available on the University's ELC Web site at http://www.ucop.edu/sas/elc/.
Examination Requirements
All freshman applicants must submit examination scores as described below. Students applying for admission for fall quarter should complete their examination requirements during May or June of their junior year or during their senior year, but no later than the December test date. (Typically, this means that students will take either the Scholastic Assessment Test I or the American College Test in October or November, and will take the Scholastic Assessment Test II in November or December.) Scores from earlier dates will be accepted. Applicants must ensure that reports for all scores have been submitted directly to the UCI Office of Admissions and Relations with Schools. The following examinations are required:
1. One Aptitude Test, either:
a. The Scholastic Assessment Test I: Reasoning Test (SAT I): the verbal and mathematical reasoning scores submitted from this test must be from the same sitting; or
b. The American College Test (ACT) composite score and
2. Three Scholastic Assessment Test II: Subject Tests (SAT II) examinations, which must include (a) writing, (b) math, level 1, 1C, or 2C, and (c) one from among English literature, language other than English, sciences, or social studies. The SAT II examination in Literature may not be substituted for the Writing Test. NOTE: Do not use the score choice option to withhold reporting of SAT II scores. UC considers only a student's highest SAT II scores so there is no advantage to withholding scores.
Eligibility By Examination Alone
A student can qualify as a freshman by examination alone. The required total score on the SAT I is 1,400. (If the ACT is presented, the minimum score is 31.) Also, the student's total score on the three SAT II examinations must be 1,760 or higher, or at least 1,850 if a nonresident of California, with no score less than 530 on any individual SAT II examination. This option does not apply to students who will have completed more than 12 transferable units prior to admission. The SAT II examinations cannot be taken in academic subjects covered by transferable college courses a student may have taken. Freshman applicants who qualify for admission by examination alone may be required to present academic qualifications in addition to the test scores listed above. NOTE: UCI typically does not select students for admission by the examination-alone criteria.
Eligibility Index
| "a-f" | SAT | "a-f" | SAT | ||
| GPA | Total | GPA | Total | ||
| 2.80-2.84 | 4640 | 3.20-3.24 | 3408 | ||
| 2.85-2.89 | 4384 | 3.25-3.29 | 3320 | ||
| 2.90-2.94 | 4160 | 3.30-3.34 | 3248 | ||
| 2.95-2.99 | 3984 | 3.35-3.39 | 3192 | ||
| 3.00-3.04 | 3840 | 3.40-3.44 | 3152 | ||
| 3.05-3.09 | 3720 | 3.45-3.49 | 3128 | ||
| 3.10-3.14 | 3616 | >= 3.50 | 3120 | ||
| 3.15-3.19 | 3512 | ||||
SAT Total equals: [SAT I composite] + [2 x (SAT II writing + SAT II math + third SAT II)]. SAT I composite is highest combined mathematics and verbal scores from a single sitting. See table to convert an ACT score to an SAT I composite.
ACT to SAT I Conversion Table
| Equivalent | Equivalent | ||||||
| ACT | SAT I Score | ACT | SAT I Score | ||||
| 36 | 1600 | 23 | 1070 | ||||
| 35 | 1580 | 22 | 1030 | ||||
| 34 | 1520 | 21 | 990 | ||||
| 33 | 1470 | 20 | 950 | ||||
| 32 | 1420 | 19 | 910 | ||||
| 31 | 1380 | 18 | 870 | ||||
| 30 | 1340 | 17 | 830 | ||||
| 29 | 1300 | 16 | 780 | ||||
| 28 | 1260 | 15 | 740 | ||||
| 27 | 1220 | 14 | 680 | ||||
| 26 | 1180 | 13 | 620 | ||||
| 25 | 1140 | 12 | 560 | ||||
| 24 | 1110 | 11 | 500 | ||||
UPHSS is an early-admission program for exceptionally talented high school seniors who wish to begin university-level work, and for whom UCI is a serious college choice. Admission to the program is competitive and limited to the most qualified applicants. Units and grades earned during the program become part of the permanent University of California record; therefore, students must be mindful of academic and extracurricular commitments that may be planned for the senior year.
Upon high school graduation, UPHSS participants are considered University of California students; it is not necessary for participants to apply for admission as freshmen. However, to be eligible to enroll full-time at UCI, UPHSS students must meet all prerequisites for admission to the University, including submission of a final high school transcript and scores from the examinations required for admission.
A UPHSS student who qualifies for admission to full-time status need only complete the UCI change of major petition to enroll. The change of major petition must be filed with the Registrar by the third week of the quarter prior to full-time enrollment. Graduation requirements (UC, UCI, school, and major) for UPHSS students will be determined by the year of the first enrollment in a course as a UPHSS student. However, regulations limiting the ways in which matriculated students may fulfill the writing requirements (Subject A, lower- and upper-division) do not apply to UPHSS students until they enroll as regular UCI students after high school graduation.
If the UPHSS participant wishes to attend another University of California campus, the student must follow the regular admissions process and must complete a UC Undergraduate Application. More information about UPHSS is available from the Office of Admissions and Relations with Schools and high school counselors.
