UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS
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 as a Transfer Applicant
Nonresident Admission Requirements
Admission of International Students
Advanced Placement Credit
Application Procedures
Categories of Application
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.
Admission as a Freshman Applicant
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.
ADMISSIONS SELECTION
UCI seeks to select students who have a demonstrated record of academic and personal achievement. The primary criterion for admission to UCI is academic excellence, including the number of college preparatory courses completed; the level of achievement in these courses, including honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and college courses completed; and the quality of the senior-year program as measured by the type and number of academic courses in progress or planned. Also considered are the high school grade point average calculated on UC-specified subjects (UCI uses a maximum of eight honors grade points in determining the UC GPA) and the required standardized national examinations.
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.
A secondary criterion in UCI's selection process is personal achievement outside the classroom. A range of pursuits is considered, including academic activities, the creative and performing arts, community service and leadership, athletics, participation in pre-collegiate programs that develop academic ability, and other extracurricular activities. Persistence counts more than scattered involvement, while initiative and curiosity are also important.
The admissions process at UCI is also sensitive to individual circumstances and the effect these may have had on the resources available to and the experiences of applicants. While all applications receive careful consideration, reviewers take note of any extenuating circumstances and/or a variety of cultural and economic situations, including students who are the first in their families to attend college, who have a low family income, or who have worked in support of their family during high school. The emphasis, however, is less on the personal circumstances of the applicant and focuses instead on how the applicant has responded to challenges while achieving academic success.
Two or more members of the admissions committee read most applications, and every attempt is made to become familiar with the unique accomplishments of each applicant.
Students interested in the majors below should be aware of the following provisions.
Dance and Music: Applicants to either Dance or Music must audition and be selected by faculty.
Engineering: Applicants to any of the Engineering majors must complete four years of high school mathematics, including at least one year beyond intermediate algebra.
Computer Science and Engineering (offered jointly by the School of Information and Computer Science and The Henry Samueli School of Engineering): Applicants must complete four years of high school mathematics, including at least one year beyond intermediate algebra. (This requirement does not apply to other majors offered by the School of Information and Computer Science.)
Computer Science and Information and Computer Science: the number of applicants that can be admitted to these majors is limited.
MINIMUM ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR FRESHMEN
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. The University of California's Guaranteed Transfer Option (GTO) provides another avenue for freshman applicants to access UC. The Guaranteed Transfer Option allows freshmen who apply to UC through GTO to complete their lower-division course work at a participating California community college before transferring to UCI.
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 seven core subjects. These required courses are called the "a through g" subjects. Students are required to complete 15 "a through g" 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 g" 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. The final two years of an approved three-year integrated sciences program are acceptable provided the courses cover the basic concepts of two of the three fundamental disciplines. Laboratory courses in earth 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 and/or the International/Global Issues breadth requirements.)
f. Visual and Performing Arts Discipline (VPA): 1 year required. One year of visual and performing arts chosen from the following: dance, drama/theatre, music, and/or visual art.
g. College Preparatory Electives: 1 year required. One year (two semesters), in addition to those required in "a-f" above, chosen from the following areas: visual and performing arts (non-introductory-level courses), history, social science, English, advanced mathematics, laboratory science, and language other than English (a third year in the language used for the "e" requirement or two years of another language).
Explanation of Changes to the Subject Requirement. Applicants for fall 2005 must satisfy the "f" requirement by completing two semesters of approved arts courses from a single VPA discipline. Beginning with applicants for fall 2006, students must satisfy the "f" requirement by completing a single year-long approved course from a single VPA discipline.
Courses Satisfying the "g" 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.
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.
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: Acceptable electives are 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.
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 C++, Pascal, Java, 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.
Visual and Performing Arts: Courses in this area consist of instruction in dance, drama/theatre, music, and the visual arts. 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 artistic performance and developing creative artistic ability should have prerequisites (either one year of introductory 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.
College Preparatory Electives: The general objectives of the "electives" requirement are to improve students' analytical abilities, promote artistic development, and strengthen oral and written skills. The requirement is intended to encourage prospective University students to fill out their high school programs with courses that: (1) strengthen general study skills, particularly analytical skills, expository writing, and oral communication; (2) provide an opportunity to begin work that could lead directly into a major program of study at the University; (3) experience, at some depth, new areas of academic disciplines that might form the basis for future major or minor studies at the University.
Scholarship Requirement
The Scholarship Requirement defines the grade point average (GPA) students must attain in the required "a-g" 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-g" subjects by assigning point values to the grades a student earns, totaling the points, and dividing the total by the number of "a-g" 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-g" 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 g" 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.
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.
NOTE: Effective for students entering UC as freshmen in fall 2006, each applicant must submit scores on an approved core test of mathematics, language arts, and writing. This requirement can be satisfied by taking either the ACT Assessment plus the new ACT Writing Test, or the new SAT I (critical reading, mathematics, and writing). In addition, all applicants must complete two SAT II Subject tests in two different subject areas: history/social science, English literature, mathematics, laboratory science, or language other than English.
Eligibility By Examination Alone
A student may be able to 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-g" | SAT | "a-g" | 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 | ||||
