UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS
The UCI Office of Admissions and Relations with Schools (OARS) is responsible for the admission of new undergraduate freshman and transfer students. Inquiries may be addressed to UCI Office of Admissions and Relations with Schools, 204 Aldrich Hall, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-1075; http://www.admissions.uci.edu/. OARS is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; telephone (949) 824-6703.
The information on admission to UCI presented below is organized as follows:
Categories of Application
Admission
as a Freshman Applicant
Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Credit
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 at another 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-level 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 an Undergraduate Petition for Change of Major to the academic counseling office in the school or program of their prospective major.
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 (GPA) 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.
Each application is read at least once and many are read twice. 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. NOTE: Freshmen may not apply directly to the B.Mus. degree program.
Engineering: Applicants to any of the Engineering majors must complete four years of high school mathematics through pre-calculus or math analysis and are advised to have completed one year each of physics and chemistry.
Computer Science and Engineering (offered jointly by the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences and The Henry Samueli School of Engineering): Applicants must complete four years of high school mathematics through pre-calculus or math analysis and are advised to have completed one year each of chemistry and physics. One year of programming course work is also advised. (This requirement does not apply to other majors offered by the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences.)
Nursing Science: Admission to the Nursing Science major is limited and selective. Applicants must complete two years of laboratory science providing fundamental knowledge in two of these three core disciplines: biology, chemistry, and physics. Advanced laboratory science classes that have biology, chemistry, or physics as prerequisites and offer substantial additional material may be used to fulfill this requirement. The final two years of an approved three-year integrated science program (ISP) may be used to fulfill this requirement. Students must earn Cs or higher in order to fulfill their subject requirements. Students with the highest combination of overall grade point average, grade point average in science courses, and scores on the SAT or ACT examinations will be given priority.
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 for admission after they meet the requirements for admission as a transfer applicant (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 UCI 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 (ELC), 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 receive a high school diploma or equivalency and satisfy the Subject, Scholarship, and Examination Requirements described below.
UC Subject Requirement
To satisfy the UC Subject Requirement, students must complete the 15 yearlong high school courses described below. These courses are also known as the "a-g" subjects. (A one-year course is equal to one unit; a one-semester course is equal to one-half unit.) At least seven of the 15 yearlong courses must be taken during the last two years of high school.
California High School Students: Courses taken to satisfy the Subject Requirement must be certified by the University as meeting the requirement and must be included on the UC-certified course list of the school the student attended. The high school counselor or principal will have a copy of this list. In addition, the lists are available online at http://www.ucop.edu/doorways.
The UCI Office of Admissions and Relations with Schools will review and accept courses that meet the requirements for applicants graduating from out-of-state schools.
Required "a through g" Courses
a. History/Social Science: 2 years required. Two years of history/social science, including one year of world history, cultures, and geography; and one year of U.S. history or one-half year of U.S. history and one-half year of civics or American government.
b. English: 4 years required. Four years of college-preparatory English that include frequent and regular writing, and reading of classic and modern literature. No more than one year of ESL-type courses can be used to meet this requirement.
c. Mathematics: 3 years required; 4 years recommended. Three years of college-preparatory mathematics that include the topics covered in elementary and advanced algebra and two- and three-dimensional geometry. Approved integrated math courses may be used to fulfill part or all of this requirement, as may math courses taken in the seventh and eighth grades that are accepted by the high school as equivalent to its own math courses.
d. Laboratory Science: 2 years required; 3 years recommended. Two years of laboratory science providing fundamental knowledge in two of these three core disciplines: biology, chemistry, and physics. Advanced laboratory science classes that have biology, chemistry, or physics as prerequisites and offer substantial additional material may be used to fulfill this requirement. The final two years of an approved three-year integrated science program may be used to fulfill this requirement.
e. Language Other Than English: 2 years required; 3 recommended. Two years of the same language other than English. Courses should emphasize speaking and understanding, and include instruction in grammar, vocabulary, reading, composition and culture. Courses in languages other than English taken in the seventh and eighth grades may be used to fulfill part of this requirement if 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 general education requirements.)
f. Visual and Performing Arts (VPA): 1 year required. A single yearlong approved arts course from a single VPA discipline: dance, drama/theatre, music, or visual arts.
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).
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 creative writing, journalism, speech, or debate is acceptable if it meets the general requirements in reading and writing stated above. An advanced-level course in English as a Second Language (ESL) or English Language Development (ELD) 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, and 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: Acceptable courses should cover topics from the biological or physical sciences in which students make their own observations and measurements and analyze these data to obtain further information.
An introductory science course normally offered in the ninth grade, (such as earth science or physical science) 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/or 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 a 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 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, research projects, and/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 "g" 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 reading, 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.
Courses that fulfill the "g" requirement should allow students to prepare for college-level work in the subject area, so that the level attained at the end of such courses would be well beyond the introductory or survey level. Courses that have narrow objectives aimed at meeting specific societal or personal lifestyle goals are not acceptable.
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 SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT Assessment plus Writing Test in October or November, and will take the SAT Subject Tests in November or December.) Scores earned prior to March 2005 will not be accepted. Applicants must ensure that reports for all scores have been submitted directly to the UCI Office of Admissions and Relations with Schools.
Each applicant must submit scores on an approved core test of mathematics, language arts, and writing. This requirement can be satisfied by taking either of the following:
1. the ACT Assessment plus Writing Test*, or
2. the SAT Reasoning Test* (critical reading, mathematics, and writing).
* The critical reading, mathematics, and writing scores must be from the same sitting. Students who take the ACT will be asked to report scores on each section of the test as well as their composite score.
In addition, all applicants must complete two SAT Subject Tests in two different areas: English, history and social studies, mathematics (Level 2 only), science, or language other than English. More information about these examinations is a available online. For the SAT Reasoning and Subject Tests, see http://www.collegeboard.com. For the ACT Assessment plus Writing, see http://www.act.org.
Do not use the score choice option to withhold reporting of SAT Subject Test scores. UC considers only a student's highest SAT Subject Test scores so there is no advantage to withholding scores. NOTE: The Henry Samueli School of Engineering recommends that freshmen applicants in Engineering majors (including the joint CSE major) take the SAT Subject Test in math Level 2 as one of their required subject examinations.
Scholarship Requirement
The Scholarship Requirement defines the grade point average (GPA) students must earn in the required "a-g" subjects and the SAT Reasoning Test (or ACT Assessment plus Writing Test) and SAT Subject Test scores students must earn to be eligible for admission to the University.
The University uses an Eligibility Index—a combination of GPA and test scores—to determine if an applicant meets the Scholarship Requirement. The Eligibility Index is available in a section below as well as online at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/scholarshipreq. The minimum GPA is 3.0 for California residents and 3.4 for nonresidents.
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 10-11, including summer sessions, 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.
Students can see whether they meet the Scholarship Requirement by referring to the UC Eligibility Index or using the eligibility calculator located at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman/scholarship_reqs.html.
Honors Courses: The University assigns extra points for up to eight semesters of University-certified honors-level and Advanced Placement courses taken in the last three years of high school: A=5 points, B=4 points; C=3 points. No more than two yearlong UC-approved honors level courses taken in the tenth grade may be given extra points. A grade of D in an honors or Advanced Placement course does not earn extra points.
The courses must be in the following "a-g" subjects: history/social science, English, advanced mathematics, laboratory science, language other than English, and visual and performing arts. Also, they must be certified as honors courses by the University. In these subjects, as well as in computer science, acceptable honors-level courses include Advanced Placement courses, Higher Level and designated Standard Level International Baccalaureate courses, and college courses that are transferable to the University.
D and F Grades: If a D or F was earned in an "a-g" course, the course must be repeated with a grade of C or better. The original D or F grade will not be included in the GPA calculation, and the new grade will be used. If a student repeats a course in which a grade of C was initially earned, the second grade will not be used.
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 nine general campuses.
To be considered for ELC, students must complete 11 specific yearlong courses of the Subject Requirements by the end of the junior year and, 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 UC-approved course work completed in the tenth and eleventh grades.
The 11 units include one year of history/social science, three years of English, two years of mathematics, one year of laboratory science, one year of language other than English, and three years 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 application for admission during the November filing period and complete remaining eligibility requirements—including the Subject and Examination Requirements—to enroll.
Applicants confirmed as Eligible in the Local Context (ELC) will be considered along with multiple factors for admission selection during comprehensive review.
Comprehensive information about ELC is available online at http://www.ucop.edu/sas/elc/.
UC Score Total
To determine whether a student has met the Scholarship Requirement for Eligibility in the Statewide Context, use the calculator at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/scholarshipreq. Alternatively, use the translation table below to find equivalent "UC Scores" for each of the student's SAT or ACT scores, then follow the instructions below the table.
Test Score Translation Table
| ACT | SAT | UC | ACT | SAT |
UC Score |
| 36 | 800 | 100 | 21 | 500 | 50 |
| 790 | 98 | 490 | 48 | ||
| 35 | 780 | 97 | 20 | 480 | 47 |
| 770 | 95 | 470 | 45 | ||
| 34 | 760 | 93 | 19 | 460 | 43 |
| 750 | 92 | 450 | 42 | ||
| 33 | 740 | 90 | 18 | 440 | 40 |
| 730 | 88 | 430 | 38 | ||
| 32 | 720 | 87 | 17 | 420 | 37 |
| 710 | 85 | 410 | 35 | ||
| 31 | 700 | 83 | 16 | 400 | 33 |
| 690 | 82 | 390 | 32 | ||
| 30 | 680 | 80 | 15 | 380 | 30 |
| 670 | 78 | 370 | 28 | ||
| 29 | 660 | 77 | 14 | 360 | 27 |
| 650 | 75 | 350 | 25 | ||
| 28 | 640 | 73 | 13 | 340 | 23 |
| 630 | 72 | 330 | 22 | ||
| 27 | 620 | 70 | 12 | 320 | 20 |
| 610 | 68 | 310 | 18 | ||
| 26 | 600 | 67 | 11 | 300 | 17 |
| 590 | 65 | 290 | 15 | ||
| 25 | 580 | 63 | 10 | 280 | 13 |
| 570 | 62 | 270 | 12 | ||
| 24 | 560 | 60 | 9 | 260 | 10 |
| 550 | 58 | 250 | 8 | ||
| 23 | 540 | 57 | 8 | 240 | 7 |
| 530 | 55 | 230 | 5 | ||
| 22 | 520 | 53 | 7 | 220 | 3 |
| 510 | 52 | 210 | 2 | ||
| 1-6 | 200 | 0 |
If a student took the ACT plus its Writing examination: The University takes the student's highest math, reading, science, and combined English/writing score from a single sitting and converts them to UC Scores (see the translation table above). To give the ACT writing component equal weight to the SAT writing exam, the University multiplies the sum of the student's converted math, reading, and science scores by two-thirds, then adds the converted English/writing score. This subtotal is then added to the student's two highest SAT Subject Test scores from two different subject areas to reach the score total ([math + reading + science] x 0.667 + English/ writing + subject test 1 + subject test 2).
The following table lists the combinations of GPA and test score totals that meet UC's minimum requirements.
UC Eligibility Index
CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS
|
"a-g" GPA |
Minimum UC Score Total |
"a-g" GPA |
Minimum UC Score Total |
| < 3.00 | ineligible | 3.25-3.29 | 165 |
| 3.00-3.04 | 223 | 3.30-3.34 | 157 |
| 3.05-3.09 | 210 | 3.35-3.39 | 152 |
| 3.10-3.14 | 198 | 3.40-3.44 | 147 |
| 3.15-3.19 | 187 | 3.45 and above | 143 |
| 3.20-3.24 | 175 |
| < 3.40 | ineligible |
| 3.40-3.44 | 147 |
| 3.45 and above | 143 |
Eligibility By Examination Alone
A student who does not meet the requirements for Eligibility in the Statewide Context, or ELC, may be able to qualify for admission to the University by examination alone. To qualify this way, a student must satisfy the same examination requirements as students who are eligible in the statewide context, achieving a UC Score Total, calculated according to the UC Eligibility Index instructions above, of at least 410 (425 for nonresident students). Additionally, students must earn a minimum UC score of 63 on each component of the ACT or SAT Reasoning Test and on each SAT Subject Test.