Admission Requirements
Freshman Applicants
The University of California considers you a freshman applicant if you are still in high school or have graduated from high school but have not enrolled in a regular session at any college or university. If you attend a summer session immediately after graduating from high school, you are still considered a freshman applicant.
At UC Irvine, the number of freshman applicants typically exceeds the number of spaces available. As a result, we recommend you establish a strong academic profile above minimum UC eligibility. Since all eligible applicants can not be admitted, UC Irvine 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.
We also recommend that applicants indicate first and second choice majors when they apply. If UC Irvine is unable to offer admission to all qualified applicants in their first-choice major, students who have indicated a valid alternate major may be offered admission in that major. After enrolling at UC Irvine, students who wish to change their major must submit a Change of Major Petition.
Selection Criteria for UC Irvine Freshman Class
Freshman applications to UC Irvine are evaluated on the following:
- 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 completed, e.g., College Board Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate Higher Level courses, and transferable college courses
- 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):
- UC Irvine uses a maximum of eight honors grade points in determining the UC GPA
- Scores on the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT With Writing. (Note: SAT Subject Test scores are no longer required. However, submission of SAT Subject Test scores may add positively to the review of a student's application. See the Examination Requirement section in the UC Irvine general catalog for SAT Subject Test recommendations at http://www.editor.uci.edu/catalogue/.)
- Evidence of intellectual or creative achievement or substantial public service
- 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
NOTE: In addition to meeting the selection criteria outlined above, freshman applicants interested in engineering majors at UC Irvine must complete four years of high school mathematics, including at least one year beyond intermediate algebra.
Transfer Applicants
The University of California considers you a transfer applicant if you graduated from high school and enrolled in a regular session at a college or university.
UC Irvine is very selective at the transfer level. Highest priority for admission is given to California resident junior-level applicants from California community colleges. Preference will also be given to community college students who have participated in academically selective honors courses or programs. Junior level transfer applicants from four-year colleges, including other UC campuses and lower division transfer applicants, may be considered as space permits.
Selection Criteria for UC Irvine Transfer Students
- Academic achievement and performance as described above, and personal accomplishment, potential, and experience as assessed through a comprehensive review of all information provided on the application plus the following:
- an exceptionally challenging curriculum
- completion of required English composition and mathematics courses by the end of the spring term preceding enrollment at UC Irvine
- outstanding accomplishments relevant to academic aims
- unusual circumstances or hardships the applicant has faced and the ways in which the applicant has responded to these challenges
- a strong, thoughtful match between UC Irvine’s programs and the applicant’s academic and career objectives, preparation, talents, and skills
- potential contributions to the campus
NOTE: In addition to meeting the selection criteria outlined above, transfer applicants must complete the preparation requirements and prerequisite courses for their intended major (read the information on "Transfer Admission, Selection and Preparation").
Second Baccalaureate Applicants
You may be considered for admission to a program for a second degree if your educational objective changed substantially after you received your bachelor’s degree. All second baccalaureate admissions are subject to the approval of the dean or director of the UC Irvine school or program in which the second degree will be earned.
Selection Criteria for UC Irvine Second Baccalaureate Candidates
- Admission as a candidate for a second bachelor’s degree requires that the applicant:
- is fully eligible for admission to the university
- has strong promise of academic success in the new major
NOTE: UC Irvine is open to all admission applications during the traditional UC application period, November 1-November 30.
- Students who have not attended UC Irvine as undergraduates during a regular academic quarter must complete a UC Application for Undergraduate Admission
- Students who have attended UC Irvine as undergraduates during a regular academic quarter must complete a Second Baccalaureate Application Form through the UC Irvine Registrar’s Office
Majors Open for Second Baccalaureate Applicants During UC Application Period November 1-30, 2012
Claire Trevor School of the Arts
Dance
Drama
Music
Studio Art
The Henry Samueli School of Engineering (all majors)
School of Humanities
African American Studies
Asian American Studies
Chinese Studies
Classics
Comparative Literature
East Asian Cultures
European Studies
French
German Studies
Religious Studies
Women's Studies
Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences
Computer Science
Informatics
Interdisciplinary Studies
Computer Science and Engineering
Nursing Science
School of Social Ecology
Social Ecology
Urban Studies
For up-to-the-minute information, applicants should also Check Majors that are open/closed at UC Irvine at http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/how-to-apply/check-majors/index.html
Readmission Applicants
An applicant for readmission is a student who was formerly registered and enrolled at UC Irvine and who has interrupted the completion of consecutive quarters of enrollment.
Visit the web site for the Office of the Registrar for information on how to apply for readmission. For additional information about readmission, call (949) 824-6124.
Re-entry Applicants
You may be considered for admission to UC Irvine as a re-entry applicant if you are an adult aged 25 years or older and have either experienced a significant break in your education, or decided to earn a university degree for the first time.
For information about specific majors and programs, contact the counselors in the various academic units.
