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Irvine, CA · Public · 30,197 undergraduates · urban

University of California-Irvine

Selective

UCI organizes both campus geography and undergraduate honors around a central interdisciplinary structure rather than isolated academic enclaves.

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Institutional profile

Top tier Exceptional in mobility, and exceptional in affordability.
Academic Strong Affordability Exceptional Career Solid Mobility Exceptional Experience Solid
Academic standing Strong
Affordability Exceptional
Career outcomes Solid
Mobility Exceptional
Student experience Solid
Admission
25.6% admitted

121,101 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Resident and nonresident prices differ

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
87.3%

$80,735 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets University of California, Irvine apart

Academic design

Campuswide Honors Collegium adds interdisciplinary honors coursework beyond the major, with incoming first-years considered automatically.

Campus pattern

Most undergraduate schools surround Aldrich Park and the one-mile Ring Road, making the circular campus layout central to daily movement.

A signature opportunity

Campuswide Honors Collegium.

Can I get in?

25.6% admitted

Put the academic record first, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.

Recent applicant pool

121,101

About 26 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 25.6%
Entering class

Record over scores

No score range is published for the entering class, so the transcript, the course rigor, and the required materials carry the file.

Testingnot considered
Return for a second year93.9%
Finish the degree87.3%

Admission by residency

Harder for residents

Undergraduate first-year applicants and admits · Fall 2025

University of California-Irvine admitted 21.6% of California applicants and 47.6% of applicants from other states. Out-of-state applicants were admitted at 2.2 times the resident rate.

In-state21.6% admitted

18,625 admitted from 86,224 applicants

Out-of-state47.6% admitted

7,773 admitted from 16,344 applicants

International42.8% admitted

9,263 admitted from 21,646 applicants

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for University of California, Irvine, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What University of California, Irvine weighs when it reads a file

See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.

  • Course rigor  
  • GPA  
  • Test scores  
  • Essay  
  • Recommendations  
  • Extracurriculars  
  • Demonstrated interest  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

Campuswide Honors Collegium adds interdisciplinary honors coursework beyond the major, with incoming first-years considered automatically.

02

Make institutional fit specific

UCI organizes both campus geography and undergraduate honors around a central interdisciplinary structure rather than isolated academic enclaves.

03

Use the application route carefully

Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.

04

Give commitments a clear through-line

Activities and recommendations should show sustained contribution, not a collection of disconnected credentials.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.

Regular DecisionNov 30
Application routeUC application

$80 application fee

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

BusinessAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Computer scienceAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

EngineeringAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

NursingAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Can I afford it?

Compare annual cost by household income.

Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.

Published annual cost$45,206
Average annual cost after aid, in-state$14,000
Affordability profileExceptional

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at University of California, Irvine

Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.

  • $0–30k 
  • $30–48k 
  • $48–75k 
  • $75–110k 
  • $110k+ 
Open the price by income

Is it worth it?

Completion, debt, and earnings

Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.

Complete within 8 years87.3%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one93.9%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$80,735

Reported 10 years after enrollment

Academic portfolio

Largest bachelor’s fields

How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.

Biology, General

Recent graduates766
Median earnings$56,273

Research and Experimental Psychology

Recent graduates633
Median earnings$54,323

Computer Science

Recent graduates467
Median earnings$127,404

Admits separately

Criminology

Recent graduates465
Median earnings$57,935

What is campus life like?

University of California, Irvine beyond the classroom

Most undergraduate schools surround Aldrich Park and the one-mile Ring Road, making the circular campus layout central to daily movement.

Academics

A defining academic feature

Campuswide Honors Collegium adds interdisciplinary honors coursework beyond the major, with incoming first-years considered automatically.

Housing

Read the residential pattern

Compare the residential setup and surrounding area with the day-to-day routine you want.

Dining

Daily life follows the campus map

Dining and nearby options matter most when they support the academic, residential, and social routine you expect.

Campus rhythm

What shapes an ordinary week

Most undergraduate schools surround Aldrich Park and the one-mile Ring Road, making the circular campus layout central to daily movement.

Clubs & interests

Turn a direction into participation

The strongest opportunities connect a clear academic or personal direction to real work beyond class.

Social life

Find the right everyday fit

Most undergraduate schools surround Aldrich Park and the one-mile Ring Road, making the circular campus layout central to daily movement.

30,197 undergraduatesPacificurban setting80% of first-year students live on campus