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Bold hearts. Brilliant minds.
An education at UC Riverside is more than attending class. It’s joining a community where diversity equals vitality. Where support and empowerment lifts spirits and propels ideas forward. Here, you won’t just answer problems. You’ll be part of global solutions.
Ranked in the top 15 for best universities in the nation — and first for social mobility — UCR has created a new model for what a great public research university can help you achieve!
UCR is one of 10 campuses within the prestigious University of California system — but in a class of our own.
#1
UCR is the nation's leader for social mobility for the third year in row!
(U.S. News & World Report, 2020–22)
#23
UCR is the 23rd Best Value College (Public Schools) in the nation.
(Princeton Review Best Value, 2022)
World Class
UCR is among the top 1.3% of universities worldwide based on education, employability, faculty, and research.
(Center for World University Rankings, 2022–23)
Distinguished Faculty
UCR’s distinguished faculty boasts two Nobel Laureates and 13 members of the National Academies of Sciences and Medicine.
Innovation
UCR is the 26th Most Innovative School in the nation.
(U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges, 2022)
Smart Money
With graduates' mid-career pay averaging $113,200, UCR is the 33rd Best College in California by Salary Potential.
(PayScale 2021-22 College Salary Report)
Admissions News
Feel the Love at UCR!
We Support You
Your success is our top priority. Ease into college life with help from faculty, peer mentors, and first-year learning communities. Get a tutor at the Academic Resource Center (ARC). Feel at home with eight Ethnic & Gender Centers. Find community in 500+ student organizations. We’ll even connect you to employers on campus and around the world.
We Think Big
At UCR, our strength lies in our diversity. You'll be joining a community of faculty and students from over 80 countries and countless cultural identities to exchange knowledge, build social mobility, and shape future leaders. To foster personal growth and expression, you can engage in more than 500 student-led groups, including cultural, spiritual, academic, artistic, and fraternity/sorority organizations.
We Have Fun
Students boost study-life balance with fun, friends, and newness. Work out at the state-of-the-art Student Recreation Center (SRC). Go camping or scuba diving at the beach with our Outdoor Excursion trips. Join Highlanders at one of our campus music festivals with featured artists such as Foster the People, Jhené Aiko, DJ Snake, and Kendrick Lamar.
We Have Heart
UCR students do good in the world. You'll find active and energized groups ready to share, support, and empower your passion for issues affecting our communities and the world. For the annual Highlander Day of Service, hundreds of UCR students, alumni, parents/guardians, and friends join forces in over 25 community service events across California.
HOW TO
APPLY
View admission requirements:
You Can Afford a UC Degree. We'll Show You How.
A UC degree is more affordable than you might think! Grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study are offered to qualified students by our Financial Aid office, who offers Californians one of the most generous financial aid packages in the nation. In fact, UCR ranks No. 11 among Princeton Review's Top 20 Best Schools for Financial Aid (Public Schools) in the nation (2022).
87%
of UCR undergraduate students who applied received some form of financial aid.
98%
of financial aid recipients received gift-aid (grants and scholarships).
77%
of students’ financial aid need was met with need-based financial aid.
(Financial Aid Office, 2021–22)
Learn How Affordable a UC Degree Can Be!
“I chose UCR because of the opportunity to receive an education at the UC level while also being able to be represented by the diversity that the campus offers.”
Ali Alshaher
Class of '20, Sociology
Get to Know UCR — Set in Sunny Riverside, California
DISCOVER WHY THIS CAMPUS IS MADE FOR YOU
With a campus size of 1,900 acres (7.68 km2), there’s a lot to discover at UCR. Check out all the different ways to explore UCR.
- Experience UCR through a driving tour of the campus’ architecturally aesthetic landmarks.
- Watch a student-hosted video that leads you through our campus.
- Register for one of our virtual Zoom meeting options, which connect you with Highlanders who have all the insider intel.
- Explore the campus using a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or computer from anywhere in the world using our 360-degree virtual tours.
LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE IN RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA
The City of Riverside is a vibrant college town that welcomes and supports a diverse community that is attracted to the city's perfect balance of small-town friendliness and big-city fun.
Take a few steps off the UCR campus to find eclectic eateries, music venues, craft breweries, indie shops, boba spots, and coffee houses. No wonder Riverside is among Niche.com's 2022 Best Places to live!
Learn all about Riverside and see why it's not just a great place to learn, it's an amazing place to live!
Highlander Headlines
Meet Bold and Brilliant Highlanders!
Hear their unique stories. Learn about where their commitments will take them. See how real they get during their time at UCR. They chose a university that celebrates their individuality and respects their voice. Now it's your turn!
