
Build Your Future at UCR!
Turn your passion into purpose as part of the UCR family. Our award-winning faculty will mentor you. Our diverse campus community will embrace you. And our first-year-specific resources will help you build your future!
We've been waiting for a Highlander like you. Apply to UCR today!
First-Year Financial Aid, Costs & Fees
You can afford a UC education! The cost of attending UCR is extremely competitive compared with other University of California campuses and private schools. Living in Riverside is also considerably less expensive than living in nearby Los Angeles, Orange County, or San Diego. Read on to learn more about the programs available to help you pay for your UCR degree and how much that degree costs.
University of California Tuition Stability Plan
Beginning fall 2022, tuition will be adjusted for each incoming undergraduate class but will subsequently remain flat until the student graduates, for up to six years. Learn more.
Financial Aid
A UC degree is more affordable than you might think! Grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study are offered to qualified students by UCR’s Financial Aid office.
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)
UCR Financial Aid Applications School Codes
FAFSA: 001316
CADAA: 001316
To qualify for financial aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) each year by the March 2 priority deadline. Late applications can still be submitted after March 2.
Additional Aid
UC Riverside Foundation Scholarships
The UC Riverside Foundation offers scholarships, fellowships, internships, prizes, awards, and loans to qualifying UCR students. Use the online database to search for aid based on your college, major, financial need, career goals, and more. scholarships.ucr.edu
Work-Study
Eligible students can earn money for school through an approved on- or off-campus work-study job. Funds can only be used during the academic year, and you must meet financial need, academic, and other requirements to maintain your eligibility. careers.ucr.edu
Aid for California Residents
The state of California offers a number of financial aid programs for residents, including those listed below. The programs offer qualifying students grants and scholarships that do not need to be repaid to cover tuition, fees, and related expenses (like books, housing, and transportation). To be eligible, complete your FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application by the March 2 priority deadline each year (late applications can be submitted after March 2), and make sure your Cal Grant GPA Verification Form was submitted to the California Student Aid Commission by your high school.
Middle Class Scholarship Program
If your family has up to $171,000 in annual income and assets, and you meet other residency, income, and academic requirements, you could have up to 40% of your UC systemwide tuition and fees covered by this scholarship. go.ucr.edu/mcs
Cal Grant
If you meet GPA, family income, residency, academic, and other requirements, you can get grant money that will cover some of your educational costs and fees. csac.ca.gov/cal-grants
Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan
If your total annual family income is less than $80,000, and you meet other residency, income, and academic requirements, you could have 100% of your UC systemwide tuition and fees covered by grants and scholarships through this plan. Students with greater financial need can qualify for additional aid to cover expenses like books, housing, and transportation. admission.universityofcalifornia.edu
Additional Aid from the State of California
Check out more state of California financial aid programs from the California Student Aid Commission: csac.ca.gov/financial-aid-programs
Estimated Costs for Undergraduates
View estimated costs for attending UCR including tuition, fees, housing, books, transportation and more.
UCR Net Price Calculator
Fill out the form at the UCR Net Price Calculator to get an estimate of what your full-time cost of attendance and financial aid package at UCR could be.
“I decided to attend UCR because of the financial support they provided me, and the diversity on campus. I know I can be myself at UCR, and that is a plus for me because I want to be comfortable where I am living.”
Jorge Juarez Duarte (JJ)
Mathematics Major
Applying to UCR
As a top-ranking university, UCR sets high admission standards. Incoming students are selected based on a wide range of criteria, including academic performance and the potential for success as an undergraduate.
3.0
Minimum GPA Requirement
21:1
Student-to-Faculty Ratio
4.06
Enrolled Academic Years to Degree Completion (UCR Institutional Research Campus Statistics, 2016–17)
Requirements
UC Riverside will not consider SAT or ACT test scores when making admissions decisions or awarding scholarships. If you choose to submit test scores as part of your application, they may be used as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility or for course placement after you enroll. Details regarding UC’s testing policy can be found online.
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Comprehensive Review
Comprehensive review is the process by which UC Riverside (UCR) evaluates first-year applicants, who meet minimum UC requirements, using multiple measures of achievement and promise, while considering the context in which each student has demonstrated accomplishment. UCR will calculate an Academic Index Score (AIS) for all first-year applicants. The faculty of UCR have designated the measures described below to be used to calculate the AIS.
High School GPA—The strength of an applicant’s high school GPA is the strongest indicator that a student will be successful within an academically challenging UC environment. The capped GPA is calculated on the basis of all completed “a-g” courses with extra points added for UC-approved honors courses taken in grades 10 and 11, capped at 8 semesters. A capped GPA considers the extra points earned for honors-level courses and may exceed 4.0 for some students.
Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses—AP and IB courses prepare students for college-level coursework. Therefore, students who take and do well in these courses tend to have a high probability for success within the UC environment.
Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC)—The Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) program recognizes the individual accomplishments of students in light of the opportunities offered by their particular high school.
Low Family Income—Students who demonstrate high academic achievement, despite low socioeconomic status, are likely to exhibit persistence, maturity, and insight. Low family income is determined based on total family members and household income.
First-Generation University Attendance— UC-eligible applicants who are the first in their immediate family to attend college are apt to have personal strengths that will contribute to their academic success. Students whose parents have not graduated from a four-year college or university are qualified for first-generation university attendance.
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Subject Requirement
You must earn a grade of C or better in all “a-g” courses and complete a minimum of 15 college-preparatory (“a–g”) courses
Eleven of those 15 courses must be completed prior to your senior year. Find out if your course is UC approved , and if your college course or SAT/AP/IB exam score meets an “a–g” requirement.
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GPA Requirement
To meet minimum requirements, you must earn a GPA of 3.0 or higher (3.4 for non-residents) in “a–g” courses taken during grades 10 and 11 (including summers before and after), weighted by a maximum of eight semesters of UC-approved honors points.
Extra Points for Honors Courses
- A=5, B=4 and C=3; D or F=0 extra points.
- Approved honors-level courses may also include acceptable AP classes, higher- (and some standard-) level IB classes and transferable college courses.
Resources & Support
UCR is dedicated to your success, and offers a range of programs and resources to support you along your path to degree. Get guidance from faculty and student mentors. Excel in your courses with the help of a tutor or study group. Connect with a wellness department to take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Develop as a leader in a campus organization.
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Academic Success
Make a smooth academic transition to UCR with the guidance of faculty and student mentors through first-year programs offered by our colleges and schools.
- Engineering First Year Learning Community (EFLC)
- CHASS F1RST: First-Year Experience Programs
- CNAS Freshman Scholars Learning Communities (FSLC)
First-year students can also register for Student Life's First Year Mentor Program and connect with experienced/trained student leaders who answer questions and provide support throughout your first year at UCR.
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Admitted Students
If you're admitted to UCR, you can ensure a smooth transition by following the next steps for incoming first-year students.
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Campus Safety
Safety is a top priority at UCR. We have a 24/7, on-campus police department, an emergency notification system that sends text alerts, a no-tolerance policy against sexual violence and secure residence halls with video surveillance, restricted card access and live-in staff. At night, our Community Service Officers patrol halls and parking lots, and Campus Safety Escorts accompany students across campus.
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Career Center
Every quarter, the Career Center offers over 70 events, including career fairs, skill-building workshops, employer information sessions, and networking meet-ups with representatives from top companies. Take advantage of programming and resources, such as the Career Center's HandShake tool to search for jobs and internships on campus and off, and the R’Professional Career Closet for professional attire.
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Ethnic & Gender Centers
Discover community, find mentors and develop as a leader with the eight offices that make up Ethnic & Gender Centers:
- African Student Programs
- Asian Pacific Student Programs
- Chicano Student Programs
- LGBT Resource Center
- Middle Eastern Student Center
- Native American Student Programs
- Undocumented Student Programs
- Women's Resource Center
Participate in service projects, educational initiatives, and campus celebrations by joining a cultural organization. Learn more about UCR’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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Health, Well-being & Safety
UCR focuses on all facets of well-being. We offer many campus resources to help you meet all of your goals, such as support groups, tutoring, community service, employment, emergency food resources, sports and health care — which is all included in your tuition.
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Parents/Guardians
As a parent/guardian of a UCR student, you have access to many resources that will help you to support your student during this journey. Learn how to get involved and stay connected, and find out how we will keep your student safe, happy and healthy.
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Student Life
Have fun and make friends! Student Life offers incredible social opportunities with concerts, music festivals, fun fairs, cultural celebrations, guest speakers, film series, theater productions, poets, performers and more than 500 student organizations!
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Transportation
UCR students can travel Riverside county for free on RTA buses — just register for UPASS! Learn about campus parking, alternative transportation, accessible parking and more from Transportation Services.
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Undergraduate Education
Undergraduate Education cultivates student success by providing academic support, experiential learning and research opportunities. Challenge yourself in our rigorous University Honors program. Participate in research projects with our renowned faculty. Intern for a government agency or NGO in Sacramento or Washington, D.C. Create and facilitate your own 1-unit course with R'Courses. Ace your classes and prep for graduate school exams with help from the Academic Resource Center.
First-Year Resources
Brochures

Undergraduate Admissions Brochure (Flipbook)
Checklists
First-Year Next Steps to Enrollment
First-Year Admission Checklist
Nontraditional Admission Checklist
Military/Veteran Admission Checklist
General Brochures

General Catalog
Undergraduate Majors
Parent and Guardian Brochure
54 Facts & Impacts (Viewbook)
Finish in Four
Puente Connection Brochure
Black Student Experience Brochure
Middle Eastern Student Experience Brochure
Chicano/Latino Student Experience Brochure
Native American Student Experience Brochure
Student Veteran Success Guide
First-Year Dates & Deadlines
Find the dates of instruction at registrar.ucr.edu.
Admissions: First-Year
Aug. 1
Access the UC application
Oct. 1–Nov. 30
Submit your UC application
March
Admission notifications begin
Access the next steps to UCR for admitted first-year students
March 1
Housing contracts become available
May 1
Deadline to submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)
May 10
Deadline to submit housing contract and first payment
June 8
Deadline to register for Highlander Orientation
July 1
Deadline to submit your final, official high school transcript
July 15
Deadline to submit your official AP, IB, and A-Level exam scores
September
Fall quarter begins
Financial Aid
Oct. 1
Access the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and GPA form to apply for financial aid (UCR school code: 001316)
Jan. 1
Access the California Dream Act Application at dream.csac.ca.gov (UCR school code: 001316)
March 2
Priority deadline to submit your FAFSA or California Dream Act Application (applications can be submitted after March 2)
Verify that a certified GPA was submitted to the California Student Aid Commission by your high school
Meet Your Counselor
For High School Students
Andrej Molchan
Assistant Director of High School
Recruitment and Evaluation
Central and Northern CA
(951) 827-3678
andrej.molchan@ucr.edu
Cesar Gonzalez Vargas
High School Admissions Counselor
East Los Angeles County
(951)827-3691
cesar.gonzalezvargas@ucr.edu
Maria Flores
Senior Evaluation & Athletic Specialist
Riverside County
(951) 827-3635
maria.flores@ucr.edu