Follow Your Dreams to California
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 dedicated resources will help you build your future! Sunny Southern California invites you to make the University of California, Riverside your home away from home.
We've been waiting for a bold and brilliant Highlander just like you!
Applying to UC Riverside
As a public institution, we prioritize admission for California residents. However, UCR also believes that out-of-state students add an important and valuable depth to our campus. And 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.
3.4
Minimum Out-of-State High School GPA Requirement
2.8
Minimum Out-of-State Transfer GPA Requirement
22:1
Student to Faculty Ratio (Fall 2024)
Out-of-State First-Year Students
Along with the minimum admissions requirements that California residents must meet, out-of-state applicants must also follow these instructions that apply specifically to them. If you are an international applicant studying in the United States but not in California, please follow these instructions for visa and U.S. entry requirements.
At UCR, we "admit to the major," not to the university as a whole. This means that high-demand majors are highly competitive for admission. To increase your chance of a favorable admission decision, add a preferred and an alternate major to your UC application.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.
Comprehensive Review
Comprehensive review is the process by which 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.
Subject Requirements
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. There is no pre-approved course list for schools outside of California. Refer to the “a-g” course list for types of classes out-of-state students should take to meet UC requirements. For students outside of California, “a-g” courses are the equivalent of college preparatory course.
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.
GPA Requirements
To meet minimum out-of-state requirements, you must earn a GPA of 3.4 or higher 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, with no grade lower than a C.
Extra Points for Honors Courses: In calculating an out-of-state student's GPA, UC will grant honors weight for AP or IB courses only, but not for school-designated honors courses. The weight is given to letter grades of A, B, or C.
- 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.
Out-of-State Transfer
Along with the minimum admissions requirements that California Community College transfers must meet, transfers from out-of-state colleges must also follow these instructions that apply specifically to them.
Requirements
Unit & GPA Requirements
You must complete 60 semester (90 quarter) units of transferable college credit with a minimum GPA of 2.8 for out-of-state transfers. Some major programs require a higher minimum GPA for admission. Admission to UCR to selective, so strive to surpass the minimum.
Required Community College Classes
You need to complete the following seven-course pattern by the end of the spring term prior to fall enrollment at UCR (or the fall term prior to enrollment if you're applying for winter admission):
- Two transferable courses in English composition
- One transferable course in mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning
- Four transferred courses chosen from at least two of these subject areas: arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, or physical and biological sciences
Achievement Scholarship for Nonresident Students
Apply to UCR as an out-of-state student and if admitted, you’ll be automatically considered for this scholarship. No extra forms, no hassle — just a warm welcome and financial support from a top-tier research university that’s ready to invest in your success!
Scholarship winners receive:
- Up to $84,000 for four years for first-year students
- Up to $42,000 for two years for transfer students
Getting into Your Major
For more information on major requirements review our Majors Preparation Guide.
Featured Publication: Transfer Viewbook | CA Residents
Learn more about UC Riverside, its remarkable students, world-class faculty, and beautiful campus.
Out-of-State Dates & Deadlines
Find the dates of instruction at registrar.ucr.edu.
Fall Admissions: Out-of-State First-Year and Transfer Students
Aug. 1
Access the UC application
Oct. 1–Nov. 30
Submit your UC application
Jan. 31
Deadline to complete the Transfer Academic Update for transfer students
March
First-year admission notifications begin
March 2
Priority deadline to submit your FAFSA. Late applications can be submitted after March 2, although California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) administered grant aid may not offered to late applicants.
April
Transfer admission notifications begin
May 1
First-year deadline to submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)
June 1
Transfer deadline to submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)
July 1
Deadline to submit your final, official high school transcript (or college transcripts/documents for coursework completed through end of spring)
July 15
Deadline to submit official AP, IB, and A-Level exam scores
Resources & Support
UCR is dedicated to your success and offers a range of programs and resources to support you along your path to a UCR 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.