University of California, Riverside
A UC research campus that grew out of a citrus experiment station and is ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for social mobility.
- Acceptance rate
- 86%
- First-years who entered in fall 2025 (2025-26 Common Data Set)
- Students
- 27,633
- 24,034 undergraduates
- International
- 7%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 22:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $56,060
- 2026-27
About UC Riverside
UC Riverside traces its roots to the UC Citrus Experiment Station, which opened on February 14, 1907, to serve Southern California's citrus industry. The undergraduate college opened in 1954 with 127 students and 65 faculty, and the UC Regents made Riverside a general campus in 1959. Today it enrolls 27,633 students (fall 2025), including 24,034 undergraduates, on a campus of nearly 1,200 acres at the foot of Box Springs Mountain.
Students choose from three undergraduate colleges, the Bourns College of Engineering, the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, and the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, plus professional schools of business, education, medicine and public policy. UCR's School of Public Policy is the only one in the UC system with an undergraduate public policy major, and its School of Medicine, opened in 2013, focuses on training doctors for Inland Southern California.
UCR is accessible by UC standards: it admitted 52,676 of 61,184 first-year applicants for fall 2025, and admission is test-free. It is ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for social mobility by U.S. News, and nearly 80% of undergraduates receive financial aid. It suits students who want a full UC research university, including labs that have produced new citrus and avocado varieties, at a lower cost of living than coastal California.
Fiat lux
“Let there be light” — university motto
Why students choose UC Riverside
U.S. News 2027 ranks UCR No. 1 in the nation for social mobility, and the university counts itself No. 1 for retention of first-year Pell Grant students (The Chronicle of Higher Education).
UCR admitted about 86% of first-year applicants for fall 2025 through a test-free, comprehensive review that weighs achievement in the context of each student's school.
International and out-of-state first-years are automatically considered for the Achievement Scholarship for Nonresidents, worth up to $89,100 over four years.
Its agricultural research is still active: the Givaudan Citrus Collection holds about 4,500 trees and more than 1,000 citrus varieties, and the Luna UCR avocado was named one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2023.
Admissions
First-years who entered in fall 2025 (2025-26 Common Data Set)
52,676 admitted from 61,184 applicants
Admit rates by residency for fall 2025: about 86% for California residents (44,686 of 51,828), 90% for out-of-state applicants (2,810 of 3,137) and 83% for international applicants (5,180 of 6,219).
Typical entry requirements
| UC A-G subject requirements | 15 A-G college-preparatory courses (history, English, math, science, a language other than English, visual and performing arts, and an elective) with grades of C or better; minimum A-G GPA 3.0 for California residents or 3.4 for nonresidents |
|---|---|
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 80 UC minimums: TOEFL iBT 80 (tests before January 2026) or 4.5 on the new scale from January 2026; IELTS 6.5; Duolingo 115; ACT English Language Arts 24; or SAT Writing and Language 31. AP or IB English scores and a college English composition course also count. Exams must be completed by December of your final school year. |
Deadlines
- UC application filing period (fall 2027) Non-binding Next deadline · In 54 daysNovember 30, 2026
Submission window October 1 to November 30, 2026; the application opens August 1. Decisions are released March 1-31, 2027 (some campuses earlier), and admitted students must submit their Statement of Intent to Register by May 1, 2027.
UC has a single filing period with no early action or early decision. UC's official dates page lists the fall 2027 filing period as October 1 to November 30, 2026. FAFSA and California Dream Act applications are due March 2, 2027 (UCR school code 001316).
How to apply
University of California application (one application for all UC campuses): answer 4 of 8 personal insight questions (350 words each), self-report your A-G coursework and grades, and list activities and awards. No test scores, recommendations or interviews are required.
What admissions looks for
- A strong A-G GPA: UCR says the capped GPA, with extra points for UC-approved honors courses in grades 10 and 11, is the strongest indicator of success.
- AP and IB coursework, which UCR counts in its Academic Index Score.
- Achievement in context, including Eligibility in the Local Context (top students at their high school), low family income and first-generation college status.
- Personal insight answers that show your experiences, motivation and what you would add to the Highlander community; all eight questions are weighed equally.
Tips for applying to UC Riverside
- 1 Submit between October 1 and November 30, 2026; UC has no early round, so aim to finish well before the last day.
- 2 Skip the SAT unless you need it to meet a minimum requirement: UCR does not use scores for admission or scholarships.
- 3 Take AP or IB courses where you can, since UCR's Academic Index Score adds weight for them.
- 4 International applicants need a 3.4 minimum A-G GPA equivalent and an English test (for example IELTS 6.5) completed by December of the final school year.
What are your chances?
Sign up to see your personalized admission chances for University of California, Riverside
Sign up to see your chancesCosts & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in USD
Nearly 80% of UCR undergraduates are awarded financial aid, and 99% of those receive need-based scholarships or grants. Under the UC Tuition Stability Plan, tuition stays flat for up to six years for each entering class. International and out-of-state students are automatically considered for the Achievement Scholarship for Nonresidents, worth up to $89,100 over four years for first-years.
- $46,539 California resident; $85,809 out-of-state or international
- Total cost 2026-27, university housing
- 82.7% (average aid package $30,420, CDS 2025-26)
- Average need met for full-time undergraduates with aid
- Up to $89,100 over four years for first-years; automatic consideration
- Achievement Scholarship for Nonresidents
- Nearly 80%
- Undergraduates awarded financial aid
Academics
Academic calendar: Quarters
Public Policy (BA)
UCR's School of Public Policy is the only one in the 10-campus UC system with an undergraduate public policy major.
Plant and agricultural sciences
Built on the 1907 Citrus Experiment Station; U.S. News Best Global Universities puts UCR in the top 4% for plant and animal science.
Entomology
UCR's Citrus Experiment Station entomologists pioneered biological pest control in 1927, and the campus still has a dedicated Entomology Building.
Engineering (Bourns College of Engineering)
UCR ranks No. 3 in the nation for Hispanic STEM graduates (National Science Foundation), and students can join research from their first year.
Pre-medicine and biomedical sciences
Links to UCR's School of Medicine, which opened in 2013 and focuses on training physicians for Inland Southern California.
Research
- The Givaudan Citrus Collection, established in 1910, holds about 4,500 trees and more than 1,000 varieties of citrus and citrus relatives.
- UCR breeders developed the Luna UCR avocado, named one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2023, and earlier released citrus varieties such as the Oroblanco grapefruit.
- UCR has 51 research centers and labs and offers undergraduate research from the first year; it is an AAU member and an R1 research university.
Schools & faculties
- Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering
- College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
- College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
- School of Business
- School of Education
- School of Medicine
- School of Public Policy
College Scorecard: median earnings of $67,699 ten years after entry (and $48,593 six years after entry) for federally aided students.
Student life
UCR's campus sits at the foot of Box Springs Mountain, where a giant concrete C, laid by students in 1955, looks down on the campus. The 161-foot Bell Tower, a carillon dedicated in 1966, is the central landmark. Athletic teams are the Highlanders, a name students voted for in 1955, and compete in the NCAA Division I Big West Conference. The student body is one of the most diverse in the UC system: about 39% of students are Chicanx/Latinx and 32% Asian, and UCR has nine ethnic and gender centers.
- The Highlanders compete in NCAA Division I in the Big West Conference
- The Bell Tower carillon and the big C on Box Springs Mountain
- Nine ethnic and gender centers, including the nation's first Middle Eastern student center
- The UCR Botanic Gardens, part of a campus with 51 research centers and labs
Housing. First-year students who submit their Statement of Intent to Register and complete a housing contract and first payment by the deadline are guaranteed university housing.
Location
Riverside is the largest city in the Inland Empire, about 50 miles (80 km) east of downtown Los Angeles and part of the Greater Los Angeles area. UCR sits in the city's northeastern part, and deserts, mountains and the coast are all within driving range. UCR notes that living costs are considerably lower than in Los Angeles, Orange County or San Diego, and the city has museums such as the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture and UCR's California Museum of Photography.
Nearest airport: Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Notable alumni
- RR Richard R. SchrockChemist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2005; UCR bachelor's degree
- BC Billy CollinsPoet, U.S. Poet Laureate 2001-2003; UCR graduate degrees
- TD Tim D. WhitePaleoanthropologist known for work on early hominin fossils
- SB Steve BreenEditorial cartoonist, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner
- BM Brenda MartinezMiddle-distance runner who represented the U.S. at the 2016 Olympics after running for UCR
- SP Sherilyn Peace GarnettFederal judge, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- CE Charles E. YoungUCR's first student body president, later chancellor of UCLA
Frequently asked questions
What is UC Riverside's acceptance rate?
UCR admitted 52,676 of 61,184 first-year applicants for fall 2025, about 86%. It is one of the most accessible UC campuses.
Does UC Riverside require the SAT or ACT?
No. UCR is test-free and does not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarships.
When is the UC Riverside application deadline for fall 2027?
Apply through the UC application between October 1 and November 30, 2026. There is no early round, and decisions come out in March 2027.
How much does UC Riverside cost for international students?
For 2026-27, out-of-state and international first-years pay $56,060 in tuition and fees, and the estimated total cost with university housing is $85,809. They are automatically considered for the Achievement Scholarship, worth up to $89,100 over four years.
What GPA do you need for UC Riverside?
The UC minimum is a 3.0 A-G GPA for Californians and 3.4 for nonresidents. Enrolled first-years in fall 2025 averaged a 3.75 high school GPA.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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