Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
U. California-Riverside admits about 8 in 10 applicants (76%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 52% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
$80 to apply
Can be waived for applicants with financial need.
Grants credit for AP exams
Men and women
Men were admitted at 72%, women at 80%.
Yield
12% of admitted students enroll, on the lower end nationally.
Wait list: 3,783 offered a place, 2,019 accepted, 0 admitted (0.0% of those who accepted)
Where you stand
How U. California-Riverside reads a record
and GPA are both very important. 51% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight. Scores aren't read. Most high schools no longer rank; this college doesn't lean on it. Recommends 4 years of math and 3 of science (3 and 2 required). See the years by subject
What they look at
| Very important | Important | Considered | Not considered | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | |||||
| Rigor of high school record | Very important | ||||
| Class rank | Not considered | ||||
| Academic GPA | Very important | ||||
| Test scores | Not considered | ||||
| Essay | Very important | ||||
| Recommendations | Not considered | ||||
| Personal | |||||
| Interview | Not considered | ||||
| Extracurricular activities | Not considered | ||||
| Talent or ability | Important | ||||
| Character and personal qualities | Not considered | ||||
| First generation | Important | ||||
| Alumni relation (legacy) | Not considered | ||||
| Geographic residence | Not considered | ||||
| State residency | Important | ||||
| Religious affiliation | Not considered | ||||
| Volunteer work | Not considered | ||||
| Work experience | Not considered | ||||
| Demonstrated interest | Not considered | ||||
From the federal survey: high school record required; college-prep program required; English proficiency test required
Transferring in
Transfers may start in the fall.
At least 60 semester completed to apply as a transfer.
Minimum college GPA: 2.4
Grants credit for course work completed at another college
Dates
- Fall entry: apply by March 31
What the application needs
- High school transcript
- Not required
- College transcripts
- Required
- Essay or personal statement
- Required
- Interview
- Not required
- Standardized test scores
- Not required
- Statement of good standing from a prior college
- Not required
Applying
The regular round, as the college reports it. Early rounds have their own dates.
- Apply by December 2 for fall 2026.
- Decisions are sent by March 31.
- Admitted students must reply by May 1, or within 3 weeks if admitted later.
- $270 housing deposit, due May 10, refundable.
What you'll need in high school
Requires a high school diploma; accepts the GED.
Requires a college-preparatory program in high school.
| Years of | Required | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| English | 4 | 4 |
| Math | 3 | 4 |
| Science (lab: 2 / 3) | 2 | 3 |
| Foreign language | 2 | 3 |
| Social studies | 0 | 0 |
| History | 2 | 2 |
| Academic electives | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 15 | 18 |
A unit is a year of the subject; lab science is part of science.
On the admissions map
The map plots acceptance rate against SAT scores. University of California-Riverside doesn't report both, so it isn't shown.
Fall 2025 first-years
First-years' high school GPA
Average GPA 3.75
High schools grade differently, and colleges recalculate or weight GPAs their own way, so compare this college only with itself.
First-years by high school GPA (4.0 scale)
- 4.029%
- 3.75–3.9922%
- 3.50–3.7423%
- 3.25–3.4916%
- 3.00–3.249%
- below 3.00%
The middle half had GPAs of 3.25–4.0.
All nine bands
| GPA | Sent test scores |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | 29.0% |
| 3.75–3.99 | 22.2% |
| 3.50–3.74 | 23.0% |
| 3.25–3.49 | 16.2% |
| 3.00–3.24 | 9.2% |
| 2.50–2.99 | 0.4% |
| 2.0–2.49 | 0.0% |
| 1.0–1.99 | 0.0% |
| below 1.0 | 0.0% |
Source:University of California-Riverside Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Test scores
What enrolled first-years scored
Not considered
Scores aren't considered, even if you send them. For students who entered in fall 2024.
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;University of California-Riverside Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;University of California-Riverside Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;University of California-Riverside Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycleAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)