Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
U. California-Merced admits about 9 in 10 applicants (91%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 21% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.
Out of every 100 applicants…
The funnel
Men and women were admitted at similar rates (90% and 91%).
$80 to apply
Grants credit for AP exams
Yield
7% of admitted students enroll, on the lower end nationally.
Where you stand
How U. California-Merced reads a record
GPA, the high school record, and a college-prep program are required. Scores aren't read.
What they look at
- High school GPA
- Required
- High school record
- Required
- Class rank
- Not considered
- College-prep program
- Required
- Recommendations
- Not considered
- Essay
- Required
- Legacy status
- Not considered
- Work experience
- Considered
- Demonstration of competencies
- Not considered
- English proficiency test
- Required
- Other tests
- Not considered
On the admissions map
The map plots acceptance rate against SAT scores. University of California-Merced doesn't report both, so it isn't shown.
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), 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)