International Admission

The credentials of an international applicant — a student who holds or expects to hold a student, exchange, visitor, diplomatic, or any other visa and who wishes to attend school in the United States as an undergraduate — are evaluated in accordance with the general regulations governing admission. UCR uses the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) for all nonimmigrant F- and J-status students.

An application and fee should be mailed to the address listed on the application form, or students may apply electronically during the priority filing periods at www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergradapp.

Early in the application filing period, students should submit the following to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions: official certificates and detailed transcripts of record, including hours and marks, accompanied by English translations; results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination, or Advanced Placement exam in International English Language (APIEL) if taken before June 2002; course syllabi; a Confidential Financial Statement; and a copy of the identification pages of the student’s passport. This will allow time for exchange of necessary correspondence and, if the applicant is admitted, help the student in obtaining the necessary visa.

Comprehensive Review is the process by which UCR evaluates UC-eligible freshman applicants 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 UC-eligible freshman applicants. The faculty of UCR have designated the measures described below to be used to calculate the AIS. Admission to UCR will be determined within the context of campus enrollment goals. Although no particular AIS will guarantee admission to UCR, prospective students who strive for the highest possible AIS increase their likelihood for admission.

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 uncapped GPA is calculated on the basis of all “a-g” subject requirement courses and all UC-approved honors courses taken in grades 10 and 11. An uncapped GPA considers the extra points earned for honors-level courses and may exceed 4.0 for some students. An applicant’s uncapped GPA is multiplied by 175 and added to the AIS.

SAT Reasoning Test (or ACT Assessment Plus Writing) and SAT Subject Tests Standardized test scores provide another effective measure for determining the potential for success of a UCR applicant. The scores for the SAT Reasoning Test (or ACT Assessment plus Writing) and two SAT Subject Tests are totaled and added to the AIS.

“a-g” Courses Beyond the Minimum Taking and performing well in “a-g” subject courses beyond the minimum requirements demonstrate that a student is committed to obtaining a good education. Applicants who take one or more additional “a-g” course receive 63 points toward the AIS.

Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) Under ELC, the top four percent of students in each participating California high school class will be designated UC-eligible in the local context on the basis of performance and course work taken during high school. ELC applicants receive 200 points toward the AIS.

Low Family Income Students who demonstrate high academic achievement, despite low socioeconomic status, are likely to exhibit persistence, maturity, and insight. Qualifying for low family income can add up to 34 points toward the AIS.

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 and receive 34 points toward the AIS. An applicant from another country whose native language is not English must achieve a score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 79 (Internet-based) on the TOEFL or a score of 7 on the IELTS. Although the APIEL is no longer administered, UCR accepts a score of 3 or better on an APIEL test taken on or before June 2002.

Students may receive more information about the TOEFL at toefl.org.

Students may receive more information about the IELTS at www.ielts.org.

Results of the test should be forwarded to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Applicants living locally should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (see address below) for further information concerning other test options or completion of an acceptable English composition course to clear the requirement.

Generally, financial assistance from the university is not available to nonimmigrant visa students. International students must provide proof that they possess sufficient funds to meet their educational commitments while studying in the United States. International students are considered nonresidents of California and are assessed the nonresident tuition in addition to the fees paid by legal residents of California.

For inquiries about the admission of international undergraduate students:

International Specialist Office of Undergraduate Admissions 1120 Hinderaker Hall University of California, Riverside Riverside, CA 92521 U.S.A.; ugadmiss@ucr.edu