Founded in 1967, the University of California at Irvine is one of the youngest schools in the vaunted UC system.
But in less than 60 short years, the school has established itself as one of the best in the nation.
In fewer than six decades, UC Irvine has trained and graduated people who have gone on to win some of the most important awards in the world, including Nobel Laureate David MacMillian and Pulitzer Prize winners Michael Chabon and Richard Ford.
As that short list indicates, UC Irvine trains its students to be the best at what they do. That training comes in part from its outstanding resources.
With an endowment of over 1.3 billion, the school is well-funded and able to provide its students with the best possible support.
One of those resources is the UC Irvine Medical Center. Both a teaching hospital and a level-1 trauma center, the Medical Center features 411 beds.
Thanks to programs such as the school’s outreach clinic, medical students have access to a wide range of patients and care opportunities.
Likewise, the school takes advantage of its proximity to the University of California Natural Reserve System to create its Earth System Science Department.
The first department of its kind in the United States, the ESSD helps students prepare for the challenges of climate change. Through their studies, these students find answers to our most pressing concerns.
With so many wonderful offerings, it’s no surprise that even those already in a degree program may want to transfer to UC Irvine.
UC Irvine Transfer Acceptance Rate
The transfer acceptance rate at UC Irvine is 41.56%
Anyone who has tried to transfer from one university to another can tell you that it’s generally much harder to switch schools than to enroll as a freshman. But that’s not the case at UC Irvine.
UC Irvine’s 41.56% acceptance rate for transfer students is considerably higher than its standard 29.9% acceptance rate. In fact, more than 30% of the student body consists of transfers from other schools.
Why the high number? The reason is actually quite simple.
Like other parts of the University of California system, UC Irvine works closely with community colleges in the state to streamline the process. The classes offered at these schools prepare students to join UC institutions.
For that reason, UC Irvine works hard to ensure that community college students find a home on its campus.
In addition to simplified transfer schedules, the school also features specialized programs and counselors to help transfers make their way through the new campus.
That said, the emphasis on community college transfers does somewhat diminish the difficulty of transferring from a different type of institution, such as an out-of-state school.
UC Irvine does consider transfers from such intuitions but accepts them with far less regularity.
Application Requirements & GPA
The required GPA for transfer students at UC Irvine is 2.40
While UC Irvine makes it easy for students to transfer from a California community college, they don’t offer automatic admission.
The school still does reject 58% of those who apply to transfer. For your best shot of being among those accepted, it’s important to understand the requirements for admission.
Like its sisters in the University of California system, UC Irvine accepts transfers from those who have completed freshmen and sophomore courses.
The school does make some exceptions, but those are relatively rare. During those first two years, students should take all of their major prerequisites, including courses in math and English.
Furthermore, certain degree programs have additional requirements. For example, those who want to transfer into the art program at UC Irvine must provide a portfolio, while acting or music students must pass an audition.
As already established, the large majority of those transferring to UC Irvine come from California community colleges. Those coming from an out-of-state school must meet a higher standard, including earning a 2.80 GPA.
While these are the minimum requirements needed to transfer to UC Irvine, they do not guarantee acceptance. The higher your GPA, especially in courses related to your major, the more likely you are to transfer.
UC Irvine Transfer Deadline
The transfer deadline for UC Irvine is November 30th
As we’ve seen already, UC Irvine strives to make it easy for students to transfer to the school. One of the more essential aspects of that streamlined approach is its transfer deadline.
As part of the University of California system, UC Irvine uses the same deadlines as all of its sister schools.
For that reason, both the transfer and freshman fall admission application deadlines are in November, with the deadline for freshmen applicants occurring between November 1st – 30th.
It may not seem important at first, but the similarities in deadlines help applicants in a number of ways.
First, it helps with the assessment process, as transfer students are evaluated at the same time as other applicants.
Second, it means that the application schedule fits nicely with transfer hopefuls’ studies, lessening the burden of gathering materials and submitting them.
But despite the streamlined process and similarities, there is one key difference in the application deadlines for transfers and freshmen.
Should a freshman hoping to attend UC Irvine miss the November 30th deadline, they still have the opportunity to apply by July 31st and start attending school in the Winter semester. Because UC Irvine only admits them during the fall, transfers do not have that second chance.
With only one opportunity per year to apply, transfer students must not miss that November 30th application deadline.
What Is the Decision Date for UC Irvine?
The decision date for UC Irvine transfers is by April 30th.
In nearly every other case, Universities inform transfer applicants of their decision very quickly. In some cases, students need to wait only a few weeks before they learn of the school’s decision.
But that’s not the case for UC Irvine, which does not inform students of their decision until the following spring.
There’s no question that the longer response time can be frustrating for students. But UC Irvine does not extend that wait time without reason.
In fact, the longer decision time stems directly from the school’s desire to admit as many transfer students as they possibly can.
In order to determine who they can admit, the school must take several factors into consideration, including the number of students they must admit.
That means tallying not only the incoming freshman class but also those who come in through the University of California Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG).
TAG promises that California community college students who meet specific benchmarks will be admitted to UC Irvine or other participating schools without fear of denial.
TAG is an excellent thing for transfer students, but it does mean that schools such as UC Irvine need to know how many students are using the option before they can determine the number of available slots for transfers applying through different means.
In short, it takes a long time for UC Irvine to make a decision precisely because they want as many transfer students as possible.
Deciding Whether You Should Transfer to UC Irvine
For some, these requirements and deadlines may be overwhelming, if not outright discouraging.
But it’s important to remember why someone would go through all the trouble to leave a college they’re already attending to study at UC Irvine.
The reason is simple: UC Irvine is one of the best schools in the nation.
According to the respected U.S. News & World Report, UC Irvine is the 36th best school in the United States, tied with Boston College.
The school does equally well on the site’s specialized rankings, coming in the top fifty on lists of Best Undergraduate Teaching, Most Innovative Schools, and Top Public Schools.
UC Irvine earns similar praise from Niche.com, which gives the school an A+ grade. In particular, the site singles out the university for its outstanding academics, diverse campus, and overall value.
Niche also places UC Irvine high on individual lists, putting it among the top five on its lists of Best Hispanic-Serving Institutions in America and Best Colleges for Criminal Justice in America.
With so much praise directed at UC Irvine, it’s easy to see why one would go through all the trouble of applying to transfer.
RECAP: How to Apply As a Transfer Student to UC Irvine
As has been made clear, the University of California at Irvine considers transfers to be a valuable part of its student body.
They do everything they can to make the transfer process as easy as possible, especially for those coming from a California community college.
That said, there are still plenty of steps to keep in mind.
If you are coming to UC Irvine from a California community college, then you have several resources at your disposal.
You can take advantage of the Transfer Admission Guarantee and use helpful programs such as ASSIST.
All of these programs have been designed for transfer students at community colleges, ensuring a smooth and successful transition into the UC system.
But even if you’re not coming from a California community college, UC Irvine has ways of supporting you as you apply. The requirements may be a bit more stringent, but the school has admissions counselors on hand to work with you throughout the process.
No matter what school you’re applying from, you must have your application completed by the November 30th deadline.
UC Irvine does not allow transfers to join the school in the Winter or Summer semesters, which means that you only have one chance each year to complete your application.
Not only must transcripts and the application be completed by that time, but you must also provide any additional materials required by your program, such as a portfolio or audition.
With so many materials to submit, it’s no surprise that it takes quite some time for the school to provide a decision.
In most cases, UC Irvine does not inform transfer students of its decision until April 30th. While such a long wait can be disheartening, you can use that time to prepare for the upcoming semester by applying for scholarships designed for transfer students.
Transferring from one college to another is always a difficult and time-consuming process. But UC Irvine does everything within its power to make that process as easy as possible.
