International Students | Office of Undergraduate Admissions | UCI (2024)

To be considered for first-year admission, international applicants must meet the same subject requirements as all other applicants.

You must have completed secondary school with excellent grades/marks in academic subjects and have earned a certificate of completion that enables you to be admitted to a university in your home country and is equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma. You also must have never been enrolled as a university student after graduating high school.

The following academic subject requirements must be completed with a minimum average GPA of 3.4:

• Two years of history (in place of U.S. History, history of your country)
• Four years of the language of instruction at your school
• Three years (four years recommended) of college-preparatory mathematics*
  *Math courses taken in the seventh and eighth grades/intermediate school may be used to fulfill part of this requirement. Integrated math courses (e.g. Math I, Math II, etc.) with geometry content may be equated with a standard course in geometry.
• Two years (three years recommended) of college-preparatory science, including or integrating topics that provide fundamental knowledge in two of these three subjects: biology, chemistry, or physics.
• Two years (three years recommended) ofalanguage other than the language of instruction at your school
• One year long course (or 2 semesters) of visual and performing arts(dance, drama/theater, music, visual art, or interdisciplinary arts, etc.)
• One year additional course from any subject areas above
• Additional information on meeting academic subject (A-G) requirements for international and/or mixed records can be found on page 13-14 in the Quick Reference Guide to UC Admissions

English Proficiency Requirements

If you've completed all or some high school or secondary school at an institution where English was not the language of instruction, you will be required to demonstrate English proficiency. If you have had less than three years of instruction in English by the time of high school graduation, then you will be required to demonstrate English proficiency.

You can demonstrate proficiency by meeting any of the following exam benchmarks:

• Score 24 or higher for the ACT English Language Arts (ELA)
• Score 31 or higher on Writing and Language in the SAT
• Score 3, 4 or 5 on the AP examination in English Language and Composition, or English Literature and Composition
• Score 6 or 7 on the IB Standard Level examination in English (Language A only)
• Score 5, 6 or 7 on the IB Higher Level examination in English (Language A only)
• Score 6.5 or higher on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• Score 6.5 or higher on the IELTS Indicator (Fall 2022 only)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)* examination:
  • Internet-based test (iBT) or iBT Home Edition: Minimum score of 80 or better
  • Paper-delivered test: Minimum score of 60 or better
• Duolingo English Test (DET): Minimum score of 115*Note: UC does not accept MyBest TOEFL; only the highest composite score from a single sitting is allowed.

The following faculty-approved selection criteria are taken into consideration:

• Academic grade point average in all completed academic subject requirements courses
• Number of, content of and performance in academic courses beyond the minimum academic subject requirements
• Number of and performance in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate Higher Level,Advanced Level (A-Level), and transferable college courses
• Quality of your senior year(final year of high school)program, as measured by the type and number of academic courses in progress or planned
• Quality of academic performance relative to the educational opportunities available at your high school
• Outstanding performance in one or more academic subject areas
• Outstanding work in one or more special projects in any academic field of study
• Recent, marked improvement in academic performance as demonstrated by academic GPA and the quality of coursework completed or in progress
• Special talents, achievements, and awards in a particular field, such as visual and performing arts, communication or athletic endeavors; special skills, such as demonstrated written and oral proficiency in other languages; special interests, such as intensive study and exploration of other cultures; experiences that demonstrate unusual promise for leadership, such as significant community service or significant participation in student government; or other significant experiences or achievements that demonstrate your promise for contributing to the intellectual vitality of the campus
• Completion of special projects undertaken in the context of the high school curriculum or in conjunction with special school events, projects or programs
• Academic accomplishments in light of your experiences and special circ*mstances, including but not limited to: disabilities, low family income, first generation to attend college, need to work, disadvantaged social or educational environment, difficult personal and family situations or circ*mstances, refugee status, or veteran status
• Location of your secondary school and residence

Your personal insight questions should be exactly that – personal. This is your opportunity to tell us about yourself, what matters to you, your hopes, ambitions, life experiences, and inspirations. Key points about the personal insight questions include:

• First-Year applicants choose four out of eight questions to answer
• Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words

We encourage you to take your time. Be open, be reflective, and be honest. Your personal insight questions provide context for the rest of your application.

Learn More

As an international student studying in a foreign education system, you may be required to meet additional requirements specific to your secondary school curriculum or country:

International Baccalaureate (IB)

Students enrolled in an IB Diploma Program (IBDP) are encouraged to earn scores of 5 or higher on IB subject exams.

UC Irvine does not use predicted scores as the only factor for admission. However, if predicted IB scores are available at the time you submit the application, you should enter the predicted scores on the International External Exams page of the application, under the Test Scores tab. If predicted IB scores are not available, you do not need to report them and you do not need to submit them at a later date (unless another campus requests that you do so).

• Additional information on IB credit can be found in the UC Irvine Catalog.

British System

• Students must complete at least 5 IGCSE/GCSE/GCE O Levels and at least 3 GCE A Levels with a B result or better to be considered for admission.
• Report your subjects and grades (and predicted scores if available) on the International External Exams page of the application, under the Test Scores tab.

China

• You must complete 12 years of education and receive your certificate of graduation. We do require that you report coursework completed in grade 9-12 on the application.

India

• You must complete both Class X and XII State Board or CBSE examinations. Competitive applicants typically achieve high marks, primarily A1 and A2 grades or scores above 80. Report your subject exams and grades on the International External Exams page of the application, under the Test Scores tab.

Singapore

• You must complete at least 5 Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Levels, and at least 3 academic Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level H2 exams with B results or better. UC Irvine does not consider H1 level exam results. Report your subjects and grades on the International External Exams page of the application, under the Test Scores tab.

Curriculum not listed above

• You must complete a rigorous college preparatory program that includes the minimum academic subject requirement courses (see above). UC Irvine is aware that many school systems may not offer similar courses, but we do expect students to take challenging courses offered in their schools.

We do not request official transcripts/records until you are admitted and after you submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). If needed, we will request unofficial transcripts/records to help clarify self-reported information on your application.

Each transcript/record must list the dates you attended each institution; the titles of courses and examinations you completed; the grades (marks) you received; the credit, hours, or units earned; and any degree or diploma you may have received.

Your transcripts/records also may be referred to by another name in your country, such as mark sheets, leaving certificate, maturity certificate, etc.

We do not offer financial assistance for international students. We recommend that you search for external scholarships for financial assistance.