In this article, you will learn about UCI acceptance rate for 2023 first-year and transfer students. The University of California, Irvine (UCI) is a public research university located in Irvine, California. It was founded in 1965 and is one of the ten campuses of the University of California system. UCI is a highly-ranked institution, consistently ranked among the top 50 universities in the world by the Academic Ranking of World Universities.
UCI is a comprehensive university with over 36,000 students enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. The university offers over 80 undergraduate majors and 70 graduate programs, including top-ranked programs in computer science, engineering, business, law, and medicine.
UCI is also known for its research excellence, with over $400 million in annual research funding. The university is home to a number of research centers and institutes, including the Beckman Laser Institute, the Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, and the Institute for Software Research.
Also read: UCSD Acceptance Rate 2023 – Complete Guide
UCI Transfer Acceptance Rate
At UCI, transfer students comprise 31.0% of the overall student population. The university received a total of 21,470 transfer applications in 2020, with 8,924 students admitted, indicating a transfer acceptance rate of 41.56%. UC Irvine had an acceptance rate of 20.99% for the year 2022, indicating that only 21 out of every 100 applicants were accepted. The total number of applications received for the class of 2026 was over 142,000, including 119,165 freshman applications and 22,843 transfer applications.
UC Irvine’s acceptance rate differs based on the applicant’s residency status. Out-of-state applicants have an acceptance rate of 73.9%, while international students have an acceptance rate of 37.8%. California residents, on the other hand, have a lower acceptance rate of 20.1%.
| Year | Acceptance Rate |
| 2019 | 26.5% |
| 2020 | 29.9% |
| 2021 | 28.9% |
| 2022 | 21.0% |
What is UC Irvine Transfer Acceptance Rate?
In 2022, UC Irvine had a transfer acceptance rate of 40.7% and a yield of 30%. This indicates that only around 41 out of every 100 transfer applicants were admitted, and of those admitted, 12 accepted the offer of admission. In comparison to the previous year, UCI experienced a 13.7% decline in transfer applications and a 3% rise in the transfer acceptance rate.
Also read: UCLA Rate of Acceptance 2023 – Complete Guide
UC Irvine Acceptance Rate by Major
| Major | Acceptance Rate |
| Aerospace Engineering | 25.2% |
| African-American Studies | 24.5% |
| Anthropology | 33.2% |
| Applied Physics | 51.8% |
| Art | 29.0% |
| Art History | 45.2% |
| Asian American Studies | 27.7% |
| Biological Sciences | 34.9% |
| Biology/Education | 22.3% |
| Biomedical Engineering | 36.7% |
| Business Administration | 16.5% |
| Business Economics | 28.6% |
| Business Information Management | 8.0% |
| Chemical Engineering | 58.3% |
| Chemistry | 30.6% |
| Chicano/Latino Studies | 18.6% |
| Chinese Studies | 34.1% |
| Civil Engineering | 29.0% |
| Cognitive Sciences | 38.0% |
| Comparative Literature | 42.9% |
| Computer Engineering | 32.3% |
| Computer Science | 7.1% |
| Computer Science and Engineering | 40.4% |
| Criminology, Law, and Society | 23.7% |
| Dance | 49.8% |
| Data Science | 26.8% |
| Drama | 31.1% |
| Earth System Science | 61.2% |
| East Asian Cultures | 39.1% |
| Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | 31.2% |
| Economics | 22.2% |
| Education Science | 31.7% |
| Electrical Engineering | 30.9% |
| English | 29.9% |
| Environmental Engineering | 40.4% |
| Film and Media Studies | 19.0% |
| French | 35.1% |
| Global Cultures | 38.1% |
| History | 13.4% |
| Informatics | 20.0% |
| International Studies | 39.1% |
| Literary Journalism | 29.0% |
| Mechanical Engineering | 22.1% |
| Music | 34.6% |
| Nursing Science | 1.6% |
| Pharmaceutical Sciences | 51.5% |
| Philosophy | 38.2% |
| Physics | 52.6% |
| Political Science | 34.0% |
| Psychology | 28.6% |
| Social Ecology | 32.1% |
| Sociology | 34.2% |
| Software Engineering | 22.4% |
| Urban Studies | 36.1% |
Also read: CSU Acceptance Rates 2023
What is UCI SAT and ACT Averages?
Although UC Irvine doesn’t utilize standardized test scores for admission or scholarship consideration, some students choose to submit them.
| Test | Average Score |
| ACT Composite | 27 |
| ACT English | 29 |
| SAT Verbal | 649 |
| SAT Maths | 676 |
| SAT Total | 1325 |
How are Student Offered Admission to UCI According to Gender, Residency & Ethnicity?
UCI’s admission data for the fall of 2021 indicates that these individuals were granted admission to study at UC Irvine.
Gender
- 56.88% Female
- 41.01% Male
- 1.53% Undeclared
- 0.58% Nonbinary
Ethnicity
- American Indian/Alaskan Native – 0.15%
- Asian/Asian American – 29.52%
- Black, non-Hispanic – 2.68%
- Hispanic – 21.05%
- Pacific Highlander – 0.10%
- White, non-Hispanic – 15.59%
- 2 or more ethnicities (URM) – 2.34%
- 2 or more ethnicities (non-URM) – 3.71%
- Unknown – 2.75%
- International – 22.11%
Residency
- 50.29% California residents
- 26.44% Out-of-state students
- 22.11% International students
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What GPA do you need to get into UCI?
For first-year students, California residents must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, whereas non-residents must have a 3.4 GPA to apply. Nonetheless, the admission standards necessitate a 3.95 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Regarding transfer students, in-state applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.4, while out-of-state students need at least a 2.8 GPA to transfer to UC Irvine. The median GPA of students transferring from a California community college to UCI is 3.80, which satisfies the eligibility requirements for the TAG program.
Is UC Irvine difficult to get into?
UC Irvine has a highly competitive admission rate of 28.8%, meaning that only 29 out of every 100 applicants are accepted. If you fulfill the university’s GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and other application requirements, you have a good chance of being accepted.
How Prestigious is UC Irvine?
Based on the latest edition of US News and World Report’s annual college rankings, UCI is ranked as the 34th best school in the country. When considering public institutions alone, UCI is ranked tied for eighth among national colleges. Furthermore, UCI has an impressive first-year retention rate of 94%.
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