UCR International Admission is Within Your Reach
Getting to UC Riverside is easier than you may think. Begin by reviewing the general guidelines for admission to UCR as an undergraduate international Freshman or Transfer student below, then fill out a UC Application during the month of November for admission to the next fall term.
International Freshman Admission Requirements
Students who meet the following requirements have a strong chance for admission to the University of California, Riverside through our Comprehensive Review Process.
- Complete the University of California a-g high school course requirements by the end of the senior year of high school.
- Receive an overall 3.4 or higher grade point average (GPA) in all UC a-g courses taken in grades 10-11.
- Complete, by December of the senior year in high school, the ACT plus Writing or the SAT Reasoning.
In addition, please note that international students who apply to UC Riverside directly from a foreign country where English is not the language of instruction, need to pass either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (score of 550 or higher on the paper based or score of 80 or higher on the Internet Based is required) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (score of 7 or higher is required).
Do You Have a Question About International Admission?
Scroll down to visit our frequently asked questions section with answers to everything from admission requirements to how UC Riverside calculates your GPA.
Country-Specific Academic Requirements
Each country has its own standards for international admission that, in addition to the requirements listed below, must be met. We are in the process of developing these standards for each country; however, what we have completed can be found at Country Specific Guidelines.
Foreign Academic Record Information for Freshman Applicants
If you are offered admission to UC Riverside, you will be required to provide your official academic records to verify the academic information listed on your application.
International Transfer Admission Requirements
International transfer applicants must meet the same requirements as California residents with one exception, the overall grade point average (GPA) in all transferable course work must be 2.8 or higher. To view the transfer requirements, please visit the Paths to Admission page, then click on the tab for "Transfer Admission."
In addition, please note that international students who apply to UC Riverside directly from a foreign country where English is not the language of instruction, need to pass either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (score of 550 or higher on the paper based or score of 80 or higher on the Internet Based is required) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (score of 7 or higher is required).
International students can apply to UC Riverside directly from an international university; however, the majority of international students who gain admission to our campus, begin at a California Community College (CCC) and then transfer to our campus after having met all transfer requirements.
UC Riverside has transfer course agreements (articulation agreements) with all CCC's, meaning that you can know up front if the courses you take at a CCC are transferable to UC Riverside and whether they will satisfy your major requirements. You can find these course-to-course agreements at www.assist.org. We do not have such agreements with international universities or, for the most part, other four year universities in the USA.
Transfer Admission Guarantee
International students who begin their education at a CCC are encouraged to sign up for a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG). The TAG gives CCC transfer students written guarantees of admission to UC Riverside, in their first choice major.
A TAG is a formal, written agreement that outlines the courses you must complete and grade point average you must earn before transferring from a CCC. Written at any time during your enrollment at a CCC, it lists specific requirements for selective majors and guarantees your admission to UC Riverside in the major you choose.
You are considered an international applicant if you need a visa in order to reside and study in the United States. If you are a US citizen, permanent resident, refugee or asylee, you will be considered a domestic applicant even if you currently reside outside the US.
Back to top
You are a transfer applicant if you have completed secondary school and enrolled in a college or university. You may not disregard your college record and apply as a freshman.
Back to top
View a quarterly schedule of fees and tuition for non-residents of California. Fees are subject to change.
Back to top
It would be very beneficial for us to receive course syllabi/descriptions to help determine transferability of coursework.
Back to top
All freshman applicants must complete 15 yearlong high school courses, otherwise known as the a-g course requirements. However, we do make a few exceptions for international students as follows:
- The History requirement (a. requirement) requires that students complete 2 years of history as follows, one year of World History and one year of US history. International students can replace the one year of US history with the history of their country of instruction.
- The English requirement (b. requirement) requires that students complete 4 years of college-preparatory English. International students can replace this with 4 years of college-preparatory language of their instruction.
- The Language other than English requirement (e. requirement) requires that students complete 2 years of the same language other than English. International students, who complete the b. requirement with their language of instruction, must complete this requirement with the English language.
Back to top
English taught in non-English speaking countries. Vocational type courses are generally non-transferable. We are looking for courses that are similar to what is taught on our campus. You can view the courses taught on our campus in our UCR General Catalog, which can be found at http://catalog.ucr.edu/
Back to top
When a student is admitted, translated transcripts/records are required as well as official transcripts/records in the native language. Transcripts and records must be translated by a certified translator familiar with educational records.
Back to top
Universities reserve the right to determine what is transferable and what is not.
Back to top
The Riverside campus makes every effort to eliminate all barriers to orderly progress from California community colleges into UC Riverside's programs. To this end, courses from many California community colleges have been reviewed by UC Riverside faculty and approved as acceptable toward meeting lower-division major or general education requirements. Although course equivalencies for the general education requirement may be liberally interpreted for purposes of transfer, courses to be applied toward school and departmental major requirements must be more precisely equated with UC Riverside courses in unit value and in content.
Back to top
UC Riverside may consider granting you transfer credit toward your bachelor's degree for Advanced Level examinations with grades of C or better. The exact credit amount will be determined after you have been formally admitted and you provide your official certificate. An official statement of results must come directly from the examination board.
Back to top
We will transfer 70 semester (105 quarter) units from a two-year institution. We do not max the number of units from four-year institutions.
Back to top
UC Riverside does not require proof of financial support until a student has been admitted and submits his/her Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). If a student is admitted and SIRs, we only require proof for their first year.
Back to top
Students who earn scores of 3, 4, or 5 on the College Board AP examinations will receive credit toward graduation at UC Riverside. Students completing the IB diploma with a score of 30 or above will receive 30 quarter units (20 semester units) total toward their UC undergraduate degree. The University grants 8 quarter units (51/3 semester units) credit for certified IB Higher Level examinations on which a student scores 5, 6, or 7. The University does not grant credit for Standard Level examinations. Some higher-level examinations may be used to fulfill course requirements in lower-division major or general education requirements. UC Riverside does not award credit for College Level Examination Programs (CLEP).
Back to top
UC Riverside partners with the UC Riverside Extension, Intensive English Language Programs, to provide pathways to admission for non-English speaking international students. You would begin by completing the Intensive English Program offered at UC Riverside Extension after high school graduation. Once you complete the program, you can enroll at a California Community College (CCC) under a Transfer Admission Guarantee program (TAG). Once you complete all requirements at the CCC, your admission will be guaranteed to UC Riverside.
Back to top
We use the United States (U.S.) A-F grading scale (A being high and F being failing). International students who are awarded grades using a different grading scale will have their grades converted during the application review process by the UCR Undergraduate Admissions Office. The GPA is calculated by adding together all grades received (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, and F=0) in a-g courses in the 10-11 grade and dividing by the total number of courses. Honors points (A=5, B=4, C=3) may be awarded for Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate curriculums.
Back to top
For students who have just completed their secondary school program and have not entered a college or university, UC Riverside Admissions will consider students who, after graduating from high school, complete the Intensive English Language Program offered at UC Riverside Extension and, upon completion of the program, take the required ACT/SAT examinations here in the United States. In addition, students who complete the Intensive English Language program can also meet the TOEFL exam requirement by taking the TOEFL Institutional paper based exam (minimum score needed is 550) upon completion of the program.
Back to top
This index, similar to the index for California residents, provides a range of GPAs (beginning with 3.4) and corresponding total ACT/SAT exam scores that must be achieved to meet UC eligibility.
The eligibility index for non-resident applicants is:
To review the eligibility index visit the University of California Web site.
Back to top
Information on the TOEFL can be found at www.ets.org/toefl
Information on the IELTS can be found at www.ielts.org
Back to top
When you apply, you must report all foreign course work as it would appear on your foreign academic record. Do not translate foreign grades to U.S. grades or use an evaluation done by a private evaluation company or another high school on your application. If your grades appear as numbers, words or characters, please report them as such in your application. If your academic record has "word" grades and there is not enough space to write them, you may abbreviate and include a grade scale explanation in the Comments area of the application for admission and/or in your personal statement.
Back to top
When completing your application for admission, read all application instructions pertaining to reporting your IB coursework and examinations. If you are completing the entire diploma program, you must still report your school subjects and grades completed each year in preparation for the diploma (if applicable). Report these subjects and grades as they will appear on your school academic records. If your school uses grades other than the 1-7 IB grading scale, please report the grading scale in your Personal Statement. We will need to know the full scale of grades from highest to failing. We will also need you to indicate which grade is the lowest passing grade.
Back to top