Helping Students Apply

The University prefers that applicants use the online application to apply for admission. Filing online helps students file a more accurate and complete application by using error messages to highlight common mistakes and missing information before they file. Additional privacy guards help ensure their information stays secure.

Students who do not have easy online access may download a printable application form. Students who want a copy of the application mailed to them can e-mail ucinfo@ucapplication.net. In their request, they should include their name and address, the term for which they are applying and whether they are a freshman or transfer applicant.

Students may apply to one or more of UC's nine undergraduate campuses using a single application. (The San Francisco campus has its own application and filing procedures.) Not every student can be admitted to his or her first-choice campus. Applying broadly will significantly increase students’ chances of being admitted to a campus where they can fulfill their educational goals.

When to Apply

Application Filing Periods
All campuses except Merced and Berkeley	Fall Quarter 2008	November 1–30, 2007
	Winter Quarter 2009	July 1–31, 2008
	Spring Quarter 2009	October 1–31, 2008
Merced	Fall Semester 2008	November 1–30, 2007
	Spring Semester 2009	July 1–31, 2008
Berkeley	Fall Semester 2008	November 1–30, 2007

The University gives first consideration to students who apply during the filing periods listed in the box above. Applications are accepted after these periods only if space is available. Most campuses stop accepting applications at the end of the filing period or shortly thereafter.

Most majors and programs are open to new students in the fall term. There are fewer openings in the winter and spring terms. Students should check with the campus admissions office if they are considering applying to a term other than fall. Information about which campuses and programs are accepting applications is available online. Students should make sure all SAT and/or ACT scores are sent to the campuses by the time December 2007 test scores are normaly reported. High school transcripts will be requested of admitted students and should be sent by the stated deadline. A student's application will be sent to the campuses he or she designates, and it will be considered simultaneously by each one. Students may apply to different majors at different campuses.

Application Fees

The $60 application fee entitles a student to apply to one UC campus. If a student applies to more than one campus, he or she must pay an additional $60 for each campus selected. These fees are not refundable and are subject to change.

International and Nonimmigrant Students

Applicants must pay a higher application fee of $70 for each campus selected. However, students who meet any of the following conditions qualify to pay the lower application fee of $60 per campus:

• Have lived in California for at least the last 12 months
• Are under 18 and have a parent or legal guardian living in California
• Have a parent, legal guardian or spouse who is an employee of UC
• Currently attend a California high school or college or have attended one for two or more years.

The online application automatically determines the application fee.

Fee Waivers

The University will waive application fees for up to four campuses for students who otherwise would not be able to apply for admission. Students who qualify for fee waivers and who select more than four campuses must pay $60 for each additional choice. To be accepted for the fee waiver program, a student’s family income and size must fall within specific guidelines. Students can apply automatically for a fee waiver within the  online application. For students using the paper application, alternate methods for obtaining a fee waiver are listed in the application booklet under "How to Apply."

The Personal Statement

The personal statement is an important part of the application for admission. The University uses it to learn more about each student as an individual. Early on in the admissions process, each student should review the personal statement guidelines and take time to write, revise and thoroughly proofread the statement before adding it to the application.

Reporting Student Data

Freshman applicants to the University are asked to provide detailed information concerning high school coursework and grades in the Academic History section of the online undergraduate application (called the Self-Reported Academic Record on the paper application). Admissions offices use this record to conduct initial evaluations of students’ academic records and to make preliminary offers of admission. (A formal evaluation of an applicant’s basic eligibility for admission is made by the University later in the admission cycle when official transcripts are presented.)

It is important that applicants complete the Academic History thoroughly and accurately. Students should use grade reports, transcripts and the high school's UC-certified course list; they should not work from memory. Any information that changes after the application is submitted should be reported immediately to the admissions office at each campus to which the student has applied.

Applicants should be reminded that the information on the record will be verified following receipt of the official high school transcript and required test scores. If the University finds any information to be incomplete or inaccurate, the student’s admission to or enrollment in the University may be jeopardized.

In addition to the post-admission verification, the University conducts a pre-admissions verification with a random sample of applicants, who are notified in early January that they must submit verification documents in order to be considered for admission. Applicants may be asked to verify an item from one of the following application sections: Awards/Honors, Extracurricular Activities, Community Service, Educational Participation Programs (formerly Special Program Participation), Work Experience, Academic History and the Personal Statement. Falsification is the basis for a denial or revocation of admission to the University. Failure to submit the required documentation by the deadline will result in applications being withdrawn from further admission consideration at all campuses.

Report All Academic Courses

Students must report in the Academic History, using complete titles, all academic courses completed in grades 9, 10 and 11; all academic courses in progress and planned for grade 12; any math or English college course, and any transferable college/university courses completed, in progress or planned. California students can enter their coursework in the online application directly from their high school's UC-certified course list.

Grades 9, 10 and 11

All grades for all academic courses completed in grades 9, 10 and 11 must be reported. If a course is repeated, both the initial and repeated course and grades earned for both must be shown. Grades earned in the ninth grade will not be used in the GPA calculation for admission purposes.

UC-Certified Honors Courses

Only courses designated as UC-certified honors courses on the school’s official UC-certified course list may be listed as honors. UC-certified honors courses are starred on the list. To indicate a course is a UC-approved honors course, students should enter the appropriate two-letter code in the space provided: AP for Advanced Placement courses, IB for International Baccalaureate courses, HL for other UC-approved honors courses on the school's UC-certified course list and CL for transferable college/university courses. A list of IB courses approved for honors status can be found online; search for "International Baccalaureate."

Term System

In the online application, students are given a choice of term systems and specific instructions for entering year-system courses. For help in filling out the paper application, see the instructions in the application booklet.

Courses Taken Outside the United States

If part or all of the student’s high school education took place outside the United States, the student should complete the Academic History as thoroughly as possible. The University has experienced international admissions specialists who are knowledgeable about different grading systems and methods of reporting coursework in other countries. In general, the student should report grades earned outside the United States exactly as given by his or her school — as numbers, letters, percentages or words.

Provisional Admission

Offers of admission are provisional until the campus receives the student's final official transcript and verifies successful completion of all coursework required for UC eligibility. Both the Subject Requirement and the Examination Requirement must be completed no later than the date of high school graduation. If any information in the application is found to be incomplete or inaccurate, or if a student's performance drops significantly during the senior year, the offer of admission may be revoked. Each campus provides newly admitted students with Conditions for Admission that must be satisfied prior to enrollment at the University.