UC Irvine Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores, GPA

Located in the heart of Orange County, University of California, Irvine is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 29%. Students will generally need a strong application and good test scores to be admitted. As part of the application, students will need to write four short personal insight essays. Since UC Irvine is a part of the University of California system, students can easily apply to multiple schools in that system with one application. The 1,500-acre University of California, Irvine campus has a circular design with Aldrich Park in the center. The park features a network of paths running through gardens and trees. In academics, UC Irvine has many highly ranked programs including biology and health sciences, criminology, English, and psychology. Approximately a third of UCI students live in university housing, and the school has an active Greek system. Considering applying to UC Irvine? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students. Acceptance Rate During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, UC Irvine had an acceptance rate of 29%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 29 students were admitted, making UC Irvines admissions process highly competitive. Admissions Statistics (2017-18) Number of Applicants 95,059 Percent Admitted 29% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 21% SAT Scores and Requirements University of California, Irvine requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 86% of admitted students submitted SAT scores. SAT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th percentile 75th percentile ERW 600 710 Math 630 780 ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing This admissions data tells us that most of UC Irvines admitted students fall within the top 20% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing, 50% of students admitted to UCI scored between 600 and 710, while 25% scored below 600 and 25% scored above 710. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 630 and 780, while 25% scored below 630 and 25% scored above 780. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1490 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at UC Irvine. Requirements UC Irvine requires the SAT writing section. Note that UC Irvine considers the highest SAT with an essay score from a single test date. Subject tests are not required for admission to UC Irvine. ACT Scores and Requirements University of California, Irvine requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2016-17 admissions cycle, 50% of admitted students submitted ACT scores. ACT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th percentile 75th percentile English 23 30 Math 25 31 Composite 25 32 This admissions data tells us that most of UC Irvines admitted students fall within the top 22% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to University of California, Irvine received a composite ACT score between 25 and 32, while 25% scored above 32 and 25% scored below 25. Requirements UC Irvine requires the ACT writing section. Note that UC Irvine does not superscore ACT results; your highest combined score from a single test administration will be considered. GPA In 2018, the middle 50% of University of California, Irvines incoming class had high school GPAs between 4.0 and 4.26. 25% had a GPA above 4.26 and 25% had a GPA below 4.0. These results suggest that most successful applicants to UC Irvine have primarily A grades. Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph UC Irvine Applicants Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex. The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to University of California, Irvine. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in  with a free Cappex account. Admissions Chances University of California, Irvine, which accepts just over one-fourth of applicants, has a very selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the schools average ranges, you have a strong chance of being accepted. Keep in mind that California residents who apply must have a GPA of 3.0 or better with no grade lower than a C in 15 college preparatory a-g courses. For non-residents, your GPA must be 3.4 or better. Local students from participating high schools may also qualify if they are in the top 9 percent of their class. See how to calculate your UC Admissions Index. UCI, like all of the University of California schools, has holistic admissions, so the admissions officers are evaluating students based on more than numerical data. Students who show special talent or have a compelling story to tell will often get a close look even if their grades and test scores are a bit below the norm. Impressive extracurricular activities and strong essays are all important parts of a successful application to UCI. The University of California, Irvine, along with all the other UC schools, does not accept letters of recommendation, unless they are specifically requested. Also, admission interviews are not offered by the university. The university has an 18-to-1 student/faculty ratio, and for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, UC Irvine was awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. In athletics, many of the UCI Anteater teams compete in the NCAA Division I Big West Conference. Popular sports include baseball, basketball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and University of California, Irvine Undergraduate Admissions Office.