Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Admissions

1. How do I know if I am an International Student?

You are considered an international applicant if you are not a U.S. citizen or a U.S. permanent resident and you need an F-1 or J-1 non-immigrant student visa in order to study in the United States.
As an international undergraduate, you may apply to UC Merced as a freshman or transfer student, depending on your level of education.

2. Who is an International Freshman Applicant?

• You are still in secondary school.
• You have completed secondary school with very good grades and earned a certificate of completion which enables you to be admitted to a university in your home country.
• You have not enrolled in a regular session at any college or university.

3. Who is an International Transfer Applicant?

• If you are enrolled in a regular session at a tertiary institution (college or university) after completion of secondary school..
• IMPORTANT: You may not disregard your college record and apply as a freshman

4. Can you recommend specific documents an undergraduate should submit to assist in
    the transfer credit decision-making process?

It would be very beneficial for us to receive course syllabi/descriptions to help determine transferability of coursework.

5. What courses in an international curriculum generally do not transfer to U.S. universities?

English taught in non-English speaking countries. Vocational type courses are generally non-transferable. You should look for courses that are similar to those taught at UC campuses. You can view the courses taught on our campus at: http://registrar.ucmerced.edu/resources/catalog 

6. When should official academic records be sent?

• We do not request official transcripts/records until a student is admitted. Because it may take some time for schools outside the United States to forward your records to us, you are encouraged to have photocopies of your academic records and an official translation of any documents not in English. During our evaluation of your application, we may request a copy of your academic record. Please be prepared to send them at our request.
• IMPORTANT: All academic records must list the dates you attended the 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. It may be called by another name — such as leaving certificate, maturity certificate, etc. — in your country.

7. Are letters of recommendation required?

No, UC does not require or solicit letters of recommendation for undergraduate admission.

8. Why is an official academic record so important to U.S. universities?

An official academic record is important because we need to verify self-reported academic information on the UC application with an official academic record.
An academic record must come directly from the institution in a sealed envelope.  Failure to provide official academic records may jeopardize your enrollment at the university.

9. Should students have their academic records translated?

If you are admitted, translated academic records are required as well as official academic records in the native language.
Academic records must be translated by a certified translator familiar with educational records.

10. Do you require the SAT for international students? For transfer students?

The SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT plus Writing Test are required for all prospective freshmen applicants. These tests are NOT required for junior-level transfer applicants.

11. Can the student sit for exams after the application deadline date?

The UC system will not accept scores for tests taken after December 31 for the preceding November filing period.

12. Are tuition and fees different for international and domestic students?

International undergraduate students are considered as non-residents of California and are required to pay non-resident tuition in addition to fees paid by legal residents of California.
For the most current fee information, please visit the Web site for the Office of the Registrar at: http://registrar.ucmerced.edu/policies/fees  

13. Does UC Merced award credit for College Level Examination Programs (CLEP,
      Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams? How much?

• UC Merced does not award credit for College Level Examination Programs (CLEP).
• Students who earn scores of 3, 4, or 5 on the College Board AP examinations will receive between 2.7 to 5.3 semester units.  Please see the AP chart in the UC Merced General Catalog at: http://registrar.ucmerced.edu/resources/catalog 
• Students completing the IB diploma with a score of 30 or above will receive 20 semester (elective credit) units total toward their UC undergraduate degree. The University grants 5.3 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.

14. What if my question is not answered on this list?

Please e-mail us at: admissions@ucmerced.edu