In the Campuses & Majors section of the application, select UC Merced.
Important Reminders:
You do not need to submit the SAT or ACT. UC Merced will not use them for admission or scholarship selection.
You are not required to submit transcripts to apply; however, it's a good idea to have a copy of your unofficial records to help you complete your application.
APPLICATION FEE AND WAIVERS
The cost to submit your application is $80 per UC campus ($95 for international and non-immigrant applicants).
You can make your payment either by credit card or by mail, just be sure to follow the instructions in the application.
Once your application has been submitted, you are expected to pay for all your campus choices, even if you cancel your application at a later date. The application fees are non-refundable.
FEE WAIVERS
UC will waive application fees for up to four campuses for qualified students who would otherwise be unable to apply for admission. The fee waiver program is for United States citizens, permanent residents, and applicants eligible for AB540 benefits.
Fee waivers can’t be applied to more than four campuses, regardless of their source (e.g., UC, CollegeBoard/SAT).
If you apply to more than four, you’ll need to pay $80 for each additional choice.
HOW TO APPLY FOR A FEE WAIVER
You can see if you automatically qualify for a fee waiver within the application.
If you enter your family size and income in the “About you” section, you will see if you’ve qualified for an application fee waiver when you select your campuses in the "Campuses & majors" section (a message will appear on that page with real-time feedback about how many campuses you can apply to for free).
SELECTING A MAJOR
You can view our majors here. UC Merced offers a number of programs to help prepare you for your future goals.
At UC Merced, we understand that you might not yet know your chosen field of study as a high school student, so we encourage you to select a major that you are interested in pursuing or just apply undeclared.
Selection as a Freshman applicant is not based on your major. You'll have the opportunity to work with your academic advisor to switch your major in the future.
Admission as a transfer applicant is based on your major preparation and changing your major is not encouraged and may not be possible after your admission.
HELP, TOOLS, AND TIPS
APPLICATION APPOINTMENTS
Our admissions staff are available for one-on-one appointments to assist you with applications throughout November. Whether it's a question about your Personal Insight Questions (PIQs), academic history, or if you'd just like someone to review your application before you hit submit, we're here to help.
We offer several events during the fall to help you complete your application, including application webinars and live chats. You can view previous events as on-demand replays on this page.
ADMISSIONS & FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOPS
Join us for the first admissions and financial aid webinar this spring.
PERSONAL INSIGHT QUESTIONS
Need help on your Personal Insight Questions? View our PIQ Video below!