Getting in
For Fall 2025, 47,985 first-year students applied to UC Merced, 46,564 were admitted and 1,982 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 97%.
Source: UC Merced Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1. Read Sep 30, 2026.
By residency, first-year applicants, Fall 2025
| Applicants | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| California residents | 43,388 | 41,849 | 96.5% |
| Out-of-state | 1,365 | 1,172 | 85.9% |
| International | 4,386 | 3,571 | 81.4% |
Source: UC Merced Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1, residency table. Read Sep 30, 2026.
By school or major. UC Merced's Common Data Set reports one first-year acceptance rate for the whole campus, with no rate by school or major.
Source: UC Merced Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab). Read Sep 30, 2026.
Early decision and early action. UC Merced has no early decision or early action plan. The Common Data Set answers no to both.
Source: UC Merced Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections C21 and C22. Read Sep 30, 2026.
Programs with extra requirements
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
One UC Merced program has its own application on top of the UC application:
- SJV PRIME+ BS to MD. Submit your UC application by November 20, 2026, earlier than the systemwide deadline, with a qualifying major (Biological Sciences, Bioengineering, Chemistry or Public Health) and the BS to MD track selected. You need at least a 3.6 UC GPA, a supplemental application and two letters of recommendation, due the first Friday in December.
The program looks for applicants with deep ties to the San Joaquin Valley. Only first-year applicants who apply on time directly to UC Merced are reviewed for it.
Source: UC Merced Admissions, SJV PRIME+ Admissions Criteria (opens in a new tab). Read Sep 30, 2026.
Majors
47 majors across 3 schools. Every undergraduate degree in UC Merced's official 2026-2027 Catalog, grouped by the school that offers it, with the degree it leads to. Emphases are listed under their major; minors and graduate programs are left out.
School of Engineering12
- Aerospace Engineering (B.S.)
- Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering (B.S.)
- Bioengineering (B.S.)Emphases: Biomedical Instrumentation; Biotechnology; Pre-Medical.
- Chemical Engineering (B.S.)Emphases: Aerospace; Computational; Materials Science and Engineering; Nanotechnology; Semiconductor.
- Civil Engineering (B.S.)
- Computer Science and Engineering (B.S.)Emphasis: Artificial Intelligence.
- Data Science and Analytics (B.A.)Emphases: Behavioral Modeling Analytics; Business Analytics; Environment and Sustainability Analytics; Policy Analytics.
- Electrical Engineering (B.S.)Emphases: Computer Engineering; Electric Vehicle; Ground and Aerial Robotics; Machine Learning; Power Systems; Semiconductor Devices; Sustainable Energy.
- Environmental Engineering (B.S.)
- Management of Innovation, Sustainability and Technology (B.A.)Emphases: Custom; Innovation Management; Sustainability Management; Technology Management.
- Materials Science and Engineering (B.S.)Emphases: Aerospace Materials; Computational; Nanotechnology; Semiconductor.
- Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)Emphases: Aerospace Engineering; Agricultural Technology.
Source: UC Merced 2026-2027 Catalog, Academic Programs, School of Engineering (opens in a new tab). Read Sep 30, 2026.
School of Natural Sciences9
- Applied Mathematical Sciences (B.S.)Emphases: Computational and Data Sciences; Computational Biology; Education; Computer Science; Custom; Economics; Engineering; Environmental; Physics.
- Biochemistry (B.S.)Emphases: Education; Pre-Pharmacy.
- Biological Sciences (B.A.)Emphasis: Education.
- Biological Sciences (B.S.)Emphases: Developmental Biology; Education; General Biology; Human Biology; Microbiology and Immunology; Molecular and Cell Biology.
- Chemistry (B.S.)Emphases: Biological Chemistry; Chemistry; Education; Materials Chemistry.
- Data Science and Computing (B.S.)Emphases: Applied Mathematics; Biology; Chemistry; Custom; Environmental Systems Science; Materials Science and Engineering; Physics.
- Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology (B.S.)Emphases: Education; Pre-Health.
- Environmental Systems Science (B.S.)Emphases: Earth and Climate Science; Ecosystem Science; Education.
- Physics (B.S.)Emphases: Astrophysics; Biophysics and Soft Matter; Computation and Data Science; Custom; Education; Engineering and Applied Physics; Mathematical and Computational Physics; Quantum Science and Technology.
Source: UC Merced 2026-2027 Catalog, Academic Programs, School of Natural Sciences (opens in a new tab). Read Sep 30, 2026.
School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts26
- Accounting (B.S.)
- Anthropology (B.A.)
- Business Administration (B.A.)Emphases: Financial Economics; Management.
- Cognitive Science (B.A.)Emphases: Cognitive Neuroscience; Computation and Cognition; Language and Culture.
- Cognitive Science (B.S.)Emphases: Cognitive Neuroscience; Computation and Cognition; Language and Culture.
- Communication and Media (B.A.)Emphases: Linguistics; Media Production.
- Critical Race and Ethnic Studies (B.A.)Emphasis: Teaching Social Sciences.
- Economics (B.A.)
- Economics (B.S.)Emphases: Economic Analysis and Policy; Quantitative Economics.
- Environmental Humanities (B.A.)
- Global Arts Studies (B.A.)Emphases: Performance Studies; Visual Studies.
- History (B.A.)Emphasis: Teaching Social Sciences.
- Liberal Studies (B.A.)Emphases: Humanities and Arts; Social Science.
- Literatures in English (B.A.)Emphases: Literature and Social Justice; Literature and the Environment.
- Management and Business Economics (B.S.)
- Neuroscience (B.A.)
- Neuroscience (B.S.)Emphases: Computational, Perceptual, and Cognitive Neuroscience; Molecular, Cellular, and System Neuroscience; Neuroscience of Human Health and Development; Pre-Med.
- Philosophy (B.A.)
- Political Science (B.A.)Emphases: American Politics; Comparative Politics; International Relations; Law and Policy.
- Psychology (B.A.)Emphases: Health Psychology; Social Psychology.
- Public Health (B.A.)
- Public Health (B.S.)Emphasis: Pre-Med.
- Science, Technology, and Ethics (B.S.)
- Sociology (B.A.)Emphases: Community Studies; Health, Medicine, and Society; Justice, Law, and Society; Race and Racial Justice.
- Spanish (B.A.)
- Writing Studies (B.A.)Emphasis: Creative Writing.
Source: UC Merced 2026-2027 Catalog, Academic Programs, School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts (opens in a new tab). Read Sep 30, 2026.
Deadlines for Fall 2027
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
| Plan | Apply by | Decision | Binding |
|---|---|---|---|
| UC application | November 30 | March 1 to 31 | No |
One UC application covers every UC campus. It opens August 1, 2026, and the fall 2027 filing period runs October 1 to November 30, 2026. Some campuses send decisions before March. If you are admitted, your Statement of Intent to Register is due May 1.
Source: UC Admissions, Dates and Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Sep 30, 2026.
Testing
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
UC Merced will not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarships, so scores are not considered even if you send them. If you do send them, they may be used another way to meet minimum eligibility requirements, or for course placement after you enroll.
Source: UC Merced Admissions, First-Year Requirements (opens in a new tab). Read Sep 30, 2026.
The Common Data Set agrees: it answers no to using SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions.
Source: UC Merced Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C8A. Read Sep 30, 2026.
Changes already in effect
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
- Math. A statistics or additional math course taken in fall 2026 or later no longer makes up for a missing or low grade in Algebra II or Math III. It still counts as an extra year of math. Seniors applying this fall: this already applies to courses you take this year.
Source: UC Admissions, Quick Reference Guide to UC Admissions (August 2026) (opens in a new tab). Read Sep 30, 2026.
- Math. From fall 2026, AP Statistics no longer meets two years of the UC math requirement. AP Precalculus (with a score of 4 or 5), AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC and IB HL Mathematics Analysis and Approaches still do.
Source: UC Admissions, Quick Reference Guide to UC Admissions (August 2026) (opens in a new tab). Read Sep 30, 2026.
Applying next year?
For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028
Not announced yet. When we checked UC Merced's admission pages on September 30, 2026, we found no announced changes for fall 2028 entry. The deadlines and rules above are for fall 2027 entry.
Source: UC Admissions, Dates and Deadlines (opens in a new tab). Read Sep 30, 2026.
Cost, and what families paid after aid
The published cost of a year at UC Merced, 2026-2027:
| Item | In-state | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and fees | $17,024 | $17,024 |
| Additional nonresident tuition | $0 | $39,270 |
| Housing (on campus) | $15,154 | $15,154 |
| Food | $8,026 | $8,026 |
| Books and supplies | $1,148 | $1,148 |
| Transportation | $1,412 | $1,412 |
| Personal expenses | $2,814 | $2,814 |
| Health insurance | $2,996 | $2,996 |
| Loan fee | $80 | $80 |
| Total | $48,654 | $87,924 |
UC Merced's budget for undergraduates who first enrolled in fall 2026, living on campus. The budget for students entering in fall 2027 is not posted yet. Under UC's Tuition Stability Plan, tuition is set for each entering class and then stays flat for up to six years.
Source: UC Merced Financial Aid, Cost of Attendance (opens in a new tab). Read Sep 30, 2026.
Average net price per year, by family income, 2023-24:
| Family income | Paid after grants |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $7,945 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $8,465 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $11,557 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $14,828 |
| Over $110,000 | $28,734 |
| All incomes | $11,983 |
What first-year, full-time in-state students who received federal aid paid after grants and scholarships, by family income, in 2023-24, the latest year the Department of Education publishes. Your own price comes from UC Merced's aid offer.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (opens in a new tab). Read Sep 30, 2026.
Similar schools
Chosen for how close each is to University of California, Merced on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.
California State University, FullertonFullerton, CA · Public88.1% admitted$6,555 average net price
Portland State UniversityPortland, OR · Public90.9% admitted$9,552 average net price
University of California, RiversideRiverside, CA · Public86.1% admitted$14,304 average net price
University of OregonEugene, OR · Public87.4% admitted$22,182 average net price
University of Hawaii at ManoaHonolulu, HI · Public88% admitted$15,664 average net price
Admitted: each school's latest first-year acceptance rate, so the year can differ from school to school; each school's page names its year and source. Average net price: what federal aid recipients paid per year after grants, 2023-24, and the in-state figure for a public university.