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Prospective Students

ADMISSION

Thinking about attending UC Merced?  If so, we hope you join us!

Review our majors and minors

Apply for admission

Attend a group event or meet individually with a UC Merced Regional Admissions Advisor for help during the admissions process

Visit UC Merced--take a live or drone tour

Attend Admissions webinars, workshops, virtual college fairs, or school visits

Register to attend Bobcat Day at UC Merced on Saturday, April 19, 2025!           

 

 

ADMITTED STUDENTS & PARENTS OR FAMILY MEMBERS

Wondering what your next steps might be after admission to UC Merced?

Or hope to connect with campus through social media, text messaging, or the Parent Newsletter? 

Visit the site exclusively for admitted students and families:

Students admitted to UC Merced in Fall 2023 and after are required to have a personal laptop.

Register with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) after you submit the Statement of Intent to Register (commit to attend UCM) if you have a documented disability that may require accommodations.

 

 

FOUR (4) PLACEMENT EXAMS FOR FIRST YEAR ADMITS

  • Review the new Placement Exams site that launched in March 2025.
  • Review the Next Steps section on the Admitted Students site to view placement exam deadlines.
  • You will receive messages about the placement exams on your UC Merced email usually 5-7 business days after you submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR).

First year students admitted to UC Merced may need to take 4 placement exams:

  • UC Merced Writing Readiness Review
    • The Writing Readiness Review replaces the former UC Analytical Writing Placement Exam (AWPE) that was last offered in May 2022
  • UC Merced math placement exam
    • Starting in Fall 2025, you must have a UC Merced math placement exam score to enroll in any of the introductory precalculus or calculus I classes:
      • MATH 005, 011, 021
  • UC Merced chemistry placement exam
  • UC Merced computer science & engineering (CSE) placement exam

 

 

UC ENTRY LEVEL WRITING REQUIREMENT (ELWR)

The UC Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR) is a reading and writing proficiency requirement intended to ensure that entering first year (freshman) students have the writing skills necessary to succeed in lower division university-level courses at a research university.

 

All UC schools require that first years complete ELWR by the end of their second semester at the UC school.

  • Ways to satisfy ELWR can be found at this link.
  • For UC Merced admits, the Writing Readiness Review determines placement in Writing courses at UC Merced.

 

There are two introductory Writing courses at UC Merced:

  • Writing 1 (WRI 001, Academic Writing, 4 units)--satisfies UC ELWR
  • Writing 10 (WRI 010, College Reading & Composition, 4 units)

 

If you place into Writing 1, you will need to complete both Writing 1 and Writing 10.

  • Writing 10 is a required General Education (GE) course for all students at UC Merced.

 

If you are a fall semester admit who took a California community college course during high school that is the equivalent of Writing 1 (check ASSIST for transferability), have the official college transcript sent to UC Merced before July 1.

If you are a fall semester admit who earned an AP English exam score that satisfies Writing 1, have College Board send the official AP exam score to UC Merced before July 15.

If you have not satisfied ELWR before your arrive at UC Merced, you will take Writing 1 in your first semester and must earn a grade of C or higher to satisfy ELWR.

 

 

REGISTRATION FOR FALL 2025 CLASSES FOR FALL 2025 FIRST YEAR ADMITS

* NEW * UC Merced will launch a new block registration pilot for Fall 2025 first year admits called Smart Start.

* IMPORTANT * To participate in Smart Start, Fall 2025 first years must sign up for New Student Orientation by the Mon. June 9 deadline.

Smart Start will block enroll Fall 2025 first years in 8-16 units for the first semester (only) based on declared major.

Fall 2025 admits should enroll in 14-16 units for the first semester.

Read more about this new pilot at First Year Smart Start.

All Fall 2025 admits, including Smart Start participants, will have a randomly assigned registration time between Mon. June 23 to Fri. June 27.

  • You can add, enroll, or adjust classes during your assigned registration time.

Registration remains open 24 hours a day after your assigned registration time.

 

To prepare for Fall 2025 registration:

  • Read your UC Merced email daily after you accept your offer of admission and submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR).

    • You will receive messages on your UC Merced email in April, May, and June related to registration for Fall 2025 classes.

    • Log in to your email at connect.ucmerced.edu.  Select the email icon.

 

 

 

  • Send official copies of your high school transcript (must include date of graduation) and college transcripts for college courses taken in high school to UC Merced before July 1, 2025.

    • See Step 13 in the Next Steps tab on the admitted students site.
    • If you took college courses, send an official college transcript to UC Merced immediately afteryou submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR).
      • This will allow time for the courses to be evaluated and posted on your UC Merced record before block enrollment during Smart Start or before you register or adjust your Fall 2025 classes.
    • If you are taking college courses in spring, send a second official college transcript to UC Merced as soon as you finish the spring classes. 
    • NOTE:  Official college transcripts are required for ALL college courses taken, including dual enrollment classes that appear on your high school transcript.

 

 

  • During May and June:  information and resources about registration for Fall 2025 classes will be sent to your UC Merced email.

    • Your fall classes will be based on your intended major, placement exam scores, and any AP or IB exam scores or college transcripts received at UC Merced.

    • On Fri. May 30, you will also receive a message about your BAC temporary summer academic advisor.

      • This BAC academic advisor will be your contact for academic questions and Zoom (virtual) academic advising from Monday, June 2 through Thursday, August 21, 2025.

 

  • Between Mon. June 23 - Fri. June 27:  first year admits will have randomly assigned online registration times.

    • You can adjust your Smart Start classes and/or enroll in 14-16 units at your assigned registration time.

    • Registration will remain open 24 hours a day throughout summer for schedule adjustment.

 

 

UC MERCED EMAIL

After you establish your UC Merced email account:

  •      Use only your UC Merced email to contact academic advisors, professors, or staff in different offices on campus.
  •      Include your first and last name and UC Merced ID number in any messages.
  •      Using your UC Merced email and including your student ID number will help all offices at UC Merced respond to you as quickly as possible.

To access your UC Merced email, log on to your student portal on the Connect Platform at connect.ucmerced.edu and click the email icon.