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UCI at a glance
30,197
undergrads
29%
of applicants admitted
94%
come back for year 2
88%
graduate
19 : 1
students per teacher
$83,432
typical pay 10 years in
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard.
What a year really costs
After grants and scholarships, by family income. Average: $13,866.
Under $30k $6,160
$30k–$48k $6,609
$48k–$75k $9,897
$75k–$110k $14,658
Over $110k $30,831
Tuition, in state
$16,235
Tuition, out of state
$53,837
Typical debt at graduation
$12,821
37% of students get a Pell Grant
Free stuff most students miss
Career
ANTrepreneur Center
UCI's hub for student entrepreneurs since 2014: free one-on-one sessions with venture consultants whether you have an idea or a running side hustle…
Getting around
Train to UCI (Metrolink & Amtrak)
The easiest rail route to UCI is Metrolink to Tustin Station, then OCTA Route 473 to UCI or Route 472 to north campus, free with a valid Metrolink…
Health & safety
Center for Student Wellness & Health Promotion
Free wellness services on the 3rd floor of the Student Center, near the Ring Road entrance: a technology-free wellness room with massage chairs (book…
Eat
Dining halls, quick bites and coffee on campus.
The Anteatery
Dining hall All-you-care-to-eat dining hall in Mesa Court and one of UCI's three meal-plan dining halls.
4001 Mesa Rd (Mesa Court)
Brandywine
Dining hall All-you-care-to-eat dining hall in Middle Earth, one of UCI's three meal-plan dining halls.
557 E Peltason Dr (Middle Earth)
Java City Kiosk (Engineering Quad)
Cafe Coffee kiosk in the Engineering Quad with shaded outdoor tables: brewed coffee, pastries, sandwiches, salads and snacks.
2004 Los Trancos Dr (Engineering Quad)
Starbucks at Paul Merage School of Business
Cafe Starbucks in the Merage School of Business courtyard with an outdoor patio, handy for classes in Social Sciences and Business.
School of Business Courtyard, 4293 Pereira Dr
Starbucks at Student Center
Cafe Starbucks in the Student Center, connected to the Hillside Lounge where you can sit and study.
203-B Student Center, 215 Pereira Dr
The Green Room
Cafe Java City cafe in the Arts Village next to the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, with a shaded patio.
712 W Peltason Dr (Arts Village)
Zot N Go Market
Market Corner-store style market in the Student Center: hot breakfast sandwiches and burritos, wraps, sushi, salads, pastries, fresh produce and household…
234-G Student Center, 215 Pereira Dr
Anthill Grille
Cafe Pub on the Student Center Terrace with craft beer, wine and a pub menu (burgers, sandwiches, burritos, tacos), sports on the TVs and board games.
Student Center Terrace, 215 Pereira Dr
Phoenix Food Court
Cafe Food court near Social Sciences and Middle Earth with Einstein Bros.
Phoenix Food Court, Bldg 204 (Social Science area)
Starbucks at Biological Sciences
Cafe Walk-up Starbucks window between the Biological Sciences and Physical Sciences areas, a short walk from the Science Library.
5120 Natural Sciences 2
Zot N Go Express at Side Door
Market Convenience store next to Brandywine by the Middle Earth Towers, stocking everything from lip balm to frozen dinners, with a self-serve Ramyun ramen…
557 E Peltason Dr (Middle Earth, next to Brandywine)
Zot N Go Express at Social Sciences
Market Small convenience market next to the Social Science Lecture Hall (SSLH) with grab-and-go snacks, quick bites and bean-to-cup Java City coffee (50…
Bldg 211, Social Science Plaza
Student Center Food Courts (West & East)
Cafe The two food courts inside the Student Center.
UCI Student Center, 215 Pereira DrWhere to live
Residence halls, apartments and help finding a place.
Mesa Court
Residence hall One of UCI's two first-year residence-hall communities, home to about 3,400 mostly first- and second-year students in 29 classic halls and four…
4053 Mesa Rd
Middle Earth
Residence hall UCI's other first-year residence-hall community, named after Tolkien's world and centrally located off Ring Road between Social Sciences and…
529 E Peltason Dr
ACC Apartments (Vista del Campo, Camino del Sol, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Verde)
Apartment Six on-campus apartment communities on east campus run privately by American Campus Communities for single undergraduates and graduate students…
15000 Arroyo Dr (Plaza Verde Community Center)
Basic Needs Center & FRESH Food Pantry
Basic needs Free help with food, housing and money for UCI students.
800 W Peltason Dr Housing office
Off-Campus Housing Help
Housing office UCI points students to the Apartment Housing Network (offcampuspartners.com) for off-campus rentals, sublets and roommate listings; you can post a…
Housing Administrative Services, Laurelin Hall Suite 2301 (Middle Earth) Graduate housing
Palo Verde (Graduate & Family Housing)
Graduate housing Graduate and family apartments for about 1,050 graduate, medical and law students, families, and undergraduates 25 or older, in one-, two- and…
7000 Palo Verde Rd Graduate housing
Verano Place (Graduate & Family Housing)
Graduate housing UCI's largest graduate and family community: about 2,095 graduate, medical and law students, families, and undergraduates 25 or older, in one- to…
6529 Adobe Circle Rd South
Campus Village
Residence hall Graduate housing, not undergraduate: about 400 single graduate, medical and law students (and undergraduates over 25) in two-bedroom, one-bath…
1061 W Peltason Dr
Arroyo Vista
Residence hall Theme-house community on east campus next to the Anteater Recreation Center for about 1,000 continuing undergraduates and transfer students.
1000 Arroyo Dr
Pippin Mail, Recreation & Fitness Center
Community center Pippin used to be a Middle Earth dining commons; today it is a service hub for Middle Earth residents.
Pippin, Middle EarthGet around
Shuttles, parking and accessible rides.
Train to UCI (Metrolink & Amtrak)
Transit The easiest rail route to UCI is Metrolink to Tustin Station, then OCTA Route 473 to UCI or Route 472 to north campus, free with a valid Metrolink…
Tustin Metrolink Station, Tustin, CA
Anteater Express Shuttle
Transit UCI's free campus shuttle, run by ASUCI for students, with the A, E, H, M and N lines linking housing such as Arroyo Vista and the ACC apartments to…
Office: G244 Student Center Shuttle
Campus-to-Campus & MuseumConnect Shuttles
Shuttle Two more shuttles beyond the Anteater Express.
Aldrich Hall flagpoles (Admin Circle) Transit
FlixBus Stop at UCI
Transit Low-cost long-distance FlixBus coaches stop on campus at the Crawford Hall bus turnout on West Peltason Drive, handy for trips home without driving.
Crawford Hall bus turnout, West Peltason Dr
UCI Transportation & Parking
Parking Parking permits, citations and commuting help.
101 Aldrich Hall
OC Bus & University Pass
Transit OCTA's OC Bus serves campus, and enrolled UCI students can buy a University Pass for $169 for unlimited regular OC Bus rides countywide from July 1…
Purchase through myCommute (parking.uci.edu) Biking
Biking at UCI
Biking UCI has more than 8,000 bike parking spaces and self-service bike repair stands around campus, including at Mesa Court, Middle Earth, Campus Village…
UCI Transportation, 101 Aldrich HallMajors that pay most at UCI
Typical pay 4 years after graduating. Top 6 of 44 bachelor's majors with published pay.
Computer Engineering $132,357
Computer Science $127,404
Nursing $119,502
Management Information Systems and Services $108,038
Electrical Engineering $106,871
Materials Engineering $106,547
Source: College Scorecard, field-of-study data.
Your UCI checklist
5 things worth doing early
When you need help
5 things UCI freshmen figure out too late
1 A B in Writing 50? Swap in poetry
"Students who complete WRITING 45 or WRITING 50 with a grade of B (3.0) or better may substitute as the second course of the lower-division writing requirement one of the following courses in creative writing: WRITING 30 or WRITING 31." WRITING 30 is The Art of Writing: Poetry, and WRITING 31 is The Art of Writing: Prose Fiction.
2 Missing the W suffix? No writing credit
"If a course on the approved list is offered without the “W” suffix, it does not satisfy the upper-division writing requirement." The same page notes: "All courses approved to fulfill the upper-division writing requirement should have a “W” suffix."
3 Major rules changed? Use the old ones
"Students changing majors may meet the approved major-change criteria of the unit they wish to enter that are in place at the time of their change of major or those in effect up to one year before." You still have to meet those criteria.
4 Test out? You can say no to the grade
"A student may take the examination for a particular course only one time. After receiving the grade, the student may accept it or reject it." The instructor decides whether a course can be taken by examination, and the dean must approve it first.
5 Record the lecture — Gus makes the notes, flashcards and quiz
Gus is an AI college companion built around your actual classes. Record a lecture and it writes the notes, pulls out the key topics, builds a flashcard deck, and makes a practice quiz from what was actually said. The flashcards come back on a spaced-review schedule, so the thing you missed shows up again right before you would have forgotten it. It is free to try.
One more thing
Leave in week 1 or 2? You must reapply
"New students are not eligible for readmission if they submit a withdrawal form before the 3rd week of the quarter; these students will need to reapply for admission."
UCI Catalogue — Registration and Other ProceduresYour record locks after one year
"After one year, it is assumed that the student accepts the accuracy of their academic record, and supporting source documents are destroyed." The catalogue advises: "Students are strongly advised to carefully check their academic record quarterly."
UCI Catalogue — Registration and Other ProceduresGus is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the University of California, Irvine. Tips checked against UCI's own pages in October 2026. Campus info last updated October 2026. Stats from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Something out of date? hello@meetgus.app · All campus guides