How to get into UC Irvine
What 607 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 1,121 UC Irvine results that students posted for the 2016 to 2026 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to UC Irvine? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
UC Irvine admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.97
Middle half 3.90 to 4.00
Median SAT
1,540
Middle half 1,490 to 1,560
Median ACT
35
Middle half 34 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.48
Middle half 4.30 to 4.65
Results posted: 607 admitted, 257 rejected, 257 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the UC Irvine acceptance rate; the official rate is in UC Irvine’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.97 | 3.80 |
| SAT | 1,540 | 1,500 |
| ACT | 35 | 34 |
When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.
What UC Irvine admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service66%
- Athletics45%
- Tutoring/Teaching43%
- Research42%
- STEM club/competition40%
- Music36%
- Internship36%
- Work/Job25%
Held a leadership role
85%
Founded something
43%
National or intl. award
70%
Did research
42%
Intended majors of UC Irvine admits
- Computer Science25%
- Engineering13%
- Biology8%
- Economics6%
- Business5%
- Math4%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 11% first-generation, 11% low income, 9% underrepresented minority, 8% legacy, 1% recruited athlete and 15% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 8% chose UC Irvine.
Three recent UC Irvine admits
2026 cycle · RD · Public Policy
Health-policy-minded DECA leader and club-sports captain who worked through housing and utility instability.
GPA 3.87 UW · SAT 1510 · Original post
2026 cycle · Engineering
Founder of a student-run computer club that became a nonprofit, plus science olympiad and global volunteer coding work.
GPA 3.88 UW · SAT 1520 · Original post
2026 cycle · Physics
Physics student and visual-novel studio leader who publishes astrophysics research and exhibits digital art.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1530 · Original post
Where else UC Irvine admits got in
UC Irvine admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into UC Irvine?
- Among 607 applicants who posted a UC Irvine admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.97 and the middle half reported 3.90 to 4.00 (507 reported a GPA). UC Irvine sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for UC Irvine?
- Among 607 applicants who posted a UC Irvine admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,540 and the middle half scored 1,490 to 1,560 (432 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.
- What extracurriculars do UC Irvine admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (66%), athletics (45%), tutoring/teaching (43%), research (42%). 85% held at least one leadership role and 70% listed a national or international award.
- What is the UC Irvine acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by UC Irvine in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to UC Irvine?
A Specialist who got into a school like UC Irvine can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2016 to 2026 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with UC Irvine. All colleges