How to get into UC Riverside
What 340 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 362 UC Riverside results that students posted for the 2016 to 2026 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to UC Riverside? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
UC Riverside admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.90
Middle half 3.71 to 3.98
Median SAT
1,510
Middle half 1,460 to 1,550
Median ACT
35
Middle half 33 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.33
Middle half 4.13 to 4.53
Results posted: 340 admitted, 7 rejected, 15 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the UC Riverside acceptance rate; the official rate is in UC Riverside’s Common Data Set.
What UC Riverside admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service66%
- Tutoring/Teaching47%
- Athletics43%
- Research36%
- Music32%
- Internship31%
- STEM club/competition31%
- Coding/Tech26%
Held a leadership role
84%
Founded something
40%
National or intl. award
57%
Did research
36%
Intended majors of UC Riverside admits
- Computer Science24%
- Engineering14%
- Biology11%
- Business8%
- Economics4%
- Pre-med/Health4%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 19% first-generation, 14% low income, 9% underrepresented minority, 5% legacy, 2% recruited athlete and 6% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 1% chose UC Riverside.
Three recent UC Riverside admits
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
2026 cycle · Economics
Multidisciplinary student blending economics, orchestral leadership, autism research, and Chinese-language fluency.
GPA 3.98 UW · SAT 1550 · Original post
Where else UC Riverside admits got in
UC Riverside admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into UC Riverside?
- Among 340 applicants who posted a UC Riverside admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.90 and the middle half reported 3.71 to 3.98 (317 reported a GPA). UC Riverside sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for UC Riverside?
- Among 340 applicants who posted a UC Riverside admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,510 and the middle half scored 1,460 to 1,550 (238 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.
- What extracurriculars do UC Riverside admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (66%), tutoring/teaching (47%), athletics (43%), research (36%). 84% held at least one leadership role and 57% listed a national or international award.
- What is the UC Riverside acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by UC Riverside 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 Riverside?
A Specialist who got into a school like UC Riverside 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 Riverside. All colleges