,·Public Research University·Est. 2005
“The newest UC campus, built for the 21st century — a pioneering research university committed to access, diversity, and discovery in the heart of California.”
UC Merced, which opened in 2005, is the newest campus of the University of California system and the first American research university built in the 21st century. Located in the San Joaquin Valley, UC Merced was founded with an explicit mission to serve the most diverse and underserved region of California, and it reflects that commitment — with one of the highest percentages of first-generation college students of any research university in the nation. Despite its youth, UC Merced has rapidly built a strong research profile across the sciences, engineering, and social sciences. The campus is home to cutting-edge facilities including the Sierra Nevada Research Institute and the Quantitative and Systems Biology doctoral program. Students benefit from the same UC degree quality, faculty caliber, and research infrastructure as their peers at UCLA and Berkeley. The campus is undergoing significant expansion, with new academic buildings, student housing, and research facilities transforming the footprint. Yosemite National Park is just 80 miles away, and the vibrant Central Valley provides a growing base for internships and community engagement.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
National Universities
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Top Public Schools
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Test Free — No test scores needed — they won't be reviewed even if submitted.
Official SourceUC Application
Single application window for all UC campuses — no early action available
This university does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admissions.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$14,312
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$44,066
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Offers undergraduate programs across key engineering disciplines with strong research integration and access to UC system resources.
A research-intensive school focused on biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental science in one of the most biodiverse regions of the world.
An interdisciplinary school combining the humanities, social sciences, management, and arts with a strong emphasis on community-engaged research.
4 years
ABET-accredited; one of UC Merced's fastest-growing majors and the largest engineering pipeline. STEM-designated for 24-month OPT extension. Research strengths in machine learning, computer vision, computational biology, and HPC — students access the Pinnacles supercomputer cluster. Bay Area tech companies recruit heavily on campus despite UC Merced's Central Valley location.
4 years
Joint offering with Mechanical Engineering and Biological Sciences. STEM-designated. Strong undergraduate research opportunities in tissue engineering, biophotonics, and medical devices through the Health Sciences Research Institute. Solid pre-med pathway with UC Merced's growing Medical Education Program.
4 years
An interdisciplinary program drawing on Computer Science, Psychology, Linguistics, and Philosophy — STEM-designated and one of the most distinctive offerings of any UC campus. Students conduct research in the Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Lab and the Communication & Cognition Lab.
4 years
UC Merced's flagship social-impact program — leverages the Central Valley's status as a public-health priority region. Strong placement into MPH programs and California public-health agencies; tight integration with the UC Merced Health Sciences Research Institute.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $78,154
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
