UC Riverside Acceptance Rate (2026): General, State & Transfer

Below, we break down UCR's acceptance rate by residency (in-state, out-of-state, and international) and transfer status, and compare it with every other UC campus.

What is UC Riverside's acceptance rate in 2026?

UCR's overall first-year acceptance rate is 88.5% for fall 2026, up from 86.5% in fall 2025. Applications rose to a record 72,295, and admits grew by about 2,650.

UC Riverside has a long history of maintaining favorable acceptance rates for in-state and out-of-state students, but the campus’s most recent admission rate is the highest we’ve seen since 2011.

What’s causing such a sharp increase in UC Riverside applications? The biggest jump came in fall 2025, when applications rose 22%. Systemwide application growth, overflow from crowded flagship campuses,  and UCR's free-application promotion for California residents all contributed.

Joel Ontiveros, former Assistant Director of Admission at UCLA and Collegewise Counselor, shared his insights on the recent surge at UC Riverside:

“UC Riverside allowed for free applications in the Fall 2025 cycle and broke 60,000 California resident applications for the first time in history. More students are starting to apply to the quote-unquote easier UC campuses, and although acceptance rates are favorable now, I can foresee those campuses becoming more selective if that continues.”

For more information on the timeline to apply to UC Riverside, read our guide to UC application deadlines.

UC Riverside acceptance rate by residency (fall 2026)

All three residency groups were admitted at more than 80% in fall 2026. Out-of-state U.S. applicants had the highest rate (96.6%), California residents 88.7%, and international applicants 82.3%.

Unlike UCLA, Berkeley, San Diego, or Santa Barbara, UCR's admitted class is overwhelmingly Californian. Out-of-state applicants are a small pool, so their high rate reflects few applicants rather than a large share of seats.

What is UC Riverside’s in-state acceptance rate?

UCR's in-state acceptance rate is 88.7% for fall 2026, up from 86.9% in 2025 and 68.0% in 2023. UCR admitted 55,914 Californians, about 2,600 more than the year before.

Two things are causing an increase in UCR's application volume and number of admits.

UCR's waived application fees for California residents contribute to an increase in applications received. Not having to pay a fee to apply to UCR makes it more appealing for students to add the college to their list.

Additionally, UCR receives the overflow of students who gained ELC status, causing an uptick in admitted students, mostly from California. The ELC program guarantees admission to a UC campus for students ranking in the top nine percent of their graduating class. The caveat is that students are admitted to a campus where there is space available, like UCR.

What is UC Riverside's out-of-state acceptance rate?

UCR's out-of-state acceptance rate is 96.6% for fall 2026: 2,897 admits from 2,998 U.S. applicants outside California. Non-residents must still meet UC's higher minimum GPA of 3.4 in A–G courses, compared with 3.0 for Californians.

What is UC Riverside's international acceptance rate?

UCR admitted 82.3% of international first-year applicants for fall 2026 (5,147 of 6,254). All non-residents combined were admitted at 86.9%.

What is UC Riverside’s transfer acceptance rate?

UCR admitted 70.2% of California-resident transfer applicants for fall 2026, compared with 49.0% of out-of-state U.S. transfer applicants. Unlike first-year admissions, Californians have a clear edge as transfers.

UC Riverside is among the 6 campuses in the UC system that participate in the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program for eligible California students. This makes the transfer process even more appealing to many students who have their eyes set on UC Riverside. Instead of going up against 70,000+ undergraduate applications, a student may take two years of community college and then transfer.

In some cases, it can also be the more affordable option, especially for those students who may need a longer runway to identify their major.

How to get into UC Riverside

UC Riverside may be less selective than other campuses, but getting accepted isn’t a guaranteed slam dunk. It will require students to present well-crafted college applications and ensure they’ve met all 13 UC admissions requirements and criteria to be considered.

This includes:

• Excelling in A-G academic requirements
• Exploring Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or honors programs throughout high school
• Selecting 4 out of 8 personal insight questions and providing thoughtful, compelling responses
• Creating impact in their communities through extracurricular activities
• Exceeding the minimum 3.0 (3.4 for non-Californians) grade point average (GPA) requirement

Tackling each of these application components is no easy task, and it isn’t something that should be left to junior year. The most successful students are those who start considering their path to college as early as grade 9. Through early exploration and planning, students have more time to build a foundation that sets them up for success in the college admissions process and as college students.

Collegewise has proudly supported 3,500+ students through the University of California admissions process. Our team of former UC admissions officers and seasoned UC experts helps students through every aspect of the UC admissions process, including:

• End-to-end college application support
• Essay coaching and PIQ strategy
• Extracurricular mentoring
• Deadline and application management
• Financial aid consulting
• Transfer admissions guidance

Start your journey to a UC campus by scheduling a free consultation with Collegewise today.  

Frequently asked questions

Whether a student is considering UC Santa Barbara for undergraduate or graduate studies, the campus is an excellent choice for many students. However, acceptance at UC Santa Barbara will require students to think strategically about how they hope to present themselves, with great focus on PIQs, activities, and academics.

The ideal time to start building college application components? Grade 9 is the sweet spot! This will give students ample time to explore their interests, take academic prerequisites, and establish a major they’re excited about. With this long runway, admission to UC Santa Barbara may be in the cards.

Collegewise has proudly supported 3,500+ students through the University of California admissions process, offering end-to-end college application support, essay coaching, extracurricular mentoring, and deadline management. Our counselors include former UC admissions officers and experts who understand exactly what UC Irvine looks for. Schedule a free consultation today.