Please visit our general Application Requirements page, for a further breakdown of the requirements.
UC Merced Graduate Studies only offers admissions for the fall semester. However, an exception may be made by individual programs to offer spring semester admissions. Please contact the program of interest for their spring admission policy.
Do not miss the application deadline waiting on test scores, transcripts or letter of recommendations. Be sure to note your test date and registration number on your application, and remember to send a reminder to your recommender. Transcripts may be submitted with pending course work.
Please visit our general Application Requirements page, for a further breakdown of the requirements.
Official transcripts are NOT required until an applicant has been admitted. While submitting your application please upload scanned copies of your transcripts for all college-level academic work including community college, summer session, and study abroad. Scanned copies of your transcripts are required for the initial review process.
Currently, UC Merced only offers income-based fee waivers for domestic applicants.
Click here to view the deadlines of all our graduate programs.
Yes, test scores must be verified by the testing company. If you took the GRE/TOEFL through ETS, use the code 4129 for UC Merced, a department is not required. If you are submitting a GMAT test score use code Z9H-CF. IELTS test scores must be submitted by mail to:
University of California, Merced
Attn: Graduate Division, SSB 230
5200 N Lake Road
Merced, CA 95343
Please Note: If your gradaute program requires the GRE, you must verify your test scores through ETS. To find out if your graduate program requires the GRE, please visit our Applciation Requirements page.
For questions about your visa documents, contact UC Merced International Affairs office at international@ucmerced.edu or visit their website.
The electronic application can be accessed through our Online Application System. An applicant may only apply to one program.
Though GRE scores are required as part of the application process, there is not a specific score requirement. UC Merced values a holistic admissions approach where each piece of the application is considered valuable to assessing a prospective student’s potential for success. GRE scores are one component that is factored into the overall consideration. Please contact your program for program specific requirements.
All graduate applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose preparatory education was principally in a language other than English, must show evidence of having taken the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or TOEFL-Internet Based Test or the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) examination within the past 2 years. Note: some programs require higher scores, please check the program for details.
For admission purpose only, the TOEFL may be waived for an applicant who has received an advanced degree from a U.S. institution or from a country where English is the language of instruction (proof may be required). This DOES NOT exempt the applicant from the English-proficiency examination for Teaching Assistant or Teaching Associate appointment. For more information regarding the English-proficiency examination, please visit our International Application Information page.
Please ensure that you have submitted your verified test scores through ETS using code 4129. The test scores take approximately 10-15 days to be received by the institution. If your GRE test was taken by paper form, the test scores can take up to 5 weeks. If after 5 weeks your test scores have not been received, please contact contact ETS directly.
All letters of recommendation do not need to be received by the application deadline. It is important that the applicant submits their application by the deadline, but all recommendation do not need to be submitted by the application deadline. However, graduate programs will expect letters of recommendation to arrive shortly after the application has been submitted.
Every graduate group has a graduate coordinator who can answer academic or procedural questions about that particular graduate program. You can browse our Academic Studies to familiarize yourself with our programs, faculty research interests and expertise.
When submitting your application you will be requested to input emails of references. Those references will receive a link to a survey and will be instructed to provide UCM Graduate Studies with a letter of recommendation. Graduate Admissions will not accept letter of recommendations that come directly from the applicant.
Selecting "Yes" waives your right to examine the letter of recommendation. UC Merced does not provide a copy of the recommendation. Responding "Yes" gives your recommender the option to keep their letter confidential, and the graduate program will know that the recommender had the opportunity to provide an honest assessment.
If you select "No" to waiving your letter of recommendation, you are indicating that you may later have access to your letter.
Please keep in mind by selecting “No” some recommenders may not submit a letter out of preference, and may need to find a new recommender.
Yes. Previous applicants must submit a new application, including all supporting documents, and pay the application fee.
If you recommender has not received a link to attach a letter of recommendation this may indicate that the email address was inputted incorrectly. You may log back onto your application and update your reference's information, then click on "resend link."
If this is not the case, please contact grad@ucmerced.edu.
For questions regarding graduate education at UC Merced, contact the Graduate Division at 209-228-4723 or email grad@ucmerced.edu.
Admissions decisions are based on a rolling basis and vary among programs. In general, you can expect an admissions decision to be sent between March-June. Once an admissions decision is made you will receive an email directing you to login onto your "Application Status Page."
If a decision is not reflected on your "Application Status Page" then your application is still under faculty review.
No, UCM Graduate Studies limits only one graduate application per admissions cycle.
The GRE requirement varies by program. Please review the Application Requirements to see if your program requires it.
Please visit our Application Deadlines page, some graduate programs may continue to accept applications after the general January 15th deadline. Financial support may not be available to late applicants.
Yes, you may update your list of recommenders. Please log back onto your application and select the "Recommendations" tab. Select the recommender you wish to remove my clicking "edit." Once the edits have been completed, click on "Send to Recommender" for your new recommender to receive the link to attach your letter of recommendation.
The application fee is $130 for domestic applicants, and $150 for international applicants.
Your application and all required documents should be submitted by January 15th. Each piece of an application is considered valuable in assesing a prospective student's potential for success, including letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation provide information on an applicant's potential for success, and should be submitted as soon as possible to provide a complete application for faculty to review.