University of California, Riverside

The University of California, Riverside (also known as UCR or UC Riverside) is a public research university located in Riverside, California. It was established in 1907 and is one of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The history of this institution traces back to when the California State Legislature established the UC Citrus Experiment Station (CES) to study the agricultural problems of Southern California in the 1900s. Fertilization, irrigation, and crop improvement experiments were carried out at the station.

During World War II, the introduction of the GI Bill–a programme to benefit World War II veterans– in 1944 triggered an increase in college enrollments that prompted the growth of California’s State University System. A local group of citrus producers and civic leaders, including many UC Berkeley alumni, strongly advocated for the establishment of a UC-administered liberal arts institution adjacent to the CES. In 1949, Governor Earl Warren signed the bill allocating $2 million for initial campus construction.

Over the years, UCR’s evolution has mirrored the dynamic growth of Southern California. The institution has grown from a minor university in a small town to a major research and teaching institution in the flourishing Inland Southern California region. It is also classified among the ‘R1: Doctoral Universities– Very High Research’ in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. This classification is granted only to institutions that consistently conduct research on different subjects and allocate a significant amount of resources to research activities. Aptly, UCR’s research expenditure in 2018 was $167.8 million. 

UC Riverside has been consistently ranked among the top public universities in the US since 1993 by the US News & World Report. It has also been considered among the top 50 universities worldwide by Times Higher Education since 2001. In the US News & World Report 2022, UC was ranked 83rd among ‘Best National Universities’ and 169th among ‘Best Global Universities’. In this article, we will discuss the admission process at UC Riverside, the courses it offers, and much more. So read on! 

Courses Offered at the University of California, Riverside

Over the years, UCR has been instrumental in leading and advancing educational innovation in South California. It is renowned for its outstanding undergraduate and graduate programmes in science, humanities, and arts. It offers over 80 undergraduate majors, 55 master’s degree programmes, and 42 doctoral programmes. These programs are provided through its three colleges and four professional schools: 

• Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering
• College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
• College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
• School of Education
• School of Business
• School of Medicine
• School of Public Policy

Some of the courses offered by this institution are mentioned in the table below:

Bachelor’s programmes	Master’s programmes
Bachelor of Arts in Economics	Master of Science in Bioengineering
Bachelor of Arts in History	Master of Science in Plant Biology
Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology	Master of Arts in Spanish
Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Sciences	Master of Arts in Art History
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics	Master of Science in Statistics
Bachelor of Science in Anthropology	Master of Science in Earth and Planetary Sciences
Bachelor of Business Administration	Master of Business Administration
Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering	Master of Science in Mathematics
Bachelor of Arts in English	Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering	Master of Science in Physics
Bachelor of Science in Physics	Master of Science in Chemical Engineering
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy	Master of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science	Master of Science in Electrical Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering	Master of Science in Business Analytics

Admission Process at the University of California, Riverside

The acceptance rate of UC Riverside is 65.8 per cent. In the fall of 2020, the university enrolled over 22,687 undergraduates and 3,747 graduate students. This included 1,987 international students. The admission process at this institution depends on the academic requirements of the chosen programme. As each course requires a different set of skills, the eligibility criteria for individual courses vary. However, we have listed below the common admission requirements for all courses.

• Academic transcripts
• English proficiency test scores
  • TOEFL iBT: 80 or above
  • IELTS: 7.0
• Letters of recommendation (professional or academic)
• Statement of purpose 
• Resume

Students can visit the university’s official website to learn more about the admission prerequisites for their chosen programme.

Fee Structure and Financial Aid

The table below illustrates the cost of attendance for international students applying for undergraduate programmes at UCR.

Types of Costs	Living in Resident Halls	Living in Campus Apartment	Living Off-Campus
Tuition and Fees	$15,510	$15,510	$15,510
Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition	$29,754	$29,754	$29,754
Room and Board	$18,125	$12,000	$12,000
Books/Supplies	$1,550	$1,550	$1,550
Transportation	$825	$1,475	$1,475
Personal Expenses	$1,700	$1,775	$1,775
Total	$67,464	$62,064	$62,064

UC Riverside assists students in financing their higher education through several forms of financial aids such as scholarships, fee waivers, grants, and work-study, among others. Some of the scholarships provided by this institution include: 

•  Agatha Baxter Scholarship
• Frederick E. Gartzke Memorial Endowed Scholarship
• Suzanne S. Carne Memorial Scholarship
• Dr. Thomas Halsey’s Chancellor’s Scholarship
• William Randolph Hearst Scholarship 

Alumni Network 

The alumni network of UC Riverside (UCR Alumni Association) consists of nearly 1,40,000 members and comprises of achievers across various fields. It provides numerous networking opportunities, access to educational conferences, opportunities for the launching of new businesses, and so on. 

A few notable alumni of this UCR include Richard R Schrock, Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry; Steve Breen, editorial cartoonist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner; Jamie Chung, actress; Billy Collins, Poet Laureate for the US; Robert Del Grande, James Beard Award-winning Chef; Michael “Butch” Johnson, NFL Player; and Gary McCord, professional golfer,  among others.

So, if you aspire to study at an institution nestled in the busting  ‘Golden State’ of the US, then UC Riverside is the place to be. We hope that this article has provided you with all the information that you require to make an informed decision about applying to this university. All the best!