Information for
International Students
Outstanding graduate students from around the globe are coming to UC Irvine to discover new gateways to academic, research, leadership and character excellence. Situated in Irvine, the safest city in the US, UCI is the youngest member of the Association of American Universities, the 61 premier research institutions in North America. Identified by Times Higher Education as first in the U.S. and fourth in the world among the best universities under fifty years old, UCI also ranks 34th nationally in the number of doctoral degrees conferred each year.
We welcome students who are passionate about learning and discovery. Each year nearly 1,000 international graduate students from over 65 different countries are enrolled at UC Irvine. Over 60% of our postdoctoral scholars come from countries outside of the U.S. With the international backgrounds of our faculty, and our diverse U.S. student population, we have a dynamic multicultural research and educational environment that is unparalleled.
Learn about UCI faculty who share your research interests, with our Faculty Profile System.
Interested?
- Highly-ranked degree programs.
- Admissions standards and academic qualifications. We welcome applications from students with U.S. bachelor's degrees or equivalent degrees from institutions of recognized standing in other countries. Assessment of a degree from an international institution is based on the characteristics of the national system of education, the type of institution attended, and the level of studies completed. In addition, international students must meet other requirements.
- All graduate applicants, except those who have earned an undergraduate or master's degree from an institution at which English was the sole language of instruction according to the World Higher Education Database, are required to demonstrate English proficiency for admissions consideration.
Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition Program for International Ph.D. & M.F.A.
The non-resident supplemental tuition (NRST) remission initiative program provides NRST fellowship support to international Ph.D. students in their second or third years prior to advancement to candidacy, and to international M.F.A students in their second or third years. International Ph.D. and M.F.A. students entering in Fall 2021 will become eligible for support from the program in Fall 2022. Exceptions: international students sometimes come to UCI with full funding from their home countries; in other cases, students may be awarded extramural fellowships that cover NRST. For these students, no coverage of NRST by the program will be provided.program will be provided.
***Please note:
Fall 2019 and Fall 2020 require eligible students must hold a remission-eligible appointment in an ASE (Teaching Assistant/Associate, Reader or Tutor) or GSR title in order to qualify for support from the program. ASE and GSR appointments that are a minimum of 25% time (110 hours of assigned workload) for the quarter are nonresident tuition remission-eligible.
International students newly enrolled between Fall 2015 and Fall 2018 will continue to receive NRST support in years 2-4 (Ph.D. students prior to advancement to candidacy) and years 2-3 (MFA students), independent of employment status.
Students must also meet all other academic requirements for fellowship support (i.e. grades, GPA, etc.) in order to receive NRST support from this program.
We have great services and resources especially for you: We are committed to your academic and professional success. UC Irvine offers a highly-supportive community with the specialized resources and services you will need to achieve your academic and career goals.
Resources and services include:
- Supporting your transition to UC Irvine: The Graduate Interconnect Program
- Outstanding on-campus graduate student housing: On-campus living
- Community Atmosphere: Balancing work with fun
- Funding your Graduate Program: Employment Opportunities and Fellowships
More Information for International Applicants
The application fee for international students is $155. Please note that international students do not qualify for a waiver of the application fee.
- Academic Qualifications: Applicants of recognized academic institutions outside the United States should have completed degree programs representing a minimum of 16 years of schooling with at least 12 years at the primary and secondary levels. Please refer to the list of academic qualifications by country as well as general documentation requirements and information.
- English Language Proficiency: All graduate applicants, except those who have earned an undergraduate or master's degree from an institution at which English was the sole language of instruction according to the World Higher Education Database, are required to demonstrate English proficiency for admissions consideration. If English is not the sole language of instruction listed or if no language is listed at all, the waiver does not apply and the applicant is required to take and pass an approved English proficiency test (TOEFL or IELTS).