II. Admissions

A. Admissions Policy

General Policy

Admission to graduate study at UCI is by authority and action of the Graduate Dean according to Academic Senate regulations and policies established by the Graduate Council of the University of California, Irvine. The Graduate Dean has delegated authority for direct admission of students to the academic units, except in cases where applicants who do not meet the basic requirements for graduate admission (e.g., unsatisfactory grade point average, bachelor’s degree requirements, etc.). Admission to a specific graduate program is made by recommendation of a particular departmental graduate admissions committee, which serves as the agent of the faculty. The chief academic administrator of the department or school may limit the number of admissions for budgetary reasons, and may return to the admissions committee any recommendation that is not consistent with the rules of the faculty. The Graduate Dean authorizes admission actions consistent with Academic Senate regulations and University policy. The staff of the Graduate Division is available for assistance and consultation in the admission process.

The basic requirements for admission are adequate preparation for successful graduate study, and suitability of academic objectives for the specific program. Educational Testing Service’s (ETS) Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not required of applicants applying to most graduate programs; however, some graduate program may still require GRE scores. See individual graduate program requirements for details. In certain biological/medical fields, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores can be substituted for GRE scores with the approval of the Graduate Dean. Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or GRE scores may be required for applicants to the Paul Merage School of Business. A non-refundable application fee is required of all applicants. An application fee waiver may be available to certain domestic applicants. Further information and current fees are available on the Graduate Division website. The academic unit and the Graduate Division evaluate applications for admission with specific assessment of official transcripts of previous academic work, and the applicant’s “Statement of Purpose”. Individual graduate programs may require other materials such as examples of previous work.

The other major factors considered by the departmental graduate admissions committee are the applicant’s: (1) previous academic performance at an institution with degree standards equivalent to those of the University of California; (2) academic preparation for the graduate curriculum; (3) intellectual capacity; (4) motivation and maturity; and (5) specific areas of academic interest. An applicant may be denied admission because of a lack of strength in any of the first four areas, or because the program does not match the applicant’s interests in terms of focus and/or academic resources. Please note that the requirements listed in this document (e.g., at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA for graduate admission) are minimum standards, and individual programs have the prerogative to apply more stringent requirements.

A 3.0 grade point average is the minimum requirement for admission to graduate study all graduate programs except for some graduate programs in the Paul Merage School of Business, but a lower GPA may be accepted by exception when balanced by other positive indicators of potential. Even a recognized bachelor’s degree is not an absolute requirement. As an exception, students of unusual intellectual achievement may be admitted without having earned an undergraduate degree (see Section A. 2. Exceptional Admissions below).

The number of applicants each year who meet the minimal requirements for admission is substantially larger than the number that can be supported by the available university resources. A fundamental principle is that University of California graduate programs are not required to accept all applicants who meet a minimum standard, nor must they fill the available spaces on a first-come, first-served basis. The objective of each departmental graduate admissions committee is to admit the applicants who are best qualified and whose interests and expertise best match that of the academic program.

2. Exceptional Admissions

All exceptional admissions must be reviewed by the Graduate Dean before admission is granted. Exceptional admissions are required for: low undergraduate GPA (even for students with graduate degrees); lack of a U.S. bachelor’s degree equivalent, and/or lack of official transcripts verifying the award of the degree; lack of Graduate Record Examination (GRE, if required by the graduate program), or GRE score older than five years( if required by the graduate program); lack of Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores, if required; lack of Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores; low TOEFL or IELTS scores; or TOEFL or IELTS scores more than two years old for students who are not exempted from the English Proficiency requirements.

For exceptional admissions, the exception form in Slate should include a justification for exceptional admission, along with supporting documents. Following review by the Graduate Dean, the department will be notified of the Graduate Dean’s decision. The letter of admission (or denial) will then be sent to the applicant via the Slate application.

3. Waiver of Standard Graduate Admission Requirements

A. Low Grade Point Average

Infrequently, the Graduate Division receives recommendations from academic units to admit someone with a grade point average below the required 3.0. The Graduate Division may permit a graduate program to admit an applicant with a low grade point average who appears highly qualified based on recent GRE or GMAT standardized scores and/or research or professional experience. The academic unit must submit a request for an exception to the minimum GPA of 3.0 via Slate. The academic unit may admit the applicant only with the approval of the Graduate Dean.

B. The Bachelor’s Degree

On extremely rare occasions, the academic recommends admitting someone who does not have a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. The Graduate Division may allow admitting a very highly qualified person to graduate standing by waiving this established requirement, provided the following criteria are satisfied:

1) Inappropriateness of requiring the applicant to complete an undergraduate program because of: unusual intellectual maturity; conflicting responsibilities which would unreasonably extend the amount of time required; and a significant level of achievement in a specialization related to the graduate program of interest.

2) Demonstrated ability to do graduate level work, as evidenced by: GRE or similar test scores; published papers or other examples of work in a related area; adequate preparation in foundation areas; and letters of recommendation (if required by the program).

3) Evidence of having attained a depth and breadth of intellectual development equivalent to an undergraduate education, including a specialization comparable to an undergraduate academic major. This should be determined by such means as are deemed academically appropriate by the Graduate Dean. It might include a review of the applicant’s related work and evaluation of any teaching or research experience by an ad hoc advisory committee composed of regular faculty members. Before the applicant can be admitted, the Graduate Dean must approve in advance and in writing the waiving of the bachelor’s degree requirement. The Graduate Division must report exceptions to the Graduate Council.

C. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

While the GRE (or GMAT for applicants to MBA programs) administered by the Educational Testing Service, (ETS), is not required as part of the formal application for admission to graduate study, some graduate programs may still require it as part of the application. If required by the graduate program, scores for tests taken five or more years previously can be used only if approved by the Graduate Dean.

Departmental graduate admission committees are urged to consider GRE/GMAT scores only as appropriate and relevant to the particular field of study and only as one of a number of indicators of potential for success in graduate study. When applicants are not exempt from the English proficiency requirements, TOEFL or IELTS scores may provide supplementary information. Alternative GRE/GMAT tests, and testing situations, are provided by the Educational Testing Service for applicants with disabilities or health-related needs on request. If GRE/GMAT scores are required by a graduate program, the academic unit may formally admit a student with the provision that GRE/GMAT scores are submitted prior to matriculation or within the first quarter after registration. This is only if other indicators of potential for success are evident in the application.

For those applicants seeking admission to the School of Business’s M.B.A. programs who have completed graduate medical degree programs from accredited U.S. educational institutions, the GMAT requirements may be waived. Applicants who meet the criteria above, and have been awarded degrees of M.D., D.O., D.P.M., D.D.S., or D.D.M., will not be required to take the GMAT to qualify for admission to the M.B.A. programs. For currently enrolled M.D. students interested in applying to the M.D./M.B.A. Joint Degree Program, the MCAT, along with the completion of three years of medical school training in good standing and passage of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step I, currently serve as a waiver for the GMAT entrance examination usually required for application to the M.B.A. program.

On rare occasions, it is possible to waive the GRE/GMAT requirement for graduate programs that require it, provided that substantial evidence of achievement in graduate work in a recognized academic institution can be provided. The criterion applied in such cases is either:

l) Completion of at least two full years of post-baccalaureate coursework exclusive of credit for thesis or independent research, with superior scholarship; or 2) prior formal advancement to candidacy for a Ph.D. Academic units must submit these exception requests through Slate.

D. Demonstration of 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. An applicant who has not earned an undergraduate degree from an institution at which English was the sole language of instruction according to the World Higher Education Database are required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores for admission consideration.

4. Second Advanced Degrees

The University of California generally discourages the duplication of advanced degrees. At the same time, it recognizes that a professional degree does not duplicate an academic degree, and that the holders of either an academic or professional degree may have the pressing need to earn another degree in an area different from that of their first academic endeavors.

The Graduate Dean has delegated the authority to admit students for a second Master’s degree in an unrelated discipline to the academic units. If a program wishes to admit a student for a second Master’s degree in the same discipline or a related field, the program must request an exception. Academic units must submit these requests in Slate and should include a strong justification for admitting the applicant for a second Master’s degree in the same discipline or a related field, as well as a statement assuring the Dean that there will be no duplication, transfer, or waiving of coursework.

[Example: If a student with an MS in Civil Engineering applied to UCI for an MS in Environmental Engineering, it would require an exception to admit them. However, if the same student with an MS in Civil Engineering applied to UCI for an MA in History, this would not require an exception.]

The Graduate Dean must approve an exception to policy to admit an applicant for a second Ph.D.; however, such requests are rarely granted. Academic units must submit requests in Slate and should include a strong justification for admitting the applicant for a second Ph.D. It must also be accompanied by a statement assuring the Graduate Dean that the applicant’s first Ph.D. is in an unrelated area, and that there will be no duplication, transfer, or waiving of coursework.

5. Non-degree Graduate Admission

Although students are ordinarily admitted to a UC graduate school only for the purpose of study leading to an advanced degree, international Education Abroad Program (EAP) students are an exception to this rule. These are non-degree seeking students who attend UCI for one to three quarters of study.

B. The Application Process

Requirements for All Applicants

A. Application Fees

A non-refundable application fee is required for all applicants. Applications cannot be processed until the application fee has been received. The application fee is devoted to the administrative cost of processing all applications received, and is non-refundable under any circumstances.

The non-refundable application fee can only be paid by credit card.

The application fee may be waived for certain applicants U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Check the Graduate Division website for details.

B. Transcripts

Applicants must submit one official transcript of all previous post-secondary academic work. Some programs require a second transcript. Applicants should check with their program prior to submission. Transcripts should be sent directly to the UCI academic department by the Registrar of the issuing institution. When students have final work in progress at the time of the first application, a final official transcript covering that work and certifying the award of any degree must be received before the student is officially enrolled. In such situations, the student is admitted provisionally, pending receipt of official transcripts reflecting award of the bachelor’s degree.

C. Graduate Record Examination Scores

GRE scores are not required for admission to graduate study at UCI; however, some graduate programs may still require scores as part of the application. The School of Business may require applicants to submit GMAT scores for some programs. In addition, some graduate programs require GRE Subject Test scores in the area of specialization. The applicant must request that the Educational Testing Service (ETS) report scores directly to the UCI Graduate Division, institutional code number 4859. The applicant does not need to indicate a department when making the request with ETS. The Graduate Dean approves the acceptance of test scores that are more than five years old.

D. Statement of Purpose

The Statement of Purpose provides important guidance to the departmental graduate admissions committee in their decision-making process. It is important for assessing whether the applicant’s academic objectives can reasonably be satisfied in the graduate program to which admission is sought.

E. Individual Program Requirements

Individual program requirements must be consistently applied to all applicants to a single program, but may vary from program to program. Typical individual program requirements include, but are not limited to, samples of previous academic work, writing samples, statements about research experience or foreign language competence, and portfolios of artistic or creative endeavors.

F. English Proficiency

English Proficiency Tests Accepted for Graduate Admissions

The TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Test scores that are more than two years old are not acceptable.

TOEFL Score Requirements for Admission Consideration:

A minimum score of 80 is required on the TOEFL iBT.

IELTS

English language proficiency may also be demonstrated by passing the Academic Modules of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. Test scores that are more than two years old are not acceptable.

IELTS Score Requirements for Admission Consideration:

An overall minimum score of 7 for admission, with a score of no less than 6 on any individual module.

Special Requirements for International Applicants

A. Application

All standard UCI admission requirements apply to applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. In addition, they must provide evidence of financial support in order to obtain the necessary visa document, e.g. the I-20 form for the F-1 student visa or DS-2019 form for the J-1 student visa. Note that this visa document is issued by the International Center at UCI. The International Center requires completion of the I‐20/DS‐2019 Request for New Graduate Students. This form allows UC Irvine to issue an I‐20/DS‐2019 for students to apply for an F‐1 or J‐1 student visa. This form should be sent to a student’s admitting academic department.

Academic units should exercise special care when admitting international students. It is unfair to the applicant to recommend admission in the absence of clear evidence that there are sufficient English language skills and financial resources, as well as background in the discipline, to ensure success in the graduate program. Many students underestimate both the time and the financial resources required for completion of a graduate degree at UCI. Academic units should be aware that some international applicants may also misinterpret encouraging communication as a firm contract with regard to admission and/or financial support.

The Graduate Division recommends international applicants to apply at least four months prior to the stated application deadline dates, or as early as possible after the online application is available. Graduates of recognized academic institutions outside the U.S. ordinarily should have completed degree programs representing a minimum of 16 years of schooling with at least 12 years at the elementary and secondary school level. Applicants holding only professional diplomas or higher certificates in accounting, business, physical education, or health education from universities or technical and vocational schools should not apply. Members of professional associations, such as the Institute of Chartered Accountants, are not qualified for graduate standing unless they also hold recognized university-level degrees or titles.

B. Evaluation of International Credentials

The international applicant is expected to have completed the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree with a satisfactory level of scholarship. Academic units are responsible for this assessment. The Graduate Division provides training to academic unit staff on determining equivalency of foreign credentials and offers support in the foreign credential evaluation process during the admissions cycle. Upon request by the academic unit, the Graduate Division can provide an additional review of international transcripts and other credentials, and provide a supplemental evaluation which states equivalency to U.S. degrees and measures of academic standing according to established guidelines for the particular international educational system. For purposes of campus admissions requirements, academic units need only determine that an applicant has the equivalent of a 3.0 GPA and it is not necessary for academic units to determine an exact U.S. GPA equivalent unless the applicant does not meet the 3.0 threshold. This evaluation can be provided only in relation to formal applicants for graduate study at UCI, and only on the basis of official credentials provided as part of a formal application.

UC Irvine can only provide general information about bachelor’s degree equivalency to a prospective applicant prior to application; for specific credential evaluation prior to application, applicants should be to independent professional agencies that provide this service for a fee. UC Irvine considers such evaluations as advisory only, and will not accept them as the sole basis of admission actions.

C. Foreign Academic Records

Applicants should sent one set of official records from foreign institutions should be sent directly to the UCI academic unit to which the applicant is applying. All applicants are required to submit official records from each academic institution attended after secondary school. The Graduate Division only considers transcripts official records if they are original documents, issued by the institution, which bear the actual signature of the registrar and the seal of the issuing academic institution. The Graduate Division will only accept true copies, facsimiles, or photocopies if the photocopies themselves have been personally signed by an academic or public official who has certified that they are exact copies of the original documents. Each certified copy must also bear the seal and title of the authorizing official. Uncertified photocopies are not acceptable. American embassies or consulates are not authorized to certify academic records.

D. Required Records

Unless academic records and diplomas are issued in English by the institution, applicants must submit the official records in their original language with an authorized, complete, and exact English translation. All official academic records must show the dates of applicant’s enrollment; all subject or course units, credits, or hours; and grades in each subject. If rank is determined by the results of comprehensive examinations, records should show the examination date and applicant’s scores, rank, class, and division. All records must include a complete description of institutional grading scales or other standards of evaluation with minimum and maximum grades/marks indicated. The applicant must also submit official evidence of the conferral of all degrees, diplomas, or professional titles and the date of the formal conferral (month and year). These certificates should indicate the exact name of the degree, diploma, or title as it is known in the country of origin and not in American terms. If the applicant is applying prior to the end of the applicant’s final year of study, they must also send a supplementary record showing completion of all remaining coursework and evidence of the award of the degree as soon as it is available. If the applicant has also attended a university in either Canada or the U.S., including any campus of the University of California including the Irvine campus, the applicant must have the registrar of each institution send an official transcript. The Graduate Division will not copy, return to the applicant, or send submitted records elsewhere.

F. Verification of Financial Resources

International applicants are required to certify that they possess sufficient funds to cover all fees, transportation, and living expenses for the first year of their studies at UCI. Students who have been admitted for graduate studies at UCI must complete the

I‐20/DS‐2019 Request for New Graduate Students and submit it to the admitting academic department if the student requires an F-1/J-1 student visa. Upon completion of these forms, and thorough review by the admitting department, paperwork is submitted to the International Center for review and document issuance. This process takes 15 business days; incomplete information may require longer processing times. International applicants who have deferred admission must submit updated documents and forms and an updated financial verification statement before visa documents can be issued. All inquiries regarding verification of financial support or visa documents should be directed to the International Center.

Application Deadlines

Each graduate program has its own deadlines; some are as early as December 1, while others may accept applications until March 1 or thereafter. Many programs have earlier deadlines for students interested in financial support. The Graduate Division advises potential students to consult with the academic unit of interest to determine their deadline. The Graduate Division strongly advises international applicants to submit their applications as early as possible.

Please note that UCI will consider late applications on a space-available basis only. Fellowship and other financial support will depend on funding availability.

Primary Application Window:

The online graduate application will be available: September 1 through March 1. It will close earlier for those individual programs whose deadline is earlier.

Deadline for academic programs to make primary admission offers: April 1.

Preferred Deadline for applicants to submit Statement of Intent to Register (SIR): April 15

Secondary Application Window:

The online graduate application will be available for those programs that want a secondary application timeframe: April 15 through June 1.

Deadline for departments to make secondary admission offers: June 30.

Graduate Division staff will process admissions: June 10–June 30.

Deadline for admitted students to submit SIR: July 15.

Graduate Programs with Individual Application Processes

a. Paul Merage School of Business Programs

UCI Paul Merage School of Business requires applicants to submit a separate online application; the Merage School has a separate application process.

b. School of Medicine Programs

UCI School of Medicine requires applicants applying to M.D. program to submit a separate online application; the medical school has a separate application process.

c. School of Law Programs

UCI School of Law requires applicants applying their graduate programs to submit a separate online application; the law school has a separate application process.

C. Evaluation of Applicants

The Graduate Council encourages programs to develop diverse communities of graduate scholars A transparent admissions process provides assurance to faculty, Graduate Council, and Graduate Division that all applicants are reviewed equitably, as does a holistic review process that takes into account all the elements of the application packages.

To help ensure these goals are met, graduate programs are expected to:

Have an established graduate admissions committee, whose term and composition are determined by program faculty. Programs are encouraged to consider committees that are diverse and may be composed of faculty, staff, graduate students and/or alumni, as appropriate.
Develop guidelines for graduate admissions. If appropriate, these would be separate for each graduate degree program in the department. They should include:

a. Outline of the admissions committee makeup;

b. Criteria for evaluation of applicants (such as academic potential, match with program or faculty research, potential contributions to diversity, etc.);

C. Procedures and timeline for the review and evaluation of graduate applicants.

These guidelines should be made available to all graduate admissions committee members at the start of each graduate admissions cycle. Beginning in 2022-23 academic year, they should be kept on files for inclusion in future academic program reviews. Finally, Graduate Council recommends that these guidelines be posted in part or whole on your program website for public transparency as to the admissions process.

D. Admission Decisions

General Policy

The Graduate Dean, in cooperation with the Graduate Advisors and the Departmental Graduate Admissions Committees of the individual graduate programs, must ensure that each applicant receives fair, reasonable, and timely consideration in the admissions process. When a graduate program admits an applicant, a binding contract has been entered into by the University. Graduate programs should take the utmost care that such actions are appropriate and in accordance with campus policy. Graduate Division staff reviews all admission actions on behalf of the Graduate Dean. The Graduate Division will immediately notify programs when it determines that such actions do not follow required procedures.

The Admissions Committee Recommendation (ACR)

When a decision has been reached to admit an applicant, the graduate program should enter the decision in Slate. The Admissions staff will then review all admissions to confirm admissibility. Once confirmed, the applicant will officially be admitted, at which time the applicant will receive a congratulatory e-mail with a link to complete the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) and other pertinent information.

The Graduate Dean makes admission by exception. After the Graduate Dean’s approval, the program can send a letter of admission to the applicant through Slate. The exceptions process is handled through the Slate system and must include a justification for the exception. The Graduate Division will use this information when reviewing the recommendation, and the program must complete an exception request for applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0, or where other exceptional circumstances apply.

Graduate programs must decide on each application and communicate to the applicant within a reasonable period of time, but at least 30 days before the beginning of the quarter to which admission is requested. The experience of most graduate programs indicates that early offers of admission result in success in the competition for outstanding applicants.

While only the Graduate Division can officially admit an applicant, the academic units should take action on all other open files by coding them as Denied (D), Incomplete (I) or Withdrawn (W). All applicants whose application was denied in Slate will be notified by the system of the decision.

Departments must communicate to admitted students, via the admission letter, that if they are enrolled in another graduate program at another institution at the time of application, they must get approval to continue in the graduate program at the other institution. If an admitted student is currently enrolled in another graduate program at UCI, they must either complete or withdraw from that program before they register for courses for the graduate program to which they were admitted. This policy does not apply to students enrolled in an approved UCI joint, dual or concurrent degree program (ex. M.D./Ph.D., J.D./Ph.D., Joint Doctoral Program in Computational Science).

Provisional Admission

Graduate programs may admit an applicant provisionally, pending receipt of items such as final transcript showing awarding of a bachelor’s degree and/or official GRE scores (if required by the graduate program), or other requirements. However, graduate programs may not admit an applicant provisionally pending receipt of TOEFL scores unless an unofficial score has been submitted. While students will be allowed to enroll provisionally, all provisions of admission must be satisfied within the first 4 weeks of the second quarter of enrollment. The Graduate Division will place academic holds on a student’s enrollment if the provision is not satisfied, which may prevent the student from enrolling in a subsequent quarter.

Conditions of Admission

The graduate program may attach specific conditions to admission, such as the satisfaction of certain coursework requirements during the first academic year. Graduate programs may not admit students with the condition that they obtain a particular score on the GRE or GMAT examination. The graduate program is responsible for notifying students of the conditions at the time of admission. The graduate program should send a copy of the written notice to the Graduate Division if it was not sent to the applicant through Slate. Graduate programs should not construe the conditions attached to admission as probation; i.e., graduate students are not admitted “on probation”.

Denials

a. Notice of Denial

If the academic program denies admission to an applicant, a denial notice will be sent to the unsuccessful applicant through Slate. The department should code the application as D (Denied) in the system to ensure the applicant is notified of the decision.

b. Denial – Application Incomplete

Where there is not sufficient information for action by the Departmental Graduate Admissions Committee in time to allow admission for the specific requested quarter, the academic department should code the application I (Incomplete) in Slate.

c. Appeal of Admissions Decision

To learn more about the factors that led to the decision to deny admission, the applicant should contact the specific graduate program. An applicant who then wishes to appeal the decision should contact the Graduate Dean; the Dean has final authority to decide admissions appeals. In cooperation with the academic unit, any complaint that due process was not accorded, or that the result was in some way affected by illegal bias, will be carefully investigated. The Dean will review the earlier recommendation of their Departmental Graduate Admissions Committee and determine the next course of action. Should the Dean determine admission may be reconsidered, the academic department will be contacted, and asked to re-review the applicant’s file again. Note that there is no guarantee of a different outcome. Whether or not the earlier recommendation is changed to favor admission of the applicant, the result is communicated to the applicant via letter sent by the Graduate Division.

Deferral of Admission/Postponement of Matriculation

When an applicant has been admitted to pursue graduate study at UCI, a request for deferral of admission is considered a request for admission to a later quarter. The student must make a request for deferral in writing to the academic program and will be reviewed by the Graduate Advisor or Graduate Admission Committee Chair. Graduate policy allows for deferrals to be granted for a maximum of three quarters following the original quarter of admission at the discretion of the academic program. The deadline for a student to request a deferral of admission is the end of the second week of classes in the quarter of initial admission. If a deferral is approved, the student’s status in Slate will be updated to reflect the deferral of admission.

Rescinding Admissions

Applicants must complete their UCI application completely and accurately, and the truthfulness of that information is at the core of all admission decisions. Falsified application information may include but is not limited to making inaccurate statements on the application, withholding information requested on the application, giving false information, or submitting fraudulent and falsified documents in support of the admission application. When an applicant submits their application, they must also attest that they certify that the content of their application is true and complete. They also affirm that all supporting documents, including transcripts, are accurate and that their letter writers submitted the letters of recommendation.

The Graduate Dean has the authority to rescind a student’s admission if it is determined that the student gave false information or submitted fraudulent or falsified documents as part of their application. In addition to having their admission rescinded, the Graduate Division will instruct the Registrar to expunge the former student’s academic record as a graduate student and revoke the graduate degree, if either is applicable. The Graduate Dean, graduate program, department, or school may initiate the investigation of a student’s application.

Procedures for Rescinding an Admission Decision

Review of the Student’s File

The Graduate Dean will review the student’s file to determine whether the student included false information or submitted fraudulent or falsified documents as part of their application. The Graduate Dean will also review any supporting documentation submitted from the graduate program, department, school, or other relevant units.

2. Graduate Dean’s Notice to Student

3. Student’s Right to Present Their Case

The student shall have the right to present their case in writing. As a component of the Notice to the student and contained in the same written communication, the graduate student will be informed that they have the right to present their case to the Graduate Dean in writing within 14 calendar days of the date of the Notice. The Graduate Dean will not meet with the student as part of the appeals process.

3. Graduate Dean Review

After the 14-day period, the Graduate Dean will review the student’s application, any supporting documentation submitted from the graduate program, department, school, or other relevant units and any materials submitted by the student. If, after reviewing these materials, the Graduate Dean concludes, by a preponderance of the/clear and convincing evidence, that the student included false information or submitted fraudulent or falsified documents as part of their application, then the Graduate Dean will rescind the student’s admission. Otherwise, the Graduate Dean will not rescind the student’s admission.

4. Student’s Status During the Review Period

While the case is being considered, an admitted student who has yet to matriculate cannot enroll in courses or pay tuition and fees. Students currently enrolled in courses can remain enrolled during the review period.

5. Notification of Decision by the Graduate Dean

The Graduate Dean will inform the student in writing via an email to the student’s UCI email account (if a current student), the email provided on their application (if a newly admitted student), or the known email (if a former student), of the Graduate Dean’s decision to rescind or not to rescind admission. The Notification will be in writing and include factual findings and the Graduate Dean’s rationale, referring to the standard of proof described above.

If the Graduate Dean rescinds the student’s admission, the student will not be allowed to enroll in courses, and the former student’s academic record as a graduate student will be expunged and their graduate degree revoked, if either is applicable. If the Graduate Dean does not rescind admission, a non-matriculated student will be allowed to enroll in courses and pay fees for the most recent quarter, where enrollment is still allowed.

The Notification of Decision will state that the student has 14 calendar days from the date of the Notification of Decision to appeal the Graduate Dean’s decision. If the graduate student does not respond within 14 calendar days of the Graduate Dean’s notification of rescission of admission, the Graduate Dean’s decision shall be final. Once the decision becomes final, the Graduate Division will instruct the Registrar to expunge the former student’s graduate academic record and revoke their degree, if either is applicable.

A student whose admission was rescinded will not be allowed to be admitted to any graduate program at the University of California, Irvine, including the original graduate program or any other graduate program, without the approval of the academic unit and the Graduate Dean.

6. Graduate Student’s Right to Appeal

The student shall have the right to appeal their case to the Graduate Council. If the student wishes to appeal the Graduate Dean’s decision, the graduate student must request an appeal in writing within the 14 calendar-day period and send it to the Graduate Dean via email. The Graduate Dean will forward the student’s appeal to the Graduate Council for review.

7. Student’s Status During the Appeal

8. Graduate Council Review

The Graduate Council will assign the case to their subcommittee on rescinding admissions, which will review the appeal, collect additional material if necessary and make a recommendation to the Graduate Council. The Graduate Council will then vote on a decision. The recommendation and vote will be conducted with only voting members, and the Graduate Council Analyst who serves as the record keeper for the Council minutes, present. The Graduate Council’s decision will send its written decision, including any factual findings and its rationale, to the Graduate Dean within 14 days.

9. Final Determination Notice

Upon receipt of the Graduate Council’s decision, the Graduate Dean shall formally communicate the final decision to the student and all relevant parties in writing. If the Graduate Council reverses the decision to rescind admission, a student who has yet to matriculate will be allowed to enroll in courses and pay fees for the most recent quarter, where enrollment is still allowed. If the Graduate Council upholds the Graduate Dean’s decision, the Graduate Division will instruct the Registrar to expunge the former student’s graduate academic record and revoke their degree, if either is applicable.

E. Readmission

A student who has previously withdrawn from UCI, or whose student status has lapsed, may request readmission by submitting a new Application for Graduate Study. Readmission is not guaranteed.

Students are required to pay the non-refundable Application Fee. The Graduate Division requires students to submit a new statement of purpose and transcripts of any additional academic work completed since first admitted to UCI , and submission of new letters of recommendation (if required by the program) is advised.

All applications for readmission are subject to the same careful review as those of new applicants. Only the program’s Graduate Advisor and Graduate Dean can approve applying a student’s previous academic work toward the requirements for an advanced degree if the student is readmitted. A readmitted student must satisfy the academic requirements in effect at the time of readmission and may be required to satisfy certain requirements a second time, including course requirements and formal advancement to candidacy. A readmitted student will be expected to complete at least one additional academic quarter in residence before receiving an advanced degree, which will be conferred no earlier than the second quarter following readmission. Prior to formal readmission, the program should advise the applicant in detail about the requirements that must be satisfied for completion of the advanced degree, and in most cases, establish a timetable for completion. The graduate program should consult with the Graduate Division if there is any doubt about the requirements. The program should include a letter in Slate conveying the correct and complete advice to the applicant for readmission.

Continue to the next Chapter: III. FELLOWSHIPS AND GRANTS