In fall 2025, 5,013 freshmen applied to UC Merced as undeclared and 4,576 were admitted, an admit rate of 91%, compared with 94% for the campus as a whole. The middle half of admitted students had a UC GPA between 3.40 and 4.02. Of those admitted, 259 enrolled (6%).
What stands out
The admit rate rose from 81% in 2021 to 91% in 2025, while applications went from 3,080 to 5,013. Among UC campuses, UCLA was the hardest as undeclared (7%).
Five-year trend
| Fall | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) | Enrolled | Enrolled GPA (middle 50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,013 | 4,576 | 91% | 3.40–4.02 | 259 | 3.23–3.82 |
| 2024 | 5,187 | 4,683 | 90% | 3.35–3.95 | 467 | 3.26–3.83 |
| 2023 | 6,470 | 5,802 | 90% | 3.40–4.00 | 705 | 3.31–3.87 |
| 2022 | 3,551 | 3,083 | 87% | 3.41–4.00 | 220 | 3.31–3.94 |
| 2021 | 3,080 | 2,490 | 81% | 3.31–3.85 | 201 | 3.15–3.72 |
Undeclared applicants at every UC (fall 2025)
| Campus | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) | Campus overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 10,486 | 721 | 7% | 4.16–4.30 | 9% |
| UC Berkeley | 10,920 | 1,329 | 12% | 4.11–4.28 | 11% |
| UC San Diego | 9,433 | 3,281 | 35% | 4.06–4.27 | 28% |
| UC Irvine | 8,383 | 3,221 | 38% | 3.93–4.20 | 29% |
| UC Santa Barbara | 7,051 | 2,890 | 41% | 4.00–4.26 | 38% |
| UC Davis | 6,805 | 3,079 | 45% | 3.96–4.21 | 44% |
| UC Santa Cruz | 9,848 | 6,727 | 68% | 3.82–4.20 | 72% |
| UC Riverside | 3,753 | 3,231 | 86% | 3.44–4.00 | 87% |
| UC Merced | 5,013 | 4,576 | 91% | 3.40–4.02 | 94% |
Transfer admit rates: Undeclared majors (fall 2025)
| Major | Applied | Admitted | Admit rate | 2024 rate | Admitted GPA (middle 50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undeclared | 163 | 131 | 80% | 84% | 3.09–3.75 |
Transfer GPA is the UC-transferable GPA from community college. All UC Merced transfer majors →
Other major areas at UC Merced
Check your chances with your GPA and intended major →
Source: University of California Office of the President, UC Information Center: Freshman admissions by discipline and Transfers by major. UC reports freshman results by broad discipline (the major area students applied to, such as Engineering), not by individual major; transfer results are by individual major. GPA ranges are the 25th–75th percentile of admitted students (freshman: weighted, capped UC GPA; transfer: UC-transferable GPA). Counts include all applicants (California, out-of-state and international). Small counts are suppressed by UC. This site is independent and not affiliated with the University of California. Admit rates describe past applicants, not any individual student’s chances.