Enrollment

UC Merced Named the 14th Best College in the Nation by Wall Street Journal

October 1, 2025

Following recognition as a Top 25 university by U.S. News & World Report, UC Merced has once again earned national acclaim, this time from the Wall Street Journal. In its 2026 report of the Best Colleges in the U.S., the highly respected media outlet has named UC Merced the 14th best college in...

30,105 prospective students seek to become Bobcats in fall 2021.

UC Merced Receives Highest Number of Applications in Campus’s History

In a record year for applicants to the entire University of California system, UC Merced has received a total of 30,105 prospective student applications among freshman and transfer students into the...

UC Merced Enrollment Passes 9,000 — a New High — Despite National Decline

UC Merced rose into the top 100 of the U.S. News & World Report rankings of National Universities earlier this month, and the university already has another milestone to celebrate. According...

Extension Training Future Teachers and Child-Care Workers

The California Teachers Association (CTA) indicates the state faces a massive shortage of highly qualified teachers – especially those who can teach math, science and special education —...

UC Merced Awarded Two Seven-year Grants for Local School Districts

Two multimillion-dollar grants aimed at increasing high school graduation and college-going rates in the San Joaquin Valley will benefit students in Tulare and Fresno counties at least through 2025...

Kimberly Ramirez Gonzalez will speak to thousands of youth at WE Day California April 19.

Undergraduate Student Advocates for Youth at Empowerment Event

Kimberly Ramirez Gonzalez has been advocating for youth for four years and she is committed to dedicating the rest of her life to doing so. The third-year UC Merced student takes the stage April...

Governor Names Nies to California Student Aid Commission

UC Merced’s Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Charles Nies has been appointed to the California Student Aid Commission by Gov. Jerry Brown. The commission is tasked with making education...

Current and prospective students are encouraged to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before the March 2 deadline.

Tips to Help Students Maximize Aid

The UC Merced Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships is committed to ensuring a world-class education remains within reach for all eligible students who need financial assistance to achieve their...

More than 2,000 people were on campus for Homecoming events Oct. 20-22.

Homecoming Unites Campus With Community

Traditional UC Merced events — Homecoming, Preview Day and Family Weekend, plus the Chancellor’s Scholars recognition ceremony — came together for a first-of-its-kind bundle of...

Record-Breaking Class Pushes UC Merced Enrollment Near 8,000

The University of California, Merced, received the largest incoming class of students in its 13-year history this semester, as total enrollment neared 8,000 for the first time. The fastest-growing...