Program Overview

About UC Merced

The University of California opened its doors in 1869 with just 10 faculty members and 38 students. Today, the UC system includes more than 238,000 students and more than 190,000 faculty and staff, with more than 1.7 million alumni living and working around the world. For almost 150 years, UC has expanded the horizons of what we know about ourselves and our world. Our campuses are routinely ranked among the best in the world, but our reach extends beyond campus borders.

UC Merced opened Sept 2005, as the 10th campus in the University of California Opens a New Window. system and the first American research university of the 21st century. Situated near Yosemite National Park, the campus significantly expands access to the UC system for students throughout the state, with a special mission to increase college-going rates among students in the San Joaquin Valley. It also serves as a major base of advanced research, a model of sustainable design and construction, and a stimulus to economic growth and diversification throughout the region.

UC Merced offers a growing list of majors and minors, and graduate programs taught by more than 140 full-time faculty members, visiting professors and lecturers, who have come to us from some of the world's top-ranked universities.

Just like at other UC campuses, academic research is a critical part of UC Merced's mission. The process of discovery provides our students with a deeper understanding of the world and its cultural, social, natural and engineered systems, but more, it solves issues and challenges that are critical to the growth, health and overall wellbeing of the region, the state, nation and world.

As of fall 2014, UC Merced has more than 6,200 undergraduate and graduate students making up the Bobcat community.

About Merced

Merced is a unique city, filled with warm, friendly people that will instantly make visitors feel welcome. Merced offers a wide variety of attractions, historical sites, accommodations and dining opportunities that are sure to please.

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Academic

Click Here for a list of courses offered to exchange students.

Term date

• Host Institutions usually organize orientation activities for exchange students, with some mandatory, which take place 1-2 weeks before the start of the term. You should refer to the acceptance package and pay attention to the expected arrival or pick-up dates specified by your host institution.
• You should only depart after finishing all the final examinations (including resits) since host institutions will not make special arrangement for taking any examinations other than scheduled.
• Please CLICK HERE for more information on host institution’s term dates.