Special Criteria for students with 103 units or more
The Office of the Registrar is recommending that academic reentry applicants request electronic delivery for official transcripts to UC Merced. Our email address is registrar@ucmerced.edu. More information can be found here, https://registrar.ucmerced.edu/resources/transfer-courses.
Academic Reentry
Academic Reentry is the act of restoring active-student status to former students who have:
- Formally withdrawn from the university;
- Had a lapse of their student status for failure to pay fees, failure to satisfy the entry level writing requirement, failure to enroll in future semesters, or failure to graduate; or
- Left the university in academic difficulty (academic probation, subject to academic dismissal, or academically dismissed).
Application
Undergraduate students who wish to return to the UC Merced must file an application for academic reentry with the Office of the Registrar by the deadlines listed below.
Students should begin the process of reentry at least six weeks before the deadline. Submitting the application, along with all transcripts (if applicable), as early as possible will provide enough time to review the application and have a student register before new incoming students are scheduled to register for classes. Upon submission, a $70 nonrefundable application fee will be billed to the student account. Students who do not enroll in the semester to which they are approved for reentry must file a new application and pay the application fee to return in a future semester.
Send official transcripts together, in one packet to:
Attn: Academic Reentry Application
Office of the Registrar
5200 N. Lake Road
Merced, CA 95343
| Notification | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Application Receipt Confirmation | We will confirm receipt of your packet, by e-mail, within 1 to 2 business days of receiving it. |
| Application sent to School for review | If your application is complete, within 7 business days from the deadline you will be notified by e-mail that your application has been sent to the School for review. |
| Initial School Determinations | May take 4 to 5 weeks from the deadline. The Office of the Registrar will notify you by e-mail when a decision is ready. |
| Final School Determinations | If you have coursework in progress at the time the School provides an initial reinstatement decision, the final decision for your reinstatement will be conditional. You will be notified of the School's final decision, by the Office of the Registrar, within 5 to 7 days from the receipt of your final transcript. |
Filing Period
Fall application period is November - deadline is May 1
Spring application period is May - deadline is November 1
Summer application period is November - deadline is February 1
Academic Reentry Criteria
Which type of student are you?
- I left UC Merced in good standing.
- I left UC Merced in poor standing (probation) or was dismissed.
Academic Reentry Criteria for Students Who Left in Good Standing
A student who left the university in good standing, and is seeking to return under the same major on record, will generally be automatically approved provided:
- All applicable final official transcripts from institutions of higher education are submitted. Students who left in good standing are still eligible to apply for reentry even if they did not take courses at another college while away from UC Merced.
- The student has accumulated a minimum cumulative transfer GPA of at least 2.0, if courses were taken at another institution.
- The application is filed by the deadline.
Academic Reentry Criteria for Students Who Left in Poor Standing
Students who left the university in poor standing are strongly encouraged to pursue academic reentry. Please read the following expectations carefully, and understand that your time away from UC Merced should be approached as an opportunity to prepare to return to your studies here with the confidence, energy, and focus necessary for you to successfully complete your degree.
General Requirements:
If you wish to return to UC Merced, you must file an application, presenting evidence that you are likely to succeed. UC Merced is not obliged to grant such requests. Specific requirements for reentry into one of UC Merced's three schools are listed on their individual websites. Links are provided below.
In general, schools will look for a record of college level achievement at another accredited institution of higher education, such as a community college. Since we expect students to enroll full time at UC Merced, we need to see that you are able to handle a full-time load. Thus, you should fulfill all UC Merced academic reentry requirements over the course of any two semesters or three quarters of full-time enrollment (e.g. 12 semester credits or more). Students who were academically dismissed must wait one year (must be absent for three terms including summer) before they apply. Reduced course loads will negatively affect the decision on your request for reentry. Extenuating circumstances requiring reduced course loads, such as an inability to enroll in over-subscribed classes, must be explained and documented in the application for reentry. Withdrawals and earned grades lower than C- will also negatively affect the decision on your request for reentry. It is therefore very important for you to address the reason you were subject to academic dismissal in the first place. If health challenges, family issues, or other personal matters led to your dismissal, you are strongly encouraged to address these prior to enrolling in courses again. As part of the reentry review, your school may require that you provided documentation that you utilized professional or other relevant help in addressing your past hardship.
During the period of academic dismissal, courses may not be taken in UC Merced summer session; exceptions must be pre-approved by the relevant school. Grades earned outside of the UC system will not be used towards your UC GPA.
You will not be permitted to return to UC Merced if you carry an equivalent cumulative transfer GPA less than a 2.0 after leaving UC Merced. If an application is denied, there will be no opportunity to appeal a denial. No further applications for reentry will be considered if you are academically dismissed or administratively withdrawn for a second time.
Specific Requirements:
Reentry is not like a first-time application to UC Merced. For reentry, you must apply for reentry into one of UC Merced's three schools, and you must request reentry into a specific major. Please review the reentry information listed on the School's website to which you will address your application. Once your reentry is approved by your school, you may not change schools. Note: Fulfilling the reentry conditions prescribed by your schools does not guarantee reentry; it merely ensures that your application will be given full consideration.
Application Process for Students Who Left in Poor Standing:
To be considered for reentry after leaving the University in poor standing, a student must work out a reentry plan with their UC Merced Academic Advisor from the school to which they desire to reenter prior to submitting an application.
- Students should first contact their school regarding eligibility for reentry.
- If the school imposes conditions for reentry, a student must fulfill these conditions before the application will be considered.
- All applicable final official transcripts from institutions of higher education are submitted after application.
- In order to allow enough time for the school to consider the reentry application, students should apply as soon as the application filing period is open for the semester they intend to return. Applications and transcripts received after the deadline will not be considered.
- If approved, the student will be monitored on probation by the academic advisors for each school for at least one semester.
Specific School Requirements
School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts
Transcripts
It is expected that all official transcripts from other institution(s) with course work for all terms prior to the current semester would be submitted with immediately after the reentry application is submitted, and that a final set of official transcripts then be provided to the university at the conclusion of that current semester of enrollment demonstrating successful completion of courses. Students seeking reentry for fall semester cannot count summer work at another institution towards their criteria without advisor approval. Students seeking reentry for spring semester cannot count fall work at another institution towards their criteria without advisor approval. Students seeking reentry for summer session cannot count spring work at another institution towards their criteria without advisor approval. Any decision by the University to accept the application of reentry will be provisional until the University has received the final official transcripts showing the academic performance of the current term of attendance at another institution(s) of higher education. It is possible, upon receipt of final official transcripts, that if a students academic performance at another institution does not meet the expectations outlined by the application for reentry, the decision for reentry could be revoked by the appropriate school dean.
Statement of Legal Residence
All students, upon approval of their reentry application, must resubmit the Statement of Legal Residence petition. More information about the Statement of Legal Residence and California residency requirement can be found here.
Changing Catalog Years
Undergraduate and graduate students are subject to requirements based on a particular catalog, referred to as the student’s “catalog year.” The catalog year is determined for new students as the catalog in effect at the time of their initial enrollment in courses at UC Merced, provided there is no break of more than three consecutive terms (e.g., two semesters and one summer) in enrollment. The student’s catalog year determines both the major and general education requirements for degree completion. Therefore, students who are approved to reenter UC Merced after leaving will be placed on the catalog in effect when they return.
Special Criteria for students with 103 or more completed semester units
A student who is seeking reentry to their designated academic program after having already completed 103 semester units or more will be required to submit a Graduation Application after being approved for reentry.
Graduate Students
Graduate students desiring reentry or termination of leaves of absence (other than an approved planned educational leave) should contact the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies. Reentry is not automatic and requires the approval of the chair of the student's graduate group and the dean of Graduate Studies. The student's record will be evaluated in terms of academic performance and timely completion of the degree. Students who wish to reenter and have exceeded the time limit for completion of the master's and/or doctoral degrees must also submit a plan and timetable for degree completion to their academic program chair and the dean of Graduate Studies for review and approval.
Tuition Stability Plan
For students who left UC Merced spring 2022 or prior, and return to UC Merced in fall 2022 or later, will be assessed the oldest unexpired cohort rate that is active at the time of reenrollment. These students will continue to be assessed the oldest unexpired rate for each additional year needed to graduate.
For students who began UC Merced in fall 2022 or later, and then leave and reenroll at UC Merced, will retain their original cohort rate for six-years from time of original enrollment. After that time, these students will be charged the oldest unexpired rate for each additional year needed to graduate.
