University of California - Irvine Reviews

"I loved UCI, but the environment among students was quite toxic in my opinion. Everyone is super competitive, so it's best not to expect meeting a life-long friend there unless you are in a sorority or fraternity. I loved the research experiences they provided. I loved the professors, although some of them can seem serious and cold."

"UC Irvine is a great school for very specific people. If you are pursuing something STEM related, I couldn't recommend a better school. You will get your money's worth and more. However, if you're pursuing something art related, like I did, it's probably best to pick somewhere else. A humanities or art degree from UC Irvine won't really help you. This is a straight STEM school for sure. In addition, if you're looking for a party school (I wasn't, so it was fine for me), this isn't it. But if you're down to get a great STEM education in a frankly great location (yes, it's the suburbs, but it's SoCal!), this is the place for you.Read Less"

"I believe that UC Irvine is a wonderful school! Most of the professors I have interacted with are extremely helpful and have impressive careers and backgrounds, and I believe the education I received was completely worth it. The campus is beautiful, and UCI offers hundreds of clubs for its students."

"I attended UC Irvine to study Mechanical Engineering and obtain my B.S. degree. Overall, I would say that it was a good experience and I would recommend it to most students. It is more of a commuter school, although, here are still plenty of opportunities to participate in on-campus activities and plenty of students still live on-campus or in close proximity.Academically, most of the professors are very knowledgeable in their field. The coursework is rigorous at times, but certainly manageable. My only complaint about the engineering program is that the coursework itself lacks hands-on experience. There are many opportunities to get hands-on experience in the form of projects and non-mandatory coursework, but it isn't ingrained in the required coursework. Regardless, it still provides a very good foundation of engineering knowledge.Read Less"

"The school environment was fit for me. The campus is very walkable and pleasant. Our academics are very strong, though theoretical. I prefer theoretical backgrounds but I know others who do not enjoy that type of learning. I tend to lean my interests toward research, which my professors were very receptive of. For those who are more social, UCI offers many clubs and events that can cater to them."

"I really liked UCI. It was exactly what I needed and hoped to experience in college. I was able to double major in both dance and biology easily. I was also given opportunities to do research in both fields. I was an in-state student, so financially, it was my best option for tuition. My only critique is that when applying to graduate programs, UCI did not offer some of the prerequisites that were required, so I had to take them at a community college after graduating."

"great school, great professors, great time. Great campus, very quiet sometimes, have to put yourself out there. Great gym facility (ARC), great classrooms, great nearby places but may need a car to explore Irvine/Orange County. great work opportunities, decent athletics."

"I find that UC Irvine provided me with a plethora of individuals to learn from. The academics are collaborative and students don't have that "cut throat" mindset that other schools have. I truly adored the community at UC Irvine and found my individual identity while being there."

"Overall, I had a positive experience at UC Irvine. I had really good professors for all my major courses. They taught us how to apply our learnings to the real world, and we got hands on experience with executing and managing projects. The clubs at UC Irvine were also very diverse as I was apart of 3 clubs. These clubs allowed me to meet new friends and experience college in a different way. I would recommend UC Irvine to anyone who is looking to build their social network while gaining a overall good education.Read Less"

"I really enjoyed my field of study at UC Irvine. Excellent professors, classmates, and facilities. The weather in Irvine is beautiful. I thrived at UC Irvine because of the huge scope of classes related to my major in which I attended. I am a proud alumni."

"I studied Literary Journalism at UC Irvine and had a largely positive experience. The professors were excellent, many with active careers in journalism, and the projects prepared me well for writing longer, in-depth pieces. While I wish there were more flexible class options, stronger advising, and additional publishing opportunities, the campus felt safe, beautiful, and easy to navigate. I’d recommend UCI to students seeking a strong academic focus in a diverse university setting."

"My experience at UC Irvine was genuinely positive. The masters program I took balanced practical IT skills with strong project management foundations and the professors were supportive and knowledgeable. The coursework pushed me to think critically and the collaborative environment helped me grow both technically and professionally. I left feeling prepared for real world work in tech"

"UC Irvine is a hidden gem among the UC campuses. It is a university that stimulates intellectual curiosity and challenges you to become the best version of yourself, personally and professionally. The academic programs are rigorous, but I felt well-supported by my professors, teaching assistants, and various on-campus resources to help me not just survive, but thrive. From a social standpoint, there is community for everyone here, and that is proven through the wide variety of campus organizations from cultural clubs to professional developments clubs. Nestled in Orange County and only a drive from Los Angeles, the location itself is ideal to explore and discover who you really are during your time here.Read Less"

"My degree has allowed me to obtain a decent job in my field. I do wish that there was more guidance from the school about industry careers vs academic careers. I also wish there had been more hands on field classes and a stronger emphasis on doing internships."

"University of California, Irvine (UCI) was a very decent school. It didn't have all of the cutthroat competition but very apt individuals attending there. Also the school was in a very safe city so my own well being was not as much of a concern as much as other schools like UCLA or USC."

"Irvine was a great campus. I loved that the campus was basically a large circle so it didn’t take too long to get from one end of campus to the other. Everything was fairly up-to-date and knew when I was there, nothing was old or rundown. The one thing about the city of Irvine is that it is a very safe and quiet suburb, which is both good and bad. Good because you feel comfortable walking around at night and going around the city without too much hassle. The bad was that it is really not a social school. Most kids go home on the weekend or don’t stick around in the community because there is not a lot to do when everything closes very early. Overall, I had a good time at this campus. It is not a huge population so you still feel a good sense of community and belonging. I also liked how each of the majors had their own little section of the school so you never had to go too farfor classes or to find people.Read Less"

"I am attending UC Irvine for graduate school and am incredibly disappointed. For a school ranked in the top ten public schools, I expected a better experience with administration, professors, the school community as a whole. As a graduate student who attended another undergraduate university, I am incredibly surprised by how my program has many incompetent professors who do not seem to even know anything about the class they are supposed to be teaching. I have had issues trying to speak to and receive help from the financial aid department, parking and traffic department and registrar. Again- I was a student before and had absolutely no issues with any administrative departments so I know this is not a personal issue but a problem with UCI. Most of the people I have been able to speak to have had no idea how to help and several were extremely rude. Do not come to this school if you have any other option! If I wasn't halfway done with my two year program I would definitely have left or transferred to another program.Read Less"

"UC Irvine is a wonderful school. I was an English major and my class sizes were small. The professors were helpful and made themselves available during office hours. The campus is beautiful and has a park in the middle. Overall I really enjoyed my experience at UCI!"

"I loved my experience at UCI and would choose this college all over again. The campus is beautiful with a park in the middle, and the student center is lively. The professors were very knowledgeable and made themselves available to students. Overall, UCI is a great college to go to."

"Very unprofessional faculty of MHCI program more focused on beating around the bush rather actual learning. They are not focused on design. They do not teach as per industry standards. They do not teach industry prevalent softwares such as Sketch and Invision. Do not waste money..... You will not be hired anywhere."