University of California - Irvine Reviews

"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."

"Overall, attending U.C. Irvine for my undergraduate studies was a very bland, unexciting and lackluster experience that I regretted almost instantly. The school does very little for the students in terms of on-campus activities and their career center is of very little help - especially compared to what I have heard from friends at other universities. The vibe of the school feels very subdued. I was very envious of schools like UCLA and USC that had many more activities, resources, events and proud and helpful alumni groups for their students. Just about every one of my friends from UCI says the same about the school. Most regret their decision and are still unhappy about their experience. In regards to professors and classes, expect helpful professors to be the exception rather than the rule. Most professors (especially in the sciences) are difficult to understand with thick accents. They seem more concerned with their own research than in actually teaching. Oftentimes, lectures are more than half empty and only fill up on exam days. If you are considering UC Irvine for your undergraduate experience, I highly recommend you reconsider your choices and really understand what you are getting into before finalizing your decision.Read Less"

"Great school, lots of motivated students and expect to work hard if you are a pre-health student. I was a pre-dental student and there was 400 students in each class, expect competition with office hours consisting of around 30 students. If you are pre-health I recommend getting into research."

"UCI is one of the best public institutions in the country and the education was as such. I was exposed to so many great, thoughtful, and interesting minds. I consider myself so lucky to be able to say that I received a Bachelor's Degree from this school. I left every class feeling accomplished and more knowledgeable. UCI provides an all around great environment for learning and living. The instructors were thoughtful and truly cared about their students. The person that I am I owe to UCI. I learned about what I was really interested and became inspired through various lectures. UCI provides multiple opportunities for success in the classroom and outside of the classroom. I absolutely loved UCI and returning would be an honor.Read Less"

"I loved being a student at UCI. I was a Drama major, and I had a lot of opportunities to participate in the classes and extracurriculars that I enjoyed. The faculty in my experience were all very knowledgeable and invested in their students. They made lectures, workshops and plays fun and engaging. I chose to attend the University of California, Irvine because of the quality of the education, the scholarships available and the incredible environment within the campus and surrounding it. There is a park in the middle that the campus wraps itself around (in a circle). The food scene next to the campus is also diverse and there are plenty of restaurants both to eat at and the hold a part -time job at (if you need to work like I did to pay for your living expenses/tuition while studying). Irvine is a very clean, beautiful and fairly safe community. It is also very close to Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, which are wonderful to venture over to on the weekends after your studies/work are complete. The campus has a well rounded, diverse group of students in which make up interactive and encouraging classroom atmospheres. The professors want to see their students succeed and the school itself provides many helpful resources such as tutoring, health services, and clubs to help you succeed as well.Read Less"

"The university has a beautiful and very structured campus that allows for students to go to their different classes within 10 minutes. The park in the middle is a nice scenery for students to relax in between their studies or going between their classes. Irvine is a relatively quiet and safe city. There are many cities near the area for students to enjoy good food and nightlife. The professors were dedicated to the student's learning and many professors teach the course based on their own personal research. I recommend this University because there are many different research opportunities for students. The campus life for students is very inviting and there are a wide variety of clubs for students to choose from. I've volunteered at the UCI Medical Center that gives students a great insight if looking into the medical field. There is so many different research fields at this university, you will be able to find one that peaks your interest. The biology courses are hard and professors challenge students. There are many student run tutoring and opportunities for your main biology and chemistry courses. You don't necessarily need a car because target is across campus and there are many restaurants at the locally UTC but its nice to have if you want to go to nearby cities. The financial services are busy during the school year, I recommend going early otherwise be prepared to wait in very long lines. However, they do try their best to accommodate students and help you with your needs. Living situation is very expensive. Many students share rooms or houses.Read Less"

"UC Irvine was an excellent place for me to obtain my Bachelor's degree. The campus provided many support services for students and even spearheaded a food bank to make food more easily accessible and affordable. There is a wide variety of student organizations to participate in, which participation greatly influenced the trajectory of my career and my graduate studies."