UCR breaks record for size of entering class

Undergraduate enrollment at UC Riverside surged in fall 2025, with nearly 8,300 first-year and transfer students matriculating as Highlanders - the largest entering class in the university's history.

Fall quarter also saw the largest year-over-year jump in new student enrollment. And of the total undergraduate enrollment this fall - 24,034 - California residents accounted for a whopping 96%.

"UCR is experiencing unprecedented momentum," said Emily Engelschall, associate vice chancellor for enrollment services. "These numbers represent more than growth; they reflect strong demand and deep confidence in the value of a UCR education and are representative of thousands of individual students who chose UC Riverside because they believe in what this university makes possible."

News of these numbers comes as the University of California announces its fall enrollment statistics. For the first time, the student population at all 10 campuses surpassed 300,000. Nearly 77% were California residents.

The number of entering students at UCR jumped from 6,690 in the fall of 2024 to 8,293 last fall, a 24% increase.

"Being able to admit a class of this size reflects UC Riverside's commitment to access and opportunity, and our dedication to creating space for students to begin their academic journeys with the support and resources they need to pursue their goals," said Veronica Zendejas, director of undergraduate admissions.

Total undergraduate enrollment was up 6% from the fall of 2024. Nearly half of all undergraduates were the first in their families to attend college and 48% received Pell Grants, a federal award for low-income students. The most popular undergraduate major was biology, with 2,628 students pursuing either a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree in the field. Next came psychology (2,183) followed by business administration (1,760).

Scott Heil, assistant vice chancellor for institutional research, noted that the School of Business launched an undergraduate program in business analytics in fall, which has proved popular, with 651 students pursuing a bachelor of science degree in the field.

The number of all students, graduate and undergraduate, enrolled at the university was 27,633, up from 26,384 the year before. Half were women, and about 48% were men. Others were nonbinary or did not report gender identity.

Of the total student population, 39% identified as Latino and 32% as Asian. About 26% hailed from Los Angeles County, with Riverside County the runner-up at 22%. Roughly 3% were international students.

Graduate enrollment in the School of Medicine saw an uptick, with 453 students enrolled in degree programs, an increase of 54 from last year.

However, the overall number of UCR graduate students decreased from 3,785 to 3,599, or by 5%, since the fall of 2024, with enrollment in master's degree programs accounting for most of that loss. The exact cause is unclear, Heil said, but he reasons that tightening federal immigration policies were likely responsible for at least some of the drain. Access to federal research dollars was likely not a factor this year, he said, "but it could affect the coming year and beyond."