Study abroad at Irvine

Irvine is a master-planned, ultra-modern tech and biotechnology powerhouse in Orange County, Southern California (ranked by the FBI as the '#1 Safest Big City in America' for 18 consecutive years), situated just 40 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles and 10 minutes from Newport Beach and Laguna Beach along the Pacific Ocean. Celebrated for its high-tech corporate hub (Irvine Spectrum tech corridor, Blizzard Entertainment global headquarters, Broadcom, Edwards Lifesciences, Rivian, and Western Digital), 19-acre circular botanical Aldrich Park, and pristine quality of life. Irvine is the flagship home of one of America's elite public institutions: University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine / UCI - founded in 1965, prestigious member of the Association of American Universities AAU, Carnegie R1 Tier One research university, ranked #10 among all Top Public Universities in the United States and #33 nationally by US News & World Report with over 37,000 students and 3 Nobel laureates, including F. Sherwood Rowland). UCI is internationally renowned for the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (the ONLY independent computer science school in the entire University of California system, pioneering AI, Gaming, Cybersecurity, and Software Engineering), The Henry Samueli School of Engineering (Biomedical, Mechanical, and Aerospace), Paul Merage School of Business (AACSB-accredited, top-ranked for Digital Transformation and Finance), School of Medicine, and School of Law, alongside Concordia University Irvine and Brandman University. Degrees are taught 100% in English with premier US accreditations. International students benefit from direct access to Silicon Beach and Southern California tech recruitment, beautiful sunny coastal climate, and direct US F-1 / I-20 Student Visa support with 3-year STEM OPT work extensions.

Tuition and nonresident fees in Irvine for international undergraduate students at University of California, Irvine (UCI - Top 10 US Public) range between $46,500 and $51,800 per academic year for Donald Bren Computer Science, Samueli Engineering, Data Science, and Merage Business (with non-degree certificate and accelerated international pathways available via UCI Division of Continuing Education DCE ranging from $9,500 to $28,000). Postgraduate Master's and PhD programs range from $28,000 to $42,000 per year (with extensive fully-funded PhD research fellowships). Modern on-campus university residences (UCI Middle Earth, Mesa Court, Vista del Campo, Camino del Sol, Palo Verde) cost between $900 and $1,550 per month (inclusive of meal plans and utilities), while off-campus student apartments in Irvine, University Town Center UTC, and Newport Beach range from $850 to $1,500 per month for shared rooms/apartments. General monthly living expenses range between $1,100 and $1,800.

International students require a US F-1 Student Visa. Upon academic admission and verification of financial documentation (bank statement certifying first-year tuition and living expenses), the International Center (UCI IC) issues the official Form I-20. The student pays the SEVIS I-901 fee, completes the DS-160 online visa application, and attends the F-1 visa interview at the US Embassy or Consulate. STEM graduates qualify for a 24-month OPT extension (total 36 months of US employment authorization).