COVID-19 Updates for Incoming UC Freshmen and Transfers

April 14, 2020
Lindy King
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I have listed (in full) the various procedures implemented by the University of California, as campuses remain in lockdown.

Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) updates

The deadline to accept an offer of admission, known as the Statement of Intent to Register, remains May 1 for freshmen and June 1 for transfers. Students who need additional time, or who need a deferment of a deposit, should contact their campus admissions office directly.

Requests will be considered individually by each campus providing maximum flexibility to students needing extensions, and individual campuses have the authority to extend the deadline for accepting admission offers beyond May 1 or June 1. If a campus has extended its admissions deadline, they will notify admitted students directly.

To inquire about receiving an extension, students should contact the admissions office of the campuses to which they have been admitted or use the messaging tool provided within the admitted students’ portal.

Exam credit and the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma

IB subjects, IB diploma and GCE A-level subjects

UC will continue to award credit for designated IB subjects passed with scores of 5, 6 or 7, as well as extra units for the IB Diploma completed with 30 points or more.

UC will continue to award credit for designated GCE A-level subjects passed with grades of A, B or C. Note: UC does not award credit for the Pearson International A-levels (IALs).

Advanced Placement (AP) credit

The College Board recently announced changes to the AP exam format for spring 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis. For this year only, AP exams will be administered in 45-minute online format which students will take from home. The exams will include material that most high schools would have covered through early March. Despite the shortened exam format and reduced content, UC recognizes the effort that students have already applied in these challenging courses and will continue to award UC credit consistent with previous years for 2020 AP exams completed with scores of 3, 4, or 5.

Admitted student resources

We recognize that visiting campus is an important factor for students and their families in making their choice about where to attend college.

In light of the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, UC campuses have transitioned from in-person events and programs to virtual and online formats.

All campuses are planning a wide array of opportunities for admitted students including virtual open houses, live chats, webinars, phone/text campaigns, and social media events.

Admitted students have several steps to complete in the enrollment process after submitting the SIR. Submitting documents, knowing when to expect a Financial Aid offer, and learning about summer programs are important parts of the process.For more information on the enrollment process UC provides the Next Steps from Admission to Enrollment for Freshmen and Transfers.

Housing options are available for both freshmen and transfers. Here is more information on deadlines, options for family housing, and links to housing sites for each campus.

Waitlist information

Information for freshmen
Fall-term freshman applicants who received waitlist offers have an opt-in deadline of April 15.

Students can accept waitlist offers from multiple campuses, but can only accept one offer of admission.

Even if a student accepts a waitlist offer at a UC campus, that student should submit a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) to ensure a place to attend in the fall.

Information for transfers
Updates on waitlists for transfer students will be included in the May CAB.

Multiple SIRs

Students are allowed to submit a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) to one UC campus. Students who submit more than one SIR will be contacted directly by those campuses to clarify their intent to enroll by withdrawing from all campuses except the one which they plan to attend. Exceptions are made if you’re waiting to hear back regarding an appeal or another issue, which you can explain.

Waitlisted students
Students who accept a UC admission offer from the waitlist and have already submitted a SIR at another UC campus must cancel their SIR at the campus which they no longer plan to attend. The SIR deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable.

For contact information so students can advise a UC campus to cancel their SIR go here .

Analytical Writing Placement Exam (AWPE) update

Due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, the May 9, 2020 the UC Analytical Writing Placement Exam (AWPE) for freshmen has been cancelled. Students intending to take the AWPE on May 9 will have other opportunities to satisfy UC’s Entry Level Writing Requirement and will hear more about these options from their intended UC campus in the coming months.

Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) update

Due to school closures throughout the state, UC has suspended the student data submission process by high schools in 2020 for the Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) program.

While schools will not need to submit student data to ELC this year, the ELC status determination will continue to be made upon submission of the UC application, as in past years. The ELC process for high schools will resume in 2021. If you have questions, please email [email protected].

A-G course submission update

If your school is transitioning to online instruction as a temporary measure due to public health precautions related to COVID-19, please know that this situation DOES NOT require you to re-submit your A-G course descriptions.

No action is needed, and in no way does this situation affect the status of your A-G approved courses.

COVID-19

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Lindy King

Lindy is an independent UC admissions consultant, who works with both transfers and freshmen. She was a former print journalist and writes fiction under a pen name.