After You Apply

Now that you've applied to the University of California, what happens next?

Access your portal

Visit connect.ucmerced.edu/student to access UC Merced Connect. From there, you'll be able to check your admission status, learn about campus events and more.

How to Log In to the UC Merced Connect Platform

  1. Visit connect.ucmerced.edu/student from your desktop. You can download the mobile app for iOS or Android at myconnect.ucmerced.edu or use the web version (connect.ucmerced.edu/student).
  2. If you’re a first-time user, you must claim your UCMNetID and create a password in order to log in. When you get to the landing page, click "Claim Account" on the top right, then enter your email address or mobile number.
  3. Check your email to find your claim number, select I have a claim number and enter your claim number to create your login and password. You will be redirected to the portal homepage.

If you need help logging in, contact the Students First Center.

Updating Your Application

Bio/Personal Information

Most personal information (email, mailing address, name, etc.) can be updated by logging back in to your UC application. These changes will be reported to all campuses to which you applied.

Academic/Coursework Updates

TRANSFER APPLICANTS: You must provide your final grades from the previous term and list all courses in progress or planned for the term before you expect to enroll. Your updates will ensure we have the most current academic information available. Even if you do not have any in-progress or planned courses and your record of course grades was complete in your original application, you must log in to your application and complete the Transfer Academic Update.

Priority deadline for fall applicants: Jan. 31 (opens in December)

Priority deadline for spring applicants: Sept. 30

FIRST YEAR (FRESHMAN) APPLICANTS: UC Merced will not allow updates to your academic information at this time; look for information about how to report academic updates/fall grades when you receive your admission decision. Even then, the Admissions Office will only allow submissions to report courses you had plans to complete but did not complete or courses you did not complete with a C or higher grade.

Extracurricular Activities and Awards or Personal Insight Questions

Updates to these sections of the application are not allowed after submission.

Check your email regularly and respond to any requests from our office

During the application evaluation process, our office might send you communications requesting additional information in order to complete our review. It is very important that you respond to these requests in a timely manner. Make sure our emails are not being routed to your junk mail folder.

Apply for financial aid

Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act application (CADAA) by the priority deadline and add UC Merced to your list of universities. UC Merced's school code is 041271.

You can access the FAFSA at studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa and the California Dream Act application at dream.csac.ca.gov.

Check your admission decision

You will receive an email from our office once your admission status has been updated. Once you receive the email, follow these steps to see the status of your admission:

  1. Log in to the connect platform at connect.ucmerced.edu/student.
  2. Click on “My Admissions” to view the status of your application decision.

You can also go directly to decision.ucmerced.edu to view your admission status.

What happens if I was denied admission?

The Office of Admissions has an established appeal committee composed of three staff members who review all cases. When submitting an appeal to a decision, please provide relevant information that may not have already been available. Information about how to appeal a decision is provided at admissions.ucmerced.edu/appeals.