University of California - Merced

University of California Merced International Student Insurance

The University of California, Merced (UC Merced), located in Merced, California, was established in 2005. It’s the tenth and most recent addition to the University of California system. The idea for a UC system school in the San Joaquin Valley area came about in 1988 based on long-term projections for enrollment at the system’s existing schools. The site for its campus was selected in 1995. UC Merced’s first foundation was a regional office at the local community college in 1997. It also opened a satellite campus in Bakersfield, California, in 2001. Groundbreaking for construction took place in 2002, and the university opened its doors to students in 2005. In 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama delivered the commencement address of the first full graduating class.

Today, UC Merced enrolls about 8,500 students and counting each year. Its colors are royal blue and gold, and its athletic nickname is the golden bobcats.

Research Opportunities

Research units at the school include the Health Sciences Research Institute, the university’s focal point for health and medical research; the Sierra Nevada Research Institute, dedicated to sustaining natural resources and promoting social health and well-being; and the University of California Advanced Solar Technologies Institute (UC Solar), focused on designing and developing solar energy generation technology.

UC Merced has announced that every building on campus is LEED certified, the only institution in the United States to do so.

The school operates centers in Fresno and nearby Atwater, both in California.

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