Accelerated Status Program

Fast-Track Your Path to a Master's Degree

The Samueli School of Engineering's Accelerated Status Program offers qualified undergraduate students a streamlined pathway to graduate education. Through early provisional admission to a participating Master of Science (M.S.) program, students can begin planning their next academic step before completing their bachelor's degree.

Students who meet departmental GPA requirements may receive an invitation to apply one year prior to graduation. The program is designed to help students transition smoothly into graduate study and accelerate completion of their master's degree.

Program Benefits

Students admitted through the Accelerated Status Program receive several advantages that support an efficient transition into graduate study:

• Early provisional admission to a participating M.S. program one year prior to graduation
• Opportunity to apply up to 12 units of eligible graduate-level coursework taken at UCI as an undergraduate toward both the bachelor's and master's degree requirements.
• Ability to complete the M.S. degree in as little as three academic quarters after earning the bachelor's degree
• No application fee, covered by the Graduate Student Affairs Office
• No letters of recommendation required
• No official transcripts required, unofficial transcripts are sufficient

Eligibility Requirements

Students must meet the following requirements to be considered for invitation one year prior to graduation:

• Receive an invitation from their academic department
• Meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirement for their department
• Be on track to complete their undergraduate degree
• Maintain the minimum cumulative GPA specified in their Accelerated Status Program offer letter

Department GPA Requirements

Department	Minimum GPA
Biomedical Engineering (BME)	3.5
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE)	3.2
Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE)	3.2
Electrical and Computer Engineering (EECS)	3.3
Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)	3.5

GPA requirements and application deadlines are established by each participating department and are subject to change.

Participating Programs and Deadlines

Students invited one year prior to graduation may apply to the following M.S. programs:

Biomedical Engineering, M.S.

Application Deadline: February 1, 2027

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, M.S.

Application Deadline: February 1, 2027

Civil and Environmental Engineering, M.S.

Application Deadline: January 31, 2027

Electrical and Computer Engineering (EECS)

Application Deadline: January 15, 2027

Materials Science and Engineering, M.S.

Application Deadline: February 28, 2027

Important Notes

• Students may only apply to the M.S. program that directly corresponds to their undergraduate major
• For example, Biomedical Engineering B.S. students may apply to the Biomedical Engineering M.S. program, but may not apply to a different discipline through this pathway
• Admission through the Accelerated Status Program is provisional and contingent upon successful completion of the undergraduate degree and continued satisfaction of GPA requirements
• Invitations are typically extended one year prior to graduation based on departmental review and eligibility criteria

Next Steps

Students who are invited one year prior to graduation will receive application instructions from their department. Eligible students are encouraged to review requirements carefully and prepare for a smooth transition into graduate study.

For questions, please contact the Samueli School of Engineering Graduate Student Affairs Office.