Graduate STAR General Track

This course is designed to strengthen the writing skills and critical reading skills of students in preparation for university study. Students will learn conventions which are essential to academic writing and practice avoiding and correcting common writing mistakes. They will practice composing and properly citing quotations, paraphrases, and summaries and will produce two academic essays. Throughout the course, students will also read and analyze articles. They will evaluate claims and evidence, synthesize information from multiple readings, and reference passages in their own writing. Additionally, peer discussions and group work will be a regular part of this course, preparing students to engage confidently in the collaborative learning context of their future college courses. 

Prerequisites: Completion of level 4 ESL or equivalent 

This course introduces students to speaking and presentation skills necessary for academic settings. Speaking skills are developed through leading and participating in group discussions, debates, and an individual speaking presentation. Students will practice forming questions, reporting findings, and supporting their own arguments. Examples of learning activities in this course include class discussions, group work, and note-taking practice.

Prerequisites: Completion of level 4 ESL or equivalent

This course is designed to help international students develop the critical thinking and writing skills necessary to excel in academic, research-related writing tasks in a university-level course. In addition, the course will put great emphasis on academic honesty and plagiarism. Through course discussions, practices, and assignments, students will learn to integrate and comment on multiple academic sources to support an argument and engage with texts to understand, interpret, and evaluate what specific language and rhetorical features communicate. Students will also develop a range of sophisticated sentence structures and a strong command of academic expressions used in academic writing.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of Academic Reading and Writing preferred or equivalent English proficiency level

This course is designed to help graduate-level applicants with the university selection and application process. Students will be introduced to the comprehensive review process and how their academic and professional credentials impact the schools they choose. They will be guided through school selection and personal statement processes. They will explore the ethics of submitting authentic applications and be given structured information on how to write compelling narratives of their experiences under ethical guidelines that promote original, unique work. The objectives of this course will be achieved through discussions, activities, assignments, and assessments. 

Prerequisites: A minimum of TOEFL 61 or equivalent English proficiency 

View courses here.

View professional/continuing education courses (also includes Internship Experiences and Accelerated Certificate Programs).

• Complete the online STAR application form and pay the non-refundable $200 application fee.
  • Upon receiving the $200 application fee. You will be asked to upload
    • a copy of your passport.
    • a bank statement dated within the past 6 months with a minimum required amount. This will certify you have sufficient funds for tuition and living expenses. The bank statement must be in English and provide the balance amount in US Dollars.
      • the Statement of Financial Support Form if you are not the bank account holder
    • Evidence of an English language proficiency score
    • University transcripts
  • If they are a transfer student
    • submit a completed Transfer Evaluation Form.
    • I-20 from their current school
• Once we receive the completed app and you are admitted into the program, you will receive an email from ip@ce.uci.edu with instructions on how to pay the $5,000 Program Deposit within 15 days. The email will also include a link for you to acknowledge and sign the STAR registration policies.
  Note: Students who are government-sponsored must provide an official letter of financial support in lieu of the Program Deposit and any additional tuition and mandatory fees to avoid any delay in the application process or enrollment cancellation.
• After you have signed the acknowledgment form and DCE has received your required program deposit, you will receive an official Letter of Acceptance (LOA) and Form I-20. With the Letter of Acceptance and Form I-20, you will be able to submit a request for an F-1 student visa from the U.S. Embassy or consulate in your area.
• The balance of the program tuition and fees are due 37 days prior to the start of the program. Confirmation of enrollment must include full payment of tuition and fees.

Please see Registration Policies & Deadlines for cancellation and postponement requests.

UC Irvine DCE is committed to serving students from diverse backgrounds. While the acceptance preference will be given to students who have met our minimum acceptance requirements, we recognize individual circumstances and offer a comprehensive review of every applicant. Students who do not meet our minimum acceptance requirements are still encouraged to apply. It is important that students provide additional information (e.g., resume, community service, awards and achievements, and extra-curricular classes and activities) to demonstrate their unique circumstances.

These are the progression criteria that are taken into consideration:

1. Pass every CE or P/NP graded class
2. Maintain at least a B average or cumulative GPA of 3.0
3. Comply with the program policies (e.g., be in good academic standing) at all times
4. Achieve at least TOEFL 80, IELTS 6.5, or Duolingo 115 before enrolling in any UCI undergraduate credit courses

Students who meet the above progression criteria are expected to follow the program curriculum or their designed study plan. When students fail to meet the above progression criteria, students will be required to follow an alternative study plan or add one or more quarters.

View the list of schools that have offered admission to our STAR students since 2011.

Yes. The minimum full-time requirement is 12 units each quarter. An F-1 student visa is required for students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents to study in this program on the UC Irvine campus.

Please visit Program Dates for available intakes.

Please visit Student Resources for more information.

Funding is currently not available for students who are enrolled in our program. However, students may find any financial assistance opportunities by contacting the consulates in their home countries. There are also scholarship websites available: IEFA, International Scholarships, International Student.