The University of California, Irvine has been awarded both the Research 1 and Opportunity College and University designations in the 2025 Carnegie Classifications, recognizing UC Irvine’s leadership in cutting-edge research and student success.

Only 21 institutions nationwide earned this dual recognition, and UC Irvine is one of just three in the Association of American Universities – and the only one in California – to achieve both honors. The AAU is a prestigious organization comprising 71 leading research universities in the United States and Canada dedicated to transforming lives through education, research and innovation.

These dual designations affirm UC Irvine’s rare ability to combine world-class research with a deep commitment to access, equity and opportunity.

They are the latest aspects of the Carnegie Classifications’ Student Access and Earnings Classification, which was originally announced April 24 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. In that first classification, UC Irvine was among 479 institutions named Opportunity Colleges and Universities for driving upward mobility in their communities. The campus stands out as a national model, leading in multiple student success metrics: the highest Pell Grant six-year graduation rate, the top second-year retention rate, and the only institution in this elite group with a four-year graduation percentile in the 70s and a six-year percentile in the 80s (based on the most recent numbers from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System).

“UC Irvine is proud to be recognized for both what we discover and whom we empower,” said Chancellor Howard Gillman. “These designations reflect our deep institutional commitment to ensuring that groundbreaking research and inclusive excellence go hand in hand. We’re advancing knowledge while lifting lives – and that’s what a great public university should do.”

Among the 21 institutions earning both OCU and R1 designations, UC Irvine distinguishes itself with:

• A five-star rating in Money magazine’s 2024 analysis of the best colleges in America (one of only two in the group to achieve this)
• The highest overall rankings across U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and Niche
• Global academic excellence, as the only institution in the top 100 of U.S. News’ list of the best global universities, Times Higher Education’suniversity rankings and Academic Ranking of World Universities
• Over $330 million in federal research expenditures (2023-24), placing UC Irvine among the top two in the group. Overall, for that fiscal year, UC Irvine received the most research funding in campus history: $668 million in grants and contracts.

UC Irvine is committed to serving its diverse student body. The campus is both a federally designated Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution and a Hispanic-Serving Institution. It’s also a member of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities. The Princeton Review recognized UC Irvine as the fifth-best-value public college in its 2024 rankings, based on a comprehensive evaluation of academic quality, costs, financial aid, debt, graduation rates, and alumni career and salary data. Additionally, the California Mobility Index rates UC Irvine among the top universities in California for its commitment to inclusivity and excellence in student outcomes.