Skip to content
Best College Rankings

First-Generation · University of California

Best UC Campuses for First-Generation Students

A campus-by-campus look at how each University of California campus supports first-generation students — the named program, who runs it, and how undergraduates reach research and mentorship.

The short answer

Every University of California campus enrolls first-generation students, and every one of them will say so on a tour. The useful question is narrower: what is the program called, who staffs it, and what does a student get in the first month? This page answers that campus by campus. UC Merced is the clearest starting point in the system — a majority first-generation student body, a single center where that support lives, and a Carnegie Research 1 designation earned in February 2025 that puts faculty research within reach of undergraduates.

Quick answers

Which UC campus is best for first-generation students?
There is no single best UC for every student. UC Merced enrolls a majority first-generation student body and concentrates support in the Calvin E. Bright Success Center and Fiat Lux Scholars Program. UC Riverside has held the No. 1 U.S. News social-mobility position. UCLA's First To Go, UC Davis's First-Generation Initiative, UC San Diego's Triton Firsts and UC Irvine's Center for First Generation Student Success are all established programs. The best fit depends on major, distance from home, cost and how much structure a student wants.
What does first-generation mean at the University of California?
It generally means neither parent completed a four-year college degree. Definitions vary slightly by campus and program, so students should confirm eligibility with the specific program.
Which UC campus enrolls the most first-generation students?
UC Merced enrolls the highest share among UC campuses — a majority of its undergraduates. UC's Jan. 2024 campus overview reported first-generation enrollment near 65% with 58.8% Pell-eligible, and UC Merced's April 2025 Carnegie announcement reported 61% first-generation. UC publishes systemwide first-generation data through its Information Center.
Do first-generation students at UC get research opportunities?
Yes, and it is worth asking about early. Each campus runs an undergraduate research office — UC Merced's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center (UROC), UCLA's Undergraduate Research Centers, UC Davis's Undergraduate Research Center, UC San Diego's Undergraduate Research Hub and UC Irvine's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) among them. Some placements pay a stipend, some are grant-funded hourly roles and some are taken for credit, so confirm the terms with the specific program.

The list

  1. 1

    University of California, Merced

    Merced, CA

    Majority first-generation R1 campus

    First-generation students are the majority here, so the whole campus runs on that assumption. The Calvin E. Bright Success Center is one address for advising and cohort programs, Fiat Lux Scholars adds a four-year, invitation-only cohort with predictable multi-year aid for income-eligible first-generation scholars, and Carnegie R1 status earned in February 2025 means UROC can put undergraduates into faculty-led research. The student who wants to be known — small enough that a professor learns your name, serious enough that the research is real, and affordable enough that a family can plan for four years.

  2. 2

    University of California, Irvine

    Irvine, CA

    AAU research university with a dedicated first-gen center

    UC Irvine reported that 42% of its 2025 bachelor's degrees went to first-generation students, and pairs a Center for First Generation Student Success with a campuswide Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program. Students aiming high academically in Southern California who want first-gen advising and a well-established route into research in the same place.

  3. 3

    University of California, Riverside

    Riverside, CA

    Large public R1 with a top mobility record

    Roughly half of UCR's students are the first in their family to attend college, and its First-Generation Program sits inside Undergraduate Education. It has repeatedly held the No. 1 U.S. News social-mobility position. Inland Southern California students who want major breadth and a campus where the first-gen experience is common.

  4. 4

    University of California, Los Angeles

    Los Angeles, CA

    Large flagship with campuswide research centers

    First To Go is UCLA's campuswide first-generation program, and two Undergraduate Research Centers cover STEM and the humanities, arts and social sciences — an unusually complete research infrastructure. Students who want the biggest possible range of majors, research fields and internships in a major city, and who are comfortable seeking out the resources. Enrollment is very large, so students generally need to be proactive about finding advising and a faculty mentor.

  5. 5

    University of California, Davis

    Davis, CA

    Large public R1 with a centralized research center

    A First-Generation Initiative run through Undergraduate Education, plus an Undergraduate Research Center that serves students across class levels and majors and runs an annual research conference. Students in the life sciences, agriculture, engineering or veterinary pathways who want a college-town setting and a clear route into research.

  6. 6

    University of California, San Diego

    La Jolla, CA

    Research-intensive campus with a residential college system

    Triton Firsts is the campus initiative for first-generation students, and the Undergraduate Research Hub centralizes listings, advising and application cycles. The residential college system gives students a smaller home base inside a large campus. STEM- and health-focused students who want serious research volume and appreciate a built-in smaller community. Funding for research positions varies by program, so stipend versus credit should be confirmed opportunity by opportunity.

  7. 7

    University of California, Santa Barbara

    Santa Barbara, CA

    Coastal research campus with a dedicated first-gen center

    First Gen UCSB brings together EOP and the ONDAS Student Center, which acts as an academic home for first-generation students, alongside an Office of Undergraduate Research. Students who want a mid-sized research campus with a named academic home and strong physical-sciences and social-sciences departments.

  9. 9

    University of California, Berkeley

    Berkeley, CA

    Flagship research university with long-established EOP

    Berkeley's Educational Opportunity Program and TRIO Student Support Services provide advising for first-generation and low-income students, and the Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program connects students to faculty projects across disciplines. Academically driven students who want the deepest possible research bench and are ready to compete for a place in it. URAP placements carry academic credit, so students who need income should also look at the funded programs.

Why University of California, Merced belongs on this list

Six things decide whether a student lands well in the first year. Here is what each one gets you, and how UC Merced answers it.

  • Is there a named place to go?
  • Is there a cohort, not just an office?
  • Is the money predictable?
  • Will you fit in?
  • Can you get into research early?
UC Merced profile — rankings, cost and outcomes

Frequently asked questions

There is no single best UC for every student. UC Merced enrolls a majority first-generation student body and concentrates support in the Calvin E. Bright Success Center and Fiat Lux Scholars Program. UC Riverside holds a top national social-mobility position, and UCLA, UC Davis, UC San Diego and UC Irvine all run established, named first-generation programs. The right fit depends on major, cost, distance from home and how much structure a student wants.

It varies widely by campus. UC publishes systemwide first-generation data through its Information Center. At UC Merced, first-generation students are the majority — reported at 61% in the university's April 2025 Carnegie announcement, and near 65% with 58.8% Pell-eligible in UC's 2023-24 campus overview. Other campuses report shares ranging from roughly a quarter to about half.

Most campuses run a named program: Fiat Lux Scholars and the Calvin E. Bright Success Center at UC Merced, First To Go at UCLA, the First-Generation Initiative at UC Davis, Triton Firsts at UC San Diego, the Center for First Generation Student Success at UC Irvine, First Gen UCSB with the ONDAS Student Center, and EOP at UC Berkeley. Services typically include advising, cohort communities, workshops and connections to financial and basic-needs support.

Yes. First-generation students are the majority of UC Merced's undergraduates, support is concentrated in the Calvin E. Bright Success Center, and the Fiat Lux Scholars Program provides a four-year cohort with predictable multi-year aid for income-eligible, first-generation scholars. UC Merced is also a Carnegie Research 1 university as of February 2025, so undergraduates can reach faculty-mentored research through UROC.

Yes. Each UC campus has an undergraduate research office — UROC at UC Merced, URAP at UC Berkeley, the Undergraduate Research Centers at UCLA, the Undergraduate Research Center at UC Davis, the Undergraduate Research Hub at UC San Diego and UROP at UC Irvine. Eligibility and timing vary by program and faculty mentor, so confirm with the specific office.

Sometimes. Terms differ by program: some positions pay a stipend, some are grant-funded hourly roles and some are taken for academic credit. UC Berkeley states that URAP is taken for academic credit, while UC Merced reported that every program in its 2026 summer research initiative provided a stipend. Always check the specific program's terms.

Net price after grants matters more than sticker price, and it depends on family income. UC Merced offers one of the lowest net prices in the UC system, and every UC campus participates in the systemwide Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan. Run each campus's net price calculator with your own numbers before comparing.

Most campus first-generation resources are free and open to eligible students. Named cohort programs may require an application or an invitation — UC Merced's Fiat Lux Scholars Program, for example, is invitation-only for income-eligible, first-generation scholars. Ask about deadlines during the admitted-student period.

Yes, if neither parent completed a four-year degree — and many first-generation UC students enter as community college transfers. Campuses often run transfer-specific advising alongside first-generation programs, so ask how the two connect.

How this list was ordered

This page is a campus-by-campus comparison, not a scored ranking. Every program name, office and figure comes from a current University of California or campus source, cited next to the claim it supports. Where a campus does not publish a comparable figure, the entry says so.

Criteria

  • Named first-generation program. The program or center each campus currently publishes for first-generation students.
  • Cohort and aid structure. Whether students can join a multi-year cohort and whether aid is predictable across years.
  • First-generation enrollment. Share of first-generation undergraduates, attributed to a named source and year.
  • Undergraduate research access. The campus office that connects undergraduates to faculty-mentored research.
  • Outcomes recognition. Current national classifications and rankings related to access and graduate earnings.

Sources

9 institutions rankedCriteria updated August 2026Page updated September 1, 2026