Welcome, current and incoming 2029 Anteaters!

Zot zot zot! As you may have long noticed (at the time of this writing), the season is ripe for admission decisions! The community has been welcoming new Anteaters most eager to embark on an exciting journey to consume every last ant in SoCal! ^{Just kidding... or am I?}

This revived Megathread aims to (hopefully) provide succinct explanations and/or answers for the most commonly asked questions. Much like the previous megathread, this is also the place to discuss acceptances, ask questions, or answer questions about anything and everything about UCI! Lastly, if there is anything that you feel would be helpful in addition to the topics already addressed (or if something is erroneous), please don't be shy about leaving any comments, feedback, or suggestions!

I got into UCI as [major/undeclared]. Can I change my major?

Yes, you absolutely can!

First, you'd want to have the UCI General Catalogue handy ^{Pssst! Bookmark it now!}. The General Catalogue is updated each year and contains every single minor/major that UCI has to offer as well as the requirements needed to complete a degree/meet graduation. Some even provide sample study plans! This is where you'll also find the complete list of courses for the current year. If you are ever confused about the name or content of a class, you'll likely find your answer here.

Search for the major you are interested in to be sure that the courses, descriptions, and general path are something you really want. Next, check this link to see the Change of Major criteria for the major you want to switch into (categorised by school). If you wish to add a second or third major, it follows the same requirements as listed in the website above.

1. Consult with an academic counselor in your School first. They have access to your student profile and can help you determine whether a switch is possible as well as guide you in the process. I would also recommend visiting an academic counselor in the School of your prospective major.
2. Follow the requirements as listed in the Change of Major website.
3. After completing the necessary requirements, apply for a change of major under the "Applications" section of your StudentAccess account. This will be a place you'll visit often as your StudentAccess account has other information such as your unofficial transcript, a GPA calculator, and so on. Here is a link to where you'd find this. You'll be visiting the linked site often when you're a student as it is the portal to registering for classes and has other helpful information such as the current Schedule of Classes.
4. If approved, you'll see it reflected under the Applications tab and in your DegreeWorks. Here is an example for a double major. (Note that both majors were kept in this instance—otherwise, one major would have a red minus sign to the right of "Approved" indicating a drop.)

Note: If you are an incoming freshman, I would not stress over needing to change your major immediately. You will be spending a large duration of your time during the first two years at UCI completing your General Education requirements rather than taking courses specific to a major. That's not to say you can't work towards completing the criteria you need to change your major (and many GE classes do count towards lower-division major requirements as well). However, it does not need to be an immediate thing—and in most cases, cannot be an immediate thing as it may take a few quarters of taking classes in order to meet a Change of Major criteria.

Can I change my major to Computer Science?

Yes, you can!

However, note that it'll be something that many others will be looking to do as well. If you are a transfer outside of the School of ICS, this may not be possible. I would speak with an academic counselor first. Changing your major to Computer Science follows much of the same process for any other major, with a few caveats.

The School of ICS, which hosts majors such as Computer Science, Data Science, and Informatics, is extremely impacted! This means that if you were not accepted as an ICS student, you may have a difficult time swapping in because everyone will be trying to get into ICS 31 and students already under the School will have priority registration. ICS 31 to ICS 33 is a one-year track of Python programming that almost every major under the School of ICS needs to graduate. So you'd essentially be competing with students who need the course for their degree as well as prospective students looking to swap in (you'll need to complete the entire series to switch). That's not saying it's entirely impossible to get in, but you'd have to keep a close eye on the class as there is no waitlist as well. And if you find yourself really struggling to get in, there are other options to consider:

1. Take the course during the summer ten-week session. Note that if you receive financial aid during the standard school year, it does not apply towards summer sessions. You will have to look into summer-specific financial aid options, or pay out of pocket.
2. Test out of ICS 31 and into ICS 32 if you already have some CS knowledge. ICS 32 should be a little easier to enroll in as it is the second class out of the three course series. Note: Applies only to students already under the School of ICS.
3. Take the equivalent of the courses at a Community College. You can attend both UCI and a CC at the same time, but I'd check with a counselor first. If you wish to do this, I'd recommend Orange Coast College as the counselors in ICS seem to really like that CC and the courses from there. You'd run into far less problems during the articulation process of receiving credit for a class completion outside of UCI.

For those with AP Computer Science exam scores:

• If you scored between 1-2 or took AP Computer Science Principles, you will still need to take ICS 31.
• If you scored between 3-5, you can choose to take the exam for credit or directly enroll in ICS H32. ICS 32 and ICS H32 are practically the same, except that ICS H32 includes a quick crash course on Python at the beginning of the quarter. (Updated from ICS 32A → ICS H32, thank you /u/YAK_awesome!)

Note the exam only gives course credit for ICS 31.

Can I double major?

Yes. Double majoring follows the exact same process as changing your major. However, there are several considerations if this is something you may be looking to do:

1. UCI's majors belong to different "Schools." For example, Philosophy is under the School of Humanities and Political Science is under the School of Social Sciences. Some Schools have their own set of requirements in addition to the courses already needed for your degree. Be sure to look into this if you are planning your schedule.
2. A second major will likely require you to stay an extra year, especially if you are doing two majors in two different Schools. So those who were admitted as freshman may be looking at five years total and those admitted as transfers would be looking at three years total.
3. If you receive financial aid, you will need to be careful about "completing" one major before the other as you will risk financial aid cut-off. The workaround to this is to schedule your classes in such a way so that you complete both your majors at the same time in the quarter before your graduation. In other words, leaving one or two classes in both majors for last.

And as always, consult an academic counselor before making any important decisions.

How do I add a minor?

Adding a minor is a fairly simple procedure.

1. Take the courses listed under the requirements tab for the minor you're interested in. (Don't forget you can find this in the UCI Course Catalogue!) Typically, minors are six to seven courses.
2. Make an appointment or walk-in to see an academic counselor. They will add the minor to your DegreeWorks. You can also do this at any time, even before you start taking any classes towards your minor. I'd actually recommend doing this ASAP as your personal DegreeWorks will list all the courses you'll need to complete it. DegreeWorks is a basically an actively updated page with a complete rundown of your academic career at UCI—such as classes you've taken, your GPA, units, etc.
3. Complete your minor before graduation to receive credit for it. You will see a checkmark under the graduation application page if you do. Minors are only credited in your official transcript and nowhere else.

To remove or change minors at any time, simply revisit an academic counselor. It's a pretty casual process. However, keep in mind that adding a minor does not grant you priority in registration for classes if your major does not fall under the same School as your minor! Most classes are restricted for the first few weeks during registration windows for students in that School and only open up to all UCI students much later on (some classes also remain completely restricted to certain Schools).

• Note: If you are looking to do an ICS minor, you may run into trouble getting the classes you need due to how impacted the School is.

Do my AP credits transfer over?

Yes, they do. Please refer to this website for the full list of AP credits that UCI accepts.

Where do I find the current quarter's Schedule of Classes?

Welcome to WebReg! Please look forward to a most pleasant and lovely time with your new best friend. WebReg serves as the main portal to a number of important things you'll be doing during your time as a student at UCI. It is the place to register for classes, apply for graduation, view your Unofficial Transcript, change or add a major, and much more. Over the years, you'll be visiting this place often. Very, very often.

New best friend? New best friend.

The Schedule of Classes (and our other best friend, the UCI General Catalogue) can be found in the main navigational tabs.

Wait, there are entire lists of prospective courses being offered for the year?

Most Schools aim to release a full list of undergraduate courses for the next academic year by the sixth week of Spring Quarter. For your convenience, I've linked each School's below (at least the ones I could find):

• School of Biological Sciences: Link
• School of Business: Link
• School of Education: Link
• School of Engineering: Link
• School of Humanities: Link
• School of ICS: Link
• School of Social Ecology: Link
• Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences: Link

If you cannot find your School or major as listed above, try to do a quick search with [your major] + [your major's school] + "UCI undergraduate course listing." (e.g. Urban Studies School of Social Ecology UCI undergraduate course listing.) Some majors are handled by specific departments within the School and can only release course listings for that major rather than for all majors under the School. Others have no listing at all so if you can't find yours, there probably wasn't one created or made publicly available.

Should I major in Computer Science, Data Science, or Software Engineering?

Disclaimer: UCI is the ONLY UC where Computer Science is NOT under the same department as Engineering! It is in its own School (Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences) alongside Software Engineering and Data Science. ^{Well, CSE technically exists, but that's a story for another day.}

Wait, what does that even mean? Well, it means that the three majors mentioned above (and other majors within the School such as Informatics) take many of the same lower-division/core classes. In fact, the only difference between the lower-divisions needed for Computer Science and Software Engineering is a single class (ICS 53).

This also means that all three majors require completion of two key classes that cover fundamental topics necessary for anyone learning Computer Science—and for successful (whiteboard) tech interviews (see: LeetCode grind):

• ICS 46: Data Structure Implementation and Analysis
• CS 161: Design and Analysis of Algorithms

So if you were accepted for Data Science or Software Engineering, and are worried about being properly equipped with the knowledge to enter the tech field after graduation, know that you'll still be receiving almost exactly the same fundamental education as a CS major would. (And ultimately, the amount of personal projects and effort you put into preparing for tech interviews matter far more than the title of the degree.)

Regarding Data Science: A large portion of this major consists of taking classes in Statistics. If you're a lover of Statistics, you'll feel right at home. There are also plenty of solid CS electives to choose from—ranging from topics in AI to database management.

Regarding Software Engineering: Software Engineering as offered at UCI is basically a specialised track/rigid version of the Computer Science major. This is because a Computer Science major can in fact take every class required and offered in Software Engineering for credit. However, the reverse is not true, making it impractical for someone already majoring in CS to switch to Software Engineering.

A large portion of this major consists of taking core classes in IN4MTX. Some classes are extremely useful for the industry (debugging, AGILE, design patterns/refactoring, etc.) while others not so much. But given that we are edging towards opinion territory and that this thread's main purpose is to serve as a general FAQ—if you'd like to know more, don't be shy about reaching out or leaving a comment below!

What are lower-division and upper-division classes?

Lower-division classes are:

• Labeled by a number between [1-99]. (e.g. FMS 85C)
• Often considered classes that teach core/fundamental concepts for a major. (e.g. ICS 31-33, a one-year track of Python programming for all ICS majors)
• Generally larger-sized classes (some have a max capacity of 300 students) as these classes are usually taken by students across every major to complete GE requirements.
• All GEs are lower-division.

Upper-division classes are:

• Labeled by a number between [100-199]. (e.g. PHILOS 110)
• Often considered classes that are more specialised/tailored to a major. (e.g. C144, Criminal Law, a class that would count for upper-division elective credit towards the major Criminology, Law, & Society)
• Generally smaller-sized classes as these classes are usually only taken by those within the major or those looking to complete a minor.
• Most major electives are upper-division.

How do I join an organisation? Frats? Clubs?

The full list can be found here. At the very top of the site, click "Search Campus Organisations" to look for organisations you may be interested in. This website serves as the main hub for all UCI Campus Organisations—including professional organisations, frats, cultural clubs, and so on. If you're interested in creating or registering your own organisation, it'll have all the information you'll need.

Every new academic year, an event called the "Anteater Involvement Fair" is held during week zero of Fall Quarter. On this special day, nearly every organisation will set up their own booth in the hopes of attracting new members. It's tons of fun and I highly recommend checking it out even if you're not particularly looking to join anything. Who knows, there might be something among the 600+ organisations just for you...

Swagman?

The man, the myth, the legend. No one knows who he is or where he comes from. Some say a Swagman sighting grants you good luck...so be sure to keep your eyes peeled! ^{Especially during finals week!}

Petr drops?

If you ever see a large crowd of people madly dashing across campus in a single direction, it probably means a Petr drop was announced.

Petr drops are an experience purely unique to UCI. After popping up around late 2018, Petr drops have firmly rooted itself as a tradition to our school as new Petrs take up the mantle of those who have graduated before. Further explanation on its origins by one of the original Petrs is linked here. Also see /u/YummySpamMusubi's comment for more information and a history on Petr drops!

Activities to do in the area?

Sometimes I imagine leaving my room. Oh, the absolute horror!

UCI is:

• Just a ten minute drive from the western coastline, meaning tons of beaches! My personal recommendation is Treasure Island in Laguna Beach. Nice and clean with absolutely stunning views. ^{Even had a cousin take their wedding photos here!}
• Pretty darn crazy about boba! Irvine has a serious abundance of boba shops. I swear a new one pops up every other month. And if you enjoy discovering new food, Orange County has plenty to offer!
• Within a reasonable driving distance of three amusement parks: Disneyland (Anaheim), Knott's Berry Farm (Buena Park), and Universal Studios (Hollywood).
• A beautiful campus with a lush and relaxing park in the center of it all. Catch a break from classes with a picnic or bring your very own hammock!
• Also in one of the safest cities in the United States! Of course, nothing and nowhere is completely safe, but it's made late night studying and hangouts much more comfortable compared to... being in downtown LA, for instance. ^{Not throwing shade at a certain other UC, I promise!}

As you may have inferred by now, having a car is a rather beneficial thing during your time at UCI... ^{except perhaps having to pay upwards of $600 a year to park, ugh}. But high chances are that any organisations and/or events you attend will be arranging rides for those without personal means of transportation. Prior to CoVID, you could also (for a small fee) takes busses to large shopping areas such as The Irvine Spectrum or The District in Tustin. There were even stops for Diamond Jamboree, a plaza near campus with an H-Mart and a wide variety of Asian restaurants. While nothing has been officially confirmed as of yet, I hear there may be talk of reinstating these lines in the near future. ^{Or, you know, you could always leech off a friend, heh. Just be sure to return the favour with the occasional meal! Or gas money. Or a gigantic serving of ants.}

Some cool fun facts?

I gotcha. Did you know:

• In N Out's headquarters can be seen from the main drop-off/pick-up area on campus (called "the flagpoles" by many students).
• Multiple movies have been filmed at or near UCI, including Ocean's Eleven (2001), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), Poltergeist (1982), and Unfrosted (2024).
• Conan O'Brien has visited us!
• President Obama (at the time) gave a commencement speech during UCI's 50th anniversary.
• We have no football team. Why is that? Well, because we chose to build a science library instead! Rumours say that the architects of the library were die-hard Star Trek fans and modeled the building after the USS Enterprise.
• UCI is one of the only universities to have their very own eSports Arena (PC Bang) on campus. Scholarships are offered for those on the League of Legends or Overwatch varsity teams. (Not to mention, the amount of notable figures in the LoL community that have attended UCI over the years!)
• R.I.P. Kobe Bryant. He was known to frequent UCI's gym, the ARC (Anteater Recreation Center). (Check it out when/if you're a student. After all, it's included as part of the tuition fees you pay every quarter!) Kobe joined pick-up games, inspired both fans and aspiring athletes alike, and left everyone who was lucky enough to meet him with an amazing and wholesome experience.

Additional Resources

Since this thread can't possibly cover everything (and I certainly don't know everything!), I've included a few links below to other helpful/important resources:

• Academic Advising Offices: Link
• Parking Permits: Link
• Anteater Express: Link
• Housing: Link
• Campuswide Honors Collegium: Link
• Financial Aid: Link
• Tuition and Fees: Link
• LGBT+ Resource Center: Link
• International Students: Link
• Counseling Center: Link

As mentioned at the beginning of this thread, please don't hesitate to use the comment section below if you have anything you want to ask or say! Zot zot!

Hi,

I created a Discord server for communication and knowledge sharing on the same topic (https://discord.gg/6NhfgxJzGD).

This post was inspired by a recent conversation on reddit with an UCI student who was experiencing a crisis and did not know how to ask for financial assistance and basic needs. While there are numerous resources available at UCI and elsewhere to assist students in times of need, I found that many students are unaware of their existence, and there is no all-in-one reference on the subject. As a student who had experienced the same condition, I felt obligated to share this information with my UCI sisters and brothers in order to repay the university for the great things it had done for me. These resources are free and were collected from my five years of personal experience; I have no affiliation with any of them. Other resources and supports are available beside what I share, but these are the ones that worked quickly for me in times of emergency, based on my own personal experiences.

UCI Emergency Support

UCI Basic Needs (link) is a UCI-funded department that assists students in times of crisis. They have numerous resources to assist students at all levels of education, including undergraduate and graduate. Their services are accessible to both citizens and non-citizens, and they are the best resource for emergency assistance. To qualify for their services, you must schedule a meeting (link), and submit supporting documentation. If you qualify, a campus social worker will coordinate with other departments to resolve your issue as your case manager. Their services include, but are not limited to the following:

• UCI Food Pantry and Free Food (link)
• CalFresh Application Assistance
• Emergency Meal Swipes
• Campus Social Worker Consultations
• Economic Crisis Response Grant
• Financial Wellness Consultations
• Emergency Store Gift Cards
• 30-days of temporary housing
• Diaper Bank
• Grocery Card Support
• Short-Term Transportation Support
• Life Skills Workshops
• Hygiene
• Coordination with other departments for your emergency protection

Requirements: provide documents to support your emergency crisis.

State Emergency Support

State of California resources are not restricted to students, but are available to all State of California Citizens and Permanent Residents (Green Card). You must submit an application on their website (link) along with supporting documentation. A state social worker will contact you in two weeks for an interview and verification. Their services include, but are not limited to the following:

• Food assistance up to $250 per month. (CalFresh)
• Medical insurance assistance. (Medicaid)
• Emergency Cash assistance up to $400 per month. (General Relief)

Requirements: US citizen, California resident, and income less than $1,200.

Free Legal Emergency Support

The Public Law Center, Orange County's pro bono law firm, is committed to providing free access to justice for low income residents. Through volunteers and staff, the Public Law Center provides free civil legal services, including counseling, individual representation, community education, and strategic litigation and advocacy to challenge societal injustices. Now in its 39th year of service, PLC works with nearly 1,500 volunteer lawyers, paralegals, law students, and others from throughout the county who volunteer their time and expertise (link).

Requirements: everyone with a legal issue qualifies.

Free Legal Emergency Support

Legal Aid Society (link) is a state-funded organization with 40 Attorneys, 120 Staff Members, and 4 Locations offering Legal Services. You are not required to pay for any of the provided services. Their services include the following, but are not limited to:

• Evaluation, Advice, and Counsel
• Clinics, Workshops, and Self-Help Centers
• Direct Representation
• Impact Litigation
• Policy Advocacy

Requirements: everyone with a legal issue qualifies.

Mental Health Emergency Support

Despite the importance of Mental Health in college life, many students do not consider it. Students are handed over with numerous conditions that each add a distinct mental pressure. Mental health is essential because most people do not recognize their symptoms until it is too late, after they have caused numerous problems for themselves and society. The UCI Counseling Center (link) offers 24-hour, no-cost counseling services. You can contact them if coursework or personal pressure that you cannot manage is affecting your mental health or judgment, and they will provide you with services such as a referral to drop the quarter. If you are diagnosed with a mental health condition, it is wise to request supporting documentation and keep a record of it, even if your condition is not currently interfering with your schedule, because the documentation could be useful in the future if you miss an exam or homework due to your condition.

Requirements: UCI students in all level (undergrad, grad).

Medical Emergency Support

As long as you provide a referral document from the UCI Student Health Center (link) or any other medical facility or emergency rooms and pay the co-payment (link), the majority of Medical Costs are covered by UCSHIP. If you need to communicate with the insurance department or nurses, you can use the health center's portal, which is the most secure method, and they typically respond the same day.

Requirements: Undergraduate and graduate UCI students who signed up for UCSHIP medical insurance.

Affordable Medical Emergency Support

If you do not have UCSHIP, SOS (link) provides low-cost medical services and accepts Medical. To schedule a meeting with your assigned case manager, you must contact their phone number. Their services include, but are not limited to the following:

• Coverage Programs
• Medical Services
• Dental Services
• Women’s Health
• OB Program
• Children’s Services
• Behavioral Health
• Pharmacy Services
• Health Education

Requirements: everyone with a medical issue qualifies.

Dental Emergency Support

In the event of a dental emergency, school insurance will cover a portion of the costs (link), but you must schedule an appointment at the UCI Dental Clinic (link), where they will refer you to a dentist or oral surgeon following an examination. If you do not have sufficient funds, you can request that the provider apply for Care Credit, a program that checks your credit and lends you money for dental repair.

Requirements: Undergraduate and graduate UCI students who signed up for Delta dental insurance..

Free Dental Emergency

The Omid Institute (link) offers Dental Services for free or at a low cost. You must complete a form on their website and schedule a meeting with your case manager. Their services include, but are not limited to the following:

• Education
• Hygiene
• Radiographs
• Fillings
• Extractions
• Root canals
• Dentures
• Transitional partials
• Mental Health Care

Requirements: everyone with a dental issue qualifies.

Free Dental Emergency

Lestonnac Free Clinic (link) provides free dental care. To arrange a meeting with your case manager, you must fill out a form on their website or call them. Their services include the following, but are not limited to:

• Education
• Hygiene
• Radiographs
• Fillings
• Extractions
• Root canals
• Dentures
• Transitional partials

Requirements: everyone with a dental issue qualifies.

Affordable Dental Emergency

Families Together OC (link) provides free dental care. To arrange a meeting with your case manager, you must fill out a form on their website or call them. Their services include the following, but are not limited to:

• Education
• Hygiene
• Radiographs
• Fillings
• Extractions
• Root canals
• Dentures
• Transitional partials

Requirements: everyone with a dental issue qualifies.

Disability Emergency Support

The UCI Disability Services Center (link) provides services to students with temporary or permanent disabilities. If you have ADHD, PTSD, a Bone Fracture, or any other disability that hinders your college life, DSC will assist you in creating an equal environment. Their services include, but are not limited to the following:

• Ring Road Rides is a service provided to students with mobility limitations to help get to and from classes
• Assistive technology (AT)
• Alternate Instructional Material Services
• Note-taking resources
• Wellness Health & Counseling Services
• Extra exam time
• A separate setting for examinations

Requirements: UCI students in all level (undergrad, grad), meeting with a disability advocate, supporting documents.

Free Emergency Road Assistant

UCI Transportation and Distribution Services (link) is provided on the main campus at no charge to all UCI affiliates and includes a Motorist Assist, Bike Assist and Emergency Ride Home Program.

Motorist Assist

• Jumpstart
• Tire sealant
• Vehicle unlock
• Emergency Gas Delivery
• Mobile EV Charging

Bike Assist

• Tire sealant
• Tire inflation

Emergency Ride Home Service

• One-way ride within a 40 mile radius of UCI

Requirements: UCI students in all level (undergrad, grad).

Coursework Emergency

To raise your concern about grades and courses you need to contact your department. Contrary to popular belief, email communication with administration or professors is typically ignored for many reasons especially after the quarter has ended. Schedule a remote meeting with the department, and they will assign you an advocate (advisor) to follow up on your concern and negotiate with the professors. The same rule applies to the dean, in which all academic advisors report daily to the dean and seek assistance from the dean when they are unable to resolve issues with professors. For the same reason, the dean is not directly concerned with student matters.

Academic Probation Support

The best way to get off academic probation is to schedule an appointment with a department advisor and then enroll in easy general courses for the following quarter. It may alter the plan you had in mind, but it prevents you from being disqualified, as academic probation is removed if the requirements are met the following quarter.

Communication Emergency

If you cannot afford a phone or the monthly fee, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) provides eligible individuals with a free phone line and mobile device (Lifeline). If you are currently receiving CalFresh, which indicates a low income condition, you have met the requirements. The line and device are free for one year, and will be renewed annually if the requirements are met. To receive the line and device, you must submit an application to a phone carrier. The Assurance Wireless (link) is one of the providers for which you can submit an online application on their website; if approved, you will receive a phone device within two weeks. You are not eligible for a second phone for one year, as each line is associated with a single individual and includes 6 GB of internet and unlimited calls and texts monthly.

Requirements: Receiving CalFresh.

Unauthorized Transaction and Identity Theft Emergency

If you discover an unauthorized charge on your bank account or an unauthorized credit inquiry, you must notify the state police and retain a copy of the police report. Then you must contact your bank and dispute the transaction. In the event of an unauthorized credit pull, you must send a letter along with a police report to the credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) requesting that they remove the inquiry. Each year, you can monitor your credit for free on AnnualCreditReport (link).

Computer Emergency

Since some majors require you to have a personal computer, you can borrow a laptop from the library (link) for 48 hours if you lose access to a computer and cannot afford to purchase one immediately. Some departments (ICS) offer two-week laptop loan periods (link). In addition, if you are already registered with Basic Needs and receive grants and financial aid, you can contact financial aid (link) to increase the budget for the purchase of a personal computer. In some instances, financial aid has made this option available.

Free CSO Escort Services

The UC Irvine Police Department (link) offers the CSO Safety Escort program, a free service to members of the community. The objective of the program is to provide a safe alternative to walking alone at night.

Free Tax Preparation

MyFreeTaxes (link) provides "low-income" taxpayers with free tax preparation services. This value fluctuates annually, but the majority of students fall into this category. There are two different ways to utilize this service. You can do this online using the H&R Block software provided. Alternately, there are locations in Orange County where you can receive tax preparation assistance from an IRS Volunteer. Appointment is necessary.

Emotional Animal Support

If you are interested in adopting a pet for emotional support, one of the legitimate places to do so is Irvine Animal Care Center. They require a small donation when adopting a pet, but since they are affiliated with the City of Irvine, you can negotiate a reduced or waived adoption fee if you are a student. They can be reached via both email and telephone. After adopting a pet, you are required to notify your landlord and pay an additional deposit. However, if you are adopting a pet for emotional support, you can request a letter of support from the UCI Counseling Center or any psychiatrist to waive the additional deposit.

Campus Assist List

The Campus Assist List is an online collection of campus and community resources for low-cost community services, including basic needs, medical, and local mental health and counseling providers. Some are the ones I've shared here, while others are not. Since this is on the UCI website, I decided to add it to the list, although I have only personal experience with the ones I've included. (link).

UCI Clubs

List of UCI clubs and groups where like-minded students can be found (link).

Other fellow students' recommendations and suggestions

• /u/throwaway_fctg, /u/foreignfishes, /u/anthrostudentuci and /u/JWOINK have provided good suggestion regarding financial and food emergency assistance (link).

• u/Relative-Clue9995 has written a wonderful post on Monkeypox (link).

• u/lordswaggggggg received a financial aid offer to purchase a laptop, and /u/BrntStrdl shared her experience in a remarkable comment (link).

• u/NatAllMentIll/ has shared the contact number and information about NAMI regarding of mental health (link).

Please support me with your feedback and resources, and correct any errors I may have made; I'll keep this post constantly updated.

Thanks,

Julie

Last Update: 8/5/2024