Taking a Tour at UCI
At UCI, we offer different types of tours on campus to fit each prospective student’s needs. We have in-person tours, live stream tours, or even self guided ones. I’ll be breaking down the different tours UCI offers to help you pick which one is the right fit for you!
Before we get into breaking each tour down, the first step is to check out UCI Campus Tours the website that allows for students to register and get the resources needed for a successful tour.
Self Guided Tour
First up we have our self guided tours. During business hours, you are more than welcome to bring along friends and family to explore the campus. Since you don’t need to register for a self-guided tour, you’ll be able to find the day that’ll work with your schedule. This type of tour is also more relaxed and slow-paced compared to the student led tours. It’ll allow you ample amounts of time to be able to fully explore the campus on your own. You’ll have all the time you need to check out specific parts of campus that are directed at your major and extracurricular activities.
On the UCI Campus Tours website, they give different resources, like the campus map and parking directions, which will help aid in your adventure. If you get lost on these self guided tours, you can also visit the front desk at 260 Aldrich Hall for any help or questions.
In-Person Campus Tour
The in-person campus tour is generally what each student imagines when thinking about taking a tour on campus. Each in-person tour lasts about 90 minutes which are led by UCI official tour guides who are current students at the school. With these tours, you’ll be able to get an inside look as to what the campus and the day to day life will look like from an actual student at the school. Since the tour guides are trained to know information about the campus, academic programs, and have personal insight into college life, they'll be able to answer all the questions you have about the school.
One thing to keep in mind with in-person tours is, unlike the self guided tours, the in-person tours have a capacity limit per tour. You’ll only be able to bring 2 guests with you because of limited space. If you do want to go with the in-person tours but did not make an appointment, the school does not take walk-in groups so make sure you plan ahead and register. These tours fill up very quickly so if you want to go on a specific day, sign up fast!
Here’s a TikTok video on what our in-person campus tour looks like! Tour at UCI
Whether you decide to take an in-person tour or a self guided one, when you’re on campus make sure you check out the hotspots as well!
Aldrich Park, a park in the middle of campus, typically called the heart of the school. You’re more than welcome to sit under one of the trees to relax or even have a picnic!
The Hill, UCI’s bookstore. They carry a variety of UCI’s merchandise, like Peter the Anteater plushies, clothing, and accessories, along with textbooks that you might need for future classes.
Anteater Plaza, which has a lot of on campus resources and if you’re a gamer, you can check out the Esports Arena there! (Fun fact: we were the first university in the U.S. to launch an esports program)
Livestream Campus Tour
If you live too far away from campus or just don’t want to leave the comfort of your own home, don’t worry because we also have livestream tours as well! The livestream campus tour is led by a current Anteater who will walk you through the campus, share their experiences at UCI, and answer all the questions you may have. It’s a lot like the in-person tours held here, but of course, it’s all livestreamed. It’s definitely a good choice for prospective students to be able to get a feel for the campus and the school but have different circumstances that don't allow them to come out to Irvine.
Although it is definitely more accommodating than the other two tours, there is only 1 livestream tour being held a week on Wednesdays, so make sure you keep that in mind and plan ahead.
Virtual Tours
If you just wanted to see what our campus looks like without having to take a tour with our students or come to campus, you can also visit the virtual tour of UCI website have a virtual look as to what our campus looks like! This interactive map is kind of like Google Earth, where you can look around the campus virtually without having to leave your room. The virtual tour doesn’t have a student guiding you like the livestream, so you’ll be virtually walking around the campus on your own.
Here’s a TikTok video on what our virtual tour looks like! Virtual UCI Tour
My Personal Opinion
For me, I chose to take the self-guided tour route rather than the in-person tours. Granted I was lucky enough to have an older sibling that attends this school so I basically had a personal tour guide. If this is your first time at UCI, I would recommend doing both if possible. Start with an in-person tour. It’ll allow you to get as much information as possible and you’ll be able to acquaint yourself with the campus and what it has to offer. Then if you have time, come back and have a more in-depth look. In-person tours are great for your first time on campus, but since it lasts 90 minutes, you’re probably not going to be able to fully explore specific areas that are interesting to you. The self-guided tours will give you the space and time to fully soak in everything on campus that you learned about during the in-person tours.
Whether you choose to come to our campus or choose to take a virtual tour, I highly recommend getting a feel for the campus and the student life to make sure UCI is the perfect place for you. I hope you have a blast and good luck!
