UCR Extension concentrates on meeting educational needs for career advancement, career changes, teacher training and the cultural interests of the adult population. UCR Extension serves all people with or without a college degree – looking for professional advancement, personal achievement or a new career.

UCR Extension operates independently and without state funds as a nonprofit division of UC Riverside. It enrolls about 30,000 students each year. An additional 4,000 international students from more than 100 different countries attend classes offered by UCR Extension's International Education Programs. Its Intensive English Program is ranked as one of the five largest in the United States.

In spite of UCR Extension's large size, it pays individual attention to students and serves the community's changing needs. Many classes are offered at night and on weekends to accommodate busy schedules. Custom-designed courses are also presented at employers' work sites.

Our course formats are diverse. They include one-day workshops, weekend conferences, seminars, intensive short courses and classes that meet once a week during the 10-week academic quarter.

Students can choose to enroll in one of our certificate programs, all of which offer concentrated study in specific fields. A certificate program is a sequence of courses that helps individuals obtain practical instruction to stay current with new developments in their field, qualify for a new job or justify a promotion, or change careers completely.

Many of UCR Extension's academic programs are developed in conjunction with, and are sometimes taught by, UCR faculty, thus ensuring that students receive the same uncompromising standard of excellence upheld by the University. UCR Extension instructors are working professionals and experts in the fields they are teaching, allowing students to take what they learn in the classroom and apply it immediately to their jobs.

Accreditation
University of California – Riverside is a member of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The UCR Extension campus is accredited by the Senior Commission of WASC.

Financial Aid
UCR offers two types of financial aid: gift-aid and self-help aid. Students may be awarded a financial aid package including a combination of these. Gift-aid includes grants and scholarships which do not have to be repaid or earned. Self-help aid covers loans which must be repaid and work-study funds which must be earned.