The University of California, Irvine (UCI, UC Irvine, or Irvine), founded in 1965, is one of the ten general campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA. UCI is a Top Ten Public Research University recognized worldwide, that is considered as a Public Ivy and is ranked as a Tier 1 university according to the USNWR university rankings for its academic rigor. Member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, UCI is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system with nearly 28,000 students, 1,100 faculty members and 9,000 staff. Increasingly a first-choice campus for students nationwide, UCI ranks among the top U.S. universities, public and private, in the number of undergraduate applications and continues to admit freshmen with highly competitive academic profiles.

UC Irvine's name originated from the Irvine Ranch, a region of land historically owned by The Irvine Company. The Irvine Company donated 1,000 acres (400 ha) for a single dollar and sold another 510 acres (210 ha) to the University of California. In 1971, the University of California and the Irvine Company planned a city around the campus, which was incorporated as the city of Irvine.

UCI also maintains the UC Irvine Health Sciences system with its flagship UCI Medical Center in the city of Orange, the University of California, Irvine, Arboretum, and a portion of the University of California Natural Reserve System.