What IELTS score do you need for University of California, Merced?

For graduate admission only, the requirement may be waived for an applicant who earned a basic degree from a US institution or from an institution in a country where English is the language of instruction. The graduate page says this waiver does not exempt you from the separate oral English test needed for a teaching assistant post.

First-year undergraduates with mixed records can use ACT English/Writing 24, SAT Writing scores, AP English 3 or above, or IB English results instead. Transfer students can use one UC-transferable English composition course with a grade of C or better.

The graduate requirements page says IELTS Indicator scores are not accepted, and the international page asks for an official IELTS Test Report Form by post rather than by email.

Graduate applicants usually need a GPA of 3.0 (B). The international application fee is $155. The Graduate Division notes that some programmes ask for higher test scores than the minimums above.

Requirements vary by programme and change between admission cycles. The score that binds you is the one on your UC Merced programme page and in your admission letter, so check it there before you book a test.