Yes, the “Graduate” student requirements are always completely different than an undergraduate student who is attempting to get into a university.
When I researched your issue (the minimal amount of time that I did), I went directly to “undergraduate admissions” and researched the requirements through that header.
I also went to the main “bulletin” at UCOP and that site, was what I quoted, to explain the general requirements for undergraduates who were admitted.
I agree that they don’t make it easy, and will stick it to you to confirm. But this is common with universities; they don’t make exceptions unless you have proof. The onus is on you to JUMP by saving proof through screen shots, emails and documentation.
It’s something that I learned as a student through experiences, with tears and frustration and rereading documents to confirm that I screwed up.
We provided this experience to our three kids, but of course, they didn’t listen! When they finally got hit in the face with similar experiences, our children finally admitted that they tearfully learned it over time: that you have to have everything, in hand, on time, before deadlines and with proof.
So you can keep fighting this, but because they’re already setting up their course schedules, and this occurred in June for you, it doesn’t sound like it’s gonna happen. It’s now August. I don’t think you have a prayer. You can try, but I suggest that you move on to your other university, because you’re out of time.
If you’re relying on financial aid to attend, and you don’t start that process now, with your current university, you’re going to miss out on that too. The dollars are finite.
They run out of money within their dispensed budgets.
So which battle are you going to fight?
Are you going to try to get into UCSD (FA dollars are being assigned now) which isn’t looking good? Your only chances are to speak directly to the admissions director but admissions may have already given your spot to someone else.
You may end up losing out on whatever university you also were admitted to. You can go to community college and try for UCSD again but your financial aid dollars won’t be there. Transfers get less money.