UCLA: Complete Guide to Admission, Costs and the Real Bar for 2027 Entry

For autumn 2027 entry you apply to UCLA through the UC Application between 1 October and 30 November 2026, and UCLA will not consider SAT or ACT scores, according to its page as of October 2026. UCLA says it recently admitted fewer than one in ten first-year applicants for the fall term, without naming a year. A year in the residence halls costs a nonresident USD 84,770 in the UCLA budget updated July 2026, and UC warns that some students wrongly assume that extra financial assistance or part-time work will be available.

The UC minimum for international first-year applicants is a 3.4 GPA across 15 year-long academic courses, according to the UC page as of October 2026. It is a gate to be considered, not the level at which UCLA admits: UCLA says competitive applicants should present an academic profile much stronger than any minimum UC admission requirements.

Legally Blonde filming location at Kerckhoff Hall at UCLA

UCLA describes itself as a public research university in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, according to its pages as of October 2026.

Three rules that catch international applicants out

• No letters, no interview, no transcripts at the start. UCLA's page as of October 2026 says it does not require or accept letters of recommendation and does not collect transcripts at the point of application, and it does not offer admission interviews. You report your own grades exactly as they would appear on official transcripts, and an offer is provisional: it may be revoked if your application was incomplete or inaccurate.
• An English test by December. If you have completed all your secondary school in a country where English is not the language of instruction, take IELTS (minimum 6.5), TOEFL iBT (4.5, effective January 2026), Duolingo (115) or another accepted exam by December of your final year of secondary school: December 2026 if you finish school in 2027.
• Arts, music, theater, film and nursing ask for more. The School of the Arts and Architecture, the Herb Alpert School of Music and the School of Theater, Film and Television put more emphasis on portfolios and/or auditions, which are the most significant admission factors for these schools, and the Joe C. Wen School of Nursing requires the submission of an additional supplemental application. UCLA's page as of October 2026 says supplemental applications may involve an audition, portfolio submission and/or letters of recommendation; check the school's own page for its deadline as soon as you choose.

The filing period for fall 2027

UC's dates page gives the fall 2027 filing period as 1 October to 30 November 2026, and UCLA decides on the information you submit in the UC application. UC charges an international applicant USD 95 for each campus, according to its page as of October 2026. The application for fall 2027 has been open since 1 August 2026, and UC says to submit it by 30 November, so do not leave submission to the last evening.

UC campuses generally notify applicants between 1 and 31 March 2027. If UCLA admits you, you accept with the Statement of Intent to Register and a non-refundable USD 250 deposit by 1 May 2027, and your final official transcripts are due by 1 July 2027.

A ranking position depends on the publisher and the edition, so open each publisher's own UCLA page for the current number: ShanghaiRanking (ARWU), QS, Times Higher Education and U.S. News. Give the table for your own subject more weight than any overall position. UCLA's own pages rest its reputation on research, prizes and sport.

What UCLA's reputation rests on

UCLA describes itself as a public research university and grounds its reputation in prizes and sport. UCLA's About page counts 16 Nobel Laureates, 17 MacArthur Fellows, 123 NCAA championships and more Olympic medals than many countries. UCLA's academics page adds National Medal of Science winners and a Fields Medal recipient, without a count. UCLA celebrated a century of achievements in 2019.

UCLA's home page describes Boelter Hall as the building "where the internet originated".

UCLA's review page says it received over 146,000 applications this past year, without naming the year, and that recently it has been able to admit fewer than one in ten first-year applicants for the fall term, according to the page as of October 2026.

UCLA School of Law south entrance

UCLA's review page says that recently the campus has been able to admit fewer than one in ten first-year applicants for the fall term, according to the page as of October 2026. The page names no year, and the ratio is stated for first-year applicants in general, so for autumn 2027 entry use it as a rough guide and plan around the way the UCLA school you choose reviews you.

The same page says UCLA received over 146,000 applications this past year and recently admitted fewer than one in ten first-year applicants. Neither figure carries a year, so treat them as context for the size of the pool, not as a Fall 2027 rate.

How the school you apply to changes the review

UCLA's schools select differently, according to its pages as of October 2026. In the College of Letters and Science the major is not considered. The Henry Samueli School of Engineering admits students by declared major, with more emphasis on science and math programs. The arts and architecture, music, and theater, film and television schools put more emphasis on special talents through portfolios and/or auditions, which are the most significant admission factors for these schools, and Nursing requires the submission of an additional supplemental application.

What UCLA says about the grades it expects

UCLA's review page says that admitted students usually have academic achievements far higher than the minimum requirements. That is context, not a cutoff.

You do not convert your marks to a US scale: UC's page as of October 2026 asks you to record marks exactly as reported by your school. UCLA reads them relative to others in your high school, considers linguistic background, and looks at the strength of the high school curriculum, including the availability of honors, AP, and IBHL courses.

UC's minimum for international applicants, 15 year-long courses with a 3.4 GPA, is a separate eligibility rule, and it only makes you eligible: UCLA's page as of October 2026 says competitive applicants should present an academic profile much stronger than any minimum UC admission requirements.

What changes your chances at UCLA, and what does not

UCLA says it recently admitted fewer than one in ten first-year applicants, so treat UCLA as a reach, whatever your grades. These UCLA rules decide where your effort pays off:

• Tests: UCLA will not consider SAT or ACT scores.
• Interviews and letters: UCLA does not offer admission interviews and does not require or accept letters of recommendation, except that a specialty major's supplemental application may involve an audition, portfolio submission and/or letters of recommendation.
• Major: the College of Letters and Science does not consider it, while Samueli Engineering admits students by declared major.
• Timing: for fall 2027 entry you file from October 1 to November 30, 2026, and UC campuses generally tell you between March 1 and March 31, 2027, whether you are admitted.

Put your effort into what UCLA readers carefully consider: your academic record and your personal insight answers.

UCLA selects first-year applicants by comprehensive review, according to its page as of October 2026: every application is read twice in full by professionally trained readers, and the comprehensive score a reader gives the file is the basis on which you are admitted or denied.

Each UCLA reader analyses the file independently, and admissions managers check it for consistency and completeness throughout the reading. UCLA calls the review human judgment rather than a numerical formula, and its criteria carry no pre-assigned weights.

The criteria UCLA's readers apply

UCLA's readers judge your record in context, using evidence from the personal insight questions, the academic record and your list of honors.

UC's page as of October 2026 says all UC campuses use the same factors to evaluate applications, though they often apply these factors differently. One UC factor, a rank in the top 9 percent of a California high school class, applies only to California residents. UCLA readers also consider the strength of the high school curriculum, including the availability of honors, AP, and IBHL courses.

What UCLA does not consider

UCLA decides on the information you submit in the UC Application and leaves out:

• SAT and ACT scores: not considered for admission or scholarships, even if you send them.
• Letters of recommendation: not required or accepted.
• Transcripts: not collected at application; an official academic record from each school is required if you are admitted, beginning with grade nine.
• Interviews: UCLA does not offer them. Some specialty-school majors add an audition or a portfolio through a supplemental application.
• Race, sex and national origin: UC's page as of October 2026 says its admission process does not discriminate against, or provide preferential treatment to, any individual on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin.
• Your other UC choices: campuses do not consider where else you applied.
• Your major, in the College of Letters and Science: not considered during the review process.

Outside the College of Letters and Science, the major counts at UCLA. The Samueli School of Engineering admits by declared major, the School of Nursing requires a supplemental application, and in the School of the Arts and Architecture, the Herb Alpert School of Music and the School of Theater, Film and Television portfolios and auditions are the most significant admission factors.

Waitlist, review of decisions and applying again

Fall 2027 applicants who file during the 1 October to 30 November filing period generally hear from each UC campus in March 2027; a waitlist place adds more dates.

UC says admission decisions are rarely reversed, so do not plan around a reversal.

Applying to UCLA again a year later depends on what you do in between. Once you are or were enrolled in a regular session at a college or university in any country after completing secondary school, UC counts you as a transfer applicant, not a first-year. When transfer applications exceed the places, UC campuses select on nine criteria and give priority consideration to junior-level transfers from California community colleges.

UCLA's admission page, as of October 2026, says UCLA will not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarship purposes, even if you report them. UCLA reads your school record and external exams such as AP, IB, A-levels or board exams instead, and if you accept an offer your official AP and IB results are due by 15 July 2027.

The University of California sets the same rule for every campus: UC will not consider SAT or ACT test scores when making admission decisions or awarding scholarships. UCLA's admissions page, in the version of October 2026, says the same for UCLA: UCLA will not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarship purposes. Test-blind is stricter than test-optional. A test-optional university reads a score you choose to send; UCLA leaves the score out of the decision.

What an SAT or ACT score can still do

SAT and ACT scores keep two narrow uses at UCLA: they may be used as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility or for course placement after you enroll. You can report them only after the application has been submitted, by logging in to the application to update test scores. UCLA's ACT number is 0448 and its College Board (SAT) number is 4837.

For an applicant abroad, an ACT English Language Arts score of 24 or higher is one way to show English proficiency to UC, from an exam completed by December of your final year at school. The digital SAT Reading and Writing score has not been approved for this. If other universities on your list require the SAT or ACT, check their own pages and sit the test for them; UCLA's policy does not change those applications.

The exams that do count at UCLA

As of October 2026, UCLA's readers weigh performance in honors, college level, AP and IBHL courses where your school offers them, and a separate criterion names exceptional performance on AP/IBHL exams. Readers also consider the strength of the high school curriculum, including the availability of honors, AP, and IBHL courses.

External exams such as IGCSE, GCSE, GCE A-levels, Year X/XII board exams or SPM go on the International Exams page of the application, under the Test Scores tab. You report the grades earned from each sitting of a subject, and for an exam still ahead you indicate that you are planning to take it.

UC's page as of October 2026 asks for official results only after you accept an offer of admission. On UC's calendar for autumn 2027 entry, final transcripts are due by 1 July 2027 and official AP and IB results by 15 July 2027; UC gives the same 15 July date for all other documents and exam scores.

What test-blind means if you score high

For a high-scoring applicant, the consequence follows from UCLA's policy: a top SAT or ACT score cannot set you apart at UCLA, because UCLA does not consider it, and having no score costs you nothing. UCLA's readers consider evidence in the personal insight questions, the academic record and your honors and achievements, so that is where your preparation for UCLA goes.

UCLA applies the University of California English minimums, which UC's page as of October 2026 sets at IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 4.5 on the score scale in effect from January 2026, or Duolingo English Test 115. You must complete the exam by December of your final year of secondary school, which for autumn 2027 entry means December 2026.

The English benchmarks UCLA applicants meet are set by the University of California for all its campuses, and meeting any one of them is enough. IELTS, TOEFL and Duolingo are the usual routes from abroad; AP, IB, ACT and some SAT results count too.

Two lines in the UC table are narrower than they look. The IB benchmark counts English (Language A only), so an IB English B result does not meet it. The SAT benchmark is a Writing and Language score, and UC's page as of October 2026 says the digital SAT Reading and Writing section score has not been approved to meet English language proficiency.

Who has to prove English for UCLA

As of October 2026, if all of your high school or secondary school education was completed in English, the University of California considers you proficient and you take no test. If you completed all or some secondary school in a country and school where English was not the language of instruction, you must prove English when you have had less than 3 years of instruction in English. Check that count with your school before you book a test.

UCLA score rules: one sitting, self-reported, sent after admission

• Only the highest composite score from a single sitting counts. UC does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake or MyBest TOEFL.
• You self-report your English scores in the UC application, so no official score report is needed when you apply.
• If you are offered a place, you send official scores only to the campus where you intend to enroll, and they must still be valid (not expired) at that point.

What UCLA asks beyond the UC minimum

The University of California's page as of October 2026 warns that a UC campus may require a score higher than the minimum for admission selection, and that some campuses may request an interview to check English skills during review. Treat the UC minimum as the gate to be considered, not a target: plan to score above it and to test early enough to retake before December 2026.

To be considered by UCLA for autumn 2027 from a school outside the US, you must meet the University of California's minimum for international first-years, which UC's page as of October 2026 gives as 15 year-long academic courses with a 3.4 GPA, a school-leaving certificate that enables you to be admitted to a university in your home country, your school system's extra rules, and proof of English. That minimum is a gate: UCLA says admitted students usually have achievements far higher than the minimum requirements.

As of October 2026, the 15 courses follow the University of California subject pattern below, which UCLA applies as its entry gate. History of your own country replaces US history. You must also have completed your secondary education and earned a certificate of completion which enables you to be admitted to a university in your home country.

UCLA reads that pattern against what your school offers: if a required subject is not available, UCLA will consider your application without it. To be competitive, UCLA expects a profile much stronger than any minimum UC admission requirements.

How UCLA reads a non-US school record

Do not convert your grades to a US scale: you record every course and mark exactly as reported by the international school, whether as numbers, letters, percentages or words. External exams such as IGCSEs, A-levels or Year X and XII boards go on the International Exams page of the UC application, with the grades earned from each sitting if you took a subject more than once.

As of October 2026, UCLA's readers then judge the whole file. Every UCLA application is read twice by trained readers, through human judgment rather than a system that quantifies factors, with criteria that carry no pre-assigned weights. Readers weigh your Advanced Placement and IB Higher Level courses against the strength of your school's curriculum.

Your intended major counts only in some UCLA schools: in the College of Letters and Science the applicant's major is not considered, while the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science admits students by declared major, with more emphasis on science and math programs.

UC rules by country and school system

The University of California adds rules for some school systems. Each one is a condition for being considered at UCLA, not the level UCLA admits at.

IB English, Language A only, also meets the UC English requirement: 6 or 7 at Standard Level or 5, 6 or 7 at Higher Level. UC requires the exam to be completed by December of your final year of school, so a later IB English result does not count for this route.

What you send to UC, and when

With the UC application you send no academic documents: UC says you don't need to submit your academic records at that point. A campus may later ask you to send your copies. If you are admitted, UC needs an official record from each school you attended, beginning with grade nine, and exam certificates that show the subjects you passed and the grades received.

You apply to UCLA for autumn 2027 entry through the UC Application, and you submit it between 1 October and 30 November 2026. An international applicant pays USD 95 for each campus, according to UC's page as of October 2026.

UCLA decides on the information you submit in the UC application. The form could be started as early as 1 August 2026 and submitted from 1 October 2026, when the filing period opened. UC asks you to submit only one application per term.

What the UC Application asks for

The UC Application carries no references and no transcripts. UCLA's main application does not require or accept letters of recommendation and does not collect transcripts at the point of application, and UC's page as of October 2026 says you don't need to submit your academic records at that point. Only if you are admitted does UC ask for an official academic record from each school, beginning with grade nine. Copy every grade from your school records, because UCLA judges you on what you type in.

Application fees and the fee waiver

UC charges an international applicant USD 95 for each campus on the UC Application. An international student already enrolled at a US institution may qualify for the USD 80 fee. You pay by credit card, with an option to pay later.

The UC fee waiver covers the application fees for up to four campuses, and UC decides eligibility from the About you section. Plan your budget on the full fee.

Treat 30 November 2026 as your deadline, and submit before the last evening.

Applying to several UC campuses

UC campuses do not consider where you have applied or your admission status at other campuses, so adding Berkeley or San Diego does not change how UCLA reads your file. UC's page as of October 2026 advises you to apply to more than one UC campus, at USD 95 each.

UC lets you accept admission to one campus only, with a USD 250 non-refundable deposit. Waitlists work differently: you can accept waitlist offers from multiple campuses, with an opt-in deadline of 15 April at most campuses. UC still advises you to submit a Statement of Intent to Register by 1 May to a college or university that has admitted you, even while you wait on a waitlist.

For fall 2027 entry you apply to UCLA through the UC Application, and its personal insight section, as UC's page reads in October 2026, asks you to answer 4 of the 8 questions, each in a maximum of 350 words. UCLA does not require or accept letters of recommendation, does not offer admission interviews and will not consider SAT or ACT scores. Your four answers are where UCLA hopes to hear your true, authentic voice.

You submit your four answers with the UC Application between October 1 and November 30, 2026. UC's page as of October 2026 says first-year applicants may respond to four of eight questions, with each response limited to a maximum of 350 words, and UC advises you to select the questions that are most relevant to your experience. One of the eight, question 6, reads: Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

How UCLA readers use your four answers

UCLA judges first-year applicants based upon the information they submit in the UC application. All applications are read twice in full by trained UCLA readers, who carefully consider evidence provided in the personal insight questions, as well as in the academic record and list of honors and achievements. UCLA's page as of October 2026 adds that it is important that the student as an individual comes through in those answers.

Applicants to some UCLA schools are judged on more than the UC Application. The School of the Arts and Architecture, the Herb Alpert School of Music and the School of Theater, Film and Television put more emphasis on special talents through a review of portfolios and/or auditions, which are the most significant admission factors for these schools. The Joe C. Wen School of Nursing requires the submission of an additional supplemental application, and UCLA's page as of October 2026 says supplemental applications may involve an audition, portfolio submission and/or letters of recommendation.

UCLA's review criteria carry no pre-assigned weights, and several describe qualities that may not be reflected in traditional measures of academic achievement. Your four answers are one place where UCLA readers can find them:

UC's own writing advice

• Use "I". UC's page as of October 2026 asks for "I" and "my" statements in your responses.
• Start early, paste plain text. Allow plenty of time for preparation, careful composition and revisions, then paste your answers in plain text (ASCII) and check for odd characters.

The activities and awards section

As of October 2026, the activities and awards section of the UC Application is where you show what you're most proud of outside the classroom. UC is looking for quality, not quantity, so focus on the entries that matter most to you. You classify each activity or award as one of six categories, which include Award or honor and Educational preparation programs.

UCLA's own advice on activities: if it comes down to a choice between excelling in your coursework or your extracurricular activities, choose your academics. Let the UC activities section carry the list, and use your four answers to go deep on the entries that matter most.

Writing your four answers from abroad

As of October 2026, UCLA readers judge achievements in the context of the opportunities you had, and consider linguistic background, parental education level, and other indicators of support available in the home. A UCLA reader may not know your school system, so explain what an answer depends on in one clause: the level of an olympiad, a subject your school did not offer.

College Council's advice for UCLA answers, not a UC rule: give evidence a reader can picture, with numbers, names and outcomes from your own record. "I led the school debate team to a regional final" says little. "I led our debate team to a national semifinal, and after an early loss I rebuilt how we prepared our cases" shows what you did and what changed. A literary style full of metaphor spends words you need for that evidence.

A structure that fits 350 words (ours, not UC's): one sentence that sets the scene, the actions you took, the result, and one line linking it to what you want to study at UCLA. Plain, clear English in your own words beats polished phrasing from someone else. If your name or school has accented letters, check them after pasting as plain text.

For fall 2027 entry, the school you apply to decides how UCLA reviews your major, according to UCLA's pages as of October 2026. The College of Letters and Science does not consider your major. The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science admits by declared major; the arts, music, and theater, film and television schools weigh portfolios and/or auditions most; and where a major needs a supplemental application, it may involve an audition, portfolio submission and/or letters of recommendation.

The College of Letters and Science does not weigh your major

UCLA's page as of October 2026 states that for the College of Letters and Science the applicant's major is not considered during the review process, and the UC Application lets you choose "Undecided" or "Undeclared". If you are torn between two College majors, the major you list is not part of the College review.

UCLA Engineering admits by declared major

As of October 2026, the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science admits students by declared major, with more emphasis on science and math programs. You are therefore reviewed for the engineering major you declare, with the emphasis on science and math programs.

UCLA schools that need a supplemental application

As of October 2026, some UCLA schools add a supplemental application: the School of the Arts and Architecture, the Herb Alpert School of Music and the School of Theater, Film and Television put more emphasis on special talents through a review of portfolios and/or auditions, which are the most significant admission factors for these schools, and the Joe C. Wen School of Nursing places more emphasis on science and math programs and requires an additional supplemental application.

The UCLA main review does not require or accept letters of recommendation and does not offer admission interviews; a letter enters only if a professional school may request a letter of recommendation in its supplemental process. For film, theater, music or architecture at UCLA, the portfolio or audition is the most significant admission factor, so put most of your preparation there.

Where to check the supplemental application

The UC Application for fall 2027 is filed between October 1 and November 30, 2026. For the supplemental application itself, UCLA's page as of October 2026 says to find out more from the supplemental applications page. Open it as soon as you choose the major, and plan your portfolio or audition around what it requires.

For autumn 2027 entry you file one UC application between 1 October and 30 November 2026, UC campuses generally notify you between 1 and 31 March 2027, and if you are admitted you accept by 1 May 2027 with a USD 250 non-refundable deposit. You upload no transcripts when you apply: official records go to UCLA only after admission, with final transcripts due by 1 July 2027.

The filing period opened on 1 October 2026. UC says to submit the fall application by November 30, so treat that date in 2026 as your deadline.

The Joe C. Wen School of Nursing requires the submission of an additional supplemental application, and some majors in UCLA's specialty schools need one too; a supplemental application may involve an audition, portfolio submission and/or letters of recommendation. The majors chapter covers what it involves.

What you send when you apply, and what UCLA needs after admission

UCLA receives no documents when you apply. UCLA's page as of October 2026 states that it does not collect transcripts at the point of application, and UC tells applicants from schools abroad not to send records at the time of application. Instead you record all courses and marks exactly as your school reports them, and you list external exams such as IGCSE, A-levels or national board exams on the International Exams page, under the Test Scores tab (step 4 of 5).

Keep legible photocopies of your records ready: after you submit, a campus may ask for them, and you send them only upon their request. Ask your school early how it sends official records abroad, because failure to provide official records may jeopardize your enrollment.

Provisional admission: how a UCLA offer can be withdrawn

A UCLA offer is provisional. UC states that offers stay provisional until the campus receives your final official transcript and verifies that you completed all coursework required for UC eligibility, and that each campus gives newly admitted students conditions for admission to meet before enrolling. Read the conditions in your UCLA offer as soon as it arrives.

UCLA can withdraw a place even after you accept it: under UC rules the offer may be revoked if information on your application is incomplete or inaccurate, or if your performance drops significantly during the senior year. From abroad, that means your final year of secondary school, so marks earned after the decision still count.

From the UCLA offer to arrival in Los Angeles

UC strongly encourages you to wait until you hear from each campus before you declare your intent to register. You may accept admission to one campus only, and an SIR cannot be moved to another campus once it is submitted. If UCLA waitlists you and you accept that place, UC still advises you to submit an SIR by 1 May where you have been admitted, because waitlist decisions generally come between May and July.

As of October 2026, for the F-1 student visa you present a Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility from the campus you wish to attend and documentation that you have sufficient financial resources; the visa chapter covers the other steps. You can enter the United States no earlier than 30 days before your I-20 start date, so book travel around the start date on your certificate of eligibility. Most UC campuses run a new international student check-in and orientation, where you present your documents. The name on your passport must match the name on your application.

Applying to UCLA as an international transfer student

As of October 2026, you apply as a transfer, not a first-year, if you are or were enrolled in a regular session at a college or university in any country after completing secondary school. International transfers must meet UC's admission requirements for transfer applicants, including two transferable college courses (3 semester or 4-5 quarter units each) in English composition. Transfers file in the same 1 October to 30 November period. The rest of this report follows the first-year route.

UCLA lists over 125 majors, but you apply to a school before a major, and the school sets how UCLA reads you: the College of Letters and Science does not consider the major, Samueli Engineering admits by declared major, and the arts, music, and theater, film and television schools weigh portfolios and/or auditions most, according to UCLA's pages as of October 2026.

In the College of Letters and Science, the applicant's major is not considered during the review process. The chapter on majors and supplemental applications shows how each of the other UCLA schools that admit first-years chooses.

Some majors in UCLA's specialty schools need a supplemental application, and UCLA's page as of October 2026 says supplemental applications may involve an audition, portfolio submission and/or letters of recommendation. In Arts and Architecture, Music and Theater, Film and Television, portfolios and/or auditions are the most significant admission factors.

UCLA's BruinPay Plan lets you pay each academic quarter's tuition and fees in three installments, and the University of California names its regular sessions as fall, winter or spring.

UCLA Carnesale Commons

Film, television and theater

As of October 2026, the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television admits students by declared major (within the school) and puts more emphasis on special talents through a review of portfolios and/or auditions, which are the most significant admission factors for these schools, so give the work you submit your most careful preparation. UCLA's campus sits in Westwood, minutes from Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles.

Life sciences and the pre-med path

Among the UCLA schools that review first-year applicants, the Joe C. Wen School of Nursing places more emphasis on science and math programs and requires an additional supplemental application, according to the page as of October 2026. For a medical degree, check UCLA's own pages for the route.

Computer science and engineering

As of October 2026, the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science admits students by declared major, with more emphasis on science and math programs. Because Samueli reviews the declared major and the College does not, check on UCLA's majors list which school houses the computing major you want before you name it on the UC application.

UCLA notes on its home page that Boelter Hall is where the internet originated.

Business and economics

For economics or business-related majors, check which UCLA school houses the major before you apply: in the College of Letters and Science the applicant's major is not considered during the review process, while a school that admits by declared major reviews the major you list.

Law: a graduate school

As a first-year applicant you choose a bachelor's major. For law school, check UCLA's own pages for the route.

Minors and extras beyond the major

Beyond the major, UCLA's academics page as of October 2026 says UCLA will become your gateway through internships, research, fellowships, jobs and more. Check double majors, undergraduate research programs and study abroad with the College or your school once you have a shortlist of majors.

While you study, UCLA's Career Center gives you a free 12twenty account for jobs, internships, events and appointments, and its staff help you explore career pathways, create competitive resumes, develop interviewing and networking skills, find internships and jobs, and consider graduate school, according to its page as of October 2026.

Treat any UCLA graduate-salary figure with caution unless it comes from the University of California or UCLA itself, and check the source and the year before you rely on an earnings number.

How UCLA students find jobs and internships

The UCLA Career Center has moved from Handshake to 12twenty for job and internship postings, events and counselling appointments, and its staff help you create competitive resumes and develop interviewing and networking skills. To meet employers, the Career Center runs career fairs, networking events, information sessions and on-campus interviewing.

The UCLA Career Center's page as of October 2026 sorts work into career pathways such as arts and entertainment, consulting and financial services, engineering and technology, health, and government, law and policy.

UCLA's notable graduates

As of October 2026, UCLA's about page cites 16 Nobel Laureates and 17 MacArthur Fellows across the university, without saying how many studied at UCLA. Check a famous name against an official biography before you count it as a UCLA degree.

UCLA's latest undergraduate budget, updated July 2026, puts a nine-month academic year for a nonresident at $84,770 in a UCLA residence hall, $87,056 in an off-campus apartment and $75,977 as a commuter. For a later year, the University of California estimates $90,100 for a new nonresident living on campus in 2027 to 2028.

UCLA's nonresident budget is the one that applies to you as an international applicant, and the University of California's page as of October 2026 says virtually all nonresident undergraduates with nonresident parents remain nonresidents for the duration of their undergraduate career. University Fees of $16,430 are the same for California residents and nonresidents; Nonresident Supplemental Tuition of $39,270 is the line a California resident does not pay. All official amounts are in US dollars.

Only housing, food, transportation and personal costs change between UCLA's three columns, and housing moves the most: $12,299 in a residence hall, $14,541 in an off-campus apartment and $3,955 for a commuter.

What UCLA will cost if you start in autumn 2027

UCLA's budget above is the July 2026 one. The closest figure for a later year is the University of California's estimate for one year as a new nonresident undergraduate in 2027 to 2028, a UC average. Its UC Tuition of $57,300 includes systemwide tuition, supplemental nonresident tuition and student services fees.

Your UC tuition stays the same for up to six years

UC says your UC tuition will remain the same for up to six years, even if you do not qualify for financial aid.

To budget a UCLA degree, count your tuition at the entry-year rate for up to six years and add each year's living costs. Convert dollars at the rate on the day you pay and keep a margin for currency moves.

Why you pay nonresident tuition for the whole UCLA degree

UCLA says that if your parents are not California residents, the financial independence requirement makes it extremely difficult for most undergraduates to qualify for classification as a California resident, and the University of California says virtually all nonresident undergraduates with nonresident parents remain nonresidents for the duration of their undergraduate career.

As of October 2026, UC's page on its nonresident tuition exemption says students in possession of nonimmigrant visas, F visas included, are not eligible for this exemption, so the exemption does not help an international student on an F-1 visa.

UC SHIP, summer costs and paying UCLA in instalments

UC SHIP health insurance is $3,885 in UCLA's budget, updated July 2026.

UCLA's budget covers nine months of the academic year, so plan separately for the months outside it.

UCLA says out-of-state students do not pay Nonresident Supplemental Tuition in the summer; the page does not name international students, so confirm with UCLA before you plan around it. UCLA's BruinPay Plan lets you pay each quarter's tuition and fees in three installments throughout the term.

Federal student loans are for U.S. citizens, permanent residents and eligible non-citizens, and UC's page as of October 2026 warns that some students assume, incorrectly, that additional financial assistance or part-time employment will be available. Plan to fund the whole UCLA budget yourself or through a sponsor.

UC warns that some students assume, incorrectly, that additional financial assistance or part-time employment will be available. For autumn 2027 entry, plan your funding on the full nonresident cost, which UC estimates at USD 90,100 for one year as a new nonresident living on campus in 2027-2028 (UC average), and which UCLA's own budget, updated July 2026, puts at USD 84,770 in the residence halls.

UCLA's need-based aid starts with one of two forms: the FAFSA, used to determine eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid for US citizens and permanent residents, or the California Dream Act Application, used for state and institutional aid by non-citizens who graduated from a California high school.

Who can get need-based aid at UCLA

As of October 2026, Blue and Gold is a California programme: UC's figure covers most California families that earn up to USD 100,000, so it does not describe an international student at UCLA.

Admission and your ability to pay

UC's review criteria, as its page reads in October 2026, list low family income among the life experiences and special circumstances that give context to your academic accomplishments.

For an international student at UCLA, money is checked at the visa stage. Without written evidence of adequate financial resources for the entire time needed to complete your degree program, the US consul will not grant a student visa, so an offer you cannot fund does not get you to Los Angeles.

UCLA merit scholarships

UCLA's page as of October 2026 says its scholarships may be awarded based on need, academic merit, your background, specific talents or professional interests. Merit is the smaller channel: UC awards a much smaller portion of gift aid on merit than on need. On the UC Application you select any and all scholarship categories that apply, and UC will not consider SAT or ACT test scores when awarding scholarships.

Sponsors, private scholarships and loans

Money from outside UCLA is what can shrink the bill, and UC says you may also want to apply for private scholarships. If you are sponsored by an international agency, UCLA should be listed on your Certificate of Eligibility; if your country's government limits the amount of money that may be sent to its students in the United States, make sure the funds will be available.

As of October 2026, federal student loans are for U.S. citizens, permanent residents and eligible non-citizens. Private lenders have different criteria for both loan eligibility and loan rates, so ask the lender directly whether it lends to international students.

Working on campus on an F-1 visa

A UCLA campus job can help pay for textbooks and day-to-day living expenses. Each year nearly 8,000 UCLA undergraduates work on campus part-time, and F-1 students are permitted to work part time on campus. UC still warns that some students assume, incorrectly, that additional financial assistance or part-time employment will be available.

Proof of funds for the Form I-20 and the visa

As of October 2026, for the F-1 visa you present a Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility from UCLA and documentation that you have sufficient financial resources, and you must explain the source of your funds and guarantee that you will receive them while at UC.

What you fund each year without aid

For a self-funded international student at UCLA, the gap is the whole budget, and UC says your tuition will remain the same for up to six years.

Summer sits outside the nine-month figures above. Because the consul wants funds for the entire time needed to complete your degree program, plan on the UCLA annual figure for every year you will be enrolled, plus your summers.

UCLA's student budget, updated July 2026, sets USD 12,299 for housing and USD 7,568 for food in the residence halls. A room is not part of your offer: the University of California says admission to UC does not guarantee your assignment to on-campus housing.

The University of California runs residence halls for single students on all campuses, UCLA included, and tells applicants who want to live on campus to apply for UC housing within the specified deadlines at each campus. Before you accept your offer, check on the UCLA Housing site what UCLA currently promises first-years who apply on time, and for how long.

UCLA room types and meal plans

As of October 2026, UCLA Housing lists its undergraduate room types as Classic, Plaza, Deluxe and Suites. The table below shows UCLA's estimated student budget, not the price of a given room.

UCLA's budget covers a nine-month academic year and names no academic year, so treat it as the current estimate, not a fixed price for autumn 2027 entry. The University of California's average estimate for a new nonresident undergraduate in 2027 to 2028 puts campus housing and meals at USD 21,700, a figure for UC campuses in general, not a UCLA price.

When and how to apply for UCLA housing

For autumn 2027 entry, the University of California's deadline for the Statement of Intent to Register is 1 May 2027, which comes with a USD 250 non-refundable deposit. Check UCLA Housing's own page for the date of the housing application.

Living off campus near UCLA

On UCLA's own estimates, living in Off-Campus Apartments costs a nonresident more in total than the residence halls: USD 87,056 against USD 84,770. The University of California's page as of October 2026 notes that at most campuses, students live in private homes, apartments and rooming houses, and that many students live with other students and share expenses. UC apartments for married students are limited in number and require very early application.

UCLA sits in the Westwood neighborhood, just minutes from Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles, and UCLA's BruinBus provides complimentary year-round service through the UCLA campus and Westwood Village. UCLA's admission office says most first-year students do not need a car, especially given parking limitations on campus. An e-scooter or e-bike kept in UCLA housing must be UL-certified and registered with UCLA Transportation.

UCLA's campus is in Westwood, which UCLA places just minutes from Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles. Around your classes you get a complimentary campus shuttle, an events calendar and sport at a university whose About page counts 123 NCAA championships.

UCLA's own pages name campus places such as the Royce Hall colonnade and Boelter Hall, where UCLA says the internet originated.

Getting around Westwood and Los Angeles

UCLA's page as of October 2026 says most first-year students do not need a car, especially given parking limitations on campus. BruinBus provides complimentary year-round service through the UCLA campus and Westwood Village, and UCLA offers subsidized transit passes for travel around Los Angeles. UCLA Transportation reports that Bruins used public transport in record numbers during 2025.

UCLA's student budget, updated July 2026, puts transport at USD 969 an academic year in the residence halls, against USD 1,583 in off-campus apartments and USD 2,883 for a commuter.

Bruin athletics

UCLA's About page, as of October 2026, counts 123 NCAA championships and carries no date, so quote the figure with its source.

UCLA's own video on its history and athletics features coach John Wooden.

Support for international students

UC's page as of October 2026 tells new international students to consult the International Student Advisor on campus, who also advises on the US laws that affect your stay, and says most UC campuses have a new international student check-in and orientation. Ask about UCLA's own international student services once you are admitted.

To start at UCLA in autumn 2027 from abroad you need an F-1 student visa. UC says you present to the US consul a Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility from the campus you wish to attend, and F-1 students are permitted to work part time on campus.

UC, the university system UCLA belongs to, tells F-1 applicants to present to the US consul a Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility from the campus you will attend, documentation of sufficient financial resources, your letter of admission and proof of SEVIS fee payment. A TOEFL score report and proof of ties to your home country may also help.

Before you travel: certificate, SEVIS fee and visa interview

UC's page as of October 2026 says you will need to complete form I-901 and pay a SEVIS fee to the Department of Homeland Security prior to the student visa interview. Keep proof of payment: UC lists it among the documents you show to the consul.

UC is blunt about money: without written evidence of adequate financial resources for your entire degree, the consul will not grant a student visa.

Staying in F-1 status at UCLA

As of October 2026, undergraduates on an F-1 visa must carry at least 12 units of coursework each quarter or semester. You may not enter the United States more than 30 days before your I-20 start date, and the name on your passport must match your application for admission.

Do not enter on a visa waiver instead. UC warns that a visit without a visa, for up to 90 days, means you will not be permitted to extend your stay or change your status.

Working while you study at UCLA

UC's page as of October 2026 says F-1 students are permitted to work part time on campus. UC also says the campus International Student Advisor advises you on the US laws that affect your stay, so ask before you take any job.

Arriving at UCLA

When you reach UCLA you show your passport, visa and other travel documents. UC's page as of October 2026 says most UC campuses have a new international student check-in and orientation, where you present those documents, and the campus International Student Advisor advises you on the US laws that affect your stay.

UCLA suits you if you can pay a nonresident budget of $84,770 a year in the residence halls (UCLA, page updated July 2026) without counting on extra aid, and if you want to be judged on your grades and four of eight Personal Insight Questions, not on SAT or ACT scores, letters or an interview. For autumn 2027 entry you file one UC Application between October 1 and November 30, 2026, and UCLA says it recently admitted fewer than one in ten first-year applicants.

Who UCLA suits

UCLA will not consider SAT or ACT scores, does not accept letters of recommendation and offers no interviews, so your grades, your courses and your answers to four of eight questions, up to 350 words each, carry the decision. UCLA's page as of October 2026 says admitted students usually have academic achievements far higher than the minimum requirements. The one test that can still apply is English, if your schooling was not in English.

UCLA suits a student with strong grades to the end of school who writes precisely about real experiences. Treat the 350-word limit as a ceiling, not a target: lead with evidence and end with where you are going.

UCLA's arts schools and nursing work differently. The School of the Arts and Architecture, the Herb Alpert School of Music and the School of Theater, Film and Television put more emphasis on portfolios and/or auditions, and the Joe C. Wen School of Nursing requires an additional supplemental application.

Who should look elsewhere

Cost is the first filter for an applicant from abroad. UCLA budgets $84,770 a year for a nonresident in the residence halls, and the University of California estimates an average of $90,100 on campus for a new nonresident in the 2027 to 2028 year. UC's page as of October 2026 warns that some students assume, incorrectly, that additional financial assistance or part-time employment will be available. If your family cannot cover that cost without large extra aid, UCLA is the wrong choice.

Check each university on its own admissions pages for a binding early round, generous aid for international students or a small college with close faculty contact. If UCLA does fit, the same UC Application adds other University of California campuses at $95 per campus.

Next steps for autumn 2027 entry

Start with your major. In UCLA's College of Letters and Science the applicant's major is not considered, while the School of Nursing requires an additional supplemental application and some majors in UCLA's specialty schools need one that may involve an audition, portfolio submission and/or letters of recommendation. Keep your final-year grades and course load strong.

Plan your funding before you accept. The US consul will not grant a student visa without written evidence of adequate funds for your entire degree, so an offer you cannot fund ends at the consulate.

Official pages of University of California, Los Angeles, UCAS, gov.uk and the ranking publishers. Applicant reports, where shown, are self-reported and labelled.

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Photos: Royce Hall post rain: photo Alton, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · Legally Blonde filming location at Kerckhoff Hall at UCLA: photo Logan Ward, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons · UCLA School of Law south entrance: photo Coolcaesar at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · UCLA Carnesale Commons: photo Yhz1221, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons