University of California, Los Angeles
A public research university in Westwood, LA, with top-ranked film, engineering and health schools and 140+ majors.
- Acceptance rate
- 9.4%
- Fall 2025 first-year entry
- Students
- 47,432
- 33,534 undergraduates
- International
- 15%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 20:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- $55,700
- 2026-27 (estimated budget, updated July 2026)
About UCLA
UCLA began in 1919 as the Southern Branch of the University of California and moved to its Westwood campus in 1929, when Royce Hall and Powell Library were among the first four buildings. Today it enrolls about 33,500 undergraduates and 13,900 graduate students, drew more than 145,000 first-year applications for fall 2025, and is ranked the top public university in the US (tied with UC Berkeley) in the 2027 U.S. News rankings.
Most undergraduates enroll in the College of Letters and Science, which covers the humanities, social sciences, life and physical sciences. The rest apply directly to one of the professional schools that admit first-years: the Henry Samueli School of Engineering, the School of the Arts and Architecture, the Herb Alpert School of Music, the School of Theater, Film and Television, the Joe C. Wen School of Nursing, and others. Graduate and professional schools include the David Geffen School of Medicine, Anderson School of Management, and the School of Law.
The 10-week quarter system moves fast and lets students take many different courses. UCLA suits self-starters who want the resources of a very large research university, a big social scene and Los Angeles on the doorstep, and who are comfortable seeking out small seminars and research groups within a big campus.
Fiat lux
“Let there be light” — university motto
Why students choose UCLA
More than 140 majors and 100 minors, with about 200 Fiat Lux seminars of 10-20 students for first-years who want small classes.
The School of Theater, Film and Television sits in the center of the entertainment industry, and the UCLA Film and Television Archive runs about 400 screenings a year.
Housing is guaranteed for four years for incoming first-years, and UCLA dining was ranked No. 1 in the country by Niche (2026).
Most California families earning up to $100,000 have UC tuition fully covered by grants and scholarships through the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan.
Admissions
Fall 2025 first-year entry
About 1 in 11 applicants is admitted
13,659 admitted from 145,085 applicants
UCLA reports a 9% admit rate for fall 2025; 6,553 first-years enrolled. Admit rates vary sharply by school: 11% in the College, 6.8% in engineering, 5.1% in Arts and Architecture, 4.3% in Theater, Film and Television, 24% in the Herb Alpert School of Music and 0.5% in Nursing. About 9% of the entering first-year class is international.
Typical entry requirements
| A-G subject requirements (US high school) | 15 A-G courses, 11 done before senior year: 4 years English, 3 math (4 recommended), 2 lab science (3 recommended), 2 language other than English (3 recommended), 2 history/social science, 1 visual/performing arts, 1 college-prep elective |
|---|---|
| English language | IELTS 7.5 · TOEFL iBT 100 TOEFL iBT: above 100 with sub-scores above 24 on the previous 120-point scale, or 5+ with sub-scores of 5+ on the revised scale. IELTS 7.5 or above; Duolingo 135 or higher. Not required if all secondary education was in English or you had 3+ years of English instruction. |
Deadlines
- UC application (single round) Non-binding Next deadline · In 55 daysNovember 30, 2026
UC filing period is October 1 to November 30, 2026; the application opens August 1, 2026. Fall 2027 decisions are released in March 2027; enrollment deposit (SIR) due May 1, 2027.
UCLA has no Early Decision or Early Action. The UC dates page and UCLA's deadline table list an October 1 to November 30, 2026 filing period for fall 2027 (one sentence on UCLA's first-year page mentions December 1); plan to submit by November 30, 2026.
How to apply
University of California application (one application for all UC campuses); four personal insight questions; self-reported academic record; no recommendation letters or test scores. Supplemental applications are required for Arts and Architecture, the Herb Alpert School of Music, the School of Nursing, and Theater, Film and Television.
What admissions looks for
- Grades in A-G courses and the rigor of your curriculum, including honors, AP, IB Higher Level and college courses.
- Achievement in the context of the opportunities your school offered and your life circumstances.
- Outstanding performance in specific subjects, special projects and recent marked improvement.
- Special talents, leadership, awards and extracurricular involvement shown through the personal insight questions.
- Students who get hands-on to solve problems and give back to their community.
Tips for applying to UCLA
- 1 The personal insight questions are UCLA's only essays, so use them to give concrete evidence of initiative, impact and context rather than general reflection.
- 2 Your choice of major and school matters: engineering, arts, music, nursing and film each admit separately, and some require a supplemental application with its own deadline.
- 3 Do not spend energy on SAT/ACT prep for UCLA; scores are not considered, so your transcript carries more weight.
- 4 International applicants should check the English requirement early (IELTS 7.5 or DET 135) and plan to self-fund, as UCLA gives no need-based aid to undergraduates who are not US citizens or permanent residents.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 (estimated budget, updated July 2026) · figures in USD
Need-based grants go to California residents and Dream Act-eligible students; most California families earning up to $100,000 have tuition covered through the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, and the Middle Class Scholarship reaches families earning up to $226,000. Nonresident students admitted from fall 2024 onward can receive at most $20,000 a year in UCLA Grant, and international students receive no need-based aid.
- 68%
- Graduates with no loan debt
- $84,770
- Total cost, nonresident living on campus
- $3,885
- Health insurance (UC SHIP, waivable)
- 28%
- Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants
Academics
Academic calendar: Quarters (10-week terms)
Film and Television (School of Theater, Film and Television)
Admits by supplemental application and trains students in Los Angeles, next to the industry and the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
Engineering and Computer Science (Samueli School)
Rated among the top 10 public engineering and computer science programs by U.S. News (2025 edition); students apply directly to the school.
Psychology
Rated among the top 10 public psychology programs by U.S. News (2025 edition), within the College of Letters and Science.
Economics
Rated among the top 10 public economics programs by U.S. News (2025 edition), within the College of Letters and Science.
Nursing (Joe C. Wen School of Nursing)
First-years apply directly with a supplemental application; nursing is among UCLA's top-10 public programs per U.S. News (2025 edition).
Fiat Lux seminars and Cluster courses
About 200 one-unit seminars of 10-20 students and yearlong, team-taught Cluster courses for first-years.
Research
- Nearly $1.7 billion a year in external research funding, one of the largest research enterprises in the US.
- The David Geffen School of Medicine, Fielding School of Public Health, School of Dentistry and School of Nursing work alongside UCLA Health on one campus.
- Mathematics professor Terence Tao received the 2006 Fields Medal.
- Undergraduate research is supported through the College's research centers, the Honors Program and the Capstone Initiative.
Schools & faculties
- College of Letters and Science
- Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science
- School of the Arts and Architecture
- Herb Alpert School of Music
- School of Theater, Film and Television
- Joe C. Wen School of Nursing
- Luskin School of Public Affairs
- School of Education and Information Studies
- David Geffen School of Medicine
- Anderson School of Management
- School of Law
- Fielding School of Public Health
Student life
Most first-years live on The Hill, the residential area on the west side of campus that houses more than 14,000 undergraduates, with dining halls like Bruin Plate that regularly top national rankings. With more than 1,000 student organizations, 50+ club sports and constant arts events, it is easy to find a niche, though you have to seek it out. Traditions include Spring Sing and the 26-hour Dance Marathon, and the Bruins compete in the Big Ten, where the USC rivalry is the headline game.
- More than 1,000 student clubs, 50+ club sports teams and 30 intramural leagues.
- Spring Sing, the annual showcase of student performers, and the 26-hour Dance Marathon.
- UCLA Bruins compete in NCAA Division I in the Big Ten Conference; the USC rivalry is the headline event.
- More than 1,000 visual and performing arts events a year, including at Royce Hall's 1,800-seat auditorium.
- Sailing, surfing, rowing and kayaking at the UCLA Marina Aquatic Center.
Housing. UCLA guarantees four years of university housing to incoming first-years (two to transfers), and nearly all first-years live on The Hill.
Location
UCLA sits in Westwood on the west side of Los Angeles, just south of Sunset Boulevard and next to the Westwood Village shopping district. The Getty Center, LACMA and the Santa Monica Pier are nearby, and students sail and surf through the Marina Aquatic Center in Marina del Rey. LA is spread out, so getting around takes planning, but the weather is mild most of the year.
Nearest airport: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Notable alumni
- RB Ralph BuncheDiplomat and 1950 Nobel Peace Prize laureate
- KA Kareem Abdul-JabbarBasketball Hall of Famer
- FF Francis Ford CoppolaFilm director of The Godfather trilogy
- VC Vint CerfInternet pioneer, often called a father of the Internet
- SW Susan WojcickiFormer CEO of YouTube
- KG Kirsten GillibrandU.S. Senator from New York
- RS Randy Schekman2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- JW John WilliamsOscar-winning film composer (Star Wars)
Frequently asked questions
What is UCLA's acceptance rate?
For fall 2025, UCLA admitted 13,659 of 145,085 first-year applicants, about 9%. Rates vary by school: the College admitted 11%, engineering 6.8%, Theater, Film and Television 4.3% and Nursing 0.5%.
Does UCLA require the SAT or ACT?
No. UCLA does not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarships, even if you submit them.
When is the UCLA application deadline for fall 2027?
Apply through the UC application during the October 1 to November 30, 2026 filing period. There is no early round, and fall 2027 decisions come out in March 2027.
Does UCLA give financial aid to international students?
No. UCLA does not award need-based aid or scholarships to undergraduates who are not US citizens or permanent residents, so international students need external funding.
How much does UCLA cost for out-of-state students?
UCLA's 2026-27 estimated budget for a nonresident living on campus is $84,770, including $39,270 in nonresident supplemental tuition. California residents living on campus budget $45,500.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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