University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

UCLA is a public research university in Westwood, on the west side of Los Angeles, founded in 1919 as the southern branch of the University of California. It is joint 14th in the ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026, joint 18th in the THE World University Rankings 2026 and 49th in the QS World University Rankings 2027. First-year applicants use the UC Application, which accepts submissions for fall 2027 from 1 October to 30 November 2026; SAT and ACT scores are not considered. International undergraduates should plan to pay in full: $84,770 for the 2026–27 academic year in a residence hall, because UCLA does not award scholarships or financial aid to undergraduates who are not US citizens or permanent residents. In fall 2025 UCLA received 145,085 first-year applications and admitted 9.4%.

Who UCLA suits, and who should choose elsewhere

UCLA fits academically strong applicants whose families can pay for four years, particularly those interested in film and theatre, psychology, economics, the life sciences, engineering or mathematics. If aid is essential, look at private universities that offer need-based aid to international students, such as Cornell or NYU. Other options in the state, including the remaining UC campuses and private universities, are covered in our guide to universities in California.

Which schools admit undergraduates, and how selective they are

First-year applicants are admitted to one of six schools. The fall 2025 figures show how differently they select:

Three practical points follow:

• for the College of Letters and Science, UCLA states that your choice of major neither enhances nor diminishes your prospects, and many applicants apply undeclared;
• the School of the Arts and Architecture, the Herb Alpert School of Music, the School of Nursing and the School of Theater, Film and Television require a supplemental application submitted directly to the school (with a portfolio or audition for the creative schools). A major in one of these schools must be your first choice on the UC Application; it is not reviewed as an alternate;
• engineering and nursing are the tightest competitions, so applicants need strong preparation in mathematics and science.

At graduate and professional level, UCLA also has the Anderson School of Management (MBA), the School of Law, the David Geffen School of Medicine, the School of Dentistry, the Fielding School of Public Health, the Luskin School of Public Affairs and the School of Education and Information Studies.

How to apply as an undergraduate

What the UC Application contains

UCLA does not accept the Common App. All UC campuses share one UC Application, which has no recommendation letters, no 650-word essay and no test scores. Its core is a complete self-reported record of your secondary school courses and grades plus four Personal Insight Questions of up to 350 words each. UCLA's faculty-approved review uses 13 criteria, among them academic performance in a rigorous programme, special talents and achievements, meaningful insight in the personal questions, and the applicant's circumstances, leadership and involvement.

Requirements for international applicants

• Secondary education. A school-leaving qualification that allows university entry in your home country. UC also applies country-specific requirements, so check how your school system is treated before you apply.
• UC course pattern. History of your country (2 years), composition and literature in your language of instruction (4 years), mathematics (3), college-preparatory science (2), a second language (2), visual and performing arts (1) and one more course, with a UC GPA of at least 3.4. The university decides how your school's subjects map onto this pattern.
• Grades. Enter them exactly as they appear on your school records, without conversion. Copies are requested only from some applicants; official records follow after admission.
• English. UC's minimum is TOEFL iBT 80 on the old scale or 4.5 on the new one, IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 115. UCLA says it looks for competitive scores: TOEFL 5 or higher with each section at 5 or higher (or above 100 with sections above 24 on the old scale), IELTS 7.5 or Duolingo 135. Three or more years of schooling in English exempt you. Under UC rules the test must be taken by December of your final school year; scores must be self-reported on the application by January and can be updated until then.
• SAT and ACT. Not required and not reviewed for admission or scholarships. UCLA also discourages using SAT or ACT scores to demonstrate English proficiency.
• Supplemental applications. Required by the schools of arts and architecture, music, nursing, and theater, film and television; creative schools ask for a portfolio or audition.

UCLA states that it does not partner with agents and expects every application to be the student's own work; violations can lead to revocation of admission. StudyU can help you understand requirements, plan deadlines and check documents under a service agreement, but the answers on the application must be written by the applicant.

Timeline for 2026–27

1. By late September 2026. Check your courses against the UC pattern, take an English test with a margin above UCLA's competitive level, and open the application (available from 1 August).
2. September–November. Write your four Personal Insight Questions. If you are applying to arts, music, theatre and film or nursing, prepare the supplemental application at the same time and track its deadline.
3. 1 October – 30 November 2026. Submit the UC Application and pay $95 per campus. UCLA has no early round.
4. January 2027. Final point for adding English test results to the application.
5. March 2027. Decisions for fall entry; some UC campuses release earlier.
6. By 1 May 2027. Submit the Statement of Intent to Register and deposit, together with the on-campus housing application.
7. By 1 July 2027. Send final official school records; AP and IB results, if any, by 15 July.
8. Summer 2027. Financial documents for the I-20, SEVIS fee and F-1 visa interview.

Key dates for fall 2027

One paragraph on UCLA's first-year page still shows last cycle's 1 October – 1 December window, but the calendar on the same page and UC's fall 2027 schedule both give 30 November. Work to 30 November.

The transfer route through a California community college

UCLA also admits students at junior level. The university says it gives preference to students transferring from California community colleges, including international students, and that historically three out of four admitted international transfers were attending a California community college when they applied. Transfer applicants need 90–130 quarter units (60–90 semester units), and English proficiency can be shown through two transferable English composition courses with grades of B or higher. The route does not guarantee admission and requires careful course planning from the first college term. See our guides to transferring to a US university and bachelor's degrees in the USA.

Master's and PhD programmes

Graduate applications go through UCLA's Division of Graduate Education to individual programmes. University-wide rules include:

• Degree. You need a degree equivalent to a US bachelor's. UCLA does not consider degrees or diplomas from technical, vocational or other specialised post-secondary schools, nor three-year ordinary pass degrees.
• English. TOEFL iBT 87 for tests before 21 January 2026 or 4.5 for later tests, or IELTS Academic 7.0. Programmes may set higher scores, and results must be valid when you apply.
• Writing proficiency after admission. Admitted students with TOEFL below 100 (or 5 on the new scale) or IELTS below 7.5 take the English as a Second Language Placement Examination on arrival and may be placed into ESL courses.
• Records. Upload unofficial transcripts from every institution with the application; official records bearing the registrar's signature and seal follow after admission.

A nonresident academic master's student in 2026–27 should budget about $76,000: $15,608 in tuition and fees, $15,102 in nonresident supplemental tuition, plus housing, food, insurance and other costs. Professional programmes such as the MBA and law cost more and are priced separately. For programme choice, see our guide to the MBA in the USA.

What a year at UCLA costs

These figures were updated in July 2026 and remain subject to UC Regents' decisions. SHIP can be waived with adequate alternative coverage. For students entering in fall 2026, UCLA asked international students to document at least $80,739, with a further $5,000 recommended for contingencies; the figure for 2027 will be sent with the offer of admission.

Under UC's Tuition Stability Plan, tuition for an entering cohort, including the nonresident supplement, stays flat for up to six years. UC's systemwide estimate for a new nonresident living on campus in 2027–28 is about $90,100. Our guide to the cost of studying in the USA explains how to plan the full four-year budget.

Financial aid for international students

At undergraduate level there is none. UCLA states plainly that it does not award scholarships or financial aid to undergraduates who are not US citizens or permanent residents, and federal and California aid is also closed to them. The university suggests external scholarship search sites and your own country's consulate.

Doctoral students are in a different position: funding through departmental fellowships and teaching or research appointments exists, but it depends on the programme and adviser, so clarify it before you apply. Our overview of financial aid for international students in the USA lists external options.

Housing

UCLA offers four years of housing in university-owned residences to students entering as first-years and two years to transfers, and nearly all first-years live on campus. Assignments go to eligible students who apply by the deadline, which falls with the enrolment deposit. Food and housing in a residence hall account for $19,867 of the annual budget.

For an international student the guarantee matters: Westwood rents are high, private landlords usually ask for credit history and deposits, and life far from campus is difficult without a car. See our guide to student housing in the USA.

Academic calendar and work

UCLA runs on a quarter system rather than semesters: the academic year is divided into fall, winter and spring quarters, and courses move at a faster pace. F-1 students must keep a full-time load to maintain status.

On-campus work is allowed up to 20 hours a week during term; off-campus work is possible only through CPT or, after graduation, OPT (12 months, plus 24 months for STEM fields). These earnings will not cover tuition. More in our guide to working while studying and OPT.

F-1 visa

UCLA's Dashew Center gathers proof of funding from admitted students and issues the I-20. The next steps are the SEVIS payment ($350), the consular fee ($185) and an interview; Russian citizens book it in Warsaw or Astana, since the embassy in Moscow does not accept their applications. Whether a visa is granted is the consul's decision. UCLA also requires all students on non-immigrant visas to hold adequate health insurance throughout their enrolment. See our F-1 student visa guide.

UCLA for applicants from Russia and the CIS: what helps and what does not

What helps:

• no SAT or ACT;
• applying undeclared to the College of Letters and Science does not reduce your chances;
• university housing for the whole bachelor's degree;
• one UC Application with the same answers covers several University of California campuses ($95 per campus). One of them, UC Berkeley, has been designated an undesirable organisation in Russia since March 2026, which Russian citizens should factor into their choice of campuses.

What makes it harder:

• UCLA's expected English level (IELTS 7.5 or Duolingo 135) is higher than at many US universities, so prepare with a margin;
• there is no aid at all, and the full first-year budget must be documented for the I-20;
• fees are billed in US dollars; payments from Russia must go through legal routes only, see our guide on how to pay for studies abroad from Russia;
• the filing deadline falls early in the final school year;
• a diploma from a technical or vocational college is not enough for graduate admission; you need a bachelor's equivalent.

Mistakes to avoid

• Working to the old 1 December date. For fall 2027 use UC's 30 November 2026 deadline.
• Aiming for the minimum English score. UC's minimum is only a threshold; UCLA's competitive level is IELTS 7.5.
• Listing film, arts, music or nursing as an alternate major. These programmes are reviewed only as a first choice with a supplemental application.
• Letting someone else write your answers. UCLA can revoke admission if the work is not your own.
• Expecting a UCLA scholarship. International undergraduates are not eligible.
• Missing the housing application. The guarantee applies only if you apply on time.

Checklist before you apply

• Your school courses have been checked against the 15-course UC pattern, with a UC GPA of at least 3.4.
• Your English test is done by the end of December 2026, with a score closer to IELTS 7.5, TOEFL 5 or Duolingo 135 than to the UC minimum.
• Your four Personal Insight Questions are written by you, each within 350 words.
• If your first-choice major sits in arts, music, theatre and film or nursing, its supplemental application is submitted.
• Your family can fund about $85,000 a year for four years and document it for the I-20.
• The UC Application is submitted by 30 November 2026, with $95 paid for each campus.

Admission statistics

UCLA reports that admitted first-years in fall 2025 had a median unweighted GPA of 4.00 (middle range 3.95–4.00) and that international students made up 9% of the entering class. The Common Data Set 2025–26 confirms the totals: 145,086 applications and 13,659 admits. These figures describe the strength of the pool; they cannot predict any individual outcome.

Rankings

The gap between rankings reflects methodology: ARWU weighs research output most heavily, while QS also uses reputation surveys and international ratios. For programme choice, look at the specific school and department.

FAQ

Can I apply to UCLA with a school-leaving certificate from Russia or the CIS?

Yes, if the certificate gives access to university in your home country and your courses cover the UC pattern. The challenge is competition, not eligibility: 9.4% of applicants were admitted in fall 2025.

Does UCLA require the SAT?

No. UCLA does not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarships.

How much does a year at UCLA cost an international student?

$84,770 for 2026–27 in a residence hall, of which $39,270 is nonresident supplemental tuition; $87,056 in an off-campus apartment. Flights and summer are extra.

Can international undergraduates get a UCLA scholarship?

No. UCLA does not award scholarships or aid to undergraduates who are not US citizens or permanent residents. Doctoral funding through departments is possible.

What English level does UCLA expect?

The formal UC minimum is IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 80 (or 4.5 on the new scale) or Duolingo 115. UCLA looks for IELTS 7.5, TOEFL 5 on the new scale or Duolingo 135. Graduate programmes require TOEFL 87 or 4.5, or IELTS 7.0.

Can I count on a place in university housing?

Yes: four years for students admitted as first-years and two years for transfers, provided the housing application is submitted on time.

Can StudyU help with a UCLA application?

Under a service agreement we build the university list, check your curriculum against UC requirements, plan your English test dates and support financial documents and the visa stage. As UCLA requires, the applicant writes the application and answers personally; the university decides on admission and the US consulate on the visa.

Sources

• UCLA Undergraduate Admission: First-Year Applicants
• UCLA: International Applicants
• UCLA: First-Year Profile — Fall 2025
• UCLA: Tuition and Fees
• UCLA: Housing & Dining
• UCLA Graduate Programs: English Requirements
• UCLA Graduate Programs: International Applicants
• UCLA Financial Aid: Graduate Cost of Attendance
• UCLA Common Data Set
• UC Admissions: Dates & deadlines 2026–27
• UC Admissions: Applying for admission as an international student
• UC Admissions: English language proficiency
• UC Admissions: Tuition & cost of attendance
• UCLA Dashew Center: F-1 students
• US Embassy in Russia: Visas
• ShanghaiRanking ARWU 2026
• THE World University Rankings 2026
• QS World University Rankings 2027

All amounts are in US dollars as published by UCLA and UC; figures were checked on 24 September 2026. For other US universities and general admission rules, see studying in the USA. Assessing whether UCLA fits your profile and budget is provided under an agreement with StudyU: to start, submit an application.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.