Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools (UARS)
1147 Murphy Hall
(310) 825-3101
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools (UARS) invites you to visit UCLA to discuss your prospects as a student and to experience the campus firsthand. The UARS Office offers student-guided individual and group tours of the campus Monday through Friday at 10:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. and Saturday at 10:15 a.m. during the academic year; reservations are required. Call (310) 825-8764 for tour reservations; (310) 825-3101 for general UCLA admission information.
The first step in applying for admission is to obtain the UC Application for Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships containing all necessary forms and instructions from your California high school or community college counselor or from any University of California Undergraduate Admissions Office. One application is used to apply to all UC campuses. You apply to one UC campus for the basic $40 application fee; for each additional campus you select, you must pay an additional $40 fee.
Complete the application, taking care to list your desired major and the correct major code for the campus(es) to which you are applying. Mail the completed application and the nonrefundable application fee in the self-addressed envelope included in the application packet.
If you are in high school when you apply (freshman applicant), your self-reported application information is used to make preliminary admission decisions. Do not send your sixth and/or seventh semester high school transcripts. Once admitted, you must submit a final transcript, including a statement of graduation or proficiency, which will be used to verify your application information. You must submit official results of the Scholastic Assessment Test I (SAT I) or American College Test (ACT) and three subject tests from the SAT II; request that test results be sent directly to UCLA when you take each test. You should take these tests by the December test date, as they are part of the review process for admission.
If you have attended or are attending another college when you apply (transfer applicant), your self-reported application information is used to make preliminary admission decisions. Once admitted, you must submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended (high school transcripts may also be required), which will be used to verify your application information. Transcripts and other documents cannot be returned or forwarded to other institutions.
The filing periods for applications are as follows:
Winter Quarter 1996 -- Closed to new applicants
Spring Quarter 1996 -- File October 1-31, 1995
(If open to new applicants, junior-level applicants only.)
Fall Quarter 1996 -- File November 1-30, 1995
(Freshmen and transfers)
Note: Applications for admission to Fall Quarter 1995 were accepted only during November 1994.
All majors are open for Fall Quarter. For Spring Quarter all majors in the College of Letters and Science, except communication studies, are open. Majors in the Schools of Engineering and Applied Science, Nursing, Arts and Architecture, and Theater, Film, and Television are closed.
You will be mailed a notice from the UC Undergraduate Application Processing Service acknowledging receipt of your application. Later, you will receive a letter from the UCLA Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools regarding the admission decision. The length of time before admission notification varies. In general, Fall Quarter applicants are notified beginning March 1; Spring Quarter applicants are notified in mid-December.
If you are accepted for admission, you will be asked to sign and return a Statement of Intent to Register and a Statement of Legal Residence. A nonrefundable $100 deposit, also required at this time, will be applied to your University registration fee as long as you register in the term to which you are admitted.
The entrance requirements established by the University of California follow the guidelines set forth in the California Master Plan for Higher Education, which requires that the top one eighth of the state's high school graduates be eligible for admission to the University of California. These requirements are designed to ensure that all eligible students are adequately prepared for University-level work and are based on the principles that the completion of certain academic courses in high school prepares you to begin University work and choose a general field of study. Further, the grades you earn in these courses indicate whether you will be successful in college-level courses.
Fulfilling the minimum admission requirements, however, does not necessarily assure admission to UCLA. The selection of applicants is based on demonstrated high scholarship in preparatory work, which often goes well beyond the minimum eligibility requirements. UCLA offers admission to those students with the best overall academic preparation.
In addition to the primary criteria for admission selection, other elements are considered to ensure a diverse student body which serves the interests of California. If you present evidence of educational and economic disadvantage or a disability, that will be taken into account. If you belong to an ethnic group which has low UC eligibility rates and historically low participation in higher education, that will also be taken into account. California residency is another factor. While these elements are given consideration, academic performance remains the key factor for admission to UCLA.
You are considered a freshman applicant if you have not enrolled in a regular session of any college-level institution since graduation from high school (except for summer session immediately following high school graduation). To qualify for admission as a freshman, you must meet three major requirements: the Subject Requirement, the Scholastic Requirement, and the Examination Requirement. These are the minimum requirements for admission to the University; meeting them does not automatically assure admission to UCLA.
Outlined below are the high school academic courses required for admission to the University of California. Each course must be completed with at least a grade of C. The requirement consists of 15 year-long courses, seven of which must be taken during your last two years in high school. These are the minimum courses required for admission; you are encouraged to exceed these requirements whenever possible.
(1) History/Social Science -- Two years of history/social science, including one year of U.S. history or one-half year of U.S. history and one-half year of civics or American government; and one year of world history, cultures, and geography.
(2) English -- Four years of college preparatory English that include frequent and regular writing, and reading of classic and modern literature. No more than two semesters of ninth-grade English can be used to meet this requirement.
(3) Mathematics -- Three years of college preparatory mathematics that include the topics covered in elementary algebra, geometry, and advanced algebra (four years are recommended, including trigonometry and calculus). Mathematics courses taken in the seventh and eighth grades may be used to fulfill this requirement if your high school accepts them as equivalent to its own courses.
(4) Laboratory Science -- Two years of laboratory science (three years are recommended) which provide fundamental knowledge in at least two of these areas -- biology, chemistry, and physics. Laboratory courses in Earth/space sciences are acceptable if they have prerequisites or provide basic knowledge in biology, chemistry, or physics. No more than one year of ninth-grade laboratory science can be used to meet this requirement.
(5) Language other than English -- Two years of the same language, other than English (three to four years are recommended). Courses should emphasize speaking and understanding and include instruction in grammar, vocabulary, reading, and composition.
(6) College Preparatory Electives -- Two units, in addition to those required above, to be selected from the following subject areas: history, English, advanced mathematics, laboratory science, language other than English, social science, and visual and performing arts.
Eligibility for admission to the University of California is based on a combination of your grade-point average (GPA) in the academic subject requirements and your American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores. For detailed scholarship information, see the UC publication Introducing the University or contact Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools (UARS).
All freshman applicants must submit scores from the following tests:
(1) Either the American College Test (ACT) composite score OR the Scholastic Assessment Test I: Reasoning Tests (SAT I) total score.
(2) Three Scholastic Assessment Test II: Subject Tests (SAT II) which must include
You should take these tests by the December test date, as they are part of the review process. Request that test results be sent directly to UCLA when you take each test.
Many elements are considered in the selection process, but the primary ones are (1) academic grade-point average, (2) scores on the SAT I or ACT and the three SAT II tests, (3) quality, content, and level of coursework throughout your entire high school program, including your senior year, and (4) number of and performance in honors and advanced placement (AP) courses.
You should take as many honors and advanced placement courses as possible and should try to exceed the minimum academic subject requirements in all subjects, particularly mathematics, laboratory sciences, and foreign languages. High test scores are necessary in conjunction with strong performance in classes and a consistent pattern of academic courses. Overall performance must be well above average.
For detailed information on admission requirements for freshman students, see the UC publication Introducing the University or contact UARS.
You are considered a transfer applicant if you have been a registered student (1) at another college or university or (2) in college-level extension courses. (This does not include attending a summer session immediately following high school graduation.) You may not disregard your college record and apply for admission as a freshman. Priority is given to junior-level applicants. If you wish to transfer to UCLA, you should follow these general guidelines:
The number of advanced standing students applying to UCLA has increased significantly during the last several years. Students admitted to the University exceed the minimum University of California transfer eligibility requirements, and those with the strongest preparation and performance are offered admission.
In accordance with the California Master Plan for Higher Education, UCLA gives first preference to California community college applicants. Applicants transferring from other UC campuses are next in priority, followed by applicants transferring from other colleges and universities. Each application receives a comprehensive review, integrating all available information.
The academic criteria are as follows: grade-point average (GPA) in transferable courses, significant preparation for the major, completion of the English composition and mathematics requirements, and progress toward completion of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or UCLA general education requirements. Applicants who have completed the English composition and mathematics requirements as early as possible in their academic program and who will have 90 transferable quarter units by the time they enroll in the University receive priority admission consideration.
For more detailed information on admission requirements for transfer students, see the UC Application for Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships and the UC Answers for Transfers booklet or contact UARS.
Undergraduate students registered in a regular session at any campus of the University (or those previously registered who have not since registered at any other school) may apply for transfer to another campus of the University. Obtain the UC Application for Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships and submit the required application fees with the application form. The filing periods are the same as those for new applicants (see When to Apply at the beginning of this section). If you have attended another UC campus and wish to be considered for admission to UCLA, you must have been in good standing when you left that campus. Intercampus transfers are not automatic; you must compete with all other applicants.
Students attaining senior standing are not generally admitted by the University.
The University awards unit credit to transfer students for certain courses completed at other accredited colleges and universities. To be accepted for credit, the courses must be comparable to those offered at the University, as determined by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools (UARS). All courses which meet the criteria are used in determining your eligibility for admission. (To convert semester units into quarter units, multiply the semester units by 1.5 -- e.g., 12 semester units 1.5 = 18 quarter units.)
College credit for examinations given by national testing services is generally not allowed, except for the Advanced Placement (AP) Tests given by the College Board and the International Baccalaureate. Contact UARS for more information.
To be considered for admission to the University of California, international students must have completed secondary school with a superior average in academic subjects and have earned a certificate of completion which would enable them to be admitted to a university in the home country.
Your application for admission, copies of official certificates, and detailed records of all secondary schools attended should be submitted as early as possible after the filing period opens (see When to Apply at the beginning of this section). This will allow time for the necessary correspondence and, if you are admitted, to obtain your passport visa.
Students whose native language is not English must have sufficient command of English to benefit from instruction at UCLA. To demonstrate that command, you are required to take the UCLA English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE) before the term in which you are to register. Depending on your ESLPE results, you may be required to complete one or more English as a second language courses with a grade of C or better. In addition, you are advised to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as a preliminary means of testing your ability. Make arrangements for this test by contacting TOEFL/TSE Publications, P.O. Box 6154, Princeton, NJ 08541-6154 (609-771-7760). Have your test results sent directly to the UCLA Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools.
UCLA requires, as a condition of registration, that all international students on nonimmigrant visas have adequate medical insurance coverage during all periods of enrollment. See Mandatory Medical Insurance Requirement for International Students under Undergraduate Registration and Enrollment later in this section for a description of what constitutes adequate medical insurance. Most travel insurance plans are NOT acceptable; medical insurance plans from foreign countries (including Canada) also are NOT acceptable.
UCLA offers a student Medical Insurance Plan (MIP) which fulfills the requirement. For undergraduates the MIP fee appears as a voluntary option to be added each term to the amount due on the UCLA Billing Statement. This is the only method by which MIP can be purchased.
You are required to provide written proof of adequate medical insurance coverage in response to an annual written notice from the Student Health Service (SHS) Insurance Office. For further information on MIP or adequate medical insurance requirements, call the SHS Insurance Office at (310) 825-1856.
Undergraduate students are required to apply for readmission only if they are absent from the University for more than one term. Thus, if you complete a term and then withdraw, cancel, or fail to register for the next term, registration information will be available for you for the term immediately following.
If you are absent for two or more consecutive terms, you must complete an Undergraduate Application for Readmission form and file it with the Registrar. During the 1995-96 academic year, all such students returning in the same standing (undergraduate) must file readmission applications as follows:
August 15 for Fall Quarter 1995
November 27 for Winter Quarter 1996
February 26 for Spring Quarter 1996
Application forms are available at 1113 Murphy Hall. Your completed application must be accompanied by a $40 application fee (nonrefundable) and transcripts of records from any other institutions (including UCLA Extension) you attended during your absence. The paper records of nonregistered students, including transcripts submitted for transfer credit, are retained for five academic years by the Registrar's Office. If you were admitted prior to Fall Quarter 1988 and have not been registered for the last five years, you must resubmit official transcripts of all work completed outside UCLA. Readmission is generally approved if you were in good academic standing (2.0 grade-point average) when you left the University, if coursework completed elsewhere in the interim is satisfactory, and if readmission applications are filed on time. Your college or school may have other academic regulations governing readmission (consult the appropriate counseling office). Contact the readmission clerk at (310) 825-1091 for further information.
By policy, second bachelor's degrees are not generally granted by the University, except in the School of Nursing.