UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSION

Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools
1147 Murphy Hall

(310) 825-3101

http://www.admissions.ucla.edu

Prospective UCLA undergraduates should give careful thought to adequate preparation in reading, writing, mathematics, laboratory sciences, languages, and other subject areas related to a degree objective or major. High school honors level and advanced placement courses are good preparation regardless of the desired major. To be competitive, UCLA applicants need to present an academic profile much stronger than that represented by the minimum UC admission requirements.

Applying for Admission

To apply for admission to UCLA, obtain the UC Application for Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships . It has all necessary forms and instructions and is available from California high school or community college counselors or from any UC undergraduate admissions office. Applicants may also download and print an application from http://www.ucop.edu/pathways or, from mid-September to the Fall Quarter deadline, complete the application online.

One application is used for the eight UC campuses with undergraduate programs. Students apply to one UC campus for a nonrefundable application fee; an additional fee is charged for each additional campus.

When to Apply

All majors are open for Fall Quarter. For Winter Quarter all majors in the College of Letters and Science, except Communication Studies, are open, as are majors in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, but the schools of Nursing, Arts and Architecture, and Theater, Film, and Television are closed.

Notification of Admission

The UC Undergraduate Application Processing Service mails out notices to acknowledge receipt of applications. Subsequently, UCLA UARS notifies students of the admission decision. The length of time before admission notification varies. In general, Fall Quarter freshman applicants are notified in late March and transfers in late April; Winter Quarter applicants are notified in late September.

Students who are offered admission are asked to sign and return a Statement of Intent to Register and a Statement of Legal Residence. A nonrefundable deposit, also required at this time, is applied to the University registration fee as long as students register in the term to which they are admitted.

Entrance Requirements

Entrance requirements established by the University 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. Requirements are designed to ensure that all eligible students are adequately prepared for University-level work.

Fulfilling the minimum admission requirements does not assure admission to UCLA. Admission is based on demonstrated high scholarship in preparatory work going well beyond the minimum eligibility requirements. UCLA offers admission to those students with the best overall academic preparation. For details, see http://www.admissions.ucla.edu.

Admission as a Freshman

Students are considered freshman applicants if they have not enrolled in a regular session of any college-level institution since graduation from high school. Students who attend summer session immediately following high school graduation are still considered freshmen applicants.

Minimum Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission as a freshman, students must meet the subject requirement, the scholastic requirement, and the examination requirement.

Changes in the minimum requirements for freshman applicants are being phased in over three years, beginning with students entering UCLA in Fall Quarter 2001. See http://www.admissions.ucla.edu.

Subject Requirement

The subject requirement, sometimes called A to F requirements, is a sequence of high school academic courses required for admission to the University. 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 the last two years in high school. These are the minimum requirements; students should exceed these requirements whenever possible.

a. 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

b. English . Four years of college preparatory English that include frequent and regular writing, and reading of classic and modern literature, poetry, and drama. No more than two semesters of ninth-grade English can be used to meet this requirement

c. 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 the high school accepts them as equivalent to its own courses

d. 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 requisites 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

e. 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

f. College Preparatory Electives . Two units (four semesters), 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. Beginning with applicants for Fall Quarter 2003, the number of college preparatory electives required will be reduced to one unit (two semesters) and augmented by the visual and performing arts (VPA) requirement

g. Visual and Performing Arts . Freshmen entering Fall Quarter 2003 will be required to complete one unit (two semesters) of approved arts courses from any of the four VPA areas (dance, drama/theater, music, and visual arts)

Scholastic Requirement

Eligibility for admission to the University of California is based on a combination of the grade-point average in the academic subject requirement and the American College Test (ACT) or Scholastic Assessment Test I (SAT I) scores. For details, refer to Introducing the University at http://www.ucop.edu/pathways/infoctr.

Examination Requirement

All freshman applicants must submit scores from the following tests:

1. Either the ACT composite score OR the SAT I: Reasoning Tests total score

2. Three SAT II: Subject Tests which must include

a. Writing AND

b. Mathematics, level 1 or 2, AND

c. One additional test (either English literature,
foreign language, science, or social studies)

The tests should be taken by the December test date, as they are part of the review process. Students should request that test results be sent directly to UCLA when they take each test.

Admission Selection

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 required SAT II tests, (3) quality, content, and level of coursework throughout the entire high school program, including the senior year, and (4) number of and performance in honors and advanced placement (AP) courses.

Freshman applicants who are admitted must have an official, final high school transcript (showing the date of graduation) sent to UCLA. Sixth or seventh semester transcripts are not required.

Admission as a Transfer Student

Students are considered transfer applicants if they 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.) Students may not disregard their college record and apply for admission as a freshman.

In accordance with the California Master Plan for Higher Education, first preference is given 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. Students attaining senior standing are generally not admitted.

Academic criteria are as follows: grade-point average 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 in their academic program and who have 90 transferable quarter units by the time they enroll in the University receive priority admission consideration.

For details on transfer admission requirements, refer to the guidelines in the application. See http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/transfer.

Intercampus Transfers

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. Submit the UC Application for Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships with the required application fees. The filing periods are the same as those for new applicants. Students who have attended another UC campus and wish to be considered for admission to UCLA must have been in good standing when they left that campus. Intercampus transfers are not automatic; students must compete with all other applicants.

Transfer Credit and Credit by Examination

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 UARS. All courses that meet the criteria are used in determining eligibility for admission.

To convert semester units into quarter units, multiply the semester units by 1.5. For example, 12 semester units × 1.5 = 18 quarter units.

College credit for examinations given by national testing services is generally not allowed, except for the AP Tests given by the College Board and the International Baccalaureate.

International Applicants

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.

The 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. This allows time for the necessary correspondence and, if students are admitted, to obtain passport visas.

Proficiency in English . Students whose native language is not English must have sufficient command of English to benefit from instruction at UCLA. To demonstrate that command, they are required to take the UCLA English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE) before the term in which they are to register. Failure to sit for the ESLPE results in a hold on student records. Depending on the ESLPE results, students may be required to successfully complete one or more English as a second language courses. In addition, they are advised to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as a preliminary means of testing their ability. Make arrangements for this test by contacting TOEFL/TSE Publications, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151 (609-771-7100) or at http://www.toefl.org. Have the test results sent directly to the UCLA Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools.

Second Bachelor's Degree

By policy, second bachelor's degrees are not generally granted, except in the School of Nursing.

Advanced Placement Credit