The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), is one of the most selective universities in the prestigious public University of California system. Located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, UCLA offers an urban campus with access to all the nature the great state of California has to offer.
Established in 1919, UCLA is the only leading research university developed after 1900. In just about 100 years, UCLA has developed from a small, regional institution for Angelinos into a top college option for prospective students from around the world, especially those from California.
Read on to learn more about UCLA and what you can do to become a competitive applicant.
How to Get into UCLA: Table of Contents
- When to Apply to UCLA
- How Hard Is It to Get into UCLA: Early Prep
- How Do You Actually Get into UCLA: The Application
- Class Profile
- What Makes UCLA Unique?
- UCLA FAQs
When to Apply to UCLA
As a part of the University of California system, UCLA participates in the UC application. This is the only way for a prospective student to apply to UCLA. The University of California system does not use the Common App.
When a student applies to any school in the University of California system, they apply using the same UC application. That means that if you apply to one UC school, you can apply to any other UC school using the same application. The UC application deadline is November 30, slightly earlier than most regular applications for admission.
Early, Rolling, and Regular Decision
The University of California system only offers one application round. Even students who consider UCLA or any other University of California school their first choice cannot apply early. Since Early Decision is not an option, students cannot apply to UCLA through a binding agreement.
Though many public state systems offer rolling admissions, the University of California system does not. Rolling admission is when universities accept applications throughout the academic year, on a rolling basis, without a specific deadline. All students applying to any University of California school must apply by November 30 of their senior year.
Learn more about Early Action vs rolling admission and other application options.
Waitlisted Applications
Deferrals
Students may receive a deferral when applying to a university in an early round like Early Decision, Early Decision II, and Early Action. Students cannot be deferred from UCLA or from any other University of California schools because the schools do not offer early applications. Regardless, it is still important to know what to do if you have been deferred in case you receive a deferral decision from another school to which you applied.
How Hard Is It to Get into UCLA: Early Prep
The answer to the question “how hard is it to get into UCLA?” is a multi-faceted one. It’s complicated, and it depends largely on whether you are applying as a California resident or as an out-of-state resident. That said, UCLA is one of the most selective schools in the University of California system.
- Class of 2026: 8.56%
- Class of 2027: 8.73% (in-state: 9.46%; out-of-state: 8.62%; international: 6.09%)
- Class of 2028: 8.97% (in-state: 9.53%; out-of-state: 9.26%; international: 6.26%)
Depending on where you are in your college admissions journey, there’s a lot you can do to improve your chances of gaining admission to the University of California, Los Angeles. For example, you can build your profile in a number of ways, especially if you are still years away from submitting an application.
Build Your Profile
UCLA is looking for academically talented individuals who are engaged in their communities and committed to making an impact in Los Angeles and in the state of California during their time at the school.
As a prospective student, you can build your applicant profile to tell a story that matches with what UCLA is looking for. Your academic profile should demonstrate strong academic capabilities and improvement over time (or the ability to maintain a high standard consistently). Maintaining an upward grade trend will help your application immensely. Your extracurricular involvement, including community service and part-time work, should demonstrate a deepened commitment to your passions or interests or a strength of character.
Colleges look for specialized, or what we call “pointy,” students. Build your profile by working toward a pointy narrative in a particular direction. This will help strengthen your candidacy to UCLA and other highly competitive institutions.
Visit the Campus
One of the best ways to find out if UCLA is the right kind of college for you is by visiting campus. UCLA is one of the smallest colleges in the UC system in terms of land mass, considering that it’s in a large, dense urban center.
The university is its own mini universe within Westwood and the greater city of LA. It’s difficult to get a sense of it without visiting and walking through the campus. Luckily, the UCLA office of admissions has several college visit options. Students can take campus tours in person and attend virtual admissions information sessions and events.
Connect with a Student
Connecting with a student is one of the best possible ways to deepen your understanding and engagement with a school during the application process. You can connect to a student through the UCLA office of admissions. The admissions staff is there to engage with prospective students, answer their questions, and offer perspective on what it’s really like to be a student at UCLA.
Learn About Any Student Experiences
By connecting with a current student, prospective students can learn about student experiences, which is a great way to deepen your knowledge of what the university has to offer and how you might fit into campus life there. You can also learn more about student life at UCLA by reading the student-run newspaper, the Daily Bruin and following the social media accounts of current students.
How Do You Actually Get into UCLA? The Application
Now that you’ve learned about the different ways to build your profile and engage with UCLA, it’s time to learn about what it actually takes to get into UCLA. The admissions office employs the holistic review process and its rubric, which includes academic achievement throughout high school, personal qualities, and advancement in other fields — such as creative or athletic endeavors, for example.
Though an applicant’s high school transcript is typically one of the most important elements of their application, the University of California system doesn’t require transcripts with applications. Instead, they ask students to self-report their academic history and grades. Then, if a student is admitted and would like to enroll, they are required to send official transcripts, which must match their self-reported grades.
GPA Requirements
It’s important to understand UCLA’s GPA requirements and how they differ if you’re an in-state applicant or an out-of-state applicant. The minimum high school GPA requirement for in-state applicants is a 3.0, while it’s a 3.4 for out-of-state applicants.
SAT and ACT Scores
UCLA does not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission due to the University of California system’s test-blind policy. None of the UC schools consider test scores for scholarship purposes either. Applicants can still elect to submit scores, however. While they will not be used as a means of assessment, test scores can be used to fulfill a minimum requirement for course placement if a student is admitted and decides to enroll.
Personal Statement
The UC system has its own application and does not participate in the Common Application or the Coalition Application. Rather than just one personal statement, the University of California system requires four essays between 250 and 350 words in length.
Students applying to the UC system must choose to answer four out of eight possible essay questions/prompts. Here are the prompts from the 2025-26 application cycle:
- Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
- Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
- What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
- Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
- Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
- Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
- What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
- Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?
Students should select the four essay questions for which they believe they can write the strongest essays. It’s important to make sure there’s not too much overlap from one essay answer to another, so none of the essays read too similarly. That said, these four essay questions are an excellent opportunity for students to write a cohesive, pointy narrative about themselves while highlighting diverse and multifaceted aspects of who they are. The eighth prompt presents an opportunity for students to demonstrate their interest.
Letters of Recommendation
The University of California system does not require or accept any letters of recommendation as part of their process. This means they do not want counselor or teacher recommendations from applicants. Remember to follow directions — if a school specifically states they do not accept letters of recommendation, do not send them.
Admission Interviews
Contribution to the UCLA Community
Among the list of factors that UCLA considers for admissions is “likeliness to make a significant contribution to the campus community.” This means UCLA takes student involvement and engagement seriously. They will assess an applicant’s likeliness to contribute to the UCLA community based on how much that applicant has contributed to their communities in the past.
Class Profile
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What Makes UCLA Unique?
UCLA is unique in that it’s the major public research university in the city of Los Angeles. It is a place where students come together from all over California, the country, and the world to engage with one another.
Students can choose from hundreds of extracurricular activities, including community service activities through UCLA’s significant commitment to the Los Angeles community. UCLA is also well-known for its athletic culture. The UCLA Bruins play in NCAA Division I — the Big Ten conference — an enticing factor for student athletes.
It’s important to understand the kind of institution UCLA is in order to gauge whether the university is right for you. UCLA is a large, highly selective public university located in an urban center. That said, it’s not too far from the great natural surroundings that LA has to offer, including the crashing waves of Malibu and the enchanting deserts of Joshua Tree. This university is an excellent option for an academically talented student who wants to meaningfully engage with the world around them.
Also considering USC? Compare USC vs UCLA.
UCLA FAQs
What GPA do I need to get into UCLA?
For California residents, the minimum GPA to apply is 3.0; for non-residents, it’s 3.4. This is the requirement for all University of California campuses.
Are SAT or ACT scores required?
No. UCLA is test-blind, meaning SAT/ACT scores are not considered for admissions or scholarships.
How competitive is UCLA?
UCLA is one of the most applied-to universities in the U.S., with an acceptance rate typically under 10%.
Does UCLA accept the Common App?
No, UCLA uses the University of California (UC) application, which is shared across all UC campuses.
What are the application deadlines?
The application filing period is October 1–November 30 for admission the following fall.
Admissions Counseling
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