Learning how to get into UCLA starts with one fact: UCLA reads your whole story, not just one number. There is no early round and no SAT or ACT score. What counts is your grades 10-11 record, your courses, your activities and four short answers you write yourself. This guide is for US, Indian, Chinese and other international families aiming at fall 2027 entry. Every date, fee and figure below comes from official UC and UCLA pages.
Key takeaways
- The UC Application for fall 2027 is open for filing from 1 October to 30 November 2026. UCLA has no early action or early decision.
- The fee is $80 per UC campus, or $95 for international applicants.
- SAT and ACT scores are not used. Grades, course rigor, activities and four Personal Insight Questions (350 words each) carry the weight.
- Fall 2025 numbers from UCLA: 145,085 applicants, 13,659 admits, median unweighted GPA 4.00.
- UCLA gives no undergraduate aid to students who are not US citizens or permanent residents. The 2026-27 nonresident on-campus budget is $84,770.
How to get into UCLA: what really matters?
Quick answer: To get into UCLA, take the hardest courses your school offers and earn top grades in them, especially in grades 10 and 11. Finish the 15 A-G courses. Build a few deep activities. Write four honest Personal Insight Questions. Submit the UC Application between 1 October and 30 November, and file any supplemental work your major needs.
UCLA calls this comprehensive review. It looks at grades and GPA, the rigor of your courses, leadership and involvement, and your accomplishments, life experiences and circumstances. Faculty approved 13 criteria for it.
Each file is read in the context of the courses your school offers. Few AP or IB classes at your school is not a disadvantage.
The UCLA First-Year Admission Guide adds that two separate readers review every file, and no single attribute guarantees admission.
What are the minimum requirements to apply to UCLA?
UCLA uses the UC minimums. Meeting them makes you eligible, not competitive.
UC and UCLA minimum requirements for fall 2027 first-year applicants.
You need 15 yearlong A-G courses with a C or better, and at least 11 of them must be done before your final year.
The minimum GPA is 3.0 for California residents and 3.4 for nonresidents.
SAT and ACT are not considered, because UC is test-free.
You answer 4 of 8 Personal Insight Questions, with a 350-word limit each.
International students show English with TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo (UCLA looks for IELTS 7.5 or DET 135), and the fee is $80 per campus or $95 for international applicants.
Which A-G courses do I need?
The A-G subject requirement asks for 15 yearlong courses:
| Area | Required | UCLA recommends |
|---|---|---|
| A. History / social science | 2 years | 2 years |
| B. English | 4 years | 4 years |
| C. Mathematics | 3 years | 4 years |
| D. Laboratory science | 2 years | 3 years |
| E. Language other than English | 2 years | 3 years |
| F. Visual and performing arts | 1 year | 1 year |
| G. College-prep elective | 1 year | 1 year |
Math must include geometry. UCLA's first-year requirements page says competitive applicants "earn high marks in the most rigorous curriculum available to them."
What GPA do I need for UCLA?
The UC minimum is 3.0 for California residents and 3.4 for nonresidents, per the UC GPA page. The UC GPA counts A-G grades from the summer after grade 9 through the summer after grade 11.
Admits sit far above this. UCLA's Fall 2025 first-year profile shows a median weighted GPA of 4.61 (middle 50%: 4.44-4.78) and a median unweighted GPA of 4.00 (middle 50%: 3.95-4.00).
Does UCLA need the SAT or ACT?
No. UCLA "will not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarship purposes." If sent, they only help meet minimum eligibility or course placement. If you also apply to schools that use tests, read our SAT vs ACT guide and our guides on how to get into MIT and how to get into Stanford.
How hard is it to get into UCLA?
It is very selective. These Fall 2025 figures come straight from UCLA's official profile page:
| Fall 2025 | Applicants | Admits | Admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All first-years | 145,085 | 13,659 | 9.4% |
| The College | 98,459 | 10,788 | 11% |
| Samueli School of Engineering | 33,052 | 2,241 | 6.8% |
| School of the Arts and Architecture | 3,437 | 177 | 5.1% |
| School of Theater, Film and Television | 3,293 | 140 | 4.3% |
| Herb Alpert School of Music | 1,175 | 282 | 24% |
| School of Nursing | 5,669 | 31 | 0.5% |
6,553 students enrolled, and 9% of the entering class were international. A fall 2026 profile was not yet posted when we checked.
Does your major change how you apply to UCLA?
Yes, for some schools. In the College of Letters and Science, your major "will neither enhance nor diminish" your chances, and many apply undeclared.
- Samueli School of Engineering: admits students by major, including Undeclared Engineering. The school reviews its own applications, so plan your calculus and physics years early.
- School of the Arts and Architecture: supplemental application with a portfolio or audition, depending on the major. Architectural Studies and Art are due 20 January 2027. Dance, Design | Media Arts, Games and World Arts and Cultures are due 15 December 2026.
- Herb Alpert School of Music: portfolio or audition. Most music majors are due 4 December 2026.
- School of Theater, Film and Television: Film and Television (first-year) and Theater are due 7 December 2026.
- School of Nursing: supplemental application due 15 January 2027.
For these four supplemental schools, you must list the major as your first choice. An alternate major in these schools is not reviewed. See the supplemental applications page for each major. You can switch into these majors until 30 November, or into the College and Engineering until 31 January.
What are the UCLA application dates for fall 2027?
Key UC and UCLA dates for fall 2027 first-year entry.
The UC Application opened on 1 August 2026, and the filing period runs from 1 October to 30 November 2026.
Supplemental deadlines for arts, music, nursing and theater, film and television fall between December 2026 and January 2027.
The FAFSA and CA Dream Act deadline is 2 March 2027, and UCLA decisions arrive in late March 2027.
Admitted students must submit the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) and deposit by 1 May 2027, and final transcripts are due by 1 July 2027.
These dates come from the UC dates and deadlines page and UCLA's first-year page. Official AP and IB results are due by 15 July 2027. One line on the UCLA page mentions 1 December, but its date table and the UC site both say 30 November, so plan for 30 November. Every application sent in the filing period gets equal consideration.
How do you apply to UCLA step by step?
The UCLA application path, step by step.
Build your A-G courses from grade 9 and keep grades strong in grades 10 and 11.
Draft your four PIQs over the summer before senior year.
Submit the UC Application by 30 November, then send supplemental work if your major needs it.
Get your decision in late March and submit your SIR by 1 May.
- Create your account with a personal email you check often.
- Pick campuses and majors. One UC Application covers all nine UC campuses.
- Enter your academic history from your transcript. International students list external exams, such as IGCSE or Year X and XII Board results, on the International Exams page.
- Add activities and awards. UC wants "quality, not quantity."
- Write four Personal Insight Questions.
- Pay the fee. It is $80 per campus, or $95 for international and non-immigrant applicants. Eligible US applicants can get a fee waiver for up to four campuses.
- Submit by 30 November 2026.
UCLA takes no letters of recommendation and offers no interviews, except where a supplemental application asks.
How do you write UCLA Personal Insight Questions?
You pick 4 of 8 Personal Insight Questions. Each answer can be up to 350 words. Topics include leadership, creativity, a talent, a challenge and an academic subject that inspires you. All eight get equal weight.
A simple plan for each PIQ answer.
First, pick a real moment from your own life.
Next, say what you did, using "I" statements.
Then show what changed and what you learned.
Finally, cut to 350 words and proofread.
UC's tips: start early, use specific examples and "I" statements, and get feedback, but write every word yourself. One detailed story beats a list of awards.
What do international students need for UCLA?
International applicants use the same UC Application, but a few rules differ. See UCLA's international page for details.
- Coursework: 15 yearlong academic courses with a 3.4 GPA, plus country-specific requirements. Indian and Chinese students report marks exactly as their school records them.
- English: you need proof if you had fewer than 3 years of instruction in English. UC's minimums are IELTS 6.5, TOEFL iBT 4.5 on the new scale (80 before January 2026) or Duolingo 115. UCLA looks for more: TOEFL iBT 5 or higher with sub-scores of 5 or higher on the revised scale (or above 100 with sub-scores above 24 on the old 120-point scale), IELTS 7.5 or Duolingo 135. Self-report scores by January. The UC English proficiency page lists other routes.
- Money: UCLA does not give undergraduate scholarships or financial aid to students who are not US citizens or permanent residents. Fall 2026 admits had to show at least about $80,739, plus $5,000 recommended for extras. UCLA says this minimum usually grows each year.
- Agents: UCLA does not work with agents, and the application must be the student's own work.
UCLA does not ask international students for SAT or ACT scores either.
How much does UCLA cost, and what aid is there?
Here is the official UCLA 2026-27 cost of attendance for new students living on campus:
| 2026-27, on campus | California resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| University fees | $16,430 | $16,430 |
| Nonresident supplemental tuition | none | $39,270 |
| Housing and food | $19,867 | $19,867 |
| Books, transport, personal | $5,318 | $5,318 |
| Health insurance (can be waived) | $3,885 | $3,885 |
| Total | $45,500 | $84,770 |
Fall 2027 entrants will pay 2027-28 rates, not yet published, so check the official page again. UC holds your tuition the same for up to six years from first enrollment.
Aid for US and California families:
- File the FAFSA (or the CA Dream Act Application if you are AB540-eligible) by 2 March.
- The UC Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan says most California families earning up to $100,000 receive enough grants and scholarships to cover UC tuition. There is no separate form.
- For out-of-state students, UCLA says aid covering nonresident costs will mostly be federal parent and private loans.
International families: no UCLA undergraduate aid, so plan the full cost.
What is a good plan from Grade 9 to get into UCLA?
Here is a simple year-by-year plan built on the official rules.
- Grade 9: Map all 15 A-G courses. Start a language you can continue for three years. Try a few activities.
- Grade 10: Your UC GPA counts from the summer after grade 9. Take strong courses and go deeper in one or two activities.
- Grade 11: This is the biggest academic year in your UC GPA. Add AP or IB courses where you can earn high marks. Check AP exam dates for 2027. International students should book TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo early.
- Summer before Grade 12: List PIQ stories and write first drafts. If you want arts, music, nursing or film, read your supplemental rules now.
- Grade 12: Submit between 1 October and 30 November, finish any supplemental work, and keep senior grades strong.
Future engineers should follow UCLA's advice of four years of maths and three of lab science; our AP Calculus AB vs BC guide helps you choose.
Book a free demo class to plan your maths and science courses for UCLA, or see our plans and fees.
What are the most common mistakes in UCLA applications?
- Treating the minimum as the target. A 3.0 or 3.4 GPA makes you eligible, not competitive.
- Letting grades slide for activities. UCLA says that if you must choose, choose your academics.
- Missing the supplemental step, or listing a supplemental major second, where it is not reviewed.
- Late English tests. International students should test early and self-report by January.
- Planning money too late. File aid forms by 2 March; international students get no UCLA aid.
Is there another route into UCLA?
Yes, transfer. UCLA admits transfer students at junior level, which means 60 semester or 90 quarter units, and it gives highest priority to California community college students. Transfer entry is fall only. See the UCLA transfer page. Comparing other schools? See our Caltech and Carnegie Mellon guides.
How Asymptode helps you with getting into UCLA
UCLA reads your grade 10 and 11 record closely, so strong results in maths and science courses really count. At Asymptode, a qualified mentor teaches your child one-to-one, live online, following the A-G maths and science courses, AP or IB papers and Board syllabus they are actually taking, timed to the real UC dates: grades through grade 11, AP exams in May and the 30 November filing deadline. Between classes, your child gets practice built for them. It is a worksheet made from what their own last attempt showed they had not understood, set at their level and never generic. This is Asymptode's AI-assisted practice. It is written to the mentor's brief and sent only after that mentor approves it. The mentor marks the work, and you see what was understood and what to practise next, so preparation keeps correcting itself toward a strong UCLA application. For the Personal Insight Questions, the mentor helps honestly with planning, method and reviewing practice drafts, but the words stay your child's own. Book a free demo class or see our fees.
Facts checked against official sources on 11 November 2026.
FAQ
Does UCLA have early action or early decision?
No. Everyone applies in the same window, 1 October to 30 November 2026 for fall 2027, and every application in that window gets equal consideration.
What is the UCLA acceptance rate?
UCLA's official profile for Fall 2025 shows 145,085 applicants and 13,659 admits, an admit rate of about 9%. Rates differ by school, from 0.5% in Nursing to 24% in the Herb Alpert School of Music. The fall 2026 profile was not yet posted when we checked.
Can I apply to UCLA with a 3.4 GPA?
Yes, if you are a nonresident, 3.4 is the UC minimum, and 3.0 is the minimum for California residents. But admitted students in Fall 2025 had a median unweighted GPA of 4.00. A minimum GPA only makes you eligible for review.
Do I need SAT or ACT scores for UCLA?
No. UCLA does not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarships, for any applicant. Scores may only be used for minimum eligibility or course placement after you enroll.
When do UCLA decisions come out, and when must I reply?
Decisions come in late March. Admitted students submit the Statement of Intent to Register and deposit by 1 May 2027, and final transcripts by 1 July 2027.
Can international students get financial aid at UCLA?
No. UCLA gives no undergraduate aid to students who are not US citizens or permanent residents. Fall 2026 admits had to show at least about $80,739, and the figure usually grows each year.
Ready to start? Book a free demo class and advisor call, or see our plans and fees.
Sources
- UC dates and deadlines (first year)
- UC Apply now: fees and fee waivers
- UC GPA requirement
- UC subject requirement (A-G)
- UC Personal insight questions
- UC English language proficiency
- UC international applicants: applying for admission
- UC Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan
- UCLA First-Year Applicants
- UCLA First-Year Requirements
- UCLA First-Year Profile, Fall 2025
- UCLA Supplemental Applications
- UCLA International Applicants
- UCLA Financial Aid: Cost of Attendance
- UCLA First-Year Admission Guide 2026 (PDF)
- UCLA Transfer Applicants