About

About University of California-Los Angeles

highly selective public universityvery high research activitystrong social scienceslarge student body

University of California-Los Angeles is a public research university in Los Angeles, CA, known for its highly selective public university, very high research activity, and strong social sciences. With an acceptance rate of 9%, UCLA is one of the most selective colleges in the United States, typically enrolling around 6,462 students each year. UCLA is test optional; submitting a strong score can strengthen an application, though it is not required for consideration. UCLA meets 100% of demonstrated financial need and has replaced loans with grants; for families earning under $100,000, the net cost is often $0.

Admissions

University of California-Los Angeles acceptance rate and admitted student profile

one of the most selective colleges in the United States

9%
Overall Accept Rate

Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to University of California-Los Angeles

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
UCLA replaces the Common App essay with eight Personal Insight Questions, and you choose four to answer. Pick the four where you can tell the most specific, vivid stories about your actual experiences rather than broad topics, because readers at UCLA use these to understand who you are beyond your grades.
Essay Strategy
Each Personal Insight Question has a strict 350 word limit, so practice writing tight, concrete answers that get to the point fast. UCLA readers review thousands of applications, and answers that bury the main idea in the first half of the response tend to lose impact.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What University of California-Los Angeles actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Loan-free financial aid: University of California-Los Angeles has replaced all loans with grants. For families earning under $100,000, the average net annual cost is $0. University of California-Los Angeles's sticker price of ~$66k/year bears almost no resemblance to what most families pay.
Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30kOften $0~$66k/yr~$0 / yr
30k-48kOften $0~$66k/yr~$0 / yr
48k-75kOften $0~$66k/yr~$0 / yr
75k-110k~$66k/yr$14.1k
110k+~$66k/yr$29.7k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

93%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$59k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
18:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
33,313
Undergrad Enrollment
University of California-Los Angeles Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch