University of California, Los Angeles

Yes — UCLA is extraordinarily selective, admitting about 9% of applicants in the most recent cycle. It is the most-applied-to university in the United States, drawing roughly 145,000 first-year applications for a single class and enrolling around 6,550 first-years, so even outstanding students face long odds.

Enrolled first-years at UCLA carry an average high school GPA of about 3.94 on a 4.0 scale. There is no published cutoff, but the rigor of your high school record and your academic GPA are weighed as the most important admission factors — which matters even more because UCLA does not consider test scores at all.

No — UCLA is test-blind and does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions at all, even if you submit them. As a University of California campus, it evaluates applications on your GPA, the rigor of your coursework, your essays, and your activities instead.

Not exactly — the data show a more nuanced picture. For Fall 2025, California residents were admitted at 9.6% (8,589 admitted out of 89,350 who applied), while domestic non-residents (out-of-state U.S. applicants) were actually admitted at a slightly higher rate of 11.2% (3,544 out of 31,573). International applicants faced the steepest odds at 6.3% (1,526 out of 24,137). So out-of-state domestic applicants are not at a disadvantage relative to California residents — but the overall class remains highly selective at around 9%.

Yes — UCLA rates the application essay as a very important factor, on par with your GPA and the rigor of your coursework. Because UCLA is test-blind and doesn't accept recommendations, your Personal Insight essays are one of the few places to distinguish yourself, so specific, well-revised responses carry real weight.

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Annual tuition and required fees run about $15,701 for California residents and $53,303 for out-of-state and international students. Roughly 44% of first-years receive need-based aid, with an average package near $30,522, and UCLA meets about 85% of demonstrated need on average.

The social sciences are the most popular area at about 25% of bachelor's degrees, followed by the life and physical sciences at roughly 18% and psychology at 11%. Engineering and mathematics together make up about 15%, with the liberal arts rounding out the rest of the degrees conferred.

UCLA retains about 97% of first-year students into their second year and graduates roughly 93% within six years. Nearly all first-years (about 99%) live in college-owned or affiliated housing, reflecting a residential, full-time student body.