University of California – Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
www.ucla.edu/ 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90095

Where is UCLA?

The University of California, Los Angeles, or UCLA, is a public research university. The UCLA location is in Los Angeles, California or, specifically, Westwood—a village district located only minutes from Hollywood. 

The UCLA location places the university just a short distance from the bustling downtown city center, making for a vibrant college atmosphere. It is important to consider the question of “where is UCLA” if you’re looking at applying to California universities. 

The University of California is composed of 10 total campuses, 9 of which offer undergraduate and graduate degrees. The remaining campus, UC San Francisco, only offers graduate studies. The 10 campuses are: UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC San Francisco, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. For students interested in completing a UC application, there is one application for all nine campuses. 

UCLA was originally established as a teacher’s college in 1881, known then as the southern branch of the California State Normal School. Today, this institution is recognized as San José State University. The UCLA location was officially founded in 1919, making it the second oldest among the 10 UC campuses. UC Berkeley is the oldest, established in 1868.

What city is UCLA in?

There are many schools in California, all with different settings and campus cultures. If you’re asking, “where is UCLA?” and interested in completing a UC application, you might also be wondering what Los Angeles is like. 

Where is UCLA located in Los Angeles? The UCLA location is situated in Westwood, an energetic neighborhood in Los Angeles. Just five miles away from the Pacific Ocean, Westwood is known for its shopping, dining, and entertainment options in the nearby Westwood Village. 

As a student at UCLA, you’ll be right in the heart of the city, surrounded by opportunities to explore and experience urban life. This makes it all the more important to understand the question of “where is UCLA.” 

Where is UCLA situated? The UCLA campus map spans more than 400 acres, and the UCLA address is located near the coast. If you visit campus, pick up a UCLA campus map to get familiar with your surroundings.

The UCLA campus is easy to navigate through the Bruin Walk, which connects the student housing to the main campus. The school offers a variety of student organizations, including media groups and Greek organizations. UCLA also ensures housing for all students for their first three years.

What is UCLA known for?

UCLA is a highly competitive university that offers a broad range of undergraduate programs. The school boasts a total of 250 programs and 125 majors to choose from, as well as 90 minors. Among these majors, some of the most popular are biology, business economics, political science, film and television, and psychology. 

With an undergraduate enrollment of 32,118 students, the student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1. This allows students to receive personalized attention and engage directly with their professors. Additionally, 48% of UCLA’s undergraduate classes have fewer than 20 students.

Where is UCLA ranked? It is considered a “Public Ivy,” and the UCLA ranking is consistently among the best universities in the world. In fact, among public universities, UCLA is ranked #1. 

According to U.S. News, the UCLA ranking is #20 on the list of Best National Universities. Where is UCLA in terms of acceptance rate? With an acceptance rate of only 11%, UCLA is a highly selective “reach” school for many students. This means that the UCLA admissions process is competitive.

The top five most popular majors at UCLA are:

  1. Social sciences
  2. Biological and biomedical sciences
  3. Psychology
  4. Engineering
  5. Mathematics and statistics

Where is UCLA In terms of athletics? UCLA is nationally recognized for its NCAA Division I sports teams, referred to as the UCLA Bruins. The Bruins are part of the Pac-12 Conference. With a proud history of 120 NCAA national team championships, UCLA has produced numerous talented student athletes. This includes 270 athletes who have won Olympic medals and over 120 who now compete professionally. 

Where exactly is UCLA located?

The UCLA campus map shows that the UCLA address is located in Los Angeles, particularly in Westwood. In terms of LA’s geography, UCLA is relatively near Hollywood. If you’re interested in attending UCLA, it is important to know, “what city is UCLA in?” 

Where is UCLA in relation to other California Universities? 

The UCLA address is located on the southwest coast of California in Los Angeles. 

UCLA is most closely located to UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside, UC Irvine, and UC San Diego. By contrast, UC Davis, UC Berkeley, UC Merced, and UC Santa Cruz occupy the more northwest coast of the state. So, if you’re wondering, “where is UCLA University located within the state of California?” you should note the UCLA location is in the lively city center of SoCal. 

Where is UCLA’s campus situated?

The UCLA campus map is spread across 400 acres in the coastal region of southern California, and the UCLA address is in a residential area called Westwood. The campus is surrounded by the famous neighborhoods of Bel Air and Beverly Hills. Access to the main campus from student housing is convenient via the Bruin Walk. 

Planning your visit to UCLA

A visit to the UCLA location can help you learn whether you can see yourself on campus. Students should go on campus visits with specific goals and questions in mind. 

Before your visit, do some research. Prepare questions to ask yourself, the UCLA admissions officers, and other students on campus. Really consider “where is UCLA?” so you can decide if you see yourself attending the university. 

Los Angeles is a fantastic college town that offers a lot of opportunities for students. In fact, Los Angeles holds the record for the largest number of colleges within its city limits. Los Angeles boasts a total of 308 higher learning institutions. These range from community colleges to top-notch universities such as UCLA and USC. This impressive number of colleges makes the UCLA location a prime region for higher education.

With so many universities in the area, visiting the UCLA location also makes it easy to tour other California universities such as UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC San Francisco, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz. Knowing “where is UCLA” before planning your college visits can help you get the most out of your trip. 

Exploring UCLA campus

The UCLA campus map showcases modern facilities spread across a 400-acre campus that boasts an award-winning landscape. UCLA offers an extensive range of living-learning communities that aim to provide a supportive environment that helps students achieve academic success, personal growth, leadership skills, and a sense of social responsibility.

UCLA’s dining halls have received recognition as the #1 Best College Food in America by Business Insider. Where is UCLA’s student housing? On-campus housing is situated at the center of university life, offering quick and convenient access to classrooms, labs, libraries, and sports facilities. With comprehensive housing and dining options available, students can focus solely on their studies. Athletics also play a significant role in UCLA’s campus culture, with top-notch facilities for athletes to train and hone their skills.

UCLA Application- Introduction

UCLA is one of the most sought after universities in the world. Every year, this elite public university receives the most applications in the entire nation. With over 139,000 students completing the UCLA application each year, acceptance may seem like quite the reach for all those in the college application process. UCLA admissions is therefore highly selective, with so many applicants to decide among.

All of this to say, you shouldn’t shy away from the UCLA application. On the contrary, you should dive into the UCLA application early and work hard. 

But what exactly does it take to apply to UCLA? Let’s discuss common questions surrounding the UCLA application. We’ll look at the UCLA application fee, UCLA application deadline, UCLA application requirements, UCLA application portal, and more. 

The UCLA application can feel overwhelming. However, understanding all the ins and outs of the UCLA application is the first step in figuring out how to get into UCLA. 

Does UCLA accept the Common App?

First things first, how exactly do you apply to UCLA? Where do you complete the UCLA application? 

The UCLA application is available to hopeful applicants via the UCLA application portal, UC Apply. That means that UCLA does not accept the Common Application. They have their own separate application that students will need to complete through the UCLA application portal. 

The UC schools require all students to complete the UC application through UC Apply. This specific portal is where you will complete your UC application. Just double check to make sure you’ll meet the UC application deadline.  

Those applying specifically to UCLA will complete their UC application through the UCLA application portal within UC Apply. In this portal, you’ll be able to submit all of your UCLA application requirements, including your personal essays. 

The UC application will be accessible through UC Apply from August 1st until November 30th. Check out this webinar in which a UCLA alum explains the application process. 

How do I apply to UCLA?

With UCLA ranking as one of the best universities in the country, even globally, you aren’t alone in asking yourself “How do I apply to UCLA?” There’s much more to applying to college than just simply meeting the UCLA application requirements. However, these basic steps are a great place to start. 

All applicants to UCLA need to apply through UC Apply, which includes the specific UCLA application portal. If you want to know how to get into UCLA, start by crafting an impressive college application. That means meeting the UCLA application requirements, showcasing your extracurriculars, and writing impressive personal essays. 

With 139,000 applicants in Fall 2021 and only 15,000 admits, it’s clear that serious applicants should strive to make every part of their UCLA application shine. Let’s start with looking at the GPA requirements for UCLA. 

The middle 25%-75% of admitted freshman applicants this past cycle had an unweighted GPA of 3.94-4.00 and a weighted GPA of 4.35-4.72. You’ll want to strive for a high GPA in order to apply to UCLA. UCLA admissions does not, however, review standardized test scores.  

While academics are important to UCLA admissions, there’s much more to the UCLA application than just hitting the GPA requirements for UCLA. UCLA admissions also considers students’ personal experiences and how they’ve grown from them. 

If you’re worried about the GPA requirements for UCLA, try to shine through your essays and extracurriculars. Need some essay inspiration? Here are some successful responses to the UCLA essay prompts. 

Check out some of the criteria that UCLA admissions considers when evaluating your UCLA application. You may also want to check out our webinar on everything there is to know about UC schools

Does UCLA have rolling admissions?

The UCLA application portal is available to applicants on August 1st. The UCLA application deadline is November 30th. The UC application deadline is the same. 

UCLA does not have rolling admissions. That being said, it’s a good idea to start working on your UCLA application early. Don’t wait until November to start the process. 

UCLA doesn’t offer an Early Action or Early Decision. Your UCLA application status will be considered after the final deadline, along with all the rest of the applicants.

In order to apply to UCLA, you will need to access the UCLA application portal. Whether you apply to UCLA or UC San Diego, all UC applications are accessed through UC Apply. 

What is the application deadline for UCLA?

With UCLA ranking as one of the best public universities in the nation, you’ll absolutely need to meet the UCLA application deadline to be considered. So, what are the deadlines you need to know to apply to UCLA?

As previously stated, students will be able to use the UCLA application portal starting on August 1st. The deadline for getting in all of the UCLA application requirements is November 30th, including sending in the UCLA application fee. 

Financial aid applications need to be submitted by March 2nd. You’ll receive your admissions decision on your UCLA application status by late March. If accepted, you will need to enroll by sending in a deposit by the national college enrollment deadline of May 1st

UCLA application summary

The UCLA ranking can be intimidating when applying to college. As U.S. News & World Report’s #1 Public University in the nation, acceptance is highly selective. Your UCLA application status depends on a variety of important factors. 

Let’s review some key points to remember in how to apply to UCLA: 

  • UCLA application fee. Pay the $70 UCLA application fee or figure out if you are eligible to waive the UCLA application fee.
  • UCLA application portal. Start working on your application early to ensure it is as competitive as possible. The UCLA application portal will open on August 1st. Sign up for an account and get comfortable using it to update your UCLA application status. 
  • UCLA application deadline. To ensure that your UCLA application status will be marked as complete, submit all of your UCLA application requirements by the November 30th final UC application deadline. 
  • UCLA application requirements. Aim to meet the GPA requirements for UCLA. However, the admissions process is a holistic one. Use your personal essays to gain a competitive edge by showing off your personality and what would make you a great fit for the university. 
  • Take advantage of CollegeAdvisor.com resources. Check out our essay guide for UCLA as well as our comprehensive guide on how to get into UCLA for help completing your UCLA application.

Crafting a strong college application takes careful planning and preparation. When applying to such a competitive school such as UCLA, standing out from the crowd with a well-crafted UCLA application is vital. Follow our tips, and you’ll have a stronger chance at succeeding in the UCLA admissions process. 

UCLA Admissions

Acceptance Rate 11%
Acceptance Deadline November 30

UCLA Tuition

Average Cost* $15,023
Average Total Aid Awarded $24,269
Students Receiving Financial Aid 46.13%
*Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.

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UCLA Class Size

Student Faculty Ratio 18:1

UCLA Majors

Most Popular Majors
  • Economics
  • Political Science and Government
  • Sociology
  • Biology
  • Psychology
  • Physiological Psychology
  • English
  • Computational and Applied Mathematics
  • History
  • Anthropology

Online courses at UCLA

Offers Online Courses Yes

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UCLA Enrollment

Full-Time Undergrad Enrollment 32,119
Part-Time Undergraduates 568

UCLA Alumni at CollegeAdvisor

Dovie Siaway
University of California – Berkeley
Hi everyone! My name is Dovie! I'm originally from Alabama but I grew up in the Bay Area. I graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2017 with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in American Studies with an emphasis in Education. (Go Bears!) While at Cal, I served as the Assistant Director of Recruitment for the Black Recruitment and Retention Center and joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. I have worked in education for over 10 years from tutoring/advising jobs to recruitment work for Cal to managing an Education & Careers department at a nonprofit. I love advising high school students and what I've learned over the years is that there are many pathways for students to achieve their academic goals. As an advisor, I enjoy helping students paint the full picture of themselves through their essays and assisting with career/major exploration. In my every day life I enjoy listening to music, watching movies, and reading. My latest read was "All About Love" by bell hooks which I highly recommend! I look forward to working with you to achieve your college goals!

Also Accepted to

Corbin Chu
Williams College
College advisor with 10 years of experience supporting students from all walks of life pursuing top US universities and liberal arts colleges in various subjects, especially STEM, business, and undecided majors.

Also Accepted to

Arshia Malek, M.Ed.
University of Southern California
Thank you for visiting my profile! My name is Arshia, and I'm an Advising Manager and Senior Consultant for CollegeAdvisor.com. I hold a B.A. in Sociology and M.Ed. in Educational Counseling from University of Southern California and a Certificate in College Admission Consulting from UC Berkeley. I look forward to partnering with you and assisting you in your college admissions journey. Key experiences: admission and advisement at USC, QuestBridge, and University of California system. Expertise: college admissions and planning, academic and career counseling, major exploration, transfer, resume and cover letter review, interview preparation, and pre-health advisement.

Also Accepted to

Aaron Brown
University of Southern California
I have worked in higher education for 14 years across highly selective admissions (at both public and private colleges) and recently transitioned to college counseling. Over that time I have read thousands of essays, conducted hundreds of interviews, and have enjoyed every moment in which I have been able to help students and their parents navigate the college search and admission process.

Also Accepted to

Josie Pearce
Dartmouth College
Josie graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College in 2020. At Dartmouth, she majored in Government, minored in Spanish, and was an editor at the Dartmouth Law Journal. She works as a PR Assistant at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in their Boston office. Josie is pursuing a JD/MD joint degree and is attending Harvard for her pre-medical post-bacc. She is an admissions interviewer for Dartmouth College and has ample experience with the college interview process and essay writing.

Also Accepted to

Rohila Kusampudi
University of California – Los Angeles
I graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology with a focus on pre-medical sciences. For the last four years, I have been dedicated to clinical research, clinical and non-clinical community service, and student leadership at UCLA. I knew that medicine was my goal from a young age, but highschool and college experiences have been instrumental in affirming that interest. Currently, I am applying to medical schools across the country and I hope to matriculate next year.

Also Accepted to

Brian Seo
Harvard
Hello, everyone! My name is Brian Hyun Seo, and I am a rising junior at Harvard College, concentrating in Economics with a secondary in History of Science and a Language Citation in Korean. On-campus, I spend most of my time studying and training - I am on the Men's Lightweight Rowing team. During my free time, I enjoy playing the guitar and listening to EDM. If you are looking for someone to help strengthen your college essays and/or walk through the college admissions process, I am your guy!

Also Accepted to

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University of Michigan

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Columbia University

CollegeAdvisor’s tremendous resources and committed advisors helped make the application process stress-free. I was able to customize the service and create an environment in which I work best. Through hours of essay editing, not only did I grow as a writer but I became more self-aware, learning the value of my experiences. As a look back, I am proud of all the work my advisor, Zoe, and I were able to accomplish together.

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Matthew Yekell was extremely helpful throughout the entire process of applying to college. He went out of his way to be extremely accommodating to time differences and his help was fundamental to my admission into my top choice universities. He supported me through every step of the application process and made applying to college an enjoyable experience – couldn’t have done it without him!

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My experience with CollegeAdvisor was excellent. My advisor, Carolyn, was always available for help and kept me on track with a well planned out timeline. She helped me refine my essay ideas and was fantastic when it came to editing and clarifying ideas in my writing. My college application experience would have been much tougher had it not been for CollegeAdvisor. I definitely recommend!

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University of Michigan

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