University of California, Los Angeles or UCLA hosts international students from nearly 90 countries every year. Located in one of the most international and diversely cultural cities, UCLA stands at 40th rank according to the QS World University Rankings 2022. It offers 125 undergraduate majors and 150 graduate degree programs. Moreover, it also ranks among the top ten universities for 15 different disciplines. No wonder UCLA is one of the top picks among international students. However, getting accepted at UCLA can be quite competitive, so you must know their requirements clearly for successful admission. This blog will particularly talk about UCLA SAT Scores requirements and GPA requirements. The blog also discusses other admission requirements, its acceptance rate and the procedure of applying.
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Overview of UCLA SAT Score Requirements
UCLA does not consider SAT scores or ACT scores while making admissions decisions, meaning there are no UCLA SAT requirements. Nonetheless, you can attempt the SAT or ACT exam and submit your scores to the university if you wish. They may be alternatively used by the university as minimum eligibility requirements or for course placement after you are enrolled. So, if you are planning on taking the SAT exams and submitting the scores, you must ensure your scores are impressive. Here is a break-up of the average SAT score for UCLA that you can keep in mind:
- The 25th percentile for the SAT score (combined for all sections) is 1290, and the 75th percentile is 1510, making the average score 1405 out of 1600.
- A score of 1290 may mark you below average, whereas a score of 1510 may mark you above average.
The higher the score, the better. However, applicants must note that the above levels for scores are not provided by UCLA but can be used as a reference based on admission data of previous years at UCLA.
UCLA GPA Requirements
While there are no UCLA SAT or ACT score requirements, the university has extremely competitive requirements for GPAs (Grade Point Average). Your high school GPA is one of the most crucial requirements for admission to undergraduate programs at UCLA. Based on the freshman admission data at UCLA in 2021, the average high school GPA requirement for UCLA is 3.9. It is considered quite competitive, considering the highest GPA you can achieve is 4. However, a GPA below 3.9 does not indicate you have no chance of getting accepted at UCLA, as the decision is made using a comprehensive review process. If you have an overall strong profile, you can effectively compete against other applicants. So let’s look at what are the other UCLA requirements for successful admissions.
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Other UCLA Admission Requirements
To know what areas to focus on for getting into UCLA, you must know the below UCLA requirements and carefully evaluate each while applying:
Academic Requirements
The academic requirements differ for freshman and transfer students. If you are applying for an undergraduate degree as a freshman (someone who has never enrolled in a college or university), you must have completed secondary school. If you already hold a bachelor’s or an equivalent degree, you can apply as a transfer student. Applicants must note that they cannot apply as a freshman if they have already enrolled in a college or university before.
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Education System Requirements
They differ for applicants depending on their country and educational system. If you are an Indian student applying as a freshman, you must have completed both X and XII CBSE or state board examinations. You will also be required to report your subjects and marks on the application.
Language Requirements
English language proficiency is a crucial requirement for your admission to UCLA. If all of your secondary school education was completed in English, you need not satisfy this requirement as it already indicates your proficiency. However, if not, you are required to demonstrate English language proficiency with tests like IELTS and TOEFL. UCLA looks for competitive scores of 7 or above in IELTS and 100 or above in TOEFL.
Financial Requirements
Another vital aspect of admission to UCLA, international students are required to prove that they have sufficient funds at their disposal to pay their tuition fees and living expenses for each year. Moreover, UCLA also required international students to have adequate medical insurance during the whole period of enrollment.
Transcripts & Official Academic Records
Your GPA or UCLA SAT Scores may reflect your academic excellence but do not paint the complete picture of your progress as a school student. Therefore, your transcripts are essential requirements for admission to UCLA. However, you are only required to submit them after getting admitted. Now that you are aware of all the UCLA requirements in detail, you must know what UCLA looks for in applicants during the reviewing process. It looks for the following criteria:
- Your high school academic progress and performance
- Your achievements, awards or creative endeavours outside of the classroom, such as in arts, sports or other extracurricular activities
- Ability to provide service to the community
- Your personal qualities, experiences, and ambitions
- What will you contribute to the cultural dynamism at UCLA?
- How will you make a good fit at UCLA?
You can make a successful application once you conform to all the above UCLA requirements. But before you start your application, you must check the important dates and deadlines on UCLA’s official website.
Application Process
To apply, start by filling out the UCLA application form. You can follow the steps given below to make a successful application:
- Go to UCLA’s official website & create an account using your email ID
- Select the term (when you start at UC) and application-level (freshman/transfer) you are applying for
- Fill out all the required information. You will mostly encounter these sections– about you, your courses and majors, academic history, test scores, activities and awards, and scholarships
- Answer the personal insight questions. This is an important section as you can shed light on aspects that you cannot talk about anywhere else in the application. You are required to answer 4 out of 8 given questions
- Review all the information and submit the application
- Pay the application fees. The application fee for international students, including Indian applicants, is $80 (INR 6118)
- You can print the application and the receipt of the application fee. Record your application ID and summary for future references when required
- Once UC notifies you that you are admitted, send (electronically or postmarked) the official transcripts and exam scores to your campus, in this case, UCLA, before the deadlines
Applicants must also note that there is no need to submit letters of recommendation for UCLA applications. However, if the campus requires it as supplementary to application review, you will be informed via an email message from the campus.
UCLA Acceptance Rate
The UCLA acceptance rate changes year to year for all batches as there is no fixed acceptance rate. However, you can refer to the admission data of previous years to get an idea about the acceptance rates at UCLA. In 2021, the overall admission rate for freshman applicants was 10.8%. Out of 139,485 applicants, only 15,004 were admitted. You can also look at more data from the previous years to get a fair idea. However, all numbers indicate that UCLA is very selective, and you will have to impress them beyond your academic performance with extracurriculars and other accomplishments. Harvard SAT Scores Requirements
Conclusion
In a nutshell, getting admission to UCLA is a tough competition. And an overall strong academic profile along with high SAT scores can give a competitive edge. We hope this blog has given you all information on UCLA admission requirements and how to successfully apply to UCLA. If you need more guidance to start your UCLA journey, our experienced experts at Leap Scholar are always here to help you. So reach out to us today!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the validity of SAT scores?
Your SAT scores are valid for nearly 5 years, considered from the day of your result declaration.
Does UCLA provide scholarships to international students based on SAT scores?
UCLA has no provisions to provide scholarships to international students at undergraduate levels, not even based on high SAT scores. The total expenses for studying at UCLA can amount to $66,000 (INR 50,50,000) a year for international students. Therefore, international applicants must submit proof of finance which demonstrates that they have enough funds to support their studies at UCLA.
Where can I register for the SAT?
You can register for the SAT on the official website of the College Board. To register for the SAT, you have to create an account, fill out the application, choose the nearest examination centre, upload a recent photograph and pay the application fees.
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