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Admission to Graduate Programs Where can applicants find answers to questions pertaining to the submission of the Application for Graduate Admission? Applicants to UCLA are encouraged to view the Application for Graduate Admission's Frequently Asked Questions page. What are the requirements for admission to graduate programs at UCLA? The University requires that an applicant hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, comparable in standard and content to a bachelor's degree from the University of California, with a scholastic average of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better - or its equivalent if the letter grade system is not used - for the last 60 semester units or last 90 quarter units of undergraduate study and in any post-baccalaureate study. An international student whose post-secondary education is completed outside of the U.S. is expected to hold a degree with above average scholarship from a university or university-level institution. Many departments have additional requirements or requirements beyond the minimum given above. Applicants should contact the programs they are interested in for specific information and applications. How does the admissions process work at UCLA? An applicant submits the online Application for Graduate Admission and the $70 (for U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents) or $90.00 (for all other applicants) application fee to Graduate Admissions/Student and Academic Affairs. The applicant's information then becomes available online to the graduate program. The applicant submits transcripts, supplementary information, department-specific material, statement of purpose, and letters of recommendation directly to the graduate program. What does an admissions committee look for when making admission decisions? This varies by program. Grades, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, writing samples, portfolios of work, auditions, etc., are some, but not all, of the factors considered by the faculty. What is the minimum GRE score required to be admitted to UCLA? GRE requirements vary by department. Applicants should contact the department they are interested in to get details on specific admission requirements. Where can an applicant get information regarding the GRE/TOEFL/IELTS/TSE/TWE/GMAT examinations? Copies of the GRE Information and Registration Bulletin and GRE General Test Descriptive Booklet, as well as the TOEFL Information Bulletin are available in 1255 Murphy Hall. Applicants may obtain more information by contacting the Educational Testing Service (ETS) at (609) 771-7670. Applicants may obtain more information on the IELTS by contacting Cambridge Examinations and IELTS International at (626) 564-2954. UCLA Extension offers courses on professional exam test preparation. Applicants may obtain more information by calling (310) 206-3340. Can an applicant enroll in UCLA just to take courses? No. Students must be admitted to UCLA with a degree objective in order to enroll in classes. Courses can be taken at UCLA Extension without formal admittance. Applicants may obtain more information by calling (310) 825-9971. How many students apply and are admitted to graduate programs at UCLA? Prospective applicants to UCLA are encouraged to view our Program Profile Report which provides admissions data by academic program. Data includes applicants, admits, and new registered student counts. In addition it provides demographic data on the enrolled student body, the number degrees awarded, and the average time to receive a degree. When are registration fees due each term? Registration fees must be paid prior to each term. Fees can be paid by check, credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover), or cash. View the Schedule of Classes Calendar for specific dates. Questions regarding fees should be directed to the Registrar's Office at 1113 Murphy Hall, (310) 825-1091. Can registration fees be deferred? Only academic apprentices (e.g., TAs and Graduate Student Researchers) are eligible for fee deferrals. Apprentice teaching and research appointees are eligible to receive, on request, a deferment of registration fees (and nonresident tuition, if applicable). A fee deferral allows qualified students to postpone paying fees and nonresident tuition for two months beyond the stated deadline. See your departmental graduate advisor to request a fee deferral. Why would students request In Absentia Registration? Graduate students planning on studying or conducting research outside of California can petition for In Absentia Registration to receive a reduction of one-half of the campus registration fees. For more information see petitions on the Degree Information page. How do students enroll in, drop, or add classes? To enroll in classes and to drop or add classes, students use URSA (University Records System Access), a web-based student system. Instructions for using URSA are contained in the Schedule of Classes. Why should out-of-state students seek California residency for tuition purposes? California residents do not pay nonresident tuition. Upon arrival in California, a student wishing to gain California tuition residency should establish ties with the state (i.e., get a driver's license/California ID, register automobile, register to vote, change the permanent address on University records to a California address, and file a resident tax return). Contact the Residence Deputy at 1113 Murphy Hall, (310) 825-3447, for more residency information; by University policy, only the Residence Deputy is authorized to apply and interpret policy on tuition residency. Where should students report name or address changes? Name changes should be reported to the Registrar's Office. Students are urged to maintain their own mailing, permanent, and email address listings online using URSA OnLine. Changes can also be made and revised documents can be obtained at 1113 Murphy Hall and at most student service offices in Murphy Hall. Applying for Financial Support What types of financial support are available? Support based solely on financial need is provided, in the form of loans, grants, and—on a limited basis—work-study employment, from the Financial Aid Office. Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office at A-129 Murphy Hall, (310) 206-0400. Support based on merit is available in the form of fellowships, traineeships, teaching assistantships, and graduate student researcher positions. These awards are open to all students—U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and international students—who have demonstrated high academic achievement. For more information, refer to the Financial Suport for Entering Students or Graduate Student Financial Support for Continuing Students on the Graduate Division website and contact your departmental graduate affairs coordinator. What are the deadlines for applying for financial support? The deadline for loans and work-study funding available through the Financial Aid Office is March 1. The deadline for entering graduate students to apply for other forms of support is December 15. Departments should be consulted for exceptions. The campus deadlines for enrolled graduate students to apply for fellowships varies by program. View the Graduate Student Financial Support for Continuing Students for specific dates. Consult your department for exceptions. How is Graduate Division funding distributed? The Graduate Division allocates funding directly to graduate programs, which in turn select fellowship recipients through their faculty fellowship selection committees based on academic merit. Departments inform the Graduate Division of those students who have been chosen to receive awards for the next academic year, and the Graduate Division sends offers of support to those recipients. Fee and nonresident tuition fellowships are credited directly to students' BAR accounts, and fellowship living allowances (stipends) are issued as direct deposits. How does a student apply for extramural fellowships? Extramural funding originates from non-UCLA sources, such as federal agencies and private organizations. Most extramural fellowships require an application submitted directly to the sponsoring organization. Applications for some extramural fellowships are available in the Office of Graduate Outreach, Diversity, & Fellowships in 1252 Murphy Hall. The Graduate Division publishes an online guide called Graduate and Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES), which lists the more commonly sought fellowships that are available from non-UCLA sources. In addition, the Office of Graduate Outreach, Diversity, & Fellowships maintains a small library of reference materials on extramural funding. The Graduate Division also offers faculty assistance with extramural fellowship proposals. For information, contact the Office of Graduate Outreach, Diversity, & Fellowships at (310) 825-3521. Does getting extramural funding affect a student's support from UCLA? Students may not hold two major awards at the same time. When a student receives extramural funding, the amount of supplementary UCLA support is usually subject to limits. Contact the Office of Graduate Outreach, Diversity, & Fellowships in 1252 Murphy Hall, (310) 825-3521, for details. Is funding available for conference travel and research expenses? Special funds are available for registered and enrolled students for partial support of dissertation research and travel to scholarly conferences. Consult the graduate student advisor in your department or program. How and when do students get their fellowship money? Fee and tuition awards will automatically apply toward registration and tuition fees. Fellowship payments are sent to students' local mailing addresses, held for pickup, or direct-deposited several weeks before the start of the Fall term. Winter funds are disbursed approximately one week after January 1, and Spring funds are released several weeks before the start of the Spring Quarter. Monthly payments should arrive by the first day of the month. Questions regarding fellowship check disbursement/direct deposit may be directed to the Graduate Student Support Office, 1228 Murphy Hall, (310) 825-1025. Where should students go with questions regarding BAR statements and graduate award payments? The Graduate Student Support Office at 1228 Murphy Hall will answer questions relating to BAR and disbursement of graduate award payments. BAR questions regarding Financial Aid awards (e.g., need-based grants) should be directed to the Financial Aid Office at A129 Murphy Hall, and questions regarding loans should be directed to the Student Loan Office at A227 Murphy Hall. Can I view online my financial information, scheduled payments, and direct deposits? Yes. Using URSA OnLine, you can review your BAR statement activity; your scheduled financial aid, fellowships, remissions, and other awards; and the actual dates and amounts of your checks and direct deposits. In addition, you can check to see if you have holds on your account that are preventing the disbursement of funds, and you can ensure that all required financial documents have been completed for the Financial Aid Office and the Graduate Student Support Office. Do students have to pay taxes on fellowships? Fellowship stipend income is taxed differently than most other types of income you may have encountered in the past. Amounts spent on fees, tuition, or required course expenses are not taxable. However, the portion of fellowship stipend income you spend on items other than fees, tuition, and required course expenses will likely be considered taxable by the IRS. U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are California residents (for tax purposes) do not have taxes withheld from their fellowship stipend checks. Nonetheless, these individuals may be required to make estimated quarterly tax payments and to report the income on their tax returns. Foreign students and those who live outside of California and file tax returns as California nonresidents will have state and/or federal taxes withheld directly from their checks. Information about fellowship taxation is available in IRS Publication 520, "Scholarships and Fellowships," available for download from the IRS website. Another IRS publication available from the same website offers information on paying estimated tax when your residency status does not permit the tax to be withheld directly from your check: Publication 505, "Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax." Who can answer tax questions concerning fellowships? Students are advised to retain "Offer of Graduate Student Support" agreements, fellowship and traineeship offer letters, BAR monthly statements, payroll wage stubs, and other documents and receipts related to fellowship stipends and course expenses. View Tax Information and Forms for UCLA Award Recipients information about UCLA fellowship tax withholding and reporting. What are the responsibilities of a teaching assistant or graduate student researcher? TAs supervise assignments in small discussion and lab sections of undergraduate courses. GSRs assist faculty members with scholarly research and may or may not collaborate in the publication of research results. For more information view the Academic Apprentice Personnel Manual. Are academic apprentice appointees eligible for benefits? Academic apprentice appointees are eligible for fee deferrals, medical insurance, fee remissions, and TA Advance Loan checks. For details on these benefits consult the Academic Apprentice Personnel Manual. What are the requirements apprentices must meet to receive fee remissions? The following standards must be met in order for students to receive apprentice fee remissions: (1) Students must register and enroll by the third week of the quarter (registration and enrollment must also be maintained throughout the quarter); (2) appointment(s) must total 25% time or more for the quarter; (3) students must work hours equivalent to 25% time in apprentice titles in a given quarter (usually 106-110 hours); (4) students are expected to enroll in at least 12 units to receive health insurance and fee remissions. In addition, students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to be appointed as an apprentice and may not work more than 12 quarters as a TA or more than 18 quarters in all apprentice titles combined. Where can I find more information on academic apprentice opportunities? Anticipated student employee openings for academic year are available online on the Academic Student Employees (ASE) Appointment Opportunities page. What are the requirements for graduate degrees? Degree requirements are outlined in Program Requirements for Graduate Degrees at UCLA. While most of these requirements are quite specific and students are usually held to them, in some instances there may be room to accommodate special academic needs via petition. For specific details, students should consult the department or program. How do students determine if they are performing work at the level required by their degree program(s)? A University minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required to remain in good academic standing and a 3.0 average is required in all courses to be applied toward a graduate degree. Some departments have more stringent requirements, and the student should consult the department regarding academic standards. Also, departments and programs often list specific timeline expectations for completion of degree requirements under "Time to Degree" in Program Requirements for Graduate Degrees at UCLA. How do I get my UCLA ID card? The BruinCard is your University ID card. In addition, this card will serve as your library card (when activated at the UCLA Library), your recreation facilities card, your debit card for purchases at UCLA food facilities and ASUCLA stores, and even as an AT&T calling and discount card. To obtain your BruinCard, you'll need to take a valid form of identification (driver's license, passport, etc.) to one of the three BruinCard Centers located at 123 Kerckhoff Hall, 100A Sproul Hall, and Suite 107 in the Wilshire Center Building. The Centers are open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. How do students get access to library and computer facilities? Once registration fees and tuition are paid, access to the library resources can be obtained at any campus library. Library privileges are free to all registered students. Computer facilities are also free to registered students who can establish an account by using a new user terminal at the CLICC Lab in the College Library or the Student Technology Center by Delta Terrace. How do students get parking on campus? On-campus parking is limited, and applications for permits must be submitted annually to UCLA Parking Services, 555 Westwood Plaza, (310) 825-9871. Daily parking permits are also available at parking information booths found at various locations on campus. Information about student parking is available online at the Transportation and Parking website. What other means of transportation are available? Options include vanpools, carpools, buspools, public transit, bicycles, scooters, and motorcycles. The BruinGo! program allows members of the UCLA community to ride the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus and Culver City Bus at a reduced fare by using their BruinCard. Go Metro program offers discounted quarterly transit passes for Metro bus and rail lines. For more information view Getting to UCLA on the Transportation and Parking website. What housing options are available to graduate students? UCLA offers two off-campus apartment complexes: University Apartments North and University Apartments South. Information on housing is available at the Housing Office, 270 De Neve Drive, (310) 825-4271. Other apartments are available at the following numbers: Gayley Apartments, (310) 794-8600; Barrington/Manor, Sawtelle/Sepulveda, University Village, or Rose Avenue, (310) 398-4692; Keystone/Mentone, (310) 837-1373; and Venice/Barry, (310) 397-3517. The UCLA Community Housing Office offers listings of private off-campus housing, including rental vacancies and posted roommate notices. The Community Housing Office is located on the east patio of Sproul Hall, 350 De Neve Drive, (310) 825-4491. What recreational activities are offered at UCLA? UCLA Recreation offers state-of-the-art fitness workouts, masters swim workouts, intramural and club sports, dozens of recreation classes, water sports at the Marina Aquatic Center, and open recreation at most campus facilities. For information, contact Cultural and Recreational Affairs at 2131 John Wooden Center, (310) 825-3701. What discounts are available to me as a student? The Central Ticket Office, (310) 825-2101, sells tickets for all campus athletic and entertainment events. In order to obtain discounts for which students are eligible, you must present your BruinCard at the time of purchase so that your status may be validated. CTO also sells bus passes and tickets to movies and other off campus athletic, cultural, and entertainment events. In addition, most Westwood Village merchants and local movie theaters offer student discounts. For those seeking to purchase personal computers and software, the ASUCLA Computer Store offers educational discounts computers, equipment, and name-brand software. How can a student find employment on campus? On-campus jobs are listed in the UCLA Career Center, (310) 825-2981. Positions are also available with ASUCLA; for information contact the ASUCLA Personnel Office at 3519 Ackerman Union, (310) 825-7055. Academic apprentice appointments are handled at the department or program level. Please note that graduate students, by University policy, are permitted to work on campus no more than 50% time while registered and enrolled, and most foreign students on F1 and J1 visas are prohibited from working in excess of 50% time. What services are available for international students? The Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars provides services and programs to UCLA's international community. The services include personal counseling on visa and immigration issues, financial and tax matters, academic adjustment, insurance, and release of funds from other countries. The Center also supports international and intercultural programs which assist student and scholars to adjust to the community, including housing assistance, community services, friendship families and English conversation groups. The Center is located in the Tom Bradley International Center at 417 Charles Young Drive West, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1379, (310) 825-1681. |
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