How to Apply to Economics at UCLA: Apply to the College of Letters and Science as an Economics Pre-Major, Finish the Prerequisites Before Declaring the Major, a Selective Business Economics Major, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

UCLA’s undergraduate economics programs are taught by the Department of Economics within the College of Letters and Science (Social Sciences division). UCLA says that for first-year applicants to the College the choice of major “will neither enhance nor diminish” the prospects for admission, and many apply as undeclared; entry to the major comes through preparation coursework after you enroll. This guide follows UCLA’s websites and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Management and Computer Science have their own guides on this site, so we mention them only where they touch Business Economics.

1. Degrees and options

• Three related majors: the department lists three economics-related majors — Economics (B.A.), which gives a foundation in economic theory, quantitative reasoning and applied analysis; Business Economics (B.A.), which the department calls a selective major combining economics with accounting and business-oriented coursework, and which “does not replicate” a traditional undergraduate business curriculum; and Mathematics/Economics (B.S.), a quantitatively intensive major housed in the Mathematics Department. Economics and Business Economics are run by the Department of Economics.
• Double-major limit: the department’s FAQ says students cannot double major in Economics (or Business Economics) and Mathematics/Economics.
• Degree types: Economics and Business Economics are B.A. degrees only; Mathematics/Economics is a B.S. STEM designation: not stated on the pages we read; ask the department or the Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars.
• Honors: the Economics honors program is open to majors with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 in the major and in all UCLA courses before applying; it requires a two-term senior thesis (ECON 198A and 198B) and a 3.5 GPA in economics courses. The department also offers a concentration in Value Investing through the Benjamin Graham Value Investing Program.
• Business Economics is selective: it requires a separate application after the preparation courses (below), and meeting the requirements does not guarantee admission.

2. Admission: pre-major first, then the major

• When you apply to UCLA: first-year applicants choose a major on the UC application. The admission office’s majors list notes that applicants to Economics (B.A.) and Business Economics (B.A.) are admitted to pre-major status until prerequisites are satisfactorily completed. All three majors are also marked “transfer applicants should note that demand for this major significantly exceeds space available at the transfer level,” and for Economics and Business Economics it adds that transfer students admitted to a major outside the Department of Economics are not permitted to transfer into one of the economics majors.
• Entering the Economics major (General Catalog): complete at least one 12-unit term at UCLA in a regular session and all courses listed under preparation for the major; apply no later than the end of your 8th regular quarter at UCLA; final grades for the preparation courses must appear on your degree audit. Each pre-major course needs a C (2.0) or better, you need a minimum 2.5 GPA in the economics and mathematics preparation courses, and a 2.0 in any upper-division courses taken for the major before applying. Repeating more than two pre-major economics courses, or any preparation course more than once (including equivalents taken elsewhere), results in automatic denial of admission to the major (courses taken before admission to UCLA are excluded); the catalog applies a stricter rule (more than one repeated preparation course) to students admitted before Fall 2023. The department’s FAQ states the same 2.5 pre-major GPA and C-or-better rule.
• Declaring: the department says non-transfer students must finish the pre-major and declare by the end of the 8th regular quarter (excluding summer sessions) and should apply in the term right after the last pre-major grade posts, by submitting the Economics Major Request Form through the Econ-Counseling Bruin Learn site; requests can take up to two weeks and are not processed in Week 10 or Finals Week.
• Pre-major: current students declare Pre-Economics or Pre-Business Economics with a Pre-Major Request Form. The FAQ adds that only students who enter UCLA as first-years may declare the Pre-Economics or Pre-Business Economics majors.
• Applying to Business Economics: complete all preparation courses (including the Management accounting courses MGMT 1A and 1B), with a C or better in each, a minimum 3.0 GPA across the preparation courses, a minimum 2.0 in upper-division courses taken for the major, and meet the major’s “primary score” (the department has a calculator; we did not review the formula). Applications are open in Weeks 1–3 of each regular quarter and Summer Session A, announced through Econ-Alert, with decisions about two weeks after the deadline. If you do not qualify for Business Economics, the FAQ says you may still be accepted into Economics; talk to an Economics counselor.
• Mathematics/Economics: students entering directly from high school (or first-term transfer students) who declare the pre-major on their application are admitted to it automatically. To enter the major you petition the Mathematics Department with C or better in the mathematics preparation courses (MATH 31A or 31AL, 31B, 32A, 32B, 33A, 33B, 61 and Program in Computing 10A) with a 2.7 GPA, C or better in the economics preparation courses (ECON 1, 2, 11) with a 2.7 GPA, one 12-unit term in residence, and before completing 160 quarter units.

3. Prerequisites and courses

• High school: the UC “A–G” courses (section 4), including three years of mathematics (four recommended). The pages we read list no economics-specific high school courses.
• Economics preparation (General Catalog): MATH 31A (Differential and Integral Calculus, or 31AL with lab) and MATH 31B (Integration and Infinite Series); ECON 1 and ECON 2 (both titled Principles of Economics); ECON 11 (Microeconomic Theory); and ECON 41 (Probability and Statistics for Economists). The department says ECON 11, 101 and 102 must be taken in sequence, ECON 41 before ECON 103/103L, and ECON 103/103L before ECON 104/104L.
• The Economics major (General Catalog): 12 upper-division economics courses (labs counted): ECON 101 (Microeconomic Theory), 102 (Macroeconomic Theory), 103 and 103L (Introduction to Econometrics and lab), 104 and 104L (Data Science for Economists and lab) or 109D and 109DL (Advanced Sequence: Econometric Theory and lab), and six electives from ECON 105–199 (minimum 4 units each) or listed Management courses (no more than two). Each course is taken for a letter grade; upper-division major courses need a 2.0 GPA, with C– or better in ECON 101, 102, 103, 103L, 104, 104L, 109D and 109DL.
• Business Economics: preparation adds MGMT 1A and 1B and ECON 101 to the economics and mathematics courses; the major has 15 courses, including ECON 102, 103/103L, 104/104L or 109D/109DL, ENGCOMP 131B (the department says it is restricted to students in their final quarter) and two Economics 106-series courses; the General Catalog lists the details.
• AP and IB credit: the department’s prospective-student page points to an AP/IB placement document hosted on a third-party file-sharing service, which we did not open; ask the department or admissions which economics and math courses AP/IB scores replace. The first-year page says official AP and IB results must reach admissions by July 15.
• Courses elsewhere: the department says only the equivalents of ECON 1, ECON 2, MATH 31A, MATH 31B, MGMT 1A and MGMT 1B may be completed at a California community college; beginning Fall 2024, apart from ECON 1 and 2 no economics core course (ECON 11, 41, 101, 102, 103/103L, 104/104L) may be petitioned for pre-major or major credit from another university (an exception may be made for incoming transfer students who already completed a core course at a four-year institution).

4. Applying to UCLA: timelines, fees and materials (fall 2027 entry)

• Timeline: UCLA offers no early action or early decision and accepts applications for the fall term only (quarter system). The first-year page says the application opens August 1, that “applications can be submitted October 1–December 1,” while the dates list gives the filing period as “October 1–November 30”; confirm the current deadline on the website. Decisions come in late March; the enrollment deposit and housing application are due May 1; final official transcripts by July 1.
• Platform: the University of California application.
• Application fee: not stated on the UCLA pages we read; the UC page says applicants who qualify through the family-information section receive a fee waiver covering up to four campuses.
• Essays: personal insight questions — respond to four of eight, up to 350 words each.
• Testing: UCLA does not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarships; if submitted they may only be used to meet minimum eligibility or for course placement. The international page adds that applicants are not asked to provide the scores.
• Recommendations, transcripts and interviews: letters of recommendation are neither required nor accepted; transcripts are not collected at application (admitted students send official transcripts afterwards); there are no admission interviews.
• A–G courses: complete 15 A–G courses with at least 11 finished before the last year of high school: history/social science 2 years, college-preparatory English 4, mathematics 3 (4 recommended), laboratory science 2 (3 recommended), language other than English 2 (3 recommended), visual and performing arts 1, college-preparatory elective 1. UCLA says there is no single path and that competitive applicants earn high marks in the most rigorous curriculum available to them.
• Admission data (Fall 2025): 145,085 first-year applicants and 13,659 admitted (9%); for the College, 98,459 applicants and 10,788 admitted (11%); for the Social Sciences division, 37,333 applicants and a 9.3% admit rate. Admitted students’ GPAs from grades 10–11: weighted median 4.61 (middle 50% 4.44–4.78) and unweighted median 4.00 (3.95–4.00). UCLA says the applicant’s major is not considered for the College and that no single cutoff exists; the pages we read give no separate admit rate for economics.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• Cost (admissions office, updated July 2026, nine-month budget): university fees $16,430 for everyone; California residents total $45,500 (residence halls), $47,786 (off-campus apartments) or $36,707 (commuter). Nonresidents add $39,270 in supplemental tuition, for totals of $84,770, $87,056 and $75,977. Housing $12,299 (halls), food $7,568, books $1,588, transportation $969, personal $2,761 and health insurance $3,885 (waivable with adequate coverage). The pages we read list no extra economics fee.
• In-state vs. out-of-state: the page says residency for tuition is determined by a specific process, and that students whose parents are not California residents find it extremely difficult to qualify as residents because of the financial-independence requirement.
• Aid: the FAFSA or Dream Act application opens October 1 and the deadline to submit is March 2; California residents also submit the Cal Grant GPA verification form. The admissions office says 78% of first-years received financial aid (2023).
• In-state admission preference: not described on the pages we read.

6. International applicants

• Process: the same UC application and the same major rules as domestic applicants. UCLA defines an international student as someone who requires an F-1 visa and reviews all applicants within the context of their curriculum. About 9% of the Fall 2025 entering first-year class was international.
• English proficiency: applicants who completed all secondary school in English are considered proficient; those who studied in a country where English was not the language of instruction and have less than 3 years of instruction in English must take the TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test. UCLA looks for “competitive” scores: TOEFL iBT 5 or higher with sub-scores of 5 or higher on the revised scale (effective January 21, 2026), or above 100 (sub-scores above 24) on the previous scale; IELTS 7.5 or above; Duolingo 135 or higher. No minimum is stated. Scores are self-reported on the application (official scores are not required with it) and all test information must be accurate on the site by January. Admitted non-native speakers may also have to take the UCLA ESL Placement Examination.
• Funds: UCLA does not award scholarships or financial aid to undergraduate students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and international students must prove sufficient funds. For students admitted to Fall 2026, the minimum is about $80,739 (with an additional $5,000 recommended for personal expenses, contingencies and summer). Students on non-immigrant visas also need adequate medical insurance throughout enrollment.
• Documents: records from the secondary schools you attended showing subjects and grades, and any national or government certificates; college records in the original language with English translations. UCLA asks you not to send them now; admitted students receive instructions.
• Agents: UCLA says it does not partner with agents and does not endorse using them to recruit international students.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the UCLA and UC pages we read do not mention the Gaokao; ask UCLA undergraduate admission.
• Chinese national curriculum (UC “requirements by country” page): list all courses and marks from grade 9 (year 3 of lower middle school) through grade 12 (years 1–3 of upper middle school) exactly as they appear on your official academic records; if admitted, be prepared to submit your upper middle school graduation certificate and the official lower and upper middle school academic records (grades 9–12).
• IGCSE/GCSE/GCE: the same page says applicants following this curriculum must complete at least 5 IGCSE/GCSE/GCE O-Levels and at least 3 academic GCE A-Levels, reported on the International Exams page of the application. IB has separate instructions.
• English: if your secondary schooling was in Chinese, follow section 6.
• Credential evaluation: the pages do not name an evaluation agency; not published.

8. Transfer students

• Prerequisite to entering the economics majors: the department states that transfer students must be admitted to UCLA as Pre-Economics or Pre-Business Economics to pursue either major; transfer students admitted under another major cannot switch into the department and cannot add one of its majors as a double major.
• University-level criteria: junior standing (60 semester or 90 quarter transferable units) by the end of the spring before transfer; a UC-transferable GPA of 3.2 or higher; the 7-course pattern (two English composition/critical thinking courses, one math course with an intermediate-algebra prerequisite, and four courses in at least two of arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and physical and biological sciences); fall entry only. The pages say the average GPA of admitted transfers is above 3.5, admitted students have completed most or all major preparation, and highest priority goes to California community college applicants.
• Economics preparation: the General Catalog says transfer applicants to Economics with 90 or more units must complete one microeconomics course, one macroeconomics course and two calculus courses (mathematics/physical sciences sequence) before admission to UCLA; the remaining pre-major requirements must be completed in the first three registered terms at UCLA, and transfer credit is subject to department approval. The admission office says the most competitive applicants for business economics, economics and psychology will have completed all major prep by the end of fall before transfer.
• Timeline: the UC application opens August 1 and is filed October 1–November 30; a Transfer Academic Update is due January 31 (priority); decisions arrive in late April; the Statement of Intent to Register is due June 1. UCLA does not pre-evaluate transferability of courses before an application is submitted.
• Admission data (Fall 2025): 28,288 transfer applicants and 6,466 admitted (23%); for the College, 21,089 applicants and 5,790 admitted (27%); admitted transfer GPA median 3.91 (middle 50% 3.77–4.00); 93% came from a California community college.
• Mathematics/Economics transfers: the General Catalog says transfer applicants with 90 or more units should complete as many of these as possible before admission: two years of calculus for majors, one introduction to discrete structures course, one microeconomic theory course, one macroeconomics course and one C++ programming course (department approval of credit required); after admission they petition the Mathematics Department after one 12-unit term in residence.
• Declaring: transfer students complete the pre-major by the end of their third regular quarter and apply the term after; if the third term is spring, the application is due by Summer Session A at the latest.
• International transfers: international transfer applicants need 90–130 quarter units of college work; UCLA gives preference to students from California community colleges and says historically three out of four admitted international transfers were attending one when they applied.

9. Cost, internships and research

• Costs are in section 5.
• The department’s site lists internship and research pages, Sharpe fellowships and the EXEC transition program for transfers; specific placements are not described on the pages we read. For study elsewhere, the FAQ allows up to three pre-approved upper-division economics courses taken abroad or at another university toward the major, not during a regular UCLA quarter.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Submit the UC application by November 30 (another page says December 1; check) choosing Economics or Business Economics in the College; answer four of the eight personal insight questions; no SAT/ACT or recommendation letters
• Take as many A–G courses as you can, with four years of math if possible; after enrolling take MATH 31A/B and ECON 1, 2, 11 and 41
• When the preparation courses are done (2.5 GPA, C or better each, no extra repeats), declare the major by the end of your 8th quarter; Business Economics has its own application in Weeks 1–3 of a quarter

International applicants (including China):

• Same timeline as domestic applicants; take TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo if you had under 3 years of English-medium schooling; there is no UCLA aid and about $80,739 is cited as the minimum funds for Fall 2026
• Report grades 9–12 exactly as on your records and prepare your graduation certificate and official records; ask admissions how the Gaokao is used

Transfer students:

• Apply as Pre-Economics or Pre-Business Economics; finish one micro, one macro and two calculus courses first; 3.2 GPA, 90 quarter units, the 7-course pattern; filing period October 1–November 30

Sources: UCLA and University of California websites, Economics: overview of majors; Economics: Economics major; Economics: Business Economics major; Economics: declaring a major; Economics: FAQ; Economics: transfers; General Catalog: Economics BA; General Catalog: Business Economics BA; General Catalog: Mathematics/Economics BS; Admission: first-year; Admission: first-year requirements; Admission: first-year profile; Admission: majors; Admission: transfer; Admission: transfer requirements; Admission: transfer profile; Admission: international applicants; Admission: tuition and fees; UC: requirements by country; UC: filling out the application. Most dates on these pages show no year (the first-year profile is Fall 2025 data; the international page’s funds figure is for Fall 2026); check that they apply to fall 2027 entry. Always confirm on UCLA’s website.