How to Apply to Psychology at UCLA: Your Chosen Major Does Not Affect Admission to the College, Start as a Pre-Major, and Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), psychology is offered by the Department of Psychology in the College of Letters and Science, leading to a Psychology BA. The department also offers Psychobiology and Cognitive Science majors. UCLA uses the University of California application and admits for fall only. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on UCLA and UC official information, for students at high schools in China, students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver), and transfer students.

1. How first-years enter psychology: the pre-major

• Your listed major does not matter for admission: UCLA says that in the College, your choice of major will neither help nor hurt your chances; the applicant’s major is not considered in review, and many apply as undeclared.
• Start as a pre-major: everyone begins as a pre-Psychology student. First-year admits who complete a preparation course with an eligible prep GPA contact Psychology Undergraduate Advising to declare the pre-major; only pre-majors can take Psychology 100A and 100B.
• Seven preparation courses (2026-27 catalog):
  • three in psychology: Psychology 10, 100A and 100B (C or better);
  • one in physics, chemistry or calculus;
  • one in life sciences;
  • one in philosophy;
  • one in statistics, computing or programming (such as Statistics 10 or 13); C- or better in the remaining courses.
• Applying for the major: first-year admits must finish all preparation courses and submit the online Psychology major application by the end of fall quarter of their third year.
• Upper division: a 2.0 GPA in upper-division major courses, and C- or better in each core course and at least one lab or fieldwork course.
• Honors: majors planning graduate study are encouraged to apply to the departmental honors program through the advising office in spring quarter; completion leads to a degree with honors or highest honors.

2. First-year dates and review

• The UC application opens August 1, 2026; submit October 1 to November 30, 2026; decisions arrive in late March; deposit and housing by May 1; final transcripts by July 1 and official AP and IB results by July 15.
• No early decision or early action; fall entry only (UCLA is on quarters).
• Comprehensive review: grades and GPA, rigor, leadership and involvement, and your circumstances; UCLA reports an average unweighted GPA of 4.0 for fall 2025 admits.
• Essays: the UC Personal Insight Questions.
• SAT/ACT: UCLA does not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarships, and the application does not ask for them.
• Fee: $95 per UC campus.

3. Academic and English requirements for international students

• UC minimum: 15 year-long academic courses with a 3.4 GPA: 2 years of history, 4 years of composition and literature in your language of instruction, 3 years of math, 2 years of science, 2 years of a second language, 1 year of arts and 1 more academic course.
• English: students whose entire secondary education was in English are considered proficient; others with fewer than three years of English-medium instruction must show proficiency. UCLA’s competitive scores:
  • TOEFL iBT 5 or higher (sub-scores 5 or higher) on the revised scale effective January 21, 2026, or above 100 (sub-scores above 24) on the old scale;
  • IELTS 7.5 or above;
  • Duolingo 135 or higher.
  Official scores need not be sent with the application, but must be self-reported accurately by January. TOEFL sent to one UC campus reaches all; IELTS and Duolingo must be sent to each campus. UCLA does not encourage using SAT or ACT to show English proficiency.
• English placement: admitted non-native speakers may have to take UCLA’s ESL Placement Examination before their first term and may need extra English courses.

4. Students at high schools in China

• Chinese national curriculum: list all courses and marks from grade 9 through grade 12 exactly as on your records; if admitted, you submit your graduation certificate and official lower and upper middle school records. UC does not mention Gaokao requirements.
• A-Level curriculum: at least five IGCSE/GCSE/O-Levels and at least three A-Levels.
• IB curriculum: report grades as on official records; enter predicted scores if your school releases them.
• Focus on TOEFL or IELTS (TOEFL 5 on the new scale or IELTS 7.5 as guides).

5. Students at Canadian high schools

• BC and all provinces except Quebec: complete 12 years of education and earn the appropriate graduation diploma.
• Quebec: complete the DES and the two-year DEC at a CEGEP; UC may award up to one year of transfer credit, course by course, for CEGEP work.
• Students whose whole secondary education was in English do not need an English test.

6. Costs (US$)

• 2026-27, nonresidents (including international students) in residence halls: university fees 16,430, nonresident supplemental tuition 39,270, housing 12,299, food 7,568, books 1,588, transportation 969, personal 2,761 and health insurance 3,885, for about 84,770 in total; about 87,056 in off-campus apartments.
• Proof of funds: UCLA says students admitted for fall 2026 needed at least about 80,739, with another 5,000 recommended, and the figure usually rises each year.
• Aid: UCLA does not award scholarships or financial aid to undergraduates who are not US citizens or permanent residents.

7. Transfer students

• Direct admission to psychology: transfer applicants apply to a specific major, and psychology transfers must be admitted directly to it; you cannot change into or add the major later. UCLA describes it as highly selective, with demand far exceeding space.
• Transfer preparation (complete by the spring before transfer; UCLA strongly encourages finishing by the prior fall): one course each in introductory psychology, biology, physics or chemistry or calculus, philosophy, and a quantitative course such as statistics.
• Minimums: junior standing (60 semester or 90 quarter transferable units) by the end of spring; a UC transferable GPA of 3.2; and the seven-course pattern including two English composition courses. UCLA says admitted transfers average above 3.5 and have completed most or all major preparation.
• Priority: UCLA gives highest priority to California community college students, including international students; historically three of four admitted international transfers were attending a California community college. Those students can use ASSIST and IGETC or Cal-GETC.
• Credit: students with 130 or more quarter units of transferable work cannot apply; after admission, UCLA applies at most 70 semester or 105 quarter units of lower-division credit, with no cap on UC and upper-division four-year coursework.
• Dates: also October 1 to November 30, followed by an update period for fall grades (priority deadline January 31).

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Submit the UC application October 1 to November 30, 2026, listing psychology or undeclared
• A 3.4 GPA in the required courses is the floor; competitive applicants are well above it
• TOEFL 5 on the new scale (5 in each section), IELTS 7.5 or Duolingo 135, self-reported by January
• Plan to fund about US$85,000 a year yourself

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Apply by November 30; no SAT or ACT needed
• After enrolling, start the psychology preparation courses early and declare the pre-major

Transfer students:

• Apply directly to psychology; finish the five transfer preparation courses by spring
• A transferable GPA of 3.2 or higher (admits average above 3.5) and junior standing

Sources: UCLA and the University of California, First-year applicants; Choosing a major; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Transfer preparation for psychology; Tuition and fees; Psychology pre-major and major declaration; Psychology major; 2026-27 General Catalog: Psychology BA; UC requirements for international applicants; UC first-year information by country. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check UCLA and UC for the latest details.