How to Apply to Computer Science at UCLA: Admission by Major to the Samueli School of Engineering, 17 Preparation Courses and a 4% Transfer Admit Rate, With Requirements and Timeline for Chinese, Canadian High School and Transfer Students

At the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Computer Science is in the Samueli School of Engineering, leading to a Computer Science BS. Engineering also offers the related Computer Science and Engineering and Computer Engineering 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 computer science: apply to the major

• List it on the UC application: first-years can declare a major or apply undeclared; UCLA says undeclared students are welcome in the College and in the School of Engineering.
• No supplemental application: the Samueli School of Engineering is one of the schools that do not require one.
• “Major does not affect admission” applies to the College: UCLA says that in the College of Letters and Science your choice of major neither helps nor hurts; it makes no such statement for Engineering majors.
• Changing major after applying: changes within Engineering, or into Engineering from another school, must be requested by January 1.
• Changing into CS after enrolling: UCLA admissions says admitted students who want to change major can contact the department, change at New Student Orientation or see a counselor. The conditions for changing into Computer Science are not given on the pages used here; ask the Samueli Office of Academic and Student Affairs (its website was not accessed for this guide).

2. Curriculum (2026-27 catalog)

• Focus: the catalog describes it as professional preparation in computer science for students who do not necessarily have a strong interest in hardware, covering software engineering, programming languages, data structures, computer architecture, theory of computation and formal languages, operating systems, distributed systems, computer networks, compilers and artificial intelligence. It is accredited by the ABET Computing Accreditation Commission.
• 17 preparation courses: Computer Science 1, 31, 32, 33, 35L and M51A (or Electrical and Computer Engineering M16); Mathematics 31A, 31B, 32A, 32B, 33A, 33B and 61; Physics 1A, 1B, 1C and one of 4AL or 4BL.
• Upper division: the required courses listed in the catalog (Computer Science 111, 131, 180, 181, and M151B or Electrical and Computer Engineering M116C), one probability course, one capstone course, seven computer science electives (28 units, from CS 100 to 188 except M148, with up to 8 units of CS 188), three science and technology courses (12 units) and 12 units of technical breadth.
• Capstone: Computer Science is a designated capstone major; you take a software engineering or major design course.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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).

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Transfer students

• Apply to a specific major: transfer applicants must choose a major and finish its preparation by the end of spring before transfer; Computer Science recommends completing all preparation courses by then.
• Admit rate: UCLA’s table of most-applied-to majors shows 1,865 transfer applicants to Computer Science and a 4% admit rate (no year is given). It lists Data Theory and Linguistics and Computer Science as other major options, and Data Science Engineering as a related minor.
• Engineering minimums: at least a 3.4 GPA at application, and junior standing (60 semester or 90 quarter units) with the major preparation completed by entry. UCLA says Engineering admission is highly selective.
• Preparation:
  • two transferable English composition courses;
  • mathematics: calculus and analytic geometry, calculus of several variables, differential equations and linear algebra;
  • physics: calculus-based courses with labs (mechanics, waves, heat, electricity and magnetism, light and more);
  • no chemistry is required for Computer Engineering, Computer Science or Computer Science and Engineering;
  • programming: one course in Java, C, C++ or MATLAB; computing applicants should take C++.
• General education: IGETC or UC Reciprocity is not required, and partial IGETC is not accepted; at least one humanities or social science course is needed for UC eligibility.
• Double major: possible only with a second major outside Engineering, approved by that major and college. No supplemental application is required.
• 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. Students at other colleges can also apply, but must match the preparation courses themselves using UCLA’s catalog.
• 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); the deadline to change into or within Engineering is January 1, 2027.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Submit the UC application October 1 to November 30, 2026, choosing Computer Science in Engineering
• 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
• Build strong mathematics (including calculus) and physics in high school, then start CS 31, 32, 33 and the math preparation early

Transfer students:

• Apply directly to Computer Science; finish math, physics, C++ programming and two English composition courses by spring
• A GPA of 3.4 or higher and junior standing; UCLA’s table shows a 4% transfer admit rate for Computer Science

Sources: UCLA and the University of California, First-year applicants; Choosing a major; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Deciding on a major as a transfer; Transfer preparation for Engineering; Tuition and fees; 2026-27 General Catalog: Computer Science BS; 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.