FAQs from Current Freshman Applicants
Here are the most common questions we get from freshmen who are completing or have already turned in their applications.
Q: How do I find out a school's College Board code?
A: College Board codes and ACT codes can be found online:
UCLA's codes
To send SAT or AP scores to UCLA, use code 4837. To send us ACT scores, use code 0448.
Q: When are the fall term applications due?
A: All online applications must be submitted by midnight on November 30. However, we strongly encourage you not to wait until the last evening to complete and submit your application. A better plan would be to submit a day or two before November 30 (if not earlier).
Q: Can you send me a fee waiver for the UC application?
A: The fee waiver is built into the online application form. When you get to the step where you submit your application you will be able to apply for a fee waiver. Just follow the directions and they will guide you through.
Q: My school does not use grades of A, B, C, D, F. How do I list my grades on the application?
A: Make sure to indicate that your school uses a grading system other than A-B-C-D-F. (On the online application, you will be asked to specify a grading system for each school you attend; on the paper form, this item appears below the space where you enter your course work.) Then, list your grades exactly as they appear on your transcript. A UC evaluator will review your application and translate these marks accordingly.
Q: Will my eligibility be affected if I can't take my ACT/SAT exam until the first week of December?
A: We will consider ACT/SAT scores from tests taken through the first week of December, but you must request that your scores be sent to our office directly from the ACT Assessment or the Educational Testing Service (ETS). ACTs/SATs taken after that date will not reach us in time to be included in the selection process for admission.
Q: If I am not admitted under my first choice major, will UCLA review me for my alternate major?
A: Within the College of Letters and Science, the major an applicant chooses is not a factor in the review process at the freshman level. UCLA does not normally consider the alternate choices of applicants who applied to majors in the other schools (Engineering, Arts, etc.).
Q: Where do I get information on financial aid?
A: Some scholarship information is listed in the UC Application, but most financial aid is dependent on the amount of available money the school has for a particular quarter and the needs of the students attending. The first step in finding out whether you qualify for financial aid is to file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form between January 1 and and March 2 for aid beginning in the following Fall term. For more information, contact the UCLA Financial Aid Office.
Q: Where in the application do I list college courses that I have taken while still in high school?
A: What to List:
College courses should be listed in the appropriate academic
subject row with the college name listed in parentheses next
to the title of the course. Be sure to indicate 'CL'
in the the honors box for all college-level courses.
Where to list it:
- If you took college course(s) during the school year, list the course(s) (in the appropriate subject area) under the appropriate term.
- If you took college courses during the summer session before the 9th, 10th, or 11th grade, list the course(s) (in the appropriate subject area) in the column for the school year that immediately follows that summer term, using the fall term column to list the grade(s).
- Course(s) taken during the summer session before the 12th grade should be placed (in the appropriate subject area) in the 11th grade, using the spring term column to list the grade(s).
Q: I attended school for thirteen years in a foreign country (Korea, Great Britain...). How do I fit my years of schooling into the five columns provided?
A: If you attended school in a foreign country where the primary and secondary education totals thirteen years, list your thirteenth year of course work in the 12th grade column, and work backward through the 11th, 10th, 9th, and 7th /8th grade columns.
Q: When I list my courses on the application, how do I know what to list in the honors box?
A: The honors box on the UC Application form is used to designate a course for which an extra grade point is awarded (for a grade of C or better). There are four types of honors courses:
- Advanced placement (AP)
- International Baccalaureate (IB)
Honors status only applies to higher level IB courses. - College courses (CL)
This only applies to transferable (i.e., college-level) college courses. - UC-approved school-designated honors-level courses (HL)
If you attend a California high school: your counselor should have a list of UC-approved honors courses eligible for the extra grade point.
Out-of-state applicants: only designate HL for courses designated as honors level on your official transcript.
You should fill in the honors box (AP, IB, CL, HL) as appropriate for all of the above.
UCLA gives more weight in the review to students who have taken AP courses and completed the exam with a score of 3, 4, or 5.
Q: I'm an international student; do I need to take the ACT, SAT or just the TOEFL?
A: International applicants are not exempt from the ACT/SAT eligibility requirement. All freshman applicants must take either the ACT Assessment or the SAT Reasoning Test by the December of the year they file their application. Note: Applicants to the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science also are strongly encouraged to take the following SAT Subject Tests: Math Level 2 and a science test (Biology E/M, Chemistry, or Physics) that is closely related to the applicant's intended major.
International students whose language of instruction is not English are also required to take either the Test of English as as Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
