Program Details

Study Abroad at UCLA

The Study Abroad at UCLA Program is designed for international students, currently enrolled in a degree program, freemovers, or those on a gap year looking to expand their horizons. This program is an excellent opportunity for international students who want to spend a quarter or more at a top-ranked U.S. university, earn transferable academic credits UCLA Extension courses at the undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and professional level, and experience life in Southern California.

Academics

Study Abroad at UCLA Extension allows you to enroll in UCLA Extension and UCLA courses alongside US students, working professionals, and international students. Courses are offered at the undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and professional levels.

Many UCLA Extension courses offered to undergraduate students are the same courses offered by our main campus (same syllabus, course instruction, and curriculum) offered at a reduced tuition rate. Students can also explore the possibility of taking UCLA undergraduate courses offered by UCLA College of Letters and Science on our main campus through concurrent enrollment. It is important to note concurrent courses have a higher tuition rate and placements can be competitive.

Study Abroad students are able to select courses from the entire UCLA Extension course catalog as long as the course is credit bearing, they have met all the prerequisites of the course, are open to international students, and meet the requirements to remain in compliance with their student visa. They are not required to take a specific set of courses (this is required only to complete a UCLA Extension certificate).

In order to meet international student visa requirements, you must enroll in a minimum of 12 units of UCLA and/or UCLA Extension credit per quarter.

UCLA Extension Courses

UCLA Extension offers a wide variety of undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and professional level courses, all of which are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and approved by UCLA academic departments and the UCLA Academic Senate.

Many UCLA Extension courses offered to undergraduate students are the same courses offered by the UCLA main campus (same syllabus, course instruction, and curriculum), but are offered at a reduced tuition rate. All UCLA Extension courses offer academic credit that can be transferred back to their home university toward a current or future degree program.

The majority of UCLA Extension instructors are working professionals who are experts in their fields. Students who enroll in UCLA Extension courses have a variety of backgrounds and can include domestic undergraduate students, working professionals, and international students who also want to learn at a top-ranked U.S. university. UCLA Extension courses focus on practical application and provide students and professionals with the knowledge and skills they need for their careers.

Please note that if you are currently enrolled in a degree program, only your home university can make decisions regarding transfer credit, you should ensure your university approves all of the courses you enroll in while you participate in a UCLA Extension Study Abroad Program.

You will be notified to select courses that you would like to explore on your Study Abroad Program 6-8 weeks before your program begins. It is suggested that you review your course selections with your home institution to ensure they will approve the transfer credit you will earn at UCLA Extension.

UCLA Campus Courses and Concurrent Enrollment

UCLA Campus Courses, also known as Concurrent Enrollment Courses, are courses taught on the main UCLA campus. UCLA Extension Study Abroad students are eligible to enroll in undergraduate courses offered by the UCLA College of Letters and Sciences. The College offers a wide variety of courses in the Humanities, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. If business courses are of primary interest to you, consider our Study Abroad at UCLA Business Tracks program.

All UCLA Extension or UCLA concurrent courses offer academic credit that can be transferred back to their home university toward their bachelor's degree.

Restricted UCLA Programs and Courses

It is important to note concurrent courses have a higher tuition rate and placements are competitive and not guaranteed. UCLA Extension Study Abroad students must also meet course prerequisites and have the instructor's consent to enroll. Please also note that restrictions apply to some courses and programs.

You will not be able to enroll in any graduate level courses or courses offered by UCLA professional schools: the Anderson School of Management, School of Law, School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Public Affairs, School of Public Health, Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, or Nursing, School of Theatre, Film & Television.

The UCLA courses I took were enriching and were taught by great professors. I’ve learned a lot during this quarter at UCLA, which will help me with my future studies.

Constanze Suesslin

Germany

UCLA Extension vs. UCLA Courses

UCLA Extension Courses

Courses available: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer quarters
Enrollment is open to all until a course section is full
Course length varies from three weeks to eleven weeks per quarter, depending on the course
A full-time course load is considered to be at least three 4-unit courses for 12 units. Students can elect to take up to 20 units per quarter.
Courses are offered during the day, on weekends, and in the evenings. Evening hours of instruction are mainly from 6:30 to 10 p.m. PT.
Many UCLA Extension courses offered to undergraduate students are the same courses offered by our main campus (same syllabus, course instruction, and curriculum) offered at a reduced tuition rate.
Immunization forms are not required
Reduced English Language test scores are accepted
Grade Point Average requirements are reduced
Enjoy a wide selection of courses in a variety of academic disciplines

View UCLA Extension Courses

UCLA Courses

Courses available: Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters
Enrollment is on a space-available basis, and UCLA matriculated students have priority. Placements are competitive and not guaranteed.
Permission to enroll requires consent of course instructor and/or department representative
Course length: 11 weeks per quarter
A full-time course load is considered three 4-unit courses for a total of 12 units
Hours of instruction are mainly daytime from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT.
UCLA Extension Study Abroad students are eligible to enroll in UCLA’s College of Letters and Sciences undergraduate classes from the departments of humanities, life sciences, physical science, and social sciences
During the summer quarter, in order to enroll in UCLA courses, you must apply for UCLA Summer Sessions. Students often stay for more than one quarter, and it is easy to transfer between Study Abroad at UCLA and UCLA Summer Sessions
UCLA courses have a higher tuition rate per unit
Immunizations are required
English Language test scores are higher than UCLA Extension courses
Grade Point Average requirements are higher than UCLA Extension courses

View UCLA Courses

UCLA’s Quarter system

Like many U.S. universities, UCLA Extension and UCLA operate on the quarter system, with four 12-week sessions per year—Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer.

Study Abroad at UCLA Extension offers UCLA Extension courses in all four quarters and UCLA courses only in Fall, Winter, and Spring. If you want to enroll in UCLA courses for the summer quarter, visit UCLA Summer Sessions.

Quarter	Start	End
Fall	Late September	Mid-December
Winter	Early January	Mid-March
Spring	Late March or early April	Mid-June
Summer	Late June	Mid-September

Course Enrollment Process

UCLA Extension Courses

If you decide to enroll in UCLA Extension courses, the enrollment process is simple.

In the final phase of your application process you will be prompted to begin identifying which UCLA Extension courses, you want to take during your Study Abroad program. You will submit a Study Plan with your application for the International Programs-Global Education Office (IP-GEO) team to review and provide you with guidance in making the best choices to meet your individual needs and goals.

You will then be notified when it is time to register for your courses and pay for your classes. This process is done fully online and is very easy to complete. If at any stage you need assistance, please email studyabroad@uclaextension.edu with questions.

UCLA Courses

Guidance
Study Abroad at UCLA Extension advisors will guide you through the concurrent enrollment process, including course suggestions.

Course visits
During the first days of the quarter, you will visit courses that appear to meet your academic and personal objectives. Each visit will provide you with a general impression of the course, professor, and assignments.

Course admission
In order to enroll, you must first notify the professor during the first week of class that you are a UCLA Extension Study Abroad student who would like to concurrently enroll in their course. If you receive permission, complete the concurrent enrollment form request. Once approved, you will be prompted to submit payment in order to complete your enrollment.

Concurrent Enrollment Application

Earning Transferable Credit

Proposed study plan

The Proposed Study Plan, submitted during the application process, allows our IP-GEO advisors to provide you with guidance in making the best choices to meet your individual needs and goals.

Eligible courses

Undergraduate courses are typically numbered 0-199, post-baccalaureate and professional level courses are numbered 300-499. Learn more about course numbers, including XL, X, XLC.

Courses denoted X 400-499 are generally post-baccalaureate credit-bearing courses and lecture series in professional fields. They are designed in content, focus, and presentation style to standards of instruction used in professional-level degree programs. Credit earned in these courses may lead to the award of formal certificates by UCLA Extension, and may be transferable for undergraduate or post-baccalaureate degree credit, subject to the procedures of the receiving institution.

Courses with numbers 700-999 are non-credit bearing and are not open to Study Abroad or International Certificate students, as all courses must be credit-bearing to be in compliance with student visa requirements.

Transfer credit

The decision to accept transfer credit from UCLA, UCLA Extension, or any other university, rests with your home institution. We recommend that you consult with your home university advisor, or study abroad consultant, to determine whether or not credit for specific courses at UCLA will be transferable.

Measuring units of credit

Academic work at UCLA is measured in units of credit. These measure the amount of time that a student has devoted to a particular subject. One unit of credit represents three hours of work per week during the quarter, including both class attendance and preparation.

How to convert quarter units:

To convert quarter to semester units: divide quarter units by 1.5
To convert semester to quarter units: multiply semester units by 1.5
European units: 30 ECTS=22.5 quarter units
Use a GPA calculator

Transcripts

Official UCLA Extension transcripts are available at the end of each academic quarter. The transcript reports all UCLA Extension and UCLA courses, grades, and the academic credit earned for each course. UCLA Summer Session courses and grades are listed on a separate official UCLA transcript. To order your UCLA Extension transcript, visit the Order Transcript webpage.

Academic Requirements

Full-time enrollment

In order to meet F-1 visa requirements, you must maintain full-time enrollment. A full-time course of study is 12 units of UCLA and/or UCLA Extension courses.
Most UCLA and UCLA Extension courses carry four units of credit, so you will usually be able to enroll in three 4-unit courses. This is a normal course load for most students.
If you wish to enroll in more than 12 units of credit, you will need to pay additional tuition fees.

Minimum Grade Point Average

Students must maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 (C average) for all coursework taken while enrolled in the program.
Students whose grades fall below an average of 2.0 may not be eligible to enroll in a subsequent quarter of Study Abroad at UCLA.

Please Note

Student Status

Admission to Study Abroad does not constitute admission to UCLA or to any UCLA degree program.

However, degree credit earned through Study Abroad at UCLA Extension may apply toward UCLA bachelors and/or masters degrees if you enter a degree program later.