The University of California contains ten campuses – the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) being one of them. It ranks among the top 15 public colleges in the country and is one of the most prestigious institutions. Aside from outstanding academics, UCLA has a notable athletic department and offers students a rich and dynamic campus life in Los Angeles—at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains and only five miles from the Pacific Ocean. It’s no surprise that UCLA receives more applications than any other college in the United States. A total of 108,877 students applied to UCLA in 2021, with only 15,602 accepted. This means that the UCLA acceptance rate is 14.3 percent.
This article will answer: how much is UCLA tuition? It will also provide UCLA’s price for housing and discuss financial aid.
How much is UCLA tuition?
Knowing how much a school cost is the first step in budgeting for college. Apart from tuition, it would help to consider where you will live, what you will eat, and other factors when attending UCLA.
The “Cost of Attendance” is the amount of money a typical student must spend to attend an institution, excluding any financial help. UCLA’s cost of attendance covers UCLA tuition and textbooks, personal expenditures, and UCLA room and board. UCLA’s cost of attendance varies based on whether you are an in-state or out-of-state student; UCLA out-of-state tuition is typically higher.
UCLA in-state and out-of-state tuition
UCLA is a public university in the state of California. For tuition and fees, each student at UCLA is classified as either a resident or a nonresident of California. As a result, the UCLA tuition you pay is decided by your residency status, established through a process. The UCLA in-state tuition for 2021 is $13,249 for California residents and $13,029 for graduate school tuition. The UCLA out-of-state tuition in 2021 was $43,003, while graduate school tuition was $28,131.
This means an annual tuition difference of $22,878 between UCLA out-of-state and in-state tuition. It is the equivalent of nearly two years of in-state tuition! UCLA ranks among the colleges with the largest difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition. It also means that if you are a California resident, you save $22,878 on UCLA’s price for four years. Now, that’s a good deal!
UCLA Room and Board
Apart from thinking about how much is UCLA tuition fee you will also have to decide where you live. You have an option of on-campus and off-campus housing choices. So, what is the UCLA room and board price? UCLA room and board on-campus costs are $14453 annually, whereas the UCLA room and board off-campus costs $10446.
Living on-campus is more convenient because of easy access to your classes. On days when you unintentionally press snooze too many times, getting to those early morning lessons will be much simpler! However, finding a house in adjacent West LA could be a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in the local community and better get to know the city.
Choose the housing option that best suits your lifestyle at the end of the day! Living on and off-campus both have their pros and cons. However, if you want more flexibility and independence, you might check into UCLA’s off-campus housing possibilities.
Does UCLA provide financial aid to its students?
UCLA’s cost of attendance might seem scary. The good news is that most students do not pay the entire cost of attendance at UCLA. Financial aid helps families bridge the gap between UCLA’s cost of attendance and what they can spend.
At UCLA, we know that 62% of students get financial aid. This is 24 percent lower than the national average of 86 percent for public schools. Fewer students receiving financial help means UCLA students will pay more than similar schools. It might also imply that UCLA students are wealthy and require less financial assistance.
To dissect this further, we’ll examine each source of help, and the number of money students receive from each.
Scholarships and Grants
Grants and scholarships are preferable to loans since they do not need repayment. In the long run, the more grants/scholarships help students receive at a particular institution, the better off those students are.
How many students receive grant money at the University of California, Los Angeles? At UCLA, grant money is received by 54% of those who apply. So, how much grant money do UCLA students typically receive? $17703 is the average grant award. This is $10434 more than the national average of $7269 for public schools.
Overall, the news is mixed: fewer students receive financial help at UCLA, but those who do receive more than the national average. If you are eligible for assistance, this grant will help in reducing your UCLA cost of attendance. As a result, fewer students will need to borrow money to pay for education.
Student Loans
Student loans are not free money; you borrow a set amount to attend UCLA and repay it monthly after graduation. It is a common way to finance education.
The more money you borrow for student loans, the more debt you’ll have after graduation. It will help if you keep your student debt as low as possible. When you have less debt, you will have less financial burden once you graduate. If a school has a lot of students taking out a lot of loans, that’s usually a poor indicator.
Although it is usual for college graduates in the United States to graduate with debt, a high percentage of students taking out loans is not s good sign. On the other hand, low loan percentages indicate that UCLA tuition is cheap. So, how many UCLA students decide to take out student loans? Only 34 percent of people have any loans. This is 24 percent lower than the national average for public schools.
The fact that fewer UCLA students take out loans is a good indication. It shows that UCLA tuition is affordable for ordinary students.
There are two types of student loans – federal loans and private loans. Federal or government loans are superior to private loans in general. Low-interest rates are common among federal loans, resulting in lower long-term costs. Other benefits may be included, like options for loan forgiveness. Generally, schools with good financial aid programs have more students with federal than private loans.
When it comes to paying for education, private loans are the least desirable type of financial aid since they have the highest interest rates and cost students more money over time. At UCLA, 34% of students have federal loans, and 1% have private loans.
What qualities does UCLA look for?
Apart from good grades and standardized test scores, UCLA loves students involved in their communities and showing leadership. They prefer to admit individuals who have made a difference in their communities via volunteer and charity work or leadership. Students can show these traits in their additional essays and their extracurricular activities.
ConclusionNow that we have discussed UCLA’s tuition and prices for UCLA’s room and boarding, the question is: is this cost justified? College is unlikely to be inexpensive. Even if you have a few top choices in mind, such as UCLA, it’s still a good idea to look around.
Here are some thoughts to ponder:
- How much better off would you be if you went to UCLA rather than a similar but less expensive school?
- Have you looked at a variety of public and private schools? What’s the difference between big and small?
When we talk about the value of a college degree, these are the big-picture questions to consider. College is a critical period in your growth. In most cases, attending a better, more prestigious institution will pay off in the long run. You will be surrounded by a more engaging environment, find it easier to get employed, and have a better network opening up more opportunities in your future.
So, just knowing the answer to the question – how much is UCLA’s tuition is not enough. You need to think about the big picture and weigh all your options before deciding on your future.