Your Statement of Purpose is a critical part of your application to the M.Arch. program. It is your opportunity to introduce yourself and tell us about your specific academic background, interests, achievements, and goals. Our selection committee use it to evaluate your aptitude for study, as well as consideration for merit-based financial support.

Your statement can be up to 1500 words in length. Below are some questions you might want to consider. You don’t need to answer every question; just focus on the elements that are most relevant to you.

• What is your purpose in applying to the MArch program? Describe your area(s) of interest, including any subfield(s) or interdisciplinary interests.
• What experiences have prepared you for this program? What relevant skills have you gained from these experiences? Have your experiences led to specific or tangible outcomes that would support your potential to contribute to this field (e.g. performances, publications, presentations, awards or recognitions)?
• What other information about your past experience might help the selection committee in evaluating your suitability for this program? E.g. research, employment, teaching, service, artistic or international experiences through which you have developed skills in leadership, communication, project management, teamwork, or other areas.
• Why is UCLA Architecture and Urban Design the best place for you to pursue your academic goals?
• What are your plans for your career after earning this degree?

Your Personal Statement is your opportunity to provide additional information to help the selection committee evaluate your aptitude for study. It will also be used to consider candidates for UCLA Graduate Division fellowships related to diversity. You can read more about the University of California Diversity Statement here.

Your statement can be up to 500 words in length. Below are some questions you might want to consider. You don’t need to answer every question; just focus on the elements that are most relevant to you.

• Are there educational, personal, cultural, economic, or social experiences, not described in your Statement of Purpose, that have shaped your academic journey? If so, how? Have any of these experiences provided unique perspective(s) that you would contribute to your program, field or profession?
• Describe challenge(s) or barriers that you have faced in your pursuit of higher education. What motivated you to persist, and how did you overcome them? What is the evidence of your persistence, progress or success?
• How have your life experiences and educational background informed your understanding of the barriers facing groups that are underrepresented in higher education?
• How have you been actively engaged (e.g., through participation, employment, service, teaching or other activities) in programs or activities focused on increasing participation by groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education?
• How do you intend to engage in scholarly discourse, research, teaching, creative efforts, and/or community engagement during your graduate program that have the potential to advance diversity and equal opportunity in higher education?
• How do you see yourself contributing to diversity in your profession after you complete your MArch at UCLA Architecture and Urban Design?

A Curriculum Vitae (résumé of your academic and professional experience) is recommended but not required.

Applicants must upload a scanned copy of the official transcripts from each college or university you have attended both in the U.S. and abroad. If you are accepted into the program you will be required to submit hard copies. These can either be sent directly from each institution or hand-delivered as long as they remain in the official, signed, sealed envelopes from your college or university. As a general rule, UCLA Graduate Division sets a minimum required overall grade-point average of 3.0 (B), or the foreign equivalent.

As of the Fall 2023 cycle, the GRE is NOT required as part of your application to UCLA AUD. No preference will be given to those who choose to submit GRE scores as part of their application.

However, if you do take the GRE exam and wish to include it as part of your application: More information on this standardized exam can be found at www.ets.org/gre. In addition to uploading your GRE scores, please direct ETS to send us your official score sheets. Our ETS codes for the GRE are below:

UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
Institution Code: 4837
Department Code: 4401

We recommend you take the exam at least three weeks before the application deadline as it usually takes 2-3 weeks for ETS to send us the test scores.

If you have received a Bachelor’s degree in a country where the official language of instruction and primary spoken language of daily life is not English, you must submit either a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Exempt countries include Australia, Barbados, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. This is a requirement that is regardless of your visa or citizenship status in the United States.

To be considered for admission to the M.Arch. program, international students must score at least a 92 on the TOEFL or a 7 on the IELTS exam. Because processing, sending, and receiving TOEFL and IELTS scores can take several weeks, international students must schedule their exam no later than October 31 in order to meet UCLA deadlines. TOEFL scores must be sent to us directly and uploaded as part of the online submission. Our ETS codes for the TOEFL are below:

UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
Institution Code: 4837
Department Code: 12

If you need assistance submitting your IELTS score, please contact IELTS directly.

If your score is less than 100 on the TOEFL or 7 on the IELTS, you are also required to take the English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE) on arrival at UCLA. The results of this test will determine any English as a Second Language (ESL) courses you need to take in your first term of residence. These courses cannot be applied towards your minimum course requirements. As such, you should expect to have a higher course load than students not required to take ESL courses.

If you have earned a degree or completed two years of full-time college-level coursework in the following countries, your TOEFL / IELTS and ESLPE requirements will be waived: U.S., U.K., Canada (other than Quebec), Australia, and New Zealand. Please provide official transcripts to demonstrate course completion. Unfortunately, we cannot accept any other documentation to demonstrate language proficiency.

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required. These letters should be from individuals who are familiar with your academic and professional experiences and can evaluate your capacity to successfully undertake graduate studies at UCLA. If you do not have an architecture background please note that we are looking for letters that evaluate your potential as a graduate student, not necessarily your architecture experience.

Letters of recommendation must be sent electronically directly to UCLA by the recommender. When logged in, you can enter the name and email address of each of your recommenders. They will be contacted by email with a request to submit a letter on your behalf. You can track which letters have and have not been received. You can also send reminders to your recommenders to send their letters.

Your digital portfolio of original creative work is a central part of your application. Please upload your portfolio in the “Architecture” section of the online portal.

Your portfolio should be 8 1/2" x 11", and saved as a single PDF file no greater than 15 MB. We suggest designing your portfolio as single sheets, with your name clearly stated on the cover page. Image sizes should be at least 150 dpi and no more than 300 dpi for print.

Content is not restricted to any particular subject area, the material should form a cohesive presentation and represent your previous experience and creative abilities. It can be used to showcase both academic and professional work* and can include both graphic and written material.

*If you are including professional work please be sure to properly credit others and / or explain your role as part of a team.

Please complete and submit this Course Prerequisite Form as part of your application. The following college-level courses are required as prerequisites, and must be completed before entry into the MArch program:

• Newtonian Physics (minimum grade of “C”) — One basic college-level physics course covering light, heat, and sound. It is not necessary to take a calculus-based physics course.
• Mathematics (minimum grade of “C”) — One college-level course covering algebra plus geometry or trigonometry, or one college-level course in precalculus or calculus.
• A Survey of the History of Architecture (minimum 1 semester or 2 quarters, minimum grade of “B”) — A college-level course covering Antiquity to the present.
• Drawing or Basic Design (minimum grade of “B”)

If you have not completed these prerequisites at the time you apply, we will still consider your application. However, you must specify your plan to complete them before entry into the program.

Please complete and submit the Department Supplement Form to confirm your intention to apply to the MArch program.

Students who are not legal residents of California (out-of-state and international students) pay a non-resident tuition fee each term. U.S. citizens and permanent residents may be eligible to become California residents after their first year at UCLA Architecture and Urban Design. You can learn more information about California residency from the UCLA Registrar’s Office UC Residency Guidelines.

For information on estimated cost of attendance and other expenses visit the UCLA Financial Aid Office website.
You may also find more information from UCLA's Financial Aid Handbook

Additional costs for materials and supplies can vary each quarter based on coursework and project requirements. While specific deliverable costs are outlined in course descriptions, expenses for supplies, including printing and fabrication, could potentially range from $500 to $1,200.

Recruitment fellowships are offered to the most outstanding students that apply to the MArch program each year. All applicants are considered for recruitment fellowships as part of the application review process; no additional applications are necessary to be considered for these awards. MArch recruitment fellowships generally cover one to three years of in-state tuition fees, including the professional degree supplemental tuition. Based on the current fee structure, the dollar value for each MArch package is about $26,000 for each year of funding offered.

Continuing MArch students are eligible for a range of award opportunities based on both merit and need. Each summer, second- and third-year MArch students can apply for awards based on need. Award amounts range from $1,000 to $5,000.

In the Spring quarter, continuing students can also submit design work to be considered for merit-based awards. These awards are announced at Awards Day during the end-of-year Rumble event and exhibition. A faculty committee reviews student work anonymously for as many as twenty awards ranging in value from $1,000 to $15,000 each. A number of these are named scholarships and fellowships through the generosity of alumni, private individuals, firms, or foundations, including:

• Anne Greenwald Memorial Travel Scholarship
• Carlin Glucksman Fellowship
• CO Architects Fellowship
• Edgardo Contini Fellowship
• Franklin D. Israel Memorial Fellowship
• Harvey S. Perloff Memorial Fellowship
• James Pettit Memorial Fellowship
• Jeffrey “Skip” Hintz Memorial Fellowship
• John V. Mutlow Scholars Fund
• Robert J. Webster Scholarship
• SNW Development Scholarship
• Systems Building and Housing Research Fellowship
• Welton Becket Scholar Award
• Wendell Scholarship Fund

Second- and third-year MArch students can also apply in the Spring term to be considered for Teaching Assistantships (TA) and Readership positions for the following academic year. These positions pay in-state fees and a salary for the awarded quarter. AUD typically awards about ten to twelve Teaching Assistantships and twelve to fifteen Readerships to MArch candidates in a given academic year.

We offer a range of employment opportunities for students to work in the department. These include social media, marketing, photography, videography, front office administration, exhibition management and installation, fabrication shop assistant and assisting with the print lab operations. Students can work up to 20 hours per week, build their skills in these areas and learn about the department in the process. Please enquire in the main administration office to learn more.

These employment opportunities are prioritized for Work-Study eligible students. There are two types of work-study programs: the Federal Work-Study program which awards up to $2,000 per year; and the Graduate Work-Study program which awards between $5,000 and $15,000 per year. Students who are eligible to receive federal loans can apply to be considered for one or the other program. General information on work-study programs can be found on the UCLA Graduate Division website.

The Graduate Work-Study Program is for “need-based eligible” graduate students completing part-time paid internships, community service, research projects, or other endeavors closely related to their academic degree program. Students must submit additional paperwork to be considered for the Graduate Work-Study Program.

Graduate Student Researcher positions are available depending on extramural or Academic Senate grants secured each year by individual faculty members. Students are notified as positions become available. Readerships are also available depending on funding received.

In addition, UCLA Graduate Division lists sources of UCLA funding for entering graduate students, as well as a fellowship application, which should be completed by all applicants who would like to be considered for UCLA Graduate Division fellowships.

The UCLA Financial Aid Office administers financial support based solely on need. Such awards include long-term low-interest loans and work-study funds, and are available only for graduate students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. These students can also apply for Federal Stafford Student Loans through the UCLA Financial Aid Office, which are long-term loans through private lending organizations.

A variety of extramural funding opportunities are available to graduate students including academic fellowships, research grants, competition awards, conference support, and exhibition funding. To be considered for extramural funding, students should apply directly to the funding organization. UCLA Graduate Division maintains extensive records extramural fellowship directories. Among these, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and other architecture associations make awards annually.

To read more about the NAAB Conditions of Accreditation, please visit:

• naab.org/accreditation

Current and previous NAAB Conditions and Procedures:
NAAB Conditions and Procedures are continually updated, for the most recent Conditions and Procedures, please visit: naab.org/accreditation/accreditation-criteria

• NAAB 2020 Conditions for Accreditation (Revised September 1, 2024)
• NAAB 2020 Procedures for Accreditation (Oct 28, 2022)
• NAAB 2014 Conditions for Accreditation
• NAAB 2015 Procedures for Accreditation

Current and previous NAAB Program Reports:

• NAAB 2023 Annual Report Decision Letter
• AUD 2024 Special Report to Address 2023 Annual Report
• NAAB 2024 Special Report Acceptance Letter
• NAAB UCLA 2019 Interim Decision Letter
• NAAB UCLA 2018 Architecture Program Interim Progress Report
• NAAB UCLA 2016 Visiting Team Report and Decision Letter
• NAAB UCLA 2015 Architecture Program Progress Report

Previous Annual Statistical Reports:

• NAAB 2023 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2022 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2021 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2020 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2019 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2018 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2017 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2016 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2015 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2014 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2013 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2012 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2011 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2010 Annual Statistical Report
• NAAB 2009 Annual Statistical Report

To learn more about the ARE and ARE Pass Rates by School, please visit:

• ncarb.org/pass-are/are5/pass-rates/are5-pass-rates-school