16 Most Frequently Asked Questions

1.	Question:	How can I obtain a paper application and a graduate admissions booklet?
	Answer:	The Electrical Engineering Department does not offer a paper application or a hard copy of the graduate admissions booklet. Rather, information regarding the admissions process may be found online in this section, as well as the HSSEAS website. The application for admission is also online.
2.	Question:	Can I apply for the PhD program even if I do not have my MS? Will it affect my chances of admission?
	Answer:	Normally, the M.S. degree is required for admission to the Ph.D. program. Exceptional students, however, can be admitted to the Ph.D. program without having an M.S. degree but will be required to complete the M.S. degree along the way. If you apply for the Ph.D. program without first receiving your M.S. degree, the EE Department will consider you for both the M.S. program and the Ph.D. program.
3.	Question:	What is the minimum GPA for admission?
	Answer:	Entering students normally are expected to have completed the B.S. degree requirements with at least a 3.0 grade-point average in all coursework taken in the junior and senior years of undergraduate study. Students entering the Ph.D. program are expected to have completed the requirements for the master's degree with at least a 3.5 grade-point average, and to have demonstrated creative ability. Admission to the UCLA Electrical Engineering Department is quite competitive. Recently admitted applicants have had an average grade point average of 3.8.
4.	Question:	What is the minimum GRE score for admission?
	Answer:	There is no minimum GRE score for entering students. In recent years, Graduate Record Examination scores on the Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical sections have averaged 61%, 93%, and 84%, respectively.
5.	Question:	What is needed for recommendation letters and what is the recommendation letter process?
	Answer:	You will need to provide the name, email address, position title, institution or business, and telephone number of your recommenders while completing the online application process. Since hardcopies of the letters of recommendation are not accepted, recommendations may only be submitted online. Once you have officially submitted your application (by paying the fee), an email will automatically be sent to your recommenders. Based on the number of incoming applicants, it can take between a day and a week for recommenders to be contacted electronically. Recommendation letters do not need to be received by the December 15 deadline; rather when UCLA contacts the recommenders by email, they will be given their own internal deadline. Please do not contact the department to see if we have contacted your recommenders via email. If necessary, you should contact the recommenders to ensure that they have been contacted by UCLA.
6.	Question:	When submitting my transcripts, should I send any degree certificates?
	Answer:	Yes. If you have received your BS or MS degree from the previous year you must submit an official copy of the degree certificate. Do not send the original certificate; obtain a properly certified copy instead. If you have attended more than one institution, separate official records should be submitted for each institution. You may send these yourself, or have the institution send them directly to the UCLA Electrical Engineering Department, at the following address:   Electrical Engineering Department Office of Student Affairs 57-127 Engineering IV Building Box 951594 University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 90095-1594 U.S.A. Attention: Admissions Coordinator
7.	Question:	How do I get financial aid? What forms of financial aid are offered?
	Answer:	A student may receive a departmental or Graduate Division award, and an award based solely on financial need if the need-based criteria are met. You are strongly urged to apply in all categories for which you may qualify during the online application process. You may also apply for non-UCLA support by contacting national, international, or private foundations directly. Students are also nominated for departmental fellowships during the admissions process. Recipients will be notified of financial awards in April. All admitted students are automatically screened for departmental funding. First year students are not offered TA positions. RA positions are available upon consultation with the student's assigned advisor.
8.	Question:	How do you weigh the different components of the application?
	Answer:	Your application is comprehensively reviewed during the admissions process. All aspects of the application are considered comprehensively for admission.
9.	Question:	How do I attain California state residency?
	Answer:	To establish your California residence, you must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen who has been physically present in the state for more than one year, and you must be able to provide convincing evidence that your intent for the entire year has been to establish a permanent residence in the state. You must also be financially independent, as defined by the UC Office of General Counsel, if your parents are not California residents. Visit the residency page on the Registrar's website for more detailed and important information regarding state residency and tuition.
10.	Question:	How do I check my application status?
	Answer:	Although the Graduate Division Website provides the option to check your application status (after you have officially submitted it), the UCLA Electrical Engineering Department does not provide this information due to the overwhelming number of applications. Therefore, the Graduate Division Website will not reflect your current application status. Please do not email us to verify if materials have been received. We will email you if your application is incomplete and if any documents are missing.
11.	Question:	Can I apply for Winter or Spring admission?
	Answer:	No. Applicants may only apply for fall quarter admission.
12.	Question:	I am an international student. What are my chances of admission?
	Answer:	Students are admitted based on their qualifications, rather than their country of origin. Therefore, all students have the same chances of admission  (also see Question No. 8 above).
13.	Question:	I am an international student. Do I have to complete a Confidential Financial Statement Form?
	Answer:	U.S. immigration law requires that international applicants, if admitted, show documented evidence that sufficient funds to cover all fees,  transportation, and living expenses are available for the first year of their studies at UCLA. This must be proved before a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20 or IAP-66) before a visa can be issued. ALL international applicants must complete and return the Confidential Financial Statement. After filling out the Statement according to the instructions (provided with the form) mail the Confidential Financial Statement to:   Electrical Engineering Department Office of Student Affairs 57-127 Engineering IV Building Box 951594 University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 90095-1594 U.S.A. Attention: Admissions Coordinator For international students, the total amount of money needed for living and educational expenses for the 2007-2008 academic year at UCLA is US$44,377.00, subject to change without notice. (US$19,908.00 for basic living expenses and US$24,469.00 for tuition and other university fees.) If you plan to bring your family, you should expect to add the following costs: US$4,500.00 for your spouse, plus US$2,000.00 for each child. Health insurance is mandatory and is included in the above figure for tuition and fees. (Expenses for the 2008-2009 academic year can realistically be expected to be greater than this amount by approximately US$1,000.00). For more information, please visit the UCLA Graduate Division website's page on Anticipated Expenses for Studying at UCLA. Although financial awards may later be applied to the Confidential Financial Statement after you have been admitted, you must still submit the Confidential Financial Statement Form by the December 15 deadline. Remember, students are are admitted based on their qualifications, rather than their country of origin or their financial affairs.
14.	Question:	I am an international student and my grading system is not out of a 4.0 scale. How do I fill out the application and translate my grades to the 4.0 scale?
	Answer:	When filling out your application, fill out your grades in the scale that your institution uses. Do not attempt to translate your grades yourself, as we have a specialist in the department who will translate them.
15.	Question:	I am an international student. Do I have to take the TOEFL? What is the minimum TOEFL score for admission?
	Answer:	Yes. The TOEFL is a requirement, in order to determine whether a student is prepared to undertake graduate study conducted in English before he or she makes extensive plans for graduate study in the U.S. Applications are not considered complete without the test scores. Note that you have the option of taking the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) instead of the TOEFL. These tests are administered at accredited Test Centres throughout the world. There are currently more than 300 Centres, in over 120 countries. Go to the IELTS website to find the nearest Center to you. You do not have to take the TOEFL or IELTS if you hold a bachelor’s or higher degree from a university located in the United States or in another country in which English is the spoken language and the medium of instruction, or if you have completed at least two years of full-time study at such an institution. If you do not meet these criteria, you will have to take the TOEFL or IELTS. A TOEFL score of at least 560 on the paper and pencil test or 220 on the computer based test is the minimum required for applicants to graduate programs at UCLA. An IELTS overall band score of at least 7.0 is the minimum required.
16.	Question:	How can I renew my application?
	Answer:	You can defer your application up to one year from the quarter of admission, however, admission is not guaranteed. You will be considered with a new applicant pool, and your application will be reviewed by an admissions committee. If you wish to be considered for the next Fall quarter, you need to complete an online application by the regular application deadline. When filling out the application be sure to select "renewal" for the application type. Then indicate the quarter that you were previously admitted to. That will prompt our Office of Student Affairs to pull your file from last year. When renewing an application, you do not have to pay the application fee. You might want to update your statement of purpose, or submit a resume, but it is not necessary. If you did not submit your final transcripts with your previous application, you will need to do so. Also, if you are an international applicant, you will be required to submit a new financial statement as well. You may also wish to submit additional letters of recommendation.