Living in LA
For students seeking housing near UCLA’s campus, there are a number of options provided by the university and by independent housing offices. Incoming students who have recently accepted an offer of admission will be contacted directly by the university via e-mail with details about how to apply for university housing.
University Housing Options for Graduate Students
While university housing is not guaranteed, some students in the MA program are able to secure university housing. For detailed information, please review the UCLA Housing Office website.
Student housing is not managed by the MA program, however. As stated above, students who have recently committed to UCLA will be contacted by the university directly with information about how to apply for housing.
Non-University Housing Options
There are many non-university housing options for students. Be wary of scams, do not click on links that look suspicious (especially in the comment sections). Please read Renters' Scam Alert published by UCLA Student Legal Services.
Students often utilize Facebook Groups to connect with other students seeking housing in the area around Westwood. There are both private and public Facebook Groups, including "UCLA Housing and Roommate Search."
The neighborhoods that are located in proximity to UCLA and have good bus connection to UCLA include:
- Beverly Hills
- Brentwood
- Culver City
- Mar Vista
- Koreatown
- Palms
- Santa Monica
- West Hollywood
- West Los Angeles
- Westwood
Parking Options
Detailed information concerning parking permits including deadlines to apply may be found here. Parking rates for students can be found here.
Public Transportation
Students who find off-campus housing may also use the many convenient bus routes that connect UCLA to the greater LA area:
- Students residing "South of Wilshire" may utilize the free Bruin Bus.
- Students residing in Culver City and Palms will find the Culver City Bus very accessible.
- Students residing in Santa Monica, Mar Vista, West Hollywood may easily commute to campus by using the Big Blue Bus.
- Los Angeles County Metro (bus and rail) allows students to commute from many other areas of Los Angeles.
- You can use Metro Trip Planner to find the best bus connection when traveling around Los Angeles.
The practicality of commuting to campus using city bus lines will be determined by the distance between the student’s housing and UCLA. While extremely affordable, some students may experience commutes of up to an hour in each direction to and from campus. Students are encouraged to consider all these factors while selecting appropriate housing.
Obtaining California Residency for Tuition Purposes
Out of state students can apply for California residency after completing their first year at UCLA. If approved, students will be able to pay the in-state tuition during their second or any subsequent year at UCLA. For more information, such as required documentation and deadlines to apply please visit the Registrar’s website.
Please note that this information does not apply to international students.
