A public research university where nearly all undergraduate aid is need-based. Only about 4% of freshmen receive non-need institutional merit, averaging $8,557. The Regents Scholarship ($2,000/year honorarium plus priority enrollment and mentorship) is awarded to approximately 75 entering freshmen. The UC Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan covers tuition for CA families under $100,000.
Verified May 20261 month ago· PT
Merit tiers1See requirements
Get merit aid4%First-year students, CDS 2024-2025
Last verifiedMay 2026Analyst PT
Common merit-aid mistakes at UCLA
UCLA does not award automatic scholarships based on GPA or test scores. Nearly all undergraduate funding is need-based. Out-of-state families paying ~$85,000/year often assume merit will offset the $39,270 NRST. Only 4% of freshmen receive any non-need merit, averaging $8,557.
Blue and Gold covers systemwide tuition and fees for CA families with income under $100,000. It is a need-based guarantee, not a merit award. It does not cover housing, food, books, or the NRST for out-of-state students.
Who this school is for
California families who need to understand that UCLA is primarily a need-based aid school. The Regents Scholarship is prestigious but only $2,000/year for students without financial need. Out-of-state families should know that UCLA offers essentially no merit aid to offset the $39,270 Nonresident Supplemental Tuition. In-state families under $100,000 can attend essentially tuition-free through Blue and Gold.
Cost of attendance$45,353–$84,623 for 2025-2026Each bar is the full published cost for that scenario, sized against the highest figure so totals compare at a glance.
Out-of-state, on-campus$84,623
$56K
$20K
In-state, on-campus$45,353
$17K
$20K
Tuition & fees
Housing & food
Books
Travel
Personal
Health insurance
Public. UC SHIP health insurance ($3,687) is standard but waivable with proof of coverage. Resident scenario matches input $45,353; nonresident adds $39,270 supplemental tuition.
Every tier below is sourced to the school’s own published financial aid pages. Renewal terms apply only if the student maintains the stated GPA.
$2,000/year ($8,000 over four years). If the scholar has additional financial need, UCLA awards university grants to cover the remainder of demonstrated need.
Regents Scholarship
ApplicationRenewable
View requirements+
Eligibility
Invitation-only. Approximately 75 entering freshmen per year. Top applicants identified from the admissions pool; no separate application. Candidates receive an email with a unique application code.
Renewal terms
Renewable for four years (12 academic quarters). Requires 3.0 cumulative GPA.
Notes
The primary value for non-need students is prestige and priority enrollment, not the $2,000/year cash award. For students with need, Regents status qualifies them for additional UCLA grants. Benefits include guaranteed housing, faculty mentorship, and priority enrollment.
Outside scholarships first reduce need-based loans and work-study. Only as a last resort do they reduce UCLA grants and institutional scholarships.
UC system policy: when outside scholarships create an overaward, UCs follow a student-friendly displacement order. Outside awards first reduce need-based loans and work-study. Only as a last resort are grants and institutional scholarships reduced. Federal regulations require total aid from all sources not to exceed the cost of attendance.
Merit penetrationHow likely is merit aid here?From UCLA’s Common Data Set: the share of first-year students who receive institutional merit and the average dollar amount when they do.
4%of admitsget merit
Average award$8,557Covers ~10% of $84,623 cost of attendance
At UCLA, roughly 1 in 25 first-year admits receive institutional merit aid. The average award is $8,557 — about 10% of total cost.
Named awards that don’t always surface on the main financial aid page. Each one has its own eligibility rules.
Amount$4,000-$20,000 per year (multi-year possible)EligibilityAdmitted students. Requires separate application with essay and interview after admission. Application opens late March through the UCLA Scholarship Application portal.
Often overlooked because the application opens after admission decisions. Families who celebrate admission and forget to check the scholarship portal in late March miss a real opportunity.
Very limited. Only about 4% of freshmen receive non-need institutional merit, averaging $8,557. The Regents Scholarship ($2,000/year for non-need students) goes to ~75 freshmen by invitation. UCLA Alumni Scholarships ($4,000-$20,000) require a separate application. No automatic merit awards based on GPA or test scores exist.
What is the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan?
Blue and Gold is a UC-wide need-based guarantee covering systemwide tuition and fees for California residents with family income under $100,000. Not a merit award. Does not cover housing (~$19,800), food, books, or the NRST ($39,270) for OOS students. Requires FAFSA filing.
Is UCLA worth the cost for out-of-state students?
At ~$85,000/year with minimal merit available, OOS families should compare carefully. Only 4% of freshmen receive merit averaging ~$8,600. Selective privates with generous need-based aid may cost less net than UCLA OOS.
How UCLA compares across our verified dataset
56 of 205 verified schools in our dataset use loan-first displacement.
UCLA is in a recognizable cluster (56 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.
178 of 205 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.
UCLA is one of them. The cohort minority (27 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.
Sources used on this page
Every claim is checked against UCLA’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
