How to Apply

Master of Engineering (MEng)


The one-year, full-time, on-campus Master of Engineering (MEng) professional degree program is tailored to those desiring to pursue a career-focused, terminal advanced degree, with a dual emphasis on technical knowledge and leadership skills. Admission requirements and criteria are the same as the ones for those applying to the traditional Master of Science (MS) programs.

UCLA Samueli Students Walking on Campus

For additional information on the admission process, please visit the UCLA Graduate Education Admissions FAQ page.

Please disregard the checklist on the online application that may indicate a missing GRE score; it is not accurate. We will contact you via e-mail if there are items missing from your application.

Application Checklist

TRANSCRIPTS

All applicants must upload transcripts with the application. Unofficial copies of transcripts are acceptable for review purposes. If you are recommended for admission and decide to accept the offer, you must submit final, official copies of your transcript for final approval of your admission by Graduate Division’s Graduate Admissions Office. Any discrepancies between the unofficial and official transcripts could lead to withdrawal of an offer of admission. International applicants must upload copies of original and translated international transcripts per country- or educational system-specific guidelines (https://grad.ucla.edu/gasaa/admissions/ACADRECS.HTM). UCLA does not accept international transcripts evaluated or verified by a service such as World Education Services (WES).

An official transcript is defined as:

  • A transcript enclosed in a sealed envelope, sent directly from the institution and mailed to UCLA.
  • An electronic (PDF) transcript, ordered directly from the institution and sent to: meng@seas.ucla.edu
  • Once official transcripts are received, they become the property of UCLA and cannot be returned to the applicant.
  • For international students, please check UCLA Graduate Admissions International Requirements to determine the correct official documents to submit based on the institution’s country of origin.
     

Mailing address:
UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, Master of Engineering Program
4732 Boelter Hall, Box 951601, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1601

Electronic delivery:
meng@seas.ucla.edu (must be sent from the institution, not by the student)

APPLICANTS WITH A CONFERRED BACHELOR’S DEGREE:

  • Order an official transcript to be delivered via mail OR by electronic submission (e-transcript).
  • If you completed your undergraduate degree at UCLA, please notify us via e-mail with your UID as we can pull your transcript internally.
  • Special note: The university strongly recommends that international applicants submit official transcripts at the time of the application in order to avoid delays with the issuing of documents required to request a student visa (in the given circumstance that they are offered admission).

APPLICANTS WITHOUT A CONFERRED BACHELOR’S DEGREE (UNDERGRADUATE WORK IN PROGRESS):

  • If you still have work in progress, we can evaluate your application based on your unofficial transcripts.
  • Those who are recommended for admission will be asked to submit official transcripts with the final degree conferral + award date.

GRE SCORES 

  • Not required for 2024-2025 applicants.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION 

  • Each applicant must provide three letters of recommendation; two of which must be from academic references. (Applicants who have graduated three or more years from their undergraduate studies can list professional references in lieu of academic references.)
  • The application portal allows you to list four names and their corresponding professional email addresses. Our program only requires three references. The application system will automatically prompt them to complete an evaluation and/or upload a letter on your behalf.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

  • Describe your purpose in applying for graduate study. In particular, describe the relationship between your chosen area of study and your current or future employment. Include any additional information that may aid in the evaluation of your preparation for graduate study at UCLA.
  • Statement of Purpose: Guidance from the University of California

PERSONAL STATEMENT

INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS

When applying to a UCLA graduate program, each international applicant is required to submit official academic records from all academic institutions attended. Official records are defined as original documents issued by the institution — not photocopies — which bear the actual signature of the Registrar and the seal of the issuing institution. If you have attended more than one institution, separate official records should be submitted by each institution.

English Language Requirements 

If your first language is not English, you must certify proficiency in English when you apply to UCLA. If you are admitted, you may also be required to confirm your proficiency upon arrival.

Your test results can help you determine whether you are prepared to undertake graduate study conducted in English before making extensive plans for graduate study in the U.S.

Special note: If you studied at a satellite campus located in a country where English is not the primary spoken language of daily life, be sure to submit recent TOEFL or IELTS Academic scores. Citizenship, U.S. residence and/or work experience are not substitutes for meeting the requirement.

TOEFL & IELTS SCORES

TOEFL

Special COVID-19 Notice: Through consultation with ETS and IELTS, UCLA is aware that the
availability of in-person English language proficiency tests remain limited in some international
locations. To give students as much flexibility as possible in the fluctuating circumstances surrounding
COVID-19, the Graduate Council voted to enable departments and graduate programs to accept
TOEFL iBT® Home Edition, IELTS Online and IELTS Indicator test scores from applicants to meet
admission requirements for graduate degree programs for the 2024-2025 application cycle,
effective immediately.

Your TOEFL score on the paper and pencil test must be at least 560 or at least 87 on the internet-based test. These scores represent the minimum required for applicants to graduate programs at UCLA.

For the internet-based TOEFL (TOEFL iBT), the following are the expected scores for each section:

  • Writing:  25
  • Speaking:  24
  • Reading:  21
  • Listening:  17

Please note that these expected section scores help you judge your English language ability in different areas.

Be sure to list the TOEFL institution code for UCLA: 4837

IELTS

Your IELTS Academic overall band score should be at least 7.0. A 7.0 score is the minimum required. Ask IELTS to send your scores to your major department and the Graduate Division.

Foreign language ability can fade quickly, so please note that TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for only two years. The scores must be valid at the time you submit your application. If you took the examination multiple times, only the most recent score is considered.

 

UCLA GRADUATE HOUSING