*Please note: The Confidential Financial Statement (CFS) is no longer reequired with the On-Line Application for Admission through the Graduate Division. You will be asked for proof of funding upon admission.
Unfortunately, UCLA has only a limited number of fellowships and assistantships for which non-U.S. graduate students are eligible. These are awarded to students who have demonstrated high academic achievement in their studies on this campus. International students are not eligible for support based solely on need. Therefore, international students are strongly advised to secure funds from their own sources.
The Department of Public Policy does provide funding to the top applicants. As UCLA is a state-funded university with limited merit-based fellowship funds, it is difficult for us to provide international students with full funding. If your application is ranked among the top of our applicants, we may award you partial funding. Unfortunately, if you are not able to find the balance of your funds from other sources, it is unlikely that you would be issued a visa. Teaching Assistantships and Graduate Student Research appointments are also available to students selected on the basis of scholastic achievement. Again, students who are awarded these positions are competitively evaluated. Please note these positions are not guaranteed.
It is best to plan to have additional funding well beyond the minimum currently required and to indicate this on the Confidential Financial Statement.
Although international students cannot qualify for US government financial aid, there are many funding opportunities available. The following links provide links to fellowship and financial aid resources for international students:
Anticipated Expenses for Studying at UCLA 2013-2014 [4]
The estimated budget for entering international students to the Public Policy program for I-20 eligibility is $54,356. We advise applicants to pad it to at least $57,000 this year. Though these are the most updated figures, and they are subject to change at any time. This information will be updated once our department is notified of any changes, so please check back for the upcoming academic year, and make sure this minimum amount is stated on your CFS. The following is an explanation of the current breakdown.
If you have a sponsor who intends to provide monthly living expenses, that amount must be at least $2,247.33 per month (i.e., $2,247.33 multiplied by nine months equals $20,226.00) to cover the current estimate.
If you plan to bring your family, you should 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.
Please note: These figures are subject to change without notice.
It is best to plan to have additional funding well beyond the minimum currently required, so please be ready to provide documentation when requested from the Dashew Center for International Students if you are admitted.
Please note that you should not expect any financial support from UCLA unless you have been officially notified, in writing, of such an award by the department or by the Graduate Division. Teaching Assistantships, Graduate Student Researcher appointments, fellowships, and stipends, as well as tuition fellowships, are not guaranteed for the full academic year or for subsequent years of study, unless stated in writing.
It is extremely difficult for non-immigrant visa holders to find off-campus employment and to obtain permission for such employment. Spouses of F-1 visa holders, who hold F-2 visas, are not permitted to work under any circumstances.
At certain times of the year, you must have large sums of money available to cover payment of required expenses: Upon arrival, plan to spend US $13,000.00 — 15,000.00 on initial rental deposits, your first month's living expenses and the first term's tuition and fees. Tuition and fees for each term must be paid during the registration period prior to the beginning of the term, so you should plan your budget accordingly.
Links:
[1] http://www.edupass.org/
[2] http://www.nafsa.org/
[3] http://www.iie.org/
[4] http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/asis/stusup/index.html