Why UCLA?

For 50 years, UCLA’s Department of Urban Planning has been a leading center of innovation and action. Consistently ranked among the nation’s top planning programs, we study urgent and topical issues at multiple scales and using interdisciplinary approaches – from community  development in Southern California to global environmental degradation. Join leading faculty, accomplished alumni and the very best fellow students to study planning in one of the world’s great cities.

Enjoy a short video about our program’s impact on communities here.

Applications for fall 2025 now open!

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Connect With Us

Sean Campbell
Associate Director of Admissions & Recruitment
Public Affairs Building, Room 3357E
sean@luskin.ucla.edu
(310) 825-8957

Schedule an appointment here!

Join us for a series of webinars to learn more about all that UCLA Luskin Urban Planning has to offer.

Urban Planning Admissions Webinar – Monday, September 23: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 

Urban Planning Admissions Webinar – Monday, October 7: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Statement of Purpose Workshop – Monday, October 14: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Urban Planning Admissions Webinar – Monday, October 21: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Statement of Purpose Workshop – Tuesday, October 29: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Urban Planning Admissions Webinar – Tuesday, November 12: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Statement of Purpose Workshop: Tuesday, November 19: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Sciences Po Double Degree Information Session: Tuesday, November 26: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

If you need information before then, feel free to make an admissions appointment! All times are PST/PDT

We will update our fair schedule once recruitment season begins in the late summer.

Our Virtual Open House will take place on Thursday, November 21. This day long event is a great way to see everything that our department has to offer.

MURP PROGRAM
10:30am | Department Welcome
11:00am | AOC Session 1
11:55am | AOC Session 2
1:30pm | Student Panel
3:00pm | Q&A with Director of Admissions

PHD PROGRAM
10:30am | Department Welcome
11:00am | AOC Session 1
11:55am | AOC Session 2
1:30pm | PhD Student Panel
3:00pm | Q&A with Director of Admissions

Course recordings will be made available at the start of the program to be watched whenever you would like. Any live courses will be arranged and scheduled closer to the event, potentially even on days other than that of the event itself.

Register here!

Be connected with a current MURP student that will review your statement of purpose and provide feedback. All prospective students to the MURP program are welcome to complete the below form, although priority will be given to first-generation and BIPOC students for review. If you are applying to a different graduate program, we ask that you contact the appropriate department to see if they have a similar service available.

If you are interested in having your statement reviewed, please complete this form.

We will be reading statements up to the application deadline, although we cannot guarantee everyone who signs up will have their statement read.

UCLA Luskin Urban Planning Brochure

Important Dates

September 2024
Applications Open

December 1, 2024
Ph.D. Application Deadline
December 15, 2024
MURP Application Deadline

MURP

Planners change the world — by shaping cities and regions, and the lives and livelihoods of those in them. Affordable housing, good jobs, clean air and water, safe parks, lively culture and vibrant streets are all on planners’ to-do lists.

As a UCLA Luskin Urban Planning student you will be trained as a generalist — in economic analysis, law, statistics, history and urban studies — and as a specialist in one or more areas: community development, environmental assessment, housing, international and regional planning, transportation or urban design.

Changing the world is a challenging, important, complex, exciting and dynamic job. You have the power to make it happen.

Learn more about Areas of Concentration, Concurrent Degree and Certificate programs on our Academic Programs page. Don’t miss course syllabi, student groups, international opportunities, and other great resources on the For Our Students page. View Student Projects, too!

  • A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
  • Undergraduate coursework in microeconomics, statistics and college algebra is highly recommended, although not required.
  • Previous experience in planning, a planning-related field or community development is recommended.
  • A minimum grade-point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), or its equivalent.
Application Materials
  • UCLA Graduate Division Online Application
  • Application Fee
  • Transcripts
  • Statement of Purpose – No longer than 1000 words
  • Resume
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • GRE Scores (Optional)
  • TOEFL or IELTS Scores (International Students)
  • Work Sample (Optional)
  • Personal History Statement – This should be limited to 500 words

View or download a funding overview (PDF)

See above.

Application Timeline

September: Applications Opens
December 1: Ph.D. Application Deadline
December 15: MURP Application Deadline
January 15: Double Degree Application Deadline

Early February: Ph.D. Decision Notification
Early March: MURP Decision Notification
Mid-March: Double Degree Decisions

March 2025: Ph.D. Welcome Day
April 2025: MURP Welcome Day
April 15: National Enrollment Deadline

PhD

Our program is famous for producing outstanding planning scholars and teachers through its distinct mix of three program elements: top faculty in critical fields, a flexible curriculum, and superb opportunities for important and progressive research.

For a basic overview of the Ph.D. in Urban Planning, visit our Academic Programs page. For an in-depth look at policies, procedures, and a year-by-year outline of practices, visit the Ph.D. Handbook page. Resources such as course syllabi, student groups, and international opportunities can be found on the For Our Students page. View student dissertation information here. Student profiles to come!

  • A master’s degree in planning or a closely related field
  • A minimum 3.5 grade point average in all graduate work
  • Employment experience in planning or a closely-related field

Download the PhD Application Checklist (PDF)

Application Material

  • UCLA Graduate Division Online Application
  • Application Fee
  • Transcripts
  • Statement of Purpose / Research Statement
  • Curriculum Vitae / Resume
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • GRE Scores (optional)
  • TOEFL Scores (International Students)
  • Work Sample

We hope that our PhD students would remain nearly fully funded for the duration of their studies, by either fellowship awards (stipend) or teaching and research assistantships (salary). Your funding package is included in your departmental letter of acceptance.

Meet Our Student Representatives

AujeanLee_picPh.D. Profile: C. Aujean Lee

Master of Urban Planning, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

B.A., Asian American Studies, Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles

Bio: Aujean Lee is a doctoral student and a graduate student researcher for the UCLA Center for the Study of Inequality. Her research examines how community development and housing impacts underserved communities.  These interests grew out of her experience working with Asian American and civil rights nonprofits in Los Angeles including the K. W. Lee Center for Leadership, the Japanese American Citizens League, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles. Her master’s thesis analyzed the impact of the foreclosure crisis on Asian American communities and Asian American-serving nonprofit organizations.

Before beginning graduate school, she was the assistant director for the UCLA Center for EthnoCommunications, where she helped produce student documentaries that focused on various community-based issues.

Xavier KuaiPh.D. Profile: Yiwen (Xavier) Kuai

Master of Urban Planning, New York University

BA, Economics, University of California, Berkeley

Bio: Yiwen is a doctoral student at the Department of Urban Planning at UCLA Luskin. His research interests include housing affordability, neighborhood and poverty, transportation, urban economics, and international development. His current research projects include topics on the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, suburban street with and parking policy, gentrification issues in New York City, etc.

Yiwen is also a research affiliate of the Furman Center for Real Estate & Urban Policy at New York University.

MURP Outreach Coordinator: Zyon McMahon

Bio:

Zyon McMahon (he/they) is a second year student in the MURP program at UCLA with a concentration in Climate, Environment, and Society. Building on his background as a two-summer Environmental Justice Intern for Los Angeles County’s Second District Supervisor, Zyon brings a focus in climate justice and participatory governance to his role. During his time with the Second District, he reached out to community based organizations to advance “care-first” violence prevention initiatives, analyzed policy frameworks, and assisted in drafting motion directives. Zyon also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies and Politics from UC Santa Cruz, where he served as Internal Vice President of the Student Union Assembly during his senior year. His experience in public policy and strategic outreach informs his approach to fostering diverse connections and enhancing program visibility within UCLA and beyond.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

APPLICATION PROCESS – GENERAL 

What is the application deadline?

For admission and fellowship consideration to Fall Quarter 2024, the departmental deadline for Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) is December 15, 2023. The deadline for Ph.D. applicants is December 1, 2023. The same deadlines apply for both domestic and international students.

For the Sciences Po Double Degree program, the application deadline is January 15, 2024.

Where do I send my application materials?

The majority of your supplemental application materials should be submitted electronically via the online UCLA Application for Graduate Admission. Official transcripts only should be sent directly to:

UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs
Dept of Urban Planning, Admissions
3250 Public Affairs Building, Box 951656
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1656

For universities that send electronic transcripts, please have them sent to the Associate Director of Admissions and Recruitment, Sean Campbell, at sean@luskin.ucla.edu.

Do official transcripts need to arrive by the application deadline?

No, only uploaded to the Graduate Application system. You will need to send us official transcripts if you are admitted to our programs.

What should I do with my junior college transcripts? 

Please upload unofficial copies of all junior college transcripts to the Transcript Upload section of the Online Application, despite contradictory language in the description of that site. You do not need to send in official junior college transcripts to the department unless specifically instructed to do so.

What is the application fee?

We understand that applying to graduate school is an expensive process. The fee for domestic applicants is $135. The fee for international applicants is $155.

How do I apply for a fee waiver?

Waivers will only be granted to those who fall under one of the categories listed on the UCLA Graduate Division application. The university will grant need-based fee waivers for currently-enrolled students who are receiving financial aid. You must submit a letter from your financial aid officer indicating your enrollment and financial aid status and that payment would be a hardship. This letter should be uploaded directly to the application; select “Fee Waiver” as your method of payment. Your application will NOT be reviewed until your waiver is approved. Please follow up with the department no sooner than January, at least two weeks after you complete the application.

The university has begun a pilot program to grant fee waivers based on financial status. This will be based on tax information and will only apply to domestic students.

How can I verify that my GRE scores and transcripts have been received?

We receive a high volume of materials and cannot verify receipt of materials over the phone. If anything is missing from your application, the staff will contact you in January. At that time, you may submit your missing material(s) without penalty.

How long should the Statement of Purpose and Personal History Statements be? 

Please follow departmental guidelines over those in the graduate application for all application materials. The Statement of Purpose may be up to 1000 words, while the Personal History Statement should be limited to around 500.

When will I hear from the Department regarding the status of my application?

Admission notification and fellowship letters are usually sent out in late February or early March. Please do not contact the Department regarding admission decisions until after March 15.

When do I need to notify the Department about whether or not I will be attending UCLA?

The national deadline to inform all graduate schools of your decision is April 15th.

May I defer admissions?

No, the Department of Urban Planning does not defer admissions. You will have to re-apply to the program.

Does the Department admit new students mid-year?

No. Students are admitted to the fall term only.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

May I submit more than three letters of recommendation?
Yes, although we encourage you to limit yourself to three letters unless special circumstances require additional letters.

How does the letters of recommendation system work?

  • Click the “Recommendation Provider List” button.
  • Insert the name and contact information of each recommendation provider.
  • Once the recommendation provider information is saved, an email will be sent to the online recommendation provider with an access code and instructions on how to proceed with the online recommendation.
  • When the recommendation provider submits the form to our office it will become a part of your application.
  • You can view the status of your online recommendations each time you log into your application account.

May I use a third-party vendor such as Interfolio to submit my letters of recommendation?
Such a vendor may send letters of recommendation directly to Sean Campbell via email (sean@luskin.ucla.edu). However, this method is discouraged because your application may be at a slight disadvantage as compared to other applicants who use the online submission process. Through a third-party system, your referees are not able to complete the rating piece of the evaluation.

TEST SCORES

Is the GRE required?

The GRE is optional for the MURP and Sciences Po Double Degree programs as well as for the Urban Planning PhD Program.

Those who are applying for a concurrent degree program may submit GMAT/LSAT scores in lieu of GRE scores. However, copies of the official score report must be provided by the applicant.

The GRE institution code for UCLA is R4837 and the department code is 4402, titled “City and Regional Planning.” However, indicating a department is not necessary.

Please make sure that the name indicated on your GRE report is exactly the same as the name on your application. Mismatched names will cause a delay in the review process of your application.

I did not include the department code in my GRE submission. Will my score still reach you? 
Yes. ETS sends both electronic and paper copies to UCLA when requested.

Is there a minimum GRE requirement? 
No. We evaluate applicants holistically when making admissions decisions, weighing the undergraduate record, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and prior planning-related work experience above all else. 

Is the TOEFL required?
The TOEFL is required for international applicants only. The minimum score required is 600 paper-based, 250 computer-based, or 100 internet-based. The UCLA Graduate Division requires the following minimum passing scores for each section on the internet-based exam: Writing 25, Speaking 24, Reading 21, and Listening 17.

The TOEFL institution code for UCLA is 4837 and the department code is 97.

Is the IELTS accepted in lieu of the TOEFL?
Yes, the IELTS is accepted in lieu of the TOEFL. Please note that the minimum Overall Band Score for admission to the Department of Urban Planning is 7.5.

What are the English language requirements for admission to UCLA? 
International applicants whose first language is not English must certify their proficiency in English when applying to UCLA, and, if admitted, upon arrival.

ADMISSIONS PROFILES

What percentage of applicants are admitted? 
While the number of applications received each year varies, approximately forty percent of applicants are admitted.

How can I strengthen my application for MURP?
The strongest applications have a clear, focused statement of purpose, an impressive resume reflecting relevant planning experience, supportive letters of recommendation, and a solid undergraduate grade-point average (GPA). The average admitted-student GPA is 3.50, which we calculate based on you the entirety of your undergraduate work, major and non-major. The average GRE scores are 73rd percentile for verbal, 50th percentile for quantitative, and 70th percentile for writing. It is important to note that GRE scores are not weighted as heavily as the statement of purpose, GPA, letters of recommendation, and resume. Most of our students have worked in the planning profession in some capacity, though some enter directly following the completion of their undergraduate career, with internship and research experience.

What qualifies as planning-related work experience? 
Any work you have done in the planning field, whether that be full/part-time employment, research, volunteer/organizing, etc, should be highlighted in your resume. If it is relevant to your development as a planner, it is relevant to our admissions committee.

Is it possible to be admitted to the MURP Program with a GPA of less than 3.0? 
Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may be given provisional admittance to the program if other aspects of their applications are strong. An outstanding record in any area may compensate for poorer performance in another. Students accepted provisionally must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 during their first quarter in the program.

REGARDING THE PROGRAM

Does the Department of Urban Planning offer an undergraduate degree?
Not specifically, but the Luskin School has an undergraduate major in Public Affairs and a minor in Urban and Regional Studies.

Does the Department of Urban Planning offer part-time degree programs? 
No. We offer full-time Master’s and Ph.D. degree programs. Some students are able to work part-time while taking a full course load.

What is the national ranking of the Department of Urban Planning?
Our program currently ranks as the top Urban Planning program in the country, as well as internationally. According to Planetizen, the MURP program at UCLA is currently ranked 1st in the United States (2023).

What is the duration of the MURP degree program?
The MURP degree is normally a two-year program.

Is the MURP degree accredited?
Yes, it is fully accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board, a joint undertaking of the American Institute of Certified Planners and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.

Where can I find a list of course syllabi and schedules?
For sample course syllabi, click here. For course schedules, click here.

How many students are currently enrolled in each of your programs?

  • PhD: 32
  • MURP: 153
  • Latin American Studies/MURP: 0
  • MArch/MURP: 1
  • MBA/MURP: 0
  • MPH-EHS/MURP: 2
  • MPH-CHS/MURP: 2
  • Law/MURP: 1

Does the Department offer Concurrent Degree Programs? 
Yes, Urban Planning has agreements with five other departments at UCLA which allow us to offer joint degrees in less time than sequential completion of the programs. Joint degrees are offered with:

How do I apply to one of the concurrent degree programs? 
For concurrent degrees, you need to submit a complete application to each school separately. If you are admitted to both programs, the graduate advisor in each program will tell you which courses you need to take for the concurrent degree program. You should also contact:

TUITION, FEES, & FUNDING

Where can I obtain more information on registration fees and tuition?
For up-to-date information about tuition and fees, please visit the UCLA Registrar’s Website.

Where can I find information on establishing California residency for tuition purposes?
http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/faq/residencefaq.htm

What are the funding opportunities for MURP students?
Please see the PDF under MURP resources above. Click here for information on the graduate cost of attendance at UCLA and details on available financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Detailed information on student fees and teaching assistantships can be found at the UCLA Graduate Division website.

How can I be qualified for fellowships or financial aid?
You are automatically considered for departmental merit-based fellowships when you submit your online graduate application. There is no separate application. To be eligible for consideration for need-based financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on or before the March 2 deadline.

Certain fellowships offered through UCLA Graduate Division, including the Graduate Opportunity Fellowship Program (GOFP) are applied for with the graduate application. See the directions within the application for more information.

What are the funding opportunities for Ph.D. applicants?
All Ph.D. students are guaranteed financial support for part to all of their time in the program. Teaching and research positions will most certainly be available to you to help with your cost of living. We hope that our PhD students would remain nearly fully-funded for the duration of their studies, by either fellowship awards (stipend) or assistantships (salary). It is encouraged that you communicate with faculty members with whom you would potentially work.

How does funding change for international MURP students?
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 at UCLA are not eligible for support based solely on need. Therefore, international students are strongly advised to secure funds from their own sources.

Where can I obtain more information?
All of our admissions materials are available on this website or by email.

For further information, email Sean Campbell, Associate Director of Admissions & Recruitment, at sean@luskin.ucla.edu or call (310) 825-8957.

Undocumented/DACAmented FAQ

Yes! There are no citizenship requirements to apply to the either the MURP Program or the Urban Planning PhD Program.

No. Background information and residency/citizenship status are not part of the application review process and have absolutely no bearing on an applicant’s admission decision.

UCLA is committed to ensuring that all students, regardless of their citizenship status, are receiving the resources that they need. The Undocumented Students Program serves as a hub to provide resources and support to all Undocumented/DACAmented students.

Financial aid opportunities are available to Undocumented/DACAmented students. Applicants should fill out a Dream Act application instead of a FAFSA, if able. Additionally, there is funding available for undocumented/DACAmented students from the department to help with the professional degree supplemental tuition (PDST).

Be advised that, depending on your DACA/AB540 status, you may not be eligible for certain kinds of aid. To see what funding is available to you, refer to the following link: https://grad.ucla.edu/funding/financial-aid/students-with-ab540-andor-daca-status/ 

No. The application is the same for all applicants. The welcome screen of the application will provide additional guidelines to those who are uncertain how to discuss their citizenship status.