Student Fees and Tuition
The most recent information regarding fees and tuition can be found on the UCLA Office of the Registrar website.
The Registrar’s Office Fees website is the authoritative UCLA source on fees and non-resident tuition. The fees and tuition published on the Registrar’s website are subject to revision without notice. California students (Residents) pay only fees, whereas out-of-state and international students pay fees and nonresident tuition which are listed in two formats, annual and quarterly. These are flat fees and not based on the number of units, although a minimum of 12 units is required to maintain full-time graduate student status.
International students pay non-resident fees and tuition but require additional documentation of financial resources to qualify for a student visa. For more information, click here.
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Fees and Non-Resident Tuition (Academic Year 2024-2025) |
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| Fee Name | Resident | Nonresident |
| Tuition | 12,762.00 | 12,762.00 |
| Student Services Fee | 1,254.00 | 1,254.00 |
| Nonresident Supplemental Tuition (NRST) | 12,245.00 | |
| Ackerman Student Union Fee | 81.00 | 81.00 |
| Ackerman/Kerckhoff Seismic Fee | 113.00 | 113.00 |
| Graduate Students Association Fee | 38.25 | 38.25 |
| Graduate Writing Center Fee | 21.90 | 21.90 |
| Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition (PDST) | 11,871.00 | 12,663.00 |
| UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UCSHIP) | 6,631.85 | 6,631.85 |
| Student Programs, Activities, and Resources Complex (SPARC) Fee | 135.00 | 135.00 |
| Wooden Center Fee | 37.00 | 37.00 |
| BruinGO Universal Access Transit Pass Fee | 34.15 | 34.15 |
| Continuing student total mandatory fees | $32,986.15 | $46,023.15 |
| Document Fee | 80.00 | 80.00 |
| New student total mandatory fees | $33,066.15 | $46,103.15 |
Fees & Anticipated Living Expenses
To gauge a better sense of the total fees and living expenses typical for UCLA graduate students, check this link for UCLA Fees and Living Expenses.
California Residency Requirements
For information on who qualifies as a resident of California or for establishing residency for tuition purposes, please consult the Registrar’s Office website on Residence Requirements.
Nonresident Supplemental Tuition Exemptions (AB 540 and California Dream Act)
For more information about these and other programs, click here.
Financial Aid
The Financial Aid Office is responsible for administering financial support based on need to domestic, full-time students. To apply for financial aid, submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the FAFSA Renewal Application by March 2. Completion of the FAFSA or the FAFSA Renewal Application is required for all financial aid programs. The UCLA code for your FAFSA is 001315.
Financial aid awards include long-term low-interest loans and work-study funds. Students may also apply for Federal Stafford Student Loans, which are long-term loans made by banks and other institutions.
Undocumented/DACAmented students should apply through the California Dream Act. For more information on applying for need-based support at UCLA, please refer to the website maintained by the Financial Aid Office. The UCLA Financial Aid Office is located at A129-J Murphy Hall. You may also reach the office at (310) 206-0400.
Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition (PDST) and Financial Aid Grants
As with other students in professional schools at the University of California, MPP students pay an additional fee called the Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition (PDST). When this fee was instituted, the Regents mandated that one-third of the fees are to be disbursed as financial aid grants to MPP students in order to mitigate the economic burden for students in financial need. Consequently, each year one-third of the Professional Degree Fees are disbursed to MPP students in financial need as assessed by the FAFSA or Dream Act.
On an annual basis, the Public Policy Department receives data from the UCLA Financial Aid Office regarding the MPP students’ financial need. After projecting the Professional Degree Fee revenues for the year, the Department then determines the percentage of “unmet need” that it can disburse to students. Because the projected revenue and financial need of students vary each year, the percentage of the “unmet need” financial aid grant awards also vary. So far, the range of financial aid grants has been from 5.5% to 10.5% of “unmet need” as assessed by the FAFSA or Dream Act. The grants are awarded uniformly to all MPP students receiving Financial Aid during each academic year. There is no separate application for the Professional Degree Financial Aid grants other than completing the FAFSA or Dream Act application.
Please note: All figures above are subject to change without notice.
Incoming Student Funding
The Department of Public Policy itself awards several fellowships based on merit and policy focus. Like many other fellowships, some have specific qualifications, while others are awarded based on overall academic performance, professional experience, and future potential in public policy.
The following fellowships are designated for the Department of Public Policy to honor distinguished applicants who have demonstrated outstanding merit in their preparation for engaging in graduate studies in public policy. These fellowships will be awarded based on the applicant rankings by the Admissions Committee.
No single factor determines whether a scholarship award will be made. If you believe our offer is not competitive with that of a peer institution, and you truly desire to enroll at UCLA Luskin Public Policy, please give us the opportunity to reconsider our funding package. While we will not enter a bidding competition, we are happy to consider revising our scholarship offer.
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Fellowship
Driven by our social justice values and our desire to increase diversity in our program and in the public service field, UCLA Luskin Public Policy has established a partnership with CHCI. The partnership will provide a minimum fellowship of $7,500 to CHCI alumni who are admitted to our Master of Public Policy program. The scholarship is renewable in the second year of study.
Public Policy & International Affairs (PPIA) Partnership
UCLA Luskin Public Policy partners with PPIA on a variety of recruitment and retention efforts to increase the diversity of our applicant pool. In addition to partnering on information sessions and workshops, UCLA Luskin Public Policy and PPIA host an annual Public Service Weekend at UCLA for undergraduate students. Over the weekend participants, meet trailblazing leaders from a variety of public service careers that share their experiences and learn how to harness their passion for tackling social problems into a career in public affairs while developing key skills to fight real-world problems.
Alumni of PPIA’s Junior Summer Institute who are admitted to our Master of Public Policy program are guaranteed a minimum, one-time financial award of $10,000. Additionally, alumni of UCLA Luskin’s Public Service Weekend who are admitted to our Master of Public Policy program are guaranteed a minimum, one-time financial award of at least $5,000.
Research Fellowships for Environmental Justice & Policy Innovation (Luskin Center for Innovation)
The Luskin Center for Innovation offers two types of fellowships to entering graduate students who are admitted to a degree program offered by the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.
- The Research Fellowship for Environmental Policy Innovation is offered to prospective students with a demonstrated interest in environmental planning and policy analysis.
- The Research Fellowship for Environmental Justice is offered to prospective students motivated to address environmental racism and other inequities. Encouraged to apply are students of color, first-generation students, or others interested in conducting research or applied work in environmental sustainability, including but not limited to the field of environmental justice and equity.
Award Value: Research Fellows receive a paid graduate student research (GSR) position at the LCI during the first year of their graduate degree program. The fellowship value is approximately $6,500 for two quarters, but sometimes more, depending on exact employment placement and project length. If funding permits, LCI may also cover tuition reimbursement. Students who receive the Research Fellowship for Environmental Justice may decide to conduct their research with a community-based organization instead of at UCLA.
Eligibility: The fellowship is open to prospective students applying to a graduate degree program at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.
Application process: Prospective students can apply as part of the departments’ standard degree application. Make sure to check the box indicating your interest in receiving a fellowship from the Luskin Center for Innovation.
ITS Fellowship
The Public Policy Department offers a concentration in transportation policy and planning. Transportation policy students can choose from among five graduate transportation policy and planning courses and three other transportation-related courses in designing their program of study. The Luskin School houses a branch of the University of California Institute of Transportation Studies, which offers renewable one-year graduate fellowships, research assistantships where students work with faculty on transportation policy research, and financial aid to students attending transportation conferences. Fellowship recipients must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, must take or waive out of at least four approved transportation policy and planning courses during their studies, and must complete their Applied Policy Project on a transportation-related topic. To apply for this fellowship please include a brief statement (half-page double-spaced, 100 words) describing your interest in the transportation policy and planning concentration or any background that you may have in this area.
Continuing Student Funding
The Department of Public Policy awards several fellowships based on merit and policy focus. Like many other fellowships, some have specific qualifications, while others are awarded based on overall academic performance, professional experience, and future potential in public policy.
Need-based Award
The Financial Aid award is determined by the amount of unmet need as assessed by the FAFSA and the UCLA
Financial Aid office. Students submit a brief statement with an online application form (@500 words or less) qualifying their “unmet” financial need, particularly if there are personal circumstances that are not easily assessed by the FAFSA. International students can apply for financial need-based aid. Since international students are not eligible to complete the FAFSA, students can submit a qualifying statement (@500 words or less) describing their financial situation and need for financial aid. Note, students who are fully funded by their work or government agency do not qualify for this aid. In the past awards have ranged from $1,000 to $10,000. The department fellowship application announcement is made in the Spring quarter.
Professional Degree Financial Aid Grant
On an annual basis, the department receives data from the UCLA Financial Aid Office regarding the MPP students’ financial need. After projecting the Professional Degree Fee revenues for the year, the Department then determines the percentage of “unmet need” that it can disburse to students. Because the projected revenue and financial need of students vary each year, the percentage of the “unmet need” financial aid grant awards also vary. So far, the range of financial aid grants has been from 5.5% to 10.5% of “unmet need” as assessed by the FAFSA or Dream Act. The grants are awarded uniformly to all MPP students receiving Financial Aid during each academic year. There is no separate application for the Professional Degree Financial Aid grants other than completing the FAFSA or Dream Act application. Students who have documented financial need (determined by FAFSA) are eligible to receive a portion of these funds. No application, other than FAFSA is required and amounts range from $1,000 to $10,000 (1st and 2nd year).
MPP Alumni Leadership & Service Fellowship
Each year, the MPP Alumni Council awards two fellowships to students who have demonstrated leadership and service to MPP students in the Department of Public Policy, within the Luskin School, at UCLA, and/or in the community. Typically awards have ranged from $2,500 to $5,000.
Luskin Leaders & Summer Awards
- Michael S. Dukakis Internship Program: The Michael S. Dukakis Internship Program provides stipends for UCLA Luskin masters’ students serving in non-partisan internships in government with a special emphasis on California. The focus for this 10-week (40 hours/week) summer internship is on government settings rather than non-profits or NGOs. The award is a $3,000 to $5,000 stipend.
- Liberty Hill Foundation: Liberty Hill is a non-profit organization that advances social change through a strategic combination of grants, leadership training, and campaigns. Liberty Hill Foundation provides students a paid summer internship opportunity to focus on one of the following areas: environmental justice, grantmaking, housing justice, and youth justice. One $5,000 award will be made for each internship.
- Public Service Internship Awards: UCLA Luskin will provide one or two summer internship awards to a UCLA Luskin graduate student who will be accepting non-paid internships with organizations that are engaged in public service. The internship organization must be bi-partisan/non-partisan and can be a civic organization, non-partisan government agency or department, a community program or nonprofit organization, advocacy group, or civic engagement. The internship will be ten weeks between June and September (400 hours). Awards are $5,000 each.
Yearlong Fellowships
UCLA Luskin offers a limited number of yearlong fellowships with nonprofit organizations, government, and public service agencies. Placement opportunities include public health, child welfare, education policy, social justice, environmental policy, city/county government, and other public service organizations. Currently enrolled first-year Public Policy, Social Welfare, and Urban Planning students are eligible to apply for awards. The fellowships are full-time during the summer and part-time during the 9-month academic year.
- David Bohnett Fellowship Program: The David Bohnett Fellowship Program was established as a hands-on working experience in the City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Office for exceptionally promising public policy, social welfare, and urban planning students. The Bohnett Fellowship Program will offer students first-hand experience in the highest levels of city government and will provide senior executives in the Mayor’s office with an outstanding cohort of policy interns. Three UCLA Luskin students will be selected. $35,000.
- Luskin Leadership Fellowship at the Office of Child Protection, Los Angeles County: UCLA Luskin Leadership Fellowship is a high-level apprenticeship program for exceptional public policy, social welfare, and urban planning graduate students that serve within selected government agencies and nonprofit and civic organizations to work on research, policy, advocacy and applied projects tailored to the students’ tracks of study and consistent with the mission and goals of the organization. $30,000.
Academic Apprentice Personnel
Academic Apprentice Personnel is the term applied to registered graduate students who have fulfilled the University’s established criteria for appointment (no more than 50% time) to teaching or research assistantships, and for which they are compensated at rates approved annually by the Regents of the University of California. These apprenticeships are intended to provide qualified students with relevant training experience for academic and academic-related careers in teaching and research and to augment limited resources from within the University for graduate student support. Teaching assistants are selected on the basis of scholarship and promise as teachers and serve an apprenticeship under the tutelage and supervision of regular faculty members who are responsible for curriculum and instruction in the University. Research assistants are appointed to the title graduate student researcher (GSR) and are selected on the basis of scholastic achievement and promise as creative scholars and serve an apprenticeship under the direction and supervision of a faculty member. Graduate students who hold academic appointments (GSI, GSR, Reader, Tutor) may be eligible for fee remissions that offset a portion or all of their fees.
- Teaching Assistantships (TAs / TA’ships): A Teaching Assistantship (TA) is a meaningful way for graduate students to obtain teaching experience. Teaching assistants are selected on the basis of scholarship and promise as teachers. Duties may include teaching, holding office hours, preparing course materials, and grading under the tutelage and supervision of regular faculty members who are responsible for curriculum and instruction in the University. For positions outside the Luskin School of Public Affairs, please see the TA Marketplace.
- Research Assistants (RAs): Research assistants are appointed to the title Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) and are selected on the basis of scholastic achievement and promise as creative scholars. GSRs assist faculty with scholarly research under the direction and supervision of a faculty member.
- Readers & Special Readers: Readers/Special Readers assist faculty members with the reading and grading of students’ papers and exams, under the guidance and direction of faculty members. Readers must have taken and received at least a B in the course for which they are hired while Special Readers must have taken and received at least a B+ in the course for which they are reading. Readers are appointed for undergraduate numbered courses (1-199) while Special Readers are hired for upper-division undergraduate or graduate-level courses (100 and above).
- Tutors: The primary duty of a Tutor is the individual or small group review instruction related to, but not required in, specific courses. The duty is performed under the supervision of faculty “instructors of record” or designated staff members who are vested with the sole and final responsibility for course content, work assignments, performance evaluations, and grading in the assigned course and its related tutoring.
Graduate Division Fellowships and Programs
Entering students should apply for most of these Graduate Division Fellowships and programs from within the online application for admission. If you have already submitted the online admission application without indicating that you’d like to be considered for any of the fellowships, then submit a hard copy of the Fellowship Application for Entering Graduate Students directly to your prospective department by the Department of Public Policy’s deadline for admissions on January 10.
- Graduate Opportunity Fellowship Program (GOFP): This one-year fellowship program supports a limited number of entering students pursuing terminal or professional master’s degrees or the JD. Awardees receive a $20,000 stipend plus tuition (and nonresident supplemental tuition if necessary). Professional degree supplemental tuition, if the awardee is enrolled in a professional degree program, is not covered. Applicants should review the GOFP Application Instructions. Complete the appropriate sections within the online admissions application. Your prospective home department will use the form and your Personal Statement (submitted within the online admissions application) to determine if it will nominate you to the Graduate Division (applicants must be nominated by their department/school). Individuals from cultural, racial, linguistic, geographic, and socioeconomic backgrounds that are currently underrepresented in graduate education are especially encouraged to apply.
- Will Rogers Memorial Fellowship: Several awards of up to $10,000 each, from which fees are paid, for graduate students with disabilities in any field of study. Applicants must submit verification of their disability (e.g., a letter from a physician or from the UCLA Center for Accessible Education) with the application.
- Charles F. Scott Fellowship: Several awards of up to $15,000 each, from which fees are paid, for graduate students with baccalaureates from UCLA. Applicants must provide evidence that they are enrolled in a course of study that prepares them for leadership in national, state, or local governmental administration.
The following resources are available for all students as they begin their search:
