The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), is one of the most selective universities within the public University of California system. Located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, UCLA offers the best of both worlds: an urban campus with access to the natural beauty of the Golden State. Due to its high volume of applicants annually, UCLA campus tours have become a staple throughout the years.
Founded in 1919, UCLA is distinguished as the only leading research university established after 1900. In just under a century, UCLA has evolved from a modest regional institution serving locals into a premier choice for students worldwide.
In this blog, we’ll be sharing everything you need to know about UCLA’s campus tour— including its schedule, features, tour highlights, and more.
- The UCLA Campus Tour
- What’s the Schedule of UCLA’s Campus Tours?
- What Can You See at UCLA?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Takeaways
The UCLA Campus Tour
If you’re excited to experience life as a Bruin firsthand, the UCLA Undergraduate Admissions office recommends making reservations as early as possible. These tours fill up quickly with visitors from across the United States and around the world.
The UCLA campus tour reservation system opens dates up to four months in advance. Keep this in mind if you want to secure a slot.
UCLA offers three types of campus tours, including the following:
- Individual Campus Tour. This is ideal for 1-2 persons or a group of 3 to 6 people. To sign up for this tour, you must reserve your spot online through the UCLA website. This is best for incoming first-year students or transfer applicants. To make a reservation for a group of 7 or more people, you can coordinate with the Tour Coordinators. You can reach them at (310) 825-8764. UCLA campus tour is offered from Mondays to Saturdays. If you want to request a no-step tour route, a wheelchair, or a sign language interpreter, you can make a written request two weeks before your scheduled tour.
- Group Campus Tours. This is for community-based organizations, community colleges, and high schools, and can accommodate 10 to 100 people per group.
- Cub Campus Tours. This tour is for kindergarten through 8th-grade students.
If you failed to get a reservation, you may still receive the UCLA self-guided tour map and other suggestions for learning more about UCLA’s campus from a staff member at check-in and speak with them regarding any questions about the campus as well.
Guided campus tours are led by UCLA students and showcase academic programs, resources, and student life. These tours are held Monday through Saturday each week, except on official university holidays—meaning tours will continue during UCLA’s spring break and throughout the summer.
Professional school tours
The following educational institutions at UCLA hold their information sessions and tours, during which they provide details about the facilities, programs, and opportunities they offer:
- School of the Arts and Architecture
- Samueli School of Engineering
- Herb Alpert School of Music
- School of Nursing
- Luskin School of Public Affairs
- School of Theater, Film & Television
What’s the Schedule of UCLA Campus Tours?
UCLA campus tours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays start at 10:15 in the morning followed by a 30-minute presentation, then a two-hour campus tour.
Tours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays begin at 2:15 in the afternoon and last approximately 1.5 hours and do not include a presentation on those days.
What Can You See at UCLA?
An estimated 500,000 people visit the campus each year to take part in the more than 1,000 visual, performing, and media art events, as well as the athletic competitions that feature both internationally renowned guest professionals and talented UCLA students.
When taking a UCLA campus tour, the following is a list of the most popular attractions that you shouldn’t miss:
1. Center for the Art of Performance
The Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA is space for the performing arts and other forms of entertainment. It features an array of performers. This includes contemporary forms of dance, music, spoken word, and theater, as well as newly emerging forms of digital, collaborative, and cross-art platforms that are inspired by the leading creators of today.
2. Fowler Museum at UCLA
At the Fowler Museum at UCLA, you can learn about global cultures and artwork from the past and the present. The diverse peoples, cultures, and religions of the world are highlighted through a series of exhibitions that center on objects originating in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and the Americas.
3. Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden
The serene Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden at UCLA is one of the most acclaimed outdoor sculpture collections in the United States. It is located on the northeast corner of campus and spans more than five acres. The garden is home to 70 sculptures. This collection focuses on the significant role that the arts play at UCLA.
4. Geffen Playhouse
The Geffen Playhouse is a gem in the city of Los Angeles, and each year, it puts on a body of work that earns widespread acclaim across the country. The Geffen Playhouse is celebrated for its dedication to the creation of new theatrical works and is known for having stages that are both welcoming and intimate.
5. The Hammer Museum
The well-known Hammer Museum is a one-of-a-kind and cutting-edge arts institution that bridges the gap between the past and the present using its eclectic collections and thought-provoking exhibits. The general public is welcome to visit the museum while taking the UCLA campus tour. You can attend all public programs and exhibitions and there is no admission fee.
6. UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame
You can also visit the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame to get an up-close look at the trophies and other memorabilia that have been won by UCLA teams. You can also explore a room that is a replica of the one that legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden used to spend his post-coaching years using as his office in the condominium he owned in Encino, California.
You can also watch video recaps of some of the most memorable moments in the long and illustrious history of UCLA athletics, learn about the university’s rich Olympic tradition, and much more. Guests of the UCLA Luskin Conference Center also have the opportunity to attend one of more than twenty seasonal events hosted by NCAA teams.
You can buy tickets at the Central Ticket Office, which is located in the James West Center, which is right next door to the Luskin Conference Center and Hotel.
7. UCLA Store
The UCLA Store is conveniently located in the Ackerman Union, and it is staffed by students. While you’re there, you can check out the wide selection of UCLA-themed mementos, gifts, and clothing, as well as computer accessories and supplies.
8. Bruin Plaza
The statue of The Bruin, the school’s mascot, can be found in Bruin Plaza on the UCLA campus. Located here are student services and resource centers like the following: the Wooden Center (for recreation), the Ashe Center (for health and wellness), and the Student Activities Center (for the LGBT Center).
9. Powell Library
The Powell Library is one of the best spots to visit during the UCLA campus tour. It is one of the four buildings that were originally on the UCLA campus. The Powell Library building underwent recent renovations, and as a result, it now features outstanding Romanesque Revival architecture on both the inside and the outside of the building.
On the UCLA campus, the Powell Library serves as the primary library for undergraduate students. Even though it has a large amount of available study space, it is frequently overcrowded because the majority of UCLA students consider it to be the best study area. The interior architecture has an “old feeling,” which is very relaxing especially for students studying for exams.
10. Royce Hall
Finished in 1929, Royce Hall, with its iconic twin towers, remains the most recognizable landmark on the UCLA campus. The building is named after Josiah Royce, a California-born philosopher. Its exterior incorporates elements inspired by various Italian sources, most notably the well-known Abbey Church of Sant’Ambrogio in Milan, Italy.
Most people who visit UCLA take a picture in front of Royce Hall as proof that they indeed went to the school. It has become a tradition by now.
11. Inverted Fountain
The Inverted Fountain can be found on the east side of the UCLA campus. It is a well-known gathering spot and hangout that is exactly what its name suggests: a water fountain with the water flowing downward rather than being pushed upward.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What if I can’t physically come to LA, how do I get a tour of UCLA?
UCLA has an option for a virtual tour. They also frequently update their social media accounts to provide information on their campus and the application process throughout the year.
Be sure to sign up for Get Connected, so you can be aware of any Facebook live events, webinars, or any additional events near where you may live. Keep in mind that demonstrated interest is not a factor within their review process. This means that if you are able to visit and meet with UCLA or not, your application will not be impacted in any way.
You can also check out their publication library to best suit your schedule, interests, and questions.
2. What if the UCLA campus tours are already full?
UCLA does not accommodate guests who do not have a reservation. If a tour is full, they encourage you to continue to check the reservation site as registered guests may cancel and this will open up spots allowing you to make a reservation.
If the tour is full and you would still like to visit campus, there is a self-guided tour map available. This will allow you to go at your own pace, to explore parts of campus you’re most interested in, and to visit the Hill, UCLA’s residential community, which is not included on the official tour.
They also encourage you to visit Undergraduate Admission located at 1147 Murphy Hall where you can speak with an admission advisor and pick up copies of all of UCLA’s publications. Undergraduate Admission is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm.
3. What else can I explore about the campus?
There are many additional ways to explore UCLA’S campus community.
To see their residential communities, sign up for the on-campus housing tour. If you’re interested in one of their specialty schools (Arts and Architecture, Music, Theater, Film and Television, Nursing, or Engineering), book one of the specialty school tours and information sessions.
During the academic year, you can also experience UCLA’s academic community first-hand by sitting in on a class from the approved list of courses for their lecture series.
4. What should I do on the day of my UCLA campus tour?
Once you arrive on campus, head directly to the parking kiosk at Strathmore Place and Westwood Plaza. The parking attendant will help you find the nearest available parking space. The daily parking fee is $13.
Your tour will begin at the Bruin Viewpoint Lounge in the Ackerman Student Union. This is located in Bruin Plaza, near the Bruin Bear and Luskin Conference Hall. Proceed to Level A in Ackerman, where you’ll find a sign directing you to the check-in area. Please note that Level A is directly above the UCLA store. UCLA Undergraduate Admissions is located next to the UCLA Photo Center, across from the Bruin Pharmacy.
Takeaways
- The UCLA campus tour may be one of the things that pique your interest in attending the university. There are a few different campus tour options to choose from, including individual tours, group tours, cub tours, self-guided tours, and virtual tours.
- Choose which UCLA campus tour best fits your needs and circumstances.
- Excited to apply to UCLA? We got you! At AdmissionSight, we have more than 10 years of experience in helping students like you enter their dream school.
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