FAQ

List of 19 items.

• Is UCLA Lab School a public school or a private school?

  We are not a public school or a private school. We are a laboratory school designed to be a site of innovation and part of a public university. We are a research site for the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies (Ed&IS). We have a state charter to conduct research and promote innovative practices in education.
  
  

  Our principal reports directly to the Ed&IS dean. Our board is an advisory board and not a governing board. See a list of our Board of Advisors.
  
  Learn more about our unique mission and structure of governance as a laboratory school.

• Is there a limit to the number of applications you can receive each year?

  We welcome all applications to our school, and we do not limit the number of applications.

• Do you have a wait list?

  UCLA Lab School does not have a waitlist. If an applicant submits the application and all the required documents by the deadline, they will be included in the admissions pool. If your child is not admitted during the first notification, their application will remain in the active applicant pool until Fall 2023. Open spaces are filled throughout the summer from the current applicant pool based on the four demographic criteria to match the population goals for that open space.

• Do you offer any type of tuition support?

  UCLA Lab School determines tuition annually. We partner with School & Student Services (SSS) to help determine our tuition support awards. Based on the information you provide, SSS calculates an estimated amount that your family can contribute to educational expenses.
  
  Click here for more information

• What other documents do I need to submit besides the online application?

  In addition to the completed application, we require the application fee and a copy of the applicant’s birth certificate. If your child is applying to our Primary, Intermediate, or Upper levels, the most recent progress report must be submitted. Once an application has been submitted, a checklist of requirements will be uploaded to your account within 24 hours. Please check your account to confirm you have submitted any necessary requirements by the indicated deadlines.

• I applied for a previous school year. Do I need to re-apply?

  Yes, you must re-apply. All supplemental documents and fees will also have to be re-submitted.

  Applications from a previous year are not kept in our system once the new school year begins. 

• Is there an advantage to applying early?

  Our admissions decisions are made blindly and are based on the demographic needs of the school. No attention is paid to the date an application is submitted.

• Do I have to apply for each of my children separately?

  A separate application must be completed for each child. Once an application has been opened and saved, please create a separate account for the second applicant.

• Do I have to submit separate applications if I am interested in applying to both the Dual Language Program and the regular program?

  No. You can submit one application to be considered for both programs. All applications are automatically in the regular applicant pool. If you are interested in applying to both programs, simply check the box marked YES next to the question that asks if you are interested in the Dual Language Program and answer the questions in that section.

• Do you offer private tours of your campus?

  We don’t offer private tours of our campus. All applicants are encouraged to attend one of our Prospective Parent Visits.

• How many openings do you have for each level?

  Early Childhood I — In ECI we have 44 openings each year—22 in the Dual Language program and 22 in the English program.
  
  

  Early Childhood II — In ECII we have approximately 25 spots available each year. This is because there is an additional ECII classroom in the English program. Spots in the ECII Dual Language program depend on our re-enrollment numbers. We typically don’t know how many spots we will have for the upcoming year until February, when returning families submit their re-enrollment contracts.
  
  Primary through Upper — The number of spaces available varies and depends on our total school enrollment each year.

• Do you have a sibling or legacy policy?

  It is important to note that we do not have a legacy policy.
  
  When possible, UCLA Lab School tries to give admissions preference to siblings of students currently enrolled at the time of the applicant’s matriculation. However, there can be no guarantee of admission for any sibling applicant. Priority is given to applicants entering Early Childhood I, but all admissions depend on space available as well as the demographic and research needs of the school.
  
  

  For siblings of new students, it is not uncommon that we can admit one child from a family but not the other; it depends on space available. We know this presents a hardship for the family, so when slots become available later in the admissions process we try to give these students priority.

• Do you interview the families as part of your application process?

  No. Our admissions decisions are not based on an individual applicant’s specific skills or abilities, and interviews are not part of the admissions process.

• Do you accept letters of recommendation?

  No. Our admissions decisions are not based on an individual applicant’s specific skills or abilities, and letters of recommendation are not part of the admissions process.

• Do you consider an applicant’s term of residency when making admissions decisions?

  Because of the importance and expense of collecting research data, short-term or temporary Los Angeles residents are rarely admitted and are discouraged from applying.

• Does my child have to be toilet trained to attend UCLA Lab School?

  Independent toileting is required for all students to enroll at UCLA Lab School unless otherwise indicated in an IEP or 504 Plan.

• What is your teacher to student ratio?

  Each classroom has 1.5 teachers and 1 teaching assistant to 20–25 students.
  
  

  UCLA students also help out in our classrooms. Some are junior or senior year and interested in learning more about teaching and as part of their coursework they are assigned to one of our classrooms for 10 hours per week. Others are interns from the Cal-Teach Program who are interested in pursuing a career in science or math education. We also have students from the UCLA Art Education program working with teachers and students to gain experience in teaching the arts.

• What’s a typical day like for a student?

  • ECI through Upper II: 8:15 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
  • All classes visit the library once a week.
  • All children have a mid-morning break with a snack brought from home.
  • Lunch break is 50 minutes with time to eat and for supervised play.
  • Children bring lunch from home.

• Do you offer any after-school programs?

  We offer an optional Extended Day Program and enrichment classes that meet after school. Separate registration and fees are required. For more information, see Before and After School.