See UCLA's minimum requirements for all graduate program applicants.

In addition to the University's minimum requirements and those listed above, all applicants are expected to submit a statement of purpose.

The applicant's bachelor's degree need not be in Design | Media Arts; applicants with degrees in interdisciplinary programs that emphasize design and media arts are preferred.

Applicants are required to submit the departmental supplemental application (contact department for supplemental materials and instructions), and to have working knowledge of graphics software. Additional experience with video, interactive media, or 3D modeling and animation is expected.

Applicants are required to submit a portfolio of no more than ten (10) pieces of the applicant's original work in digital form on a CD-R by January 15. The portfolio should contain the best current work representing the applicant's media emphasis and potential for advanced specialized study . Still images must be submitted in either JPEG or TIFF and must be 1024 x 768 pixels at 72 dpi in RGB. Video may be submitted as excerpts on CD-Rom as .avi or .mov files; the total length should be no more than a maximum of two minutes. Web sites or other interactive projects should be submitted on the same CD-Rom or as a link. Directions should be included. Special programs or extras will not be downloaded. Sound files may be submitted on the same CD-Rom using such standard formats as AIF, WAV or MP3.

Faculty review of applications takes place near the end of Winter quarter. Applicant finalists should be available for a telephone or in-person interview.

For applicants whose native language is not English, certification of proficiency in English is required and may be satisfied through one of the following examination options:
a) a minimum score of 620 (paper and pencil test) or 260 (computer-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL);
b) for the internet-based TOEFL (TOEFL iBT), achieving the recommended minimum passing scores for each section and the minimum total required passing score:
Writing: 25
Speaking: 24
Reading:21
Listening: 17
Total minimum passing score required: 87
or c) an overall band score of 7.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination.