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 all of the supplemental application materials outlined in the Department of Urban Planning Ph.D. Application Checklist: 1) the personal/research statement (covering the applicant's background and research plans; consult the specific prompt on the Department of Urban Planning Ph.D. Application Checklist for details, 2) letters of recommendation, 3) a work sample, 4) complete undergraduate and graduate academic transcripts, 5) Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, and 6) a curriculum vita. The review for admission considers all of these materials. At least two Urban Planning faculty members must agree to guide and financially support an applicant for admission to be recommended; these two faculty members must also agree to guide and financially support the admitted student during his or her doctoral studies.

Applicants admitted to the UCLA Urban Planning Ph.D. program must hold a master's degree in planning or a related field prior to commencing Ph.D. study. A minimum U.S.-equivalent grade point average of 3.0 for all undergraduate coursework and 3.5 for all graduate coursework is required. Work experience in planning or a closely related field is strongly recommended.

Applicants must submit unofficial transcripts from every college attended, whether or not a degree was granted from that institution, as well as official transcripts from all institutions that granted the applicant a degree. For applicants who do not meet the University's English language requirement, the department expects a score of 600 (paper based test) or 100 (internet based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or an overall band score of 7.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination.