Currently, the Professional Program in Producing is the only UCLA Professional Program that qualifies students for an F-1 student visa. If you are a Professional Program in Producing student, you must submit an I-20 application with your Program application.


Our administrative offices can answer your questions about costs, housing, application dates, and applying for an F-1 student visa. After you arrive at UCLA, the Office of International Students and Scholars will be your resource for general information about your I-20 status.


International students applying for a UCLA I-20 must apply to the Professional Program in Producing by April 17, 2009. Although international students are not charged non-residency fees, there is a $325 fee for I-20 processing that will be applied to the tuition cost for those students in need of a UCLA I-20. The student will be charged this fee once the I-20 is processed.


Professional Programs students live off-campus. The area surrounding UCLA offers plentiful housing options. Many rooms and apartments are within walking distance of campus. Additionally, UCLA offers resources to help students find housing. Please click the link below for more information.

Housing Resources


Some students stay in local hotels or motels when they first arrive in Los Angeles. If you do not have transportation, or if you want to stay on campus, we recommend the UCLA Guest House (www.hotels.ucla.edu). Please be aware that from late May to late June, due to commencement activities, the UCLA Guest House and other local hotels are heavily booked. Please make your reservations early!


An I-20 certifies that you have been admitted to a UCLA program. An I-20 is necessary to apply for an F-1 student visa from your local US embassy or consulate. You must submit an I-20 application along with your program application. International students will be charged a $325 fee for I-20 processing.


To apply for an I-20:
1) Obtain an I-20 application from the UCLA Professional Programs website or office. You can download the application right here.
2) Send the completed I-20 application, the required supporting financial documents, and a copy of your passport photo page to the UCLA Professional Programs at 102 East Melnitz Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1622, along with your program application.

IMPORTANT: The I-20 application MUST BE SENT to the Professional Programs offices, not to the Office of International Students and Scholars. The original documents must be sent. No faxes, please.

3) Once your I-20 is completed, we will send it to you via Express Mail. We will send it to the address you specify on your Professional Program in Producing application, unless you specify otherwise. No PO boxes, please. It should take two to three weeks to prepare your I-20.
4) After receiving your I-20 from UCLA, contact the US embassy or consulate in your home country for F-1 student visa application procedures.


International students applying for an I-20 are required to show financial certification proving that they have the ability to fund their studies. The preferred form is a bank letter in English (click for a sample below). If another person, such as a parent, is sponsoring your studies, he/she must send a bank letter regarding his/her own finances, as well as a separate letter stating the sponsorship. All documents – even bank statements – must be in English, with conversions to US dollars. You will need two copies of each document – one to send with your application, the other to present when you apply for your F-1 at the US embassy or consulate.

A copy of your passport (photo page only) must also be included with your I-20 application.

Click here to download an I-20 Application.

Click here for a Sample Bank Letter.

Click here to download Adobe Acrobat.