International Students

Certificate Programs

F-1 visa approved certificates for international students

How to Apply

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COVID-19 Information

Study in Los Angeles this Summer 2022

New F-1 Visa Students
New hybrid programs available to meet F-1 visa requirements.

An I-20 and F-1 visa are not required if studying from your home country.

For more information, visit How to Apply

View UCLA COVID-19 Protocols

Study at UCLA Extension and advance your career

As part of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), UCLA Extension offers more than 40 F-1 visa-approved certificate programs that allow international participants to study full-time in the U.S.

Certificate programs, which some universities call “diploma programs,” consist of a sequence of courses related to a specialized field or topic such as General Business Studies, Filmmaking, Marketing, Graphic Design, Project Management, Sustainability, and Journalism. Our programs offer a practical, real-world approach to each field of study, so you can be best prepared for the next stage of your career.

Why a certificate program?

Students and professionals enroll in certificate programs for a variety of reasons. Many of our American participants are working professionals who want to stay up-to-date in their fields and move up to higher paying positions. Other professionals want to make a career change and explore a new field.

International participants often choose certificate programs as a cost-effective alternative to U.S. master’s or doctoral degree programs. And some international students just want the experience of living in a world-class city like Los Angeles and studying at a prestigious university like UCLA.

Learn more about the differences between a certificate versus a master's degree.

The UCLA Extension advantage

Exceptional Quality
UCLA Extension certificate programs meet UCLA standards of excellence and are approved by the UCLA Academic Senate.
Outstanding Instructors
Industry experts provide practical perspectives on the day-to-day realities of each field of study.
Practical Experience
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is available for students who complete programs of nine months or longer. Internships are also available for many programs.
Reasonable Fees
UCLA Extension programs are a great value. Course fees for American and international students are the same.
Studying with Americans
International participants study side-by-side with American participants and receive the same high level of instruction.