Study in Los Angeles, The United States

About Los Angeles

Los Angeles is the largest city in California, with 3,878,704 inhabitants in 2024 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. For students it combines large research universities, specialist art and design schools and an economy shaped by film, television, games and design.

Students choose Los Angeles for the range of options in one place: public and private universities, intensive English for future graduate students, and schools linked to the creative industries. Teaching at the schools in our directory is in English.

Studying in Los Angeles

Our directory lists 13 schools in Los Angeles, among them seven universities and colleges, two language schools and three specialist schools. Examples:

• The University of Southern California (USC) is a private not-for-profit university with 46,566 students, 20,630 of them undergraduates, and a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, according to College Navigator.
• The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university with 47,335 students, 33,475 of them undergraduates. Students live on campus on "the Hill", where options include furnished two-bedroom suites.
• Cal State LA (California State University, Los Angeles) was founded in 1947 and has 23,163 students. It is a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution.
• Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is a private Catholic university in the Jesuit tradition with 10,179 students.
• Otis College of Art and Design, established in 1918 as the city's first professional school of the arts, awards BFA and MFA degrees and runs extension courses for adults and young people.
• Gnomon, founded in 1997 in North Hollywood, teaches computer graphics for careers in the entertainment industry, such as visual effects, games and animation.

The USC International Academy helps international students improve their academic English. Its Pre-Master's Program gives conditional admission to more than 100 USC master's programmes before an English test, and its Intensive English Program starts six times a year. The fashion college FIDM closed as an independent institution on 31 March 2025; its fashion degrees continue in Los Angeles as ASU FIDM, part of Arizona State University.

Student visa and academic year

International students usually need an F student visa, which covers study at an accredited college or university or at an English language institute. After admission, the school's international student office sends a Form I-20 (or a DS-2019 for J exchange programmes) for the visa application. According to EducationUSA, the academic year typically runs from September to May, and international students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year.

Cost of living for students

Costs depend mainly on whether a university is public or private. According to College Navigator, for 2024-25:

• USC: $72,097 in tuition and fees, plus $19,931 for food and housing on campus
• LMU: $62,357 in tuition and fees
• UCLA: $49,403 for out-of-state students ($15,203 for California residents), plus $18,369 for food and housing on campus
• Cal State LA: $19,760 for out-of-state students ($7,160 for California residents)

International students normally pay the out-of-state rate at public universities; confirm the current cost of attendance with each school. Public transport is cheaper: a Metro ride costs $1.75, and fare capping means you never pay more than $5 a day or $18 a week.

Getting around and daily life

LA Metro runs Metro Rail and buses across Los Angeles County. You pay with a TAP card, a bank card or a phone, and transfers are free within two hours. Some colleges take part in Metro's U-Pass programme, a discounted pass sold on campus that gives unlimited rides on all Metro services in the county.

The climate is mild all year. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals for the downtown station on the USC campus give an average of 58.4 °F (about 15 °C) in January and 73.3 °F (about 23 °C) in July.

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Los Angeles?

Our directory includes USC, UCLA, Cal State LA, Loyola Marymount University and Otis College of Art and Design, among others. They range from large public universities to private universities and an art and design college.

Can I improve my English in Los Angeles before a master's degree?

Yes. The USC International Academy offers intensive English and a Pre-Master's Program that gives conditional admission to more than 100 USC master's programmes before an English test.

How much does a year at university in Los Angeles cost?

For 2024-25, tuition and fees ranged from $19,760 for out-of-state students at Cal State LA to $72,097 at USC, according to College Navigator, before housing and food.

Is there a student discount on public transport?

Students at participating colleges can buy a discounted U-Pass on campus with unlimited rides on Metro. For other riders, fare capping limits the cost to $5 a day or $18 a week.