U.S. News & World Report named UCLA the number one public university in the United States in its influential annual “Best Colleges” rankings, released Monday.
►#1 for applications: 178,000 undergraduates applied for fall 2026 admission.
► 33% of first-year-students and transfer students are from underrepresented backgrounds.
► UCLA scientists have developed treatments and technologies that have saved millions of lives, including the breast cancer drug Herceptin, PET/CT scanning, and tissue-typing for organ transplants.
► UCLA Research Park, two miles from campus, will be a hub for immunotherapy research and quantum computing, and a catalyst for transformative research, innovation, discovery and economic growth in Southern California and beyond.
► #1 for patients: UCLA Health is top-ranked in Los Angeles and California. UCLA Health serves over 922,000 patients per year at its five hospitals and more than 300 clinics.
UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk, in his first full year atop the university, introduced One UCLA
, a collective vision for education, research, and public service guided by principles of connection, impact, and excellence. Like many public universities, UCLA faces financial pressures from curtailed state funding levels, rising operating costs that outpace revenue, and a blistering attack on higher education from the federal government. Alumni and friends answered the call, making more than 67,000 gifts with donations arriving from all 50 states and 65 countries and spanning every gift level in fiscal year 2025–26. Their philanthropy will impact all corners of the university, benefiting students, faculty, researchers, patients, and local and global communities. “Philanthropy reflects confidence in our mission, trust in our institution and a shared commitment to the
future we are building,” Frenk said. “Working together, we can extend UCLA’s reach even further and make a difference in even more lives.”
The latest rankings from PitchBook, a financial data company, reaffirm public higher education's essential role in fostering innovation, world-changing startups, and economic growth. UCLA ranked among the world’s top universities for undergraduate alumni launching venture-backed businesses, placing 15th in that category for 2026. Additionally, UCLA was recognized for its contributions to female entrepreneurship, ranking alongside UC Berkeley and UC San Diego among the top 40 campuses for female graduate alumni entrepreneurs. In terms of academic research, UCLA also ranked fifth among public institutions in Washington Monthly's 2026 report, which recognized its strong impact in research and innovation across various fields.
On September 6, colleagues and students gathered at UCLA's Covel Grand Horizon Ballroom to honor Judea Pearl, a prominent computer scientist and UCLA faculty member for 56 years, on the occasion of his 90th birthday. The event featured discussions that reflected his diverse interests and contributions, covering topics such as artificial intelligence, causal reasoning, Jewish identity, dialogue, coexistence, and peace. Pearl, a member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, was elected a foreign member of the U.K.’s Royal Society in 2025 and was named one of 50 pioneers who have helped shape artificial intelligence by the Boston Global Forum this year. Recognized with the A.M. Turing Award in 2011, he continues to influence AI development
through notable works, including "The Book of Why," which emphasizes the importance of understanding causes and effects beyond simple data patterns.
New research from the California Policy Lab (CPL) examines employment and earning patterns among people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County. In a report released this month, CPL researchers found that 80% of people enrolling in homeless services had worked previously in California, and about 21% were employed at the time of enrollment.
On the same day as the released report, CPL and Chrysalis co-hosted an event featuring Abel Valenzuela Jr., dean of UCLA’s Division of Social Sciences, introducing the lab and highlighting UCLA’s community involvement. Max Gross, senior researcher at the California Policy Lab’s UCLA site, presented key findings, and Chrysalis officials shared their model for helping people secure employment. Former Chrysalis program participant Stephanie Jeffcoat also discussed her experiences.
The UCLA Young Leaders Program engages Pasadena middle school students in urban planning by addressing real-world issues such as homelessness, climate change, and sustainability. Held at Pasadena City College, the program integrates history-social science, science, and Design-Based Learning, enhancing students' civic skills and agency. Students work in teams to explore the city's history, examine the impact of freeway construction on communities of color, and analyze resources from UCLA’s research initiatives. The program uses the experiences of community figures such as Jackie Robinson to enrich discussions on housing segregation and civic responsibility.
On September 9, Pasadena City College (PCC) and the UCLA Center for Community College Partnerships (CCCP) celebrated a milestone: a decade of transformational partnership, which has supported community college students and strengthened transfer pathways to four-year institutions such as UCLA. The event featured remarks from elected officials representing the area, including Congresswoman Judy Chu, Assemblymember John Harabedian, and Pasadena City Councilmember Jason Lyon, as well as stories that PCC-UCLA alumni shared about their respective journeys from PCC to UCLA. The event concluded with the unveiling of a UCLA community partner banner and a celebration with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members.
UCLA Samueli Makerspace donated 10 refurbished 3D printers during the 2026 winter quarter to Los Angeles middle and high schools. In spring the team expanded the effort, running hands-on workshops at Virgil Middle School and Van Nuys Middle School STEAM Magnet, and delivering six additional printers along with care packages containing tools, filament, replacement parts, and repair guides. Working with the school’s Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity (CEED), the initiative prioritizes schools that have limited external funding yet possess some existing STEM infrastructure. UCLA CEED’s MESA Program currently serves 20 schools and more than 800 students in the Los Angeles Unified and Inglewood Unified School Districts.
A UCLA Fielding School of Public Health team has received a $2 million grant from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to study whether existing Ebola vaccines can also protect against the related Bundibugyo virus, which has caused at least 2,100 deaths in recent weeks. Led by Anne Rimoin, the 12-month project will analyze roughly 800 serum and plasma samples from more than 1,700 people previously vaccinated against Zaire ebolavirus to measure antibody responses against Bundibugyo. The findings will help establish antibody tests, assess the durability of immune responses, and guide future vaccination strategies.
A UCLA study presents strong evidence that global atmospheric dust decreased by about 10% from 2003 to 2023, a significant change from the dust increase observed throughout much of the 20th century. The research indicates that this decline, primarily originating from major desert regions in the Northern Hemisphere, may have contributed modestly to climate warming. Researchers also highlight potential impacts on ecosystems, air quality, and nutrient deposition from atmospheric dust while noting that current dust levels remain elevated compared to pre-industrial times.
UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital ranked among California’s top five pediatric hospitals and earned national recognition in nine subspecialties according to the annual Best Children’s Hospitals assessment by U.S. News & World Report. This marks the 20th consecutive year of recognition for UCLA Health, which is committed to providing high-quality, family-centered care. The nationally ranked subspecialties include behavioral health, cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, and urology.
UCLA researchers have developed a way to mass-produce cancer-fighting T cells from blood stem cells found in cord blood, engineered to target a protein found in many solid tumors — creating uniform batches instead of custom treatments for each patient.
Supporting communities: UCLA's impact
Discover how UCLA's students, staff, and faculty are enhancing the well-being of Greater Los Angeles throughUCLA Community Partnerships.
PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
The UCLA Center for Mexican Studiespromotes Mexican social, cultural and economic issues at UCLA and throughout the local community and the larger world through research, local events, and advocacy to further cement Mexico's place in global affairs.
