UCLA’s Informed Placement Process (IPP) - Placement - UCLA

UCLA’s Informed Placement Process (IPP) - Placement - UCLA
Placement
UCLA’s Informed Placement Process (IPP)
UCLA’s Informed Placement Process (IPP)
The ability to read carefully, analyze what you’ve read, and write effective essays is an essential part of thriving at UC. All students entering UCLA as freshmen must fulfill the Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR), either by demonstrating proficiency through qualifying test scores, UC-transferable college English composition courses, or by completing UCLA’s Informed Placement Process (IPP). To learn more about ELWR, please click
here
UCLA’s Informed Placement Process is conducted online and students are allowed up to 3 hours to complete it. Students will read a prose passage of approximately 1000 words that is of the level of difficulty encountered in beginning university courses; it may be drawn from any of a number of disciplines. After reading the passage, students write a thesis-driven essay in which they are typically asked to explain a central aspect of the passage and respond in a way that supports, challenges, or modifies the author’s argument.
Students will then respond to a survey about their experiences with academic writing, read about and watch a short video about UCLA’s first-year writing courses, and then indicate their preference of which course they’d like to begin with to meet their writing requirement(s). This preference is taken into consideration in the placement process, but the ultimate decision of which course a student will start with is made by UCLA Writing Programs faculty.
IPP
Who needs to complete UCLA’s Informed Placement Process (IPP)?
You need to complete the IPP if you entered UCLA as a First-Year student  (no matter where you come from) and you haven’t satisfied the Entry-Level Writing Requirement in one of the following ways:
Score 680 or higher on the previous paper-and-pen Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT (offered prior to March 2024)
***PLEASE NOTE: The Digital SAT Reading and Writing exam is not approved to satisfy this requirement.***
Achieve a score of 30 or better on ACT with Writing English Language Arts (ACTW ELA)
Achieve a score of 63 or higher as a sum of the ACT English and ACT Reading sections.
The ACT exam for this requirement can be with or without the writing section.
Score 3 or better on the AP English Language or Literature Examination or the AP Seminar examination or the AP Research examination
Score 5 or higher on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Examination in English
The IB Exam must be a Language A or A1 (native) exam in English to satisfy the ELWR. Language A2/B (2nd native/non-native) exams do not satisfy the ELWR. Click
here
to learn more.
Score 6 or higher on the International Baccalaureate Standard Level Examination in English
The IB Exam must be a Language A or A1 (native) exam in English to satisfy the ELWR. Language A2/B (2nd native/non-native) exams do not satisfy the ELWR. Click
here
to learn more.
Complete a UC transferable college course in English composition with a mandatory grade of C or
better
before enrolling at UCLA
. Once you have enrolled at UCLA, you must complete
your ELWR writing requirement by taking
UCLA composition courses only
Continuing students who have not yet done the IPP, have not already satisfied the ELWR, and have not been placed into a writing class must also complete the IPP.
Questions? Contact the
Writing Programs Office
What is the IPP like?
The IPP is conducted online and students are allowed up to 3 hours to complete it. Students will read a prose passage of approximately 1000 words that is of the level of difficulty encountered in beginning university courses; it may be drawn from any of a number of disciplines. After reading the passage, students write a thesis-driven essay in which they are typically asked to explain a central aspect of the passage and respond in a way that supports, challenges, or modifies the author’s argument. Students will then respond to a survey about their experiences with academic writing, read about and watch a short video about our first-year writing courses, and then indicate their preference of which course they’d like to begin with for meeting their writing requirement. This preference is taken into consideration in the placement process, but the ultimate decision of which course students will start with is made by UCLA Writing Programs faculty.
To see a sample essay prompt from several years ago, click
here
How is the IPP evaluated?
Each IPP essay response is evaluated by at least one faculty reader who measures it against a rubric to determine a recommended first-year writing course for the student writer. If the faculty reader’s placement matches the student’s course preference, then that student is placed in their preferred course. If the faculty reader determines a different placement is appropriate from what the student preferred, then a second faculty reader will read the student’s IPP essay response and determine which first-year writing course best suits the student’s abilities.
When should I complete the IPP?
If you are an incoming freshman and have not met the ELWR requirement in one of the ways listed under “Who needs to complete UCLA’s Informed Placement Process (IPP)?” then you must complete the IPP before attending your New Student Orientation session. Otherwise, you will not be able to enroll in an English Composition course for the fall quarter. Keep in mind that you must complete the required English Composition course or sequence of courses with a grade of C or better as early as possible during your first year in residence. Further, if you are required to take more than one course, you may not take them concurrently—you must pass each course with a C or better before taking the next one. Learn more about UCLA’s undergraduate writing requirements
here
Upcoming IPP Dates and Times
FOR First-Year Students Entering in Summer 2026 & Continuing Students
Academic Year 2026-2027
Summer 2026
Sunday, May 17, 2026, 10am-2pm
NOTE
: Registration will close at 12pm on Monday, May 11, 2026
Thursday, June 18, 2026, 10am-2pm
NOTE
: Registration will close at 12pm on Thursday, June 11, 2026
Friday, July 10, 2026, 10am-2pm
NOTE
: Registration will close at 12pm on Thursday, July 2, 2026
Friday, July 24, 2026, 10am-2pm
NOTE
: Registration will close at 12pm on Friday, July 17, 2026
Friday, August 7, 2026, 10am-2pm
NOTE
: Registration will close at 12pm on Friday, July 31, 2026
Friday, August 21, 2026, 10am-2pm
NOTE
: Registration will close at 12pm on Friday, August 14, 2026
How much does the IPP cost?
You will be charged $176 unless your UC application fee has been waived. You will receive the charge on your BruinBill after you complete the IPP. We only charge the fee if you show up to complete the IPP and submit an essay response.
Who can I contact if I have questions?
If you have questions about registering for or completing the IPP, contact
wpfirstyearplacement@humnet.
ucla.edu
If you have questions about your placement result, please know that the placement result is final unless you have
met the ELWR in some other way
. You must submit your qualifying scores or final college transcript to the UCLA Office of Admissions in order to fulfill the ELWR.
If you continue to feel that you were placed in the wrong course and would like to request a review of your placement, please
contact
wpfirstyearplacement@humnet.
ucla.edu
How can I request a testing accommodation?
If you need testing accommodations, there are two ways to request accommodations. 1) You can register with UCLA’s Center for Accessible Education (CAE). Go to
this link
to learn how to apply for an accommodation.
NOTE:
CAE takes up to 4 weeks to review requests, so please submit your registration to CAE in a timely manner; 2) If you had an IEP in high school, please email us at
wpfirstyearplacement@humnet.ucla.edu
at least 2 weeks before the date you will complete the IPP. Let us know the accommodations you need and attach a copy of the IEP you had in high school.
IPP Registration
How do I register for the IPP?
If you intend to complete the IPP, register
here
If you need special accommodations because of a documented disability, please see the section titled “How can I request a testing accommodation?”
IPP Results
How and when will I be notified of my results?
Placement results are usually available approximately two to three weeks after the IPP administration date.
You will find out your placement by looking at your DARS screen under the “Entry Level Writing/ESL Requirement.”
What does my writing placement mean?
If you placed into
English Composition 1
click here
to learn more about your placement.
If you placed into
English Composition 2
click here
to learn more about your placement.
Frequently Asked Questions
About
FAQs
Archived Spotlight Posts
Student Testimonials
Open Positions
Giving
People
Faculty
Staff
Program Leadership
TACs
Undergrad
Undergraduate Writing Center
Undergraduate Writing Requirements
Professional Writing Minor
Undergraduate Courses
Undergraduate Course Learning Objectives
Undergraduate Writing Awards
Non-UCLA International Students
Spring 2026 Cluster Student Enrollment in Eng Comp 3/3D
Grad
English Language Requirements & Resources for International Graduate Students
TA Training
Graduate Certificate in Writing Pedagogy
Graduate Writing Center
ESL
Academic Year ESL
Summer ESL Program
Placement
UCLA’s Informed Placement Process (IPP)
English as a Second Language Placement Exam (ESLPE)
TOP Exam Schedule & Registration
Resources
Campus Partners
WP in the Community
Community-Engaged Writing Courses
Writing Workshop for High School Students
Get Involved