Summertime at UCLA

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fter two years of social distancing and hybrid schedules, the things that make up a great summer at UCLA are gradually making an in-person comeback. Whether it’s academic programs, musical concerts or experiences that create fun Bruin memories, here’s what’s happening at UCLA this summer.

Summer Sessions

Did you know there are a total of eight Summer Sessions offered on campus this year? Ranging from three-week intensive courses to 10-week programs, students can chart their own academic paths, either on campus or via online courses. With more than 800 courses and programs offered, UCLA has something for everyone.

The Academic Advancement Program offers two academic summer programs, The Freshman Summer Program and the Transfer Summer Program, which prepare students to succeed by exposing them to the rigor and demands of academic life and to undergraduate programs, services and learning resources. FSP and TSP, as they are commonly known, prepare first-generation, low income and historically underrepresented students to successfully transition to UCLA by living on campus. They receive personal attention, in either small groups or individual sessions, from teaching assistants and tutors, as well as participate in cultural and social events.

UCLA Extension also offers courses during its summer quarter, which runs from June 21 through Sept. 11. Browse through its large online catalog of classes, held both in person or remote, with topics ranging from Infusing Your Writing With Feeling to Investing for the Young Adult. 

Museums

Destinations like the Hammer Museum at UCLA or the Fowler Museum are just a couple of the places that offer visitors a touch of culture and art on or near the campus. The museums are open year-round with exhibits and programs also taking place throughout the summer. Each Thursday in July, see free live concerts in the Hammer's courtyard with a different featured musician each week, plus KCRW DJs, happy hour and extended gallery hours.

UCLA Recreation

UCLA Rec. offers something for everyone, from youth programs (see details below) to offerings for staff, faculty, retirees and outside members. The Bruin Health Improvement Program offers staff and faculty a chance to stay fit through coaching and training, in person and virtually. The emeriti strength and balance class is specifically for retired staff and faculty. With classes like rock climbing, Bruin MindFit, a mindful movement and meditation course, working in the community garden or going on a sunset paddle experience, summer continues to be a time to stay active indoors and out.

Summer Camps

UCLA Recreation offers a chance for kids to enjoy a variety of experiences from June through August. Rec Cubs is geared towards helping young, first-time campers acclimate to summer camp. Esports takes place at UCLA's Esports Training Center and features competitive gaming through in-person esports and video games. Campers will develop skills in teamwork, collaboration and leadership through gameplay while acquiring healthy gaming habits. Youth Swim Lessons are available weekdays and weekends for children aged 3-12 years and in Teen Leadership, for grades 7-9, John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success will be featured as a lens for teen leadership skills. Campers have fun building confidence, diversity awareness and social networking skills through team-driven activities and community-building projects.

New Student Orientation

New Student Academic Programs are an important part of the college experience. Thankfully, “orientation” sessions are back in person this summer. The New Student Sessions are offered to first-year, transfer and international students. Part of an incoming Bruin’s first tour of campus includes a stop at the James West Alumni Center where staff welcomes them to the start of their Bruin experience, which later becomes a lifelong journey as alumni.

The New Parent & Family Sessions are a chance to welcome families to the UCLA community and to address any concerns family members may have relative to their student’s upcoming university experience. The one-day sessions look closer at life on campus, strategies for success and what it means to be the family of a thriving college student. Any family member of a first-year or transfer student, a new family to UCLA or alumni are welcome to the sessions, which feature presentations from staff, faculty and students.

The College Summer Institute is an excellent way for incoming first-year students to make a smooth and successful transition into UCLA. Students take courses that satisfy several University requirements for six weeks before the start of fall quarter.

Pro Teams Practice On Campus

UCLA will once again play host to two professional soccer teams training on campus. Chelsea Football Club will be on campus July 9-15 and Real Madrid plans to practice on campus July 19-30. Fans often battle the heat and traffic to come to campus for a chance at a photo op or to say hello to their favorite soccer players.

UCLA Library Exhibits and Film Screenings

With more than 15 UCLA Library locations on campus, summer is a popular time to attend exhibits and screenings that appeal to your academic or personal interests. The summer of 2022 features the digital exhibit: “Rediscovered and Repatriated: UCLA Library’s Return of Nazi-Looted Books”; and the two live exhibits located in the lobby of the Charles Young Research Library: “An Abundance of Love and Affection: Affirmations from our Queer Ancestors in the Archives” and “Archiving Queer Intimacies: Collections Across Space and Time.”

The UCLA Library Film & Television Archive also hosts free screenings throughout the summer in the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum. View the calendar of upcoming screenings here.

Filming On Campus

The summer months are a popular time for filming TV shows and movies on campus. With more than a few filming and photo locations, UCLA is the perfect spot for a commercial or the next big screen sensation, including “The Dropout” and “They Call Me Magic.” Here you’ll find a comprehensive list of shows that were filmed at UCLA.

Graduation and Wedding Photo Shoots

Stroll around campus during the summer and you’re bound to see newly minted alumni posing in cap and gown or their grad sash next to the Bruin Bear or under the arches of Royce Hall for their belated grad photos. If you’re lucky, you may see Bruin alumni couples returning to campus for engagement photo shoots, or perhaps Bruin wedding pictures, as nuptials are frequently booked on campus during the summer months. Check out this album of Bruin weddings held at UCLA. 

Conferences and Retreats

During the summer months, UCLA Conferences & Catering welcomes corporate, educational, sports and tour groups to stay in campus housing facilities. They offer a complete menu and chef’s seasonal selections of food, 24-hour front desk services, a business center, access to recreational facilities and more. Activities can be customized to include team-building activities such as tennis matches, golf tournaments and challenge courses, or special excursions into Southern California’s favorite attractions, including amusement parks, museums, restaurants and world-class shopping.

Summer Hostel for Students

UCLA Housing isn’t just for full-time UCLA students and conference attendees. Any college student or campus event attendee can stay at the UCLA residence halls for as low as $75 per night. These budget-conscious rates are especially appealing to international students studying at UCLA or working in a Los Angeles-based internship for the summer. They offer two-bedroom suites that sleep two to three per room or singles, with a common living area and shared bathroom. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, housekeeping, a fitness center, pools and onsite laundry.  

Mildred Mathias Botanical Garden Tours

Nestled on the south part of campus, the Mathias Botanical Garden, a 7.5-acre public garden, outdoor classroom and research facility, promotes botanical knowledge and inspires environmental and cultural appreciation of plants and their relationship to society through education, research, and public outreach. The beautiful setting fosters health and tranquility for the community. The La Kretz Garden Pavilion serves as the meeting spot for free guided tours of the garden on the first Saturday of every month at 1 p.m.

Bruin Woods

Even if this is not located at UCLA, Bruin Woods continues to be a favorite among alumni and friends. From late June through the end of August, the historic UCLA Lake Arrowhead Lodge hosts Bruin Woods, a beautiful summer destination where families have a blast making memories in the fresh mountain air. During the week-long camp experience, many of the same families return year after year to the 50 wooded, mountain acres that make up the UCLA property, where both adults and children have a fun-filled family adventure they can reminisce about for years to come.

UCLA UniCamp

This is another program that doesn’t take place on campus but is just as important. Every summer, UCLA UniCamp inspires children from urban communities to envision brighter futures by sending them, along with student volunteers, to a residential outdoor summer camp. If you’ve ever volunteered for UniCamp, you probably have a Woodsey/camp name. Alumni can keep in touch with all things “camp” through the UCLA UniCamp Alumni Network. Contact Jason “Mr. Woooo” Liou at jliou@unicamp.org to find out more.

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