UCLA Extension
UCLA Extension is the public continuing education division of UCLA, founded in 1917, serving approximately 35,000 adult learners annually through 100+ certificate programs and roughly 4,500 courses delivered online and in-person across Los Angeles.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1917
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What UCLA Extension does
UCLA Extension is the continuing education division of the University of California, Los Angeles, operating as a public university extension under The Regents of the University of California. Founded in 1917 in downtown Los Angeles, the institution now serves approximately 35,000 active students annually through more than 100 certificate programs and roughly 4,500 courses per year across disciplines including accounting, business, education, engineering, entertainment, health care, law, and writing. Teaching is delivered by approximately 2,500 instructors per year, drawn primarily from UC and CSU faculties, community colleges, and regional industry professionals, in online, in-person, and hybrid formats via the Canvas LMS, with Panopto for video, Blackboard Ally for accessibility, and Zoom for remote proctoring. Core offerings include professional certificate programs, individual courses, the 60-year-old Writers' Program, UCLAxFilmFest, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) for adults 50+, and UCLAxOpen free courses.
The business model is anchored on tuition and certificate fees paid at the time of registration, supplemented by federal financial aid (Direct Loans and Pell Grants for five eligible programs), WIOA workforce training funding, AmeriCorps education awards, and private alternative loans. Distribution is hybrid: direct-to-consumer self-enrollment via the website and student portal is the primary channel, complemented by B2B institutional partnerships with employers and government agencies (LAUSD, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, UCLA Athletics, UC Santa Cruz) that deliver cohort-based programs. Geographic footprint spans the UCLA main campus in Westwood, multiple Westwood Village locations, and a newly expanded downtown Los Angeles hub at the historic Trust Building. Student benefits include BruinCard campus access, BruinGo! transit discounts, UCLA Recreation memberships, the Office of Disability Services, career services via Handshake, and UCLA Alumni Association membership upon graduation.
Customer segments are diverse and distributed: working professionals and career changers form the primary base, with secondary segments including veterans, K-12 CTE teachers, NCAA student-athletes, pre-medical students, transfer and degree-seeking students, and lifelong learners aged 50+. Pricing is not publicly disclosed at the course level; a $200 non-refundable Certificate Candidacy Fee is required, and the institution does not defer fees. The organization is governed by UC Academic Senate oversight for credit-bearing courses, which provides quality assurance but limits operational agility relative to purely private competitors.
UCLA Extension firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UCLA Extension
- Legal name
- The Regents of the University of California
- Website
- https://uclaextension.edu
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1917
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- UCLA Extension is the public continuing education division of UCLA, founded in 1917, serving approximately 35,000 adult learners annually through 100+ certificate programs and roughly 4,500 courses delivered online and in-person across Los Angeles.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UCLA Extension industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Continuing Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA), Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL), Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAC)
Keywords
Where UCLA Extension is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
UCLA Extension business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Course and Certificate Program Fees: Students pay fees for individual courses and certificate programs. Course fees are paid at the time of registration; UCLA Extension does not defer fees. Specific pricing varies by program.
- Federal Financial Aid: UCLA Extension offers five programs eligible for Federal Financial Aid including Direct Loans and Pell Grants. Students must be enrolled in eligible programs and meet eligibility criteria.
- WIOA Workforce Training Funding: Federally funded workforce development program providing financial assistance for displaced or disadvantaged workers through approved certificate programs. UCLA Extension is an approved education provider on the Eligible Training Providers List.
- AmeriCorps Education Award Reimbursement: Participants in AmeriCorps service programs can use their education awards to reimburse course fees, required books, materials and supplies. Reimbursement occurs at midpoint and end of enrolled quarter.
- Private Alternative Education Loans: Private loans made available by banks and lending institutions. Interest rates, fees, and repayment schedules vary. Eligibility based on creditworthiness.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Certificate Candidacy Fee |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels8 records
UCLA Extension product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UCLA Extension is the continuing education arm of UCLA that delivers 100+ certificate programs and roughly 4,500 courses annually across online, in-person, and hybrid formats. Offerings serve working professionals, career changers, veterans, international learners, K-12 educators, student-athletes, and seniors seeking credentials and skill development, supported by Canvas LMS, Panopto, Zoom, and the UCLA student portal.
Product overview
UCLA Extension is a continuing education division of UCLA offering a portfolio of over 100 professional certificate programs and approximately 4,500 courses annually in formats including online, in-person, and hybrid instruction. The core offering consists of certificate programs across disciplines (accounting, business, engineering, entertainment, health care, law, writing), supplemented by individual courses and special programs like the 60-year-old Writers' Program and the 10-year UCLAxFilmFest festival. Student services include BruinCard access, BruinGo! transit benefits, UCLA Recreation memberships, disability services (ODS), and various financial aid options including WIOA training and AmeriCorps awards. The institution uses Canvas LMS for online course delivery and publishes UCLAx Magazine seasonally. Programs serve diverse audiences from career changers to veterans to lifelong learners aged 50+.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Certificate Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 35,000 active students annually with over 100 certificate programs and approximately 4,500 courses offered per year
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use UCLA Extension
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
UCLA Extension technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature2 records
UCLA Extension partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)coreLAUSD partnered with UCLA Extension to train career technical education (CTE) teachers. LAUSD lacks a formal CTE preliminary teacher induction program, so UCLA Extension provides pedagogical training for teachers often new to the field. Inaugural cohort includes 40 teachers with 0-1.5 years experience, running through June 2026. Organizers hope to expand to all approximately 80 LAUSD preliminary CTE teachers.
- UCLA AthleticscorePartnership allows student-athletes who have graduated before exhausting NCAA eligibility to enroll in UCLA Extension certificate programs (project management, pre-medical/general science studies, business and management of entertainment) while continuing to compete as Bruins. Program began as pilot in 2022 with Abby Van Winkle as first participant; 23+ student-athletes from 10 sports have since participated. Helps student-athletes gain practical career skills while maintaining competitive eligibility.
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare SystemcoreCollaboration between UCLA Extension and VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System for the Veteran Success Academy. Program provides communication and teamwork skills training to job-seeking veterans as part of VA's vocational rehabilitation program. Five-session series helps veterans with resume preparation, interview skills, and workplace communication. Collaboration facilitated by UCLA Veterans Initiatives and Programs Office.
- UC Santa CruzcorePartnership between UC Santa Cruz and UCLA Extensions to help more students succeed in medical school. Addresses California's shortage of physicians by providing preparation programs and pathways to medical education.
- South Bay Workforce Investment BoardminorWIOA partner workforce investment board that works with eligible candidates for UCLA Extension certificate programs. Refers displaced or disadvantaged workers to approved training programs.
- Pacific Gateway Workforce Innovation NetworkminorWIOA partner workforce investment board that works with eligible candidates for UCLA Extension certificate programs. Refers displaced or disadvantaged workers to approved training programs.
- UCLA Veterans Initiatives and Programs OfficecoreFacilitated collaboration between UCLA Extension and VA Greater Los Angeles for the Veteran Success Academy program. Office coordinates veteran-focused educational initiatives across UCLA.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
UCLA Extension competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- LinkedIn Learning: Subscription-based professional development platform owned by Microsoft offering courses and learning paths across business, technology, and creative fields. Adjacent competitor for the same working professional segment at significantly lower price points and with employer-sponsored subscription distribution.
- 2U: Public education technology company partnering with universities to deliver online degree and bootcamp programs. Adjacent competitor in the online continuing education space, though focused on full degree programs and coding bootcamps rather than certificate-led continuing education.
Direct peers
- UC Berkeley Extension: Continuing education and professional studies division of UC Berkeley, offering certificates, courses, and online programs. Most direct comparable as a sister UC system extension serving similar adult learner, career changer, and international student segments with comparable pricing and brand positioning.
- USC Continuing and Professional Education: Continuing education arm of USC offering certificates, professional development, and international programs in Los Angeles. Directly competes for the same Southern California working-professional market with overlapping disciplines (business, engineering, entertainment, healthcare).
- NYU School of Professional Studies: Continuing and professional studies division of NYU offering certificates, degrees, and short courses in New York. Comparable in mission, structure, and program breadth, though operating in a different geographic market.
- Stanford Continuing Studies: Lifelong learning and professional education division of Stanford University, offering liberal arts and professional courses to adult learners. Comparable in brand-led continuing education positioning and West Coast adult learner base.
- Harvard Extension School: Continuing education division of Harvard University offering certificates, ALM degrees, and courses to adult learners. Closely comparable in academic rigor, open enrollment model, and brand-driven value proposition for working professionals.
Emerging players
- Coursera: Leading online learning platform partnering with universities including UCLA to offer courses, specializations, and certificates. Directly competes with UCLA Extension's online course and certificate offerings at a national/global scale and typically lower price points.
- edX: Online university-level course platform founded by Harvard and MIT offering courses, MicroMasters, and professional certificates. Competes in the same online continuing education space with broader geographic reach and degree pathway options.
Regional players
- Santa Monica College: Large community college in the Los Angeles area offering associate degrees, certificates, and workforce training. Competes for similar Southern California adult learners seeking affordable career training and certificates, though with degree-granting authority UCLA Extension lacks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
UCLA Extension social profiles
Digital presenceUCLA Extension financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UCLA Extension leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
UCLA Extension funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UCLA Extension M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about UCLA Extension
What does UCLA Extension do?
UCLA Extension is the continuing education arm of UCLA that delivers 100+ certificate programs and roughly 4,500 courses annually across online, in-person, and hybrid formats. Offerings serve working professionals, career changers, veterans, international learners, K-12 educators, student-athletes, and seniors seeking credentials and skill development, supported by Canvas LMS, Panopto, Zoom, and the UCLA student portal.
Is UCLA Extension a public or private company?
UCLA Extension is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was UCLA Extension founded?
UCLA Extension was founded in 1917. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is UCLA Extension based?
UCLA Extension is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does UCLA Extension make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Course and Certificate Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are federal Financial Aid, WIOA Workforce Training Funding, ameriCorps Education Award Reimbursement and private Alternative Education Loans.
Who are UCLA Extension's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are LinkedIn Learning and 2U. Direct peers are UC Berkeley Extension, USC Continuing and Professional Education, NYU School of Professional Studies, Stanford Continuing Studies and Harvard Extension School. Emerging players are Coursera and edX. Santa Monica College is listed as a regional player.
Does UCLA Extension have an API?
No public API is recorded for UCLA Extension.
What industry is UCLA Extension in?
UCLA Extension's product category is Continuing Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHALAB, Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension), with a secondary code of EDAAAEAA, University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.