UCLA welcomes an outstanding group of nearly 6,500 freshman and 3,700 transfer students in fall 2022, as everyone in the Bruin community — new and returning students, faculty and staff, and neighbors in Westwood — looks forward to a lively on-campus experience in 2022-23.

All classes will be offered in person for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

“It’s amazing to see so many Bruins back on campus, making new connections and preparing for the year ahead,” said Chancellor Gene Block. “This will be a very exciting year for our community as we settle back into the full in-person UCLA experience.”

Fall quarter sees the opening of new apartments that allow UCLA to provide housing to every undergraduate student who seeks it, a guarantee unmatched at any other University of California campus.

The new Southwest Campus Apartments and Gayley Heights can accommodate more than 3,400 undergraduate students just steps from campus in apartment buildings with Wi-Fi, study and other common areas as well as other amenities.

“We’re really excited that we can offer all of our undergraduate students the housing guarantee,” said Pete Angelis, assistant vice chancellor for housing and hospitality. “Offering affordable, quality housing right next to campus strengthens our residential community, gives students greater access to resources and provides an environment where they can thrive academically and socially.”

The beginning of the academic year offers students chances to connect with others and explore everything campus has to offer. True Bruin Welcome kicks off two weeks of events, including open houses, information sessions and community-building activities, including a block party meant to foster connection between students and Westwood Village.

And on Sept. 20, UCLA will hold the annual “Enormous Activities Fair,” which will feature hundreds of student organizations, campus groups and departments rolling out the welcome mat for new Bruins to explore clubs, programs, recreational sports and other ways to get involved.

New and returning students can prepare to come together on Sept. 24 for UCLA and USC Serve LA Day, a one-day volunteer experience offering rich opportunities to help build community and help others.

UCLA Dining, which has won accolades for providing one of the best dining programs of any college in the country, for the first time has a restaurant in the Ackerman Union Terrace Food Court. Epicurea, which opened earlier this year, offers Mediterranean-inspired sandwiches, salads, pizza and pasta.

Finally, the new year also comes with new COVID-19 protocols. These include a strong recommendation — but no requirement — to mask indoors, except in labs or other settings where masking is required by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Members of the campus community are asked to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before entering classrooms and other group settings.

Everyone teaching, learning or working on campus must comply with the University of California vaccination policy, which requires COVID-19 vaccinations with limited medical and religious exceptions. All students living in on-campus housing must be compliant with the policy and tested for COVID-19 at the time they move in.

Free COVID-19 tests, available in vending machines and a few walk-up locations around campus, are strongly recommended. UCLA’s COVID-19 information website provides data on the health and safety of the campus community, any changes in campus operations and links to federal, state and local health regulations.