How to Apply to the Principal Leadership Institute

The application filing period opens in the fall (mid-September) and closes in early February. The application deadline for the 2020-2021 academic year will be February 3, 2020.

Admissions Criteria

The UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies requires that all PLI applicants meet the following criteria.

  • Five years of full-time teaching or personnel service experience preferred.
  • Successful undergraduate performance (at least 3.0 g.p.a. in the Jr/Sr years and/or a successful graduate academic history, if applicable)
  • Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
  • Well-written, reflective essays
  • Strong recommendations (including one from a current supervisor)
  • Ability to communicate well in group settings

Preliminary Administrative Services Credential Criteria

To be admitted to PLI, applicants must also meet the Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s conditions which apply to the Tier I Credential (the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential).

Applicants for the Tier I Credential must:

  • Possess a valid California teaching or services credential including a Multiple or Single Subject Teaching Credential, a Designated Subjects Teaching Credential (provided the applicant possesses a bachelor’s degree), a Pupil Personnel Services Credential, a Health Services Credential, or a Clinical Rehabilitative Services Credential
  • Have a minimum five years of successful, full-time experience in the public schools or private schools of equivalent status when they begin PLI
  • Pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST)
  • Complete a program of specialized and professional preparation in administrative services from an approved university, PLI in this case

 

How to Apply

Please read the PLI Application Checklist for all of the details before you start the application process.

  1. Online Application
    Complete the UCLA Graduate Admissions Application.
    The fee for U.S citizens and Permanent Residents is $110.
  2. Upload Supporting Documents
    The PLI Application Checklist outlines the process of submitting each supporting document.
  • Copy of transcripts (we also need an official transcript to be mailed to UCLA; see Step 4)
  • Statement of Purpose: Why do you want to become a social justice school leader in an urban community?
  • Essay Response: Please see the PLI Application Checklist for the essay topics.
  • UCLA Graduate Council Statement of Purpose
  • UCLA Graduate Council Personal Statement
  • Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score report from the Educational
    Testing Service. (This may be directly reported to UCLA. You may choose to upload this in the
    Supporting Documents upload section.)

Preferably, all prospective students to the PLI program should take the GRE exam by January 1st.

  • Three letters of recommendation – submitted online
    One recommendation must be from your current supervisor.
  • Mail official transcripts
    In addition to uploading copies of your official transcripts, they must also be mailed to us.
    Send transcripts to:
    UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies
    Office of Student Services
    1009 Moore Hall, UCLA Box 951521
    Los Angeles, California 90095-1521

 

Application Checklist

Here is the PLI Application Checklist that outlines the steps of the application process.

Assistance

The Office of Student Services looks forward to assisting you throughout the PLI application process. Please contact Kim Matheussens () if you have any questions.

Leading for Justice

The application filing period for the 2020-21 academic year will close on February 3, 2020.
Application Checklist

Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) Alumni

PLI is a pedagogic space like none that I have encountered – a transformative one – that nurtured my mind and pushed me to grow as an instructional leader. I joined a collective group of caring educators eager to transform schools and left the program with a strong network of lifelong friends, along with a comprehensive set of foundational skills to support our youth and communities in relevant and purposeful ways.

Danya Villanueva

Reading Intervention Teacher, Mt. Vernon Elementary School

My experience in the UCLA PLI program helped establish the foundation by which I serve as a social justice leader in urban public schools and communities. Unlike other traditional administrative programs, the PLI faculty and staff helped me transform my philosophies of education by sharing tools and insights that would allow me to evolve into a democratic leader whose goals are to establish school reform by creating collaborative opportunities for all stakeholders within the learning community.

Qiana O’Leary

Principal of Environmental Charter Middle School

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