Preparing for LEAP Week 2026
July 12th - 18th
Campus Life at UCLA
Your home at UCLA will be a residence hall on the main campus. You and your roommate(s) will stay in a dorm room furnished with extra-long twin beds, dressers, desks, bookshelves, and plenty of closet space to make you and your roommate feel at home.
Your roommate(s) will be of the same gender, of a similar age, and most likely in your small group.
There is free high-speed wireless internet acces & an onsite washer/dryer.
All bedding and towels will be provided by the university. Toiletries, shampoo, soap, etc are not provided.
LEAP staff will also live on each floor so they can get to know you better and be near in case you need extra help or support. Our LEAP staff maintain an office on campus and is accessible by phone 24 hours a day.
You will eat in the campus dining halls, which feature a wide variety of options for each meal, including hot entrees, a salad bar, desserts, and vegetarian options, and a helpful staff to navigate any dietary restrictions.
Students also have access to a variety of fitness centers (only accesible for those 18+), recreational courts (basketball, tennis, volleyball, track), walking/hiking trails, and a pool/spa!
The UCLA campus is a safe community with a guard booth and is patrolled 24/7 by the Department of Public Safety.
Packing for LEAP Week
Throughout the program, participants can wear casual attire.
A few things to keep in mind:
- It will likely be quite hot this summer in LA, so we ask that you pack accordingly.
- Many of the workshops are held indoors and it can get a bit chilly, so please do bring a sweatshirt.
- Please dress conservatively: no short shorts or revealing clothing.
- The dorms have community bathrooms with 4-6 shower stalls, toilets and sinks, as well as study lounges on every floor.
- Rooms are set up hotel style including bed & bath linen - however, they will NOT have soap, body wash, shampoo, etc. Please bring these with you.
- Bring a re-usable water bottle. There is filtered water on campus.
Mentor Workshop Attire:
On Friday the 17th we will hold our mentor workshop, where participants are able to sit down with accomplished executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals from diverse fields. During this session, business professional attire is required, so please bring one professional outfit.
Business professional attire is only required on the final day of LEAP, all other days casual clothing is suitable.
Here are some examples of appropriate business professional attire from the mentor workshop:
Look forward to ...
LEAP Idol Talent Show
On Thursday night, the program will celebrate with the LEAP Idol Talent Show!
Please bring any costumes, props, musical instruments, background music, etc. if you wish to perform. We only have room for ten acts, so you’ll need to audition during the week.
Final night dance party
The Friday night dance party is a chance for everyone to say goodbye to their new friends. If you’re nervous about attending a party with a group of people you’ve never met, remember that you’ll be building friendships throughout the week and will have a great time!
Travel Information
If you will be flying to LEAP:
The majority of the 2026 LEAP Participants will be flying to the program from across the country. Over the years, we have developed a very safe and thorough system for tracking incoming participant and meeting them at the airport.
Below are the requirements for any participant flying to LEAP.
- All Flights must be scheduled to fly to and from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). LEAP is unable to shuttle other students to the program from any other airport.
- All incoming flights must arrive at LAX before 12:00pm (PST) on Sunday, July 12th.
- All outgoing flights must depart LAX before 12:00pm (PST) on Saturday, July 18th.
DO NOT book flights outside of this window without prior approval from the LEAP team.
T-Shirt: If you request shuttle service for arrival day, we will send you a LEAP green t-shirt ahead of time (we will ask for your requested size and mailing address at a later date). Students who are not using the shuttle service, will receive their t-shirt at check-in on July 12th.
If you will be dropped off or using a ride share service to LEAP:
Some participants, particularly those living within the Greater Los Angeles Area, simply opt to drive or use a ride-share service to the LEAP Week.
Participants who will be arriving by car should follow the below instructions:
Participants should arrive between 9:00am – 1:00pm on Sunday July 12th. Click below for a map with specific drop-off instructions.
Participants should be picked-up from LEAP between 9:00am – 11:00am on Saturday July 18th.
Overnight parking is not an option.
Safety at LEAP Week
We work closely with UCLA to provide a safe experience for all young adults and excellent communication with parents.
24/7 Security
UCLA's police department, security, and residential front desk are available at all times throughout the program.
Under 18 Supervision
All participants under 18 are required to be with a small group leader at all times, including free time.
Shuttle from LAX
Participants traveling to Los Angeles are sent a bright green t-shirt by mail to be easily recognized in the terminal.
LEAP's private shuttles bring participants from LAX to UCLA and back to LAX for departure.
Any Questions? Call the LEAP office at 877-855-5327
