How to get into Loyola Marymount University
How to get into LMU: a Jesuit liberal-arts core, the LA location premium, and the school-by-school spread
45.1%
Acceptance rate
$62,357
In-state cost
What makes Loyola Marymount University admissions different
Loyola Marymount is a mid-size (~7,000 undergrad) Jesuit-Marymount Catholic university on a bluff in West Los Angeles overlooking the Pacific. LMU admits to several undergraduate schools (Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering, College of Business Administration, School of Film and Television, College of Communication and Fine Arts, School of Education) and the application is read against the school you applied to. The School of Film and Television is one of the most selective film programs in the country and screens applicants more tightly than the headline rate suggests. LMU is need-aware (not need-blind) but offers meaningful merit aid in the form of named scholarships announced at admission.
What an actually competitive application looks like
- 1.
Pick the right college within LMU on the Common App. The School of Film and Television admits in a much tighter pool than the headline 45% — if film is the goal, apply directly and build a body of work to reference.
- 2.
Apply Early Action (Nov 1) for the earliest decision and first crack at named merit awards (Trustee, Presidential, Arrupe). EA is non-binding at LMU.
- 3.
Write the 'why LMU' supplement specifically — name the Jesuit values you connect with, specific programs (the Jesuit Honors Program, the Bellarmine core, the SFTV production track, the Hilton Center for Business), and what you'd do in LA.
- 4.
Maintain a strong GPA in rigorous coursework. LMU has been test-optional and the policy continues; submit SAT 1280+ / ACT 28+ if scores reinforce the file.
- 5.
If you want consideration for the Honors Program, apply by the priority deadline and complete the Honors supplement when offered. Honors at LMU is invitation-based after admission.
- 6.
If applying to SFTV, prepare a creative portfolio that follows the program's specific instructions — production track applicants submit different materials than screenwriting applicants.
Common mistakes that hurt applicants here
- ✕
Treating SFTV like a general-admit. Film and Television at LMU runs its own pool; weak film signal in the application is the most common rejection at the school level.
- ✕
Writing a 'why LMU' supplement that's about LA weather or beaches. The supplement is read for Jesuit-Marymount fit and academic specificity — name programs and values, not the climate.
- ✕
Skipping the Early Action deadline. EA is non-binding and the first merit decisions come from this pool — RD applicants compete for a smaller merit slice.
- ✕
Underestimating cost. LMU is need-aware for first-year admission and does not meet full need for most families; run the net price calculator before assuming affordability.
The specifics for Loyola Marymount University
Application deadlines
- Early Action2025-11-01Non-binding. Decision in mid-January 2026.
- Regular Decision2026-01-15Decision by mid-March 2026. Reply by May 1.
- Film & Television (SFTV) application materials2026-01-15SFTV requires creative supplement (varies by program) submitted with the application.
- FAFSA priority2026-03-02California state aid (Cal Grant) also requires FAFSA by March 2.
What makes this admissions process distinctive
School of Film and Television (SFTV) — competitive separate review ↗
SFTV admits its own pool within LMU with substantially tighter competition than the headline rate. Production, Screenwriting, Animation, and Film & TV Studies each have program-specific creative supplement requirements.
Jesuit and Marymount Catholic mission
LMU is a Jesuit-Marymount Catholic university — one of only two in the U.S. — and the institutional mission of intellectual rigor, service, and 'cura personalis' (care for the whole person) shapes the curriculum and student-life expectations.
Heads up — recent changes
- LMU remains test-optional for the 2025-26 cycle.
What graduates actually do
LMU sits in West LA next to the entertainment industry, and its film and television school is one of the strongest in the country. Graduates populate writers' rooms, agencies (CAA, WME, UTA), studios, and production companies across Los Angeles. The College of Business Administration feeds Big Four accounting and West Coast banking. Jesuit identity yields strong nonprofit and public-service pipelines, including Teach for America and the Peace Corps.
Notable alumni
- Brian Helgeland — Oscar-winning screenwriter (L.A. Confidential)
- Francis Lawrence — Hunger Games director
- James T. Walsh — Former U.S. Congressman
- Colin Hanks — Actor
- Linda Ronstadt — Grammy-winning singer (attended)
Transfer pathway
LMU is a major destination for California community college transfers, with formal articulation agreements through ASSIST.org for all CCCs. Santa Monica College, El Camino, and Los Angeles City College send the largest cohorts. The university participates in the Jesuit Transfer Network and offers transfer-specific financial aid. Transfer admit rate is typically higher than the freshman rate.
Articulation partners
Santa Monica College · El Camino College · Los Angeles City College · Pasadena City College
Specifics verified 2026-05-18 from the school's own admissions page + Common App (supplements re-verified this pass). Always confirm current-year details directly on the school site before applying.
If you're on the bubble
LMU rewards applicants who pick the right college, write specifically about Jesuit-Marymount mission and a specific program, and apply EA. If your stats are at the median band for the college you applied to and your supplement is specific, you're competitive for admission and named merit. If you applied to SFTV without a body of creative work, the bar is well above the headline rate.
Next steps
Last updated: November 2025. Acceptance rate and cost data refreshed nightly from college reporting.