Paid Research Studies at UCLA
Get paid $50–$300+ for online research studies, surveys, and remote focus groups open to CA residents at UCLA, plus in-person studies at UCLA when available. UCLA runs a large paid research subject pool plus constant outside recruiting for studies across Los Angeles.
Online studies open to CA residents
266 online studies are open to anyone in CA right now — take part from home, on your schedule, plus 4 in-person studies at UCLA.
Focus Group in Los Angeles on Shopping Experience - $300
Are you a fan of retail shopping? Participants are invited to a 60-minute in-person focus group about the retail shopping experience. Qualified participants will receive $300 if completed by August 25, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Focus Group in Los Angeles on Romance Stories - $150
What draws you to romance stories? Participants are invited to a 150-minute in-person focus group about romance novels and dramas. Qualified participants will receive $150 if completed by September 10, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Focus Group in Los Angeles on Interactive Romance - $150
Are you a fan of Interactive Romance and AI companions? Participants are invited to a 150-minute in-person focus group about experiences with Interactive Romance and AI Companion apps. Qualified participants will receive $150 if completed by September 10, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Focus Group in Los Angeles on Love and Deepspace - $150
Are you a fan of Love and Deepspace? Participants are invited to a 120-minute in-person focus group about your experiences and thoughts on the game. Qualified participants will receive $150 if completed by September 11, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Research Study on AI Agents - $120
Have you faced challenges in managing AI agents at work? Participants are invited to a 60-minute online research study about troubleshooting and restoring AI agents. Qualified participants will receive $120 if completed by August 28, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Research Study on Design Concepts - $125
Are you interested in the latest design trends? Participants are invited to a 60-minute online research study about A/B testing various design concepts for a new product. Qualified participants will receive $125 if completed by August 28, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Research Study on Lawn Mowers - $100
How effective do you find your lawn mower? Participants are invited to a 45-minute online research study about their experiences with lawn mowers. Qualified participants will receive $100 if completed by 2026-09-06. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Research Study on Small Business Needs - $75
Are you a small business owner looking to improve your operations? Participants are invited to a 45-minute online research study about an early product concept tailored for small businesses. Qualified participants will receive $75 if completed by 2026-09-06. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
Research Study on Workplace Cooling Equipment - $125
How do businesses keep cool in hot environments? Participants are invited to a 60-minute online research study about managing and using cooling equipment for commercial spaces. Qualified participants will receive $125 if completed by August 26, 2026. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Spots are limited and tend to fill fast. Applying doesn't guarantee a slot, and qualification criteria may change at any time without notice.
How to get paid for research studies at UCLA
Most paid research open to UCLA is now online — remote focus groups over video, online interviews, paid surveys, product tests, and diary studies you can do from home, open to anyone in CA. UCLA runs a large paid research subject pool plus constant outside recruiting for studies across Los Angeles. StudySnag aggregates these into one feed so you don't have to hunt across panels, Craigslist, and university boards.
Most studies pay $50–$300, and paid clinical trials can pay significantly more. Because the studies are remote, you can take part whether you're near Westwood or West LA or anywhere else in CA — and in-person focus groups and trials at UCLA are listed here whenever recruiters are running them.
Not tied to UCLA specifically? Browse paid studies near you, or go straight to paid psychology studies and other ways to get paid for your opinion.
UCLA's size and its Westwood location inside the Los Angeles research market mean students get recruited for a steady mix of academic, tech, and consumer studies, alongside remote studies open across California.
Getting started is free: create an account, tell us a little about yourself, and browse the studies you qualify for at UCLA. Registering takes one tap, and you're paid directly by the research panel on completion.
Who runs paid research at UCLA
- The UCLA psychology subject pool
- The largest single source of paid sessions on campus, run out of the psychology building and booked through the department's online scheduler during term.
- UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior
- Runs behavioural, sleep, and psychiatric research that recruits well beyond the student body, often paying for multi-session participation.
- UCLA Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine
- Supplies the clinical trials, which screen on health criteria and recruit across the Westside rather than through the university.
- The Anderson behavioural lab
- Short decision-making and economics experiments run by the business school — quick to complete and among the easiest studies on campus to qualify for.
What paid studies at UCLA actually pay
UCLA's spread is wider than most campuses because four different operations recruit here. Business-school experiments are short and pay small amounts. Semel's multi-session behavioural studies pay considerably more but ask for repeat visits over weeks. Clinical trials pay most and screen hardest. Separately, LA's entertainment industry runs paid audience and concept testing that any Westside resident can join, which is unrelated to the university and usually pays $50 to $150 a session.
Getting to in-person studies at UCLA
Almost everything academic happens on the Westwood campus itself, which is walkable once you are on it. Parking is the real obstacle — UCLA visitor parking is scarce and expensive enough that it can eat a meaningful share of a small study's payment, so it is worth checking whether a study validates parking before accepting a session that pays $20.
When recruiting picks up at UCLA
UCLA runs on quarters rather than semesters, which changes the rhythm: the subject pool opens and closes three times over the academic year in ten-week bursts, with dead periods between quarters and a much thinner summer. Clinical and Semel recruiting ignores the academic calendar and continues year-round.
Paid research studies at UCLA — FAQ
Do I need to be a UCLA student to take part?+
For the psychology subject pool and the Anderson experiments, generally yes — those recruit enrolled students. Semel Institute studies and UCLA Health trials recruit from the wider Los Angeles public and screen on age or health criteria instead, so being a student is neither required nor an advantage.
When does UCLA recruiting slow down?+
Between quarters, and especially over the summer. Because UCLA is on a quarter system, the subject pool runs in three ten-week bursts rather than two long semesters, so the gaps arrive more often than at a semester school. Clinical studies keep running through all of them.
Is parking really a problem for in-person studies?+
It can be. Westwood parking is limited and priced accordingly, and for a short session paying $20 or $25 the parking cost is not trivial. Many studies validate it, but not all — check the listing, and favour sessions you can reach by bus if you are stacking several short ones.
How much do paid research studies at UCLA pay?+
Most paid studies for UCLA participants pay between $50 and $300, while clinical trials can pay much more. You'll always see the exact payout before you register.
Are there online paid studies for UCLA students?+
Yes. Many studies are fully online and open to anyone in CA, so you can take part from Westwood or anywhere nearby. In-person focus groups and clinical trials are also listed when available.
Do I need to be a student to join?+
No — anyone US-based can join. UCLA students are especially in demand, but it's open to everyone.
How do I get started?+
Create a free StudySnag account, tell us a bit about yourself, and browse the studies you qualify for at UCLA. Registering for a study takes one tap.
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How much do paid research studies at UCLA pay?
Paid research studies open to CA residents and UCLA students typically pay $50–$300+, and clinical trials pay more; the top study on StudySnag right now pays $300. Right now 266 online studies are open to anyone in CA, plus 4 in-person studies at UCLA. You always see the exact payout before you register, and it's free to join.
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