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
229 online studies are open to anyone in CA right now — take part from home, on your schedule, plus 9 in-person studies at UCLA.
Focus Group in LA on Social Issues - $375
What are your thoughts on social issues affecting society? Join an in-person focus group in Westwood, Los Angeles, on October 23, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (9:30 AM arrival). Receive $375 for the full session or $175 if dismissed within the first hour. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Space is limited, subject to availability. Criteria for qualification are subject to change at any time and without notice.
Focus Group in LA on Exercise - $350
How does exercise fit into your everyday life? Join a 90-minute in-home research interview in LA from November 4-6, with a mandatory 45-minute homework task. Receive $200 for the interview and $150 for the pre-task, for a total of $350. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Space is limited, subject to availability. Criteria for qualification are subject to change at any time and without notice.
Focus Group in LA on Gaming / Entertainment - #325
Are you interested in gaming and entertainment? Join an in-home research study in Los Angeles from November 2-6, featuring a 2.5-hour interview and 30-minute homework assignment. Receive $325 for your time and feedback. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Space is limited, subject to availability. Criteria for qualification are subject to change at any time and without notice.
Focus Group in LA on Yellowstone TV Show - $250
Are you a passionate fan of the Yellowstone TV series? Participants are invited to a 150-minute in-person focus group about the Yellowstone universe and its spin-offs like 1883 and 1923. Qualified participants will receive $250 if completed by November 1, 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 LA on Last War & Whiteout Survival - $250
Are you a fan of kingdom-building games like Last War: Survival or Whiteout Survival? Participants are invited to a 150-minute in-person focus group about these engaging games. Qualified participants will receive $250 if completed by November 2, 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 LA on Mobile Strategy Games - $250
Are you a fan of mobile strategy games like Clash of Kings or Evony? Participants are invited to a 180-minute in-person focus group about kingdom-building games and player experiences. Qualified participants will receive $250 if completed by November 1, 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 LA on Technology - $175
Interested in testing new technology? Join a 90-minute technology research study in the Los Angeles area starting in October 2026. Receive $175 for your participation. Parents with children and individuals of all ages are welcome to apply, and friends and family may participate together, with scheduling arranged as closely as possible. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Space is limited, subject to availability. Criteria for qualification are subject to change at any time and without notice.
Focus Group in LA on Entertainment for Parents - $165
How do your young children enjoy entertainment? Join an in-person research study in Los Angeles for parents of children ages 3-6, along with 1-2 of their friends, on November 3. Receive $165 for a 30-minute session and a mandatory pre-task. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Space is limited, subject to availability. Criteria for qualification are subject to change at any time and without notice.
Focus Group in LA on Entertainment - $125
What are your thoughts on entertainment? Join a 60-minute in-person research study at Adler Weiner in Westwood, Los Angeles, on October 27, 28, or 29. Receive $125 for your time and feedback. If you are interested in participating, please sign up and take the survey to see if you qualify! Space is limited, subject to availability. Criteria for qualification are subject to change at any time and 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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Paid research studies for students
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 $375. Right now 229 online studies are open to anyone in CA, plus 9 in-person studies at UCLA. You always see the exact payout before you register, and it's free to join.
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