Fall 2026 Cohort

JOIN BEAR.

We recruit one cohort each fall. New consultants join one of three teams (strategy, marketing, or design) and are placed onto real client engagements from there.

001 / Timeline

Recruitment timeline.

Applications Open

Online application goes live. Apply for one or more teams.

Info Session

Our executive board provides a rundown of the application process in-person.

Coffee Chats

Meet our members and get to know them in a more casual group setting.

Final Interviews

Two parts: a behavioral conversation and a team-specific case or portfolio review.

Offers Out

New cohort announced. Onboarding begins the next week.

002 / How to Apply

The rounds.

01

Submit the App

Tell us a bit about you, why Bear, and which team you're most excited about.

02

Coffee Chats

A series of conversations with members about how you think, work in teams, and what you'd want to work on.

03

Final Round

A short case oriented around your team of choice (Strategy / Marketing / Design) with the executive members.

003 / FAQ

Common questions.

Who can apply?+

Any UCLA undergraduate, any year, any major. We've had consultants from CS, design, business economics, public affairs, English, materials science. We look for interest, not major.

Do I need prior consulting experience?+

No. Most of our cohort has none. We onboard everyone with the same core training in research, frameworks, and storytelling before placing you on a project.

Can I apply to multiple teams?+

Yes. You can rank Strategy, Marketing, and Design on the application, and we'll route your interviews accordingly.

What's the time commitment?+

Roughly 4–6 hours a week during a project (but this number fluctuates). A weekly team meeting, a client check-in, and async work.

Do you recruit in winter or spring?+

We hold one main recruitment in fall. Occasionally we open a small winter or spring round if a team has capacity. those get announced on Instagram.