Admissions & Outreach

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQ Topics

Application Information

  • What graduate programs does UCSB offer? A list of graduate programs offered is available on the Graduate Departments and Programs page.
  • How do I apply to graduate school? Please visit the Online Graduate Application. Please note that a paper version of the application is not available. In order to ensure that your application is complete by the department's deadline, please (1) complete and submit your online graduate application, (2) pay the application fee, and (3) submit any additional materials required by the academic department.
  • What is the application deadline? The deadline varies by department. To determine the deadline for your department of interest, visit the Graduate Departments and Programs page. You are strongly advised to submit your online application and all required supporting materials well in advance of the official deadline.
  • May I get a paper or printed application? UCSB does not offer paper or printed versions of the graduate application.
  • May I apply to more than one program? Only one application may be submitted per application quarter. Simultaneous applications are not accepted.
  • What should I do if I applied to more than one program? If you accidentally applied to multiple programs, you must choose the program to which you would like to apply and ask the Graduate Division (email us at gradadmissions@graddiv.ucsb.edu) to withdraw your application(s) to the other program(s). Also, please notify the academic departments of your decision. The application fee for your withdrawn application is non-refundable.
  • May I apply after the deadline? Do not apply after the deadline unless you receive advance permission and instructions from the both the Graduate Division and the Graduate Program Assistant (GPA) in the academic department. If you do not receive permission from the Graduate Division and department to apply after the deadline, do not apply. Your application fee will not be refunded, and your application will not be reviewed.

Graduate Application Fee

  • How do I pay the application fee and how much is it? The non-refundable graduate application fee is $​105.00 for domestic applicants and $​125.00 for international applicants, paid in US dollars by check, ​money order, or credit card. Please make checks and money orders payable to UC Regents. Checks and money orders must be drawn on a bank that has a branch in the United States and mailed to the Graduate Division with the Check/Money Order Submission form found on the final page of your Online Graduate Application. Applicants may also pay using a Visa or MasterCard, but only at the point of submission. Cash is not accepted.
  • May I receive a fee waiver? A limited number of fee waivers are available for qualified US citizens and permanent residents who qualify. McNair Scholars and Project 1000 applicants are among those eligible. Fee waivers are not available to international applicants.
  • How do I apply for a fee waiver? You may apply for a fee waiver ​within the online application.  Within your application click on the Payment Information tab and scroll-down to the fee waiver information. Submit your request online by selecting the option relevant to you and uploading your supporting documentation. You must submit your fee waiver request at least two weeks before the application deadline. Do not submit a fee waiver request the day before the application deadline​; it will not be processed and your application will not be reviewed.
  • How will I know if my fee waiver has been processed? You will receive an email once a decision about your fee waiver has been made. You can also check the Application Info box, located at the top of your online application, to view your fee waiver status. If your fee waiver has been approved please complete your online application and submit your application on or before the application deadline. If your fee waiver is denied you will receive an email with information as to why it was denied. If you believe you qualify for a fee waiver under a different option, or made an error in your first request, you may submit another request. If you do not qualify for a fee waiver you must pay by credit card or check/money order on or before the application deadline. Do not submit a fee waiver request the day before the application deadline, it will not be processed and your application will not be reviewed.

Application Processing and Status

  • Where do I send my application materials?

    Please Submit the following materials in your online graduate application:

    1. Statement of Purpose
    2. Personal Achievements/Contributions statement
    3. Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
    4. Letters of Recommendation (referee information and waivers)
    5. Transcripts
    6. Application payment, if paying by credit card
    7. Any supplemental materials marked for online submission by your Department. See the Departments & Programs listing for details.

    Please send to the Graduate Division:

    1. Application fee, if not already paid by credit card during application submission
    2. Official GRE and TOEFL scores, sent directly from ETS. UCSB's institution code is 4835, and the department code should be left blank
    3. Official IELTS scores can be sent as a alternative to the TOEFL
  • What is my application status? Is my application complete? Your application status is available online using the email address you used and the password you created when you started your application.
  • Whom should I contact if I cannot remember my password? Your password can be reset online. An email will be sent to the email account that you used to originally create your application. If you do not receive an email with an updated password, first check your junk or spam mail. If you still do not have access to your updated password, please contact Graduate Division Admissions.
  • What do I do if the deadline is approaching, but the department has not received my materials? You must check your Application Status Page online to determine which materials have been received. Check with the department about which materials are still needed. Application deadlines are typically strict, requiring that all materials, including test scores, be received by the application deadline. The Graduate Division Admissions staff can confirm whether your application fee, fee waiver, and test scores have been received (note: you can also check your Application Status Page for this information). Please contact the Graduate Program Assistant in your academic department regarding all other application materials.
  • I called and emailed the department, but I did not get a response. What should I do? Please be patient. The departments are very busy and it can often take a few days to return either your email or phone call. Please make sure the information you are looking for cannot be accessed on the academic department or Graduate Division web sites.
  • How can I update my name and contact information? If your name or contact information has changed during the application process, email Graduate Division Admissions and the department Graduate Program Assistant with your updated information. If you are updating a mailing or email address, include a date when the address will no longer be valid. If you need to change your personal information after completion of the online Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) and online Statement of Legal Residence (SLR), please contact the Office of the Registrar.

Letters of Recommendation

  • When will my recommender(s) be contacted by UCSB? Will they receive an email automatically when I type in their email address? Once you submit the required electronic waiver, our system will automatically email your recommender a request for a letter of recommendation. Once you finish the online application, you will be able to log back into the Application Status page at your convenience to send a request to your recommender.
  • My recommender has not received a recommendation request from UCSB. Why hasn't the request been sent and what should I do next? If you have already completed a mandatory waiver and your recommenders still have not received a message, please ask your recommenders to set their email accounts to allow messages from Graduate Division, app@graddiv.ucsb.edu. It is possible that the messages we sent were filtered out by your recommenders' email spam settings.
  • How can I re-send the request for a recommendation to my recommender? You may prompt the electronic system to send new emails to your recommenders. To do so:
    1. Please log in to your electronic application and go to your Application Sections page.
    2. In the ​Letters of Recommendation section, hit the Edit button.
    3. Click on Resend button next to the recommender you wish to generate a new email for.

    Note that a new email will generate a new link for your recommender, invalidating the link in the original email. Your recommender should refer to the most recent email received when submitting your letter. 

  • I want to add a new recommender or modify recommender information. How can I do that?
    1. Please log in to your electronic application and go to your Application Sections page.
    2. Click on Edit button next to the recommender you for whom you wish to modify information.
    3. You may add up to four recommenders in the Letters of Recommendation section. If you have already input three recommenders, you may click the link to add a fourth.
    4. You may replace a recommender with someone new if they have not yet submitted a letter of recommendation. To do so, click on the Delete button next to the recommender you wish to remove. Then, use the Add Recommender button to add a new recommender. If you replace a recommender, please notify them personally, as they will no longer be able to upload a letter per the instructions UCSB has provided them via email.
  • May I use a letter service to submit my letters of recommendation in hard copy? You may use a Letter Service to submit your letters of recommendation. Letter Services may submit letters via mail or online. Even if a Letter Service is submitting letters on behalf of a recommender, you still must enter the recommender name, email address, and institution into the online application. You must fill out an electronic waiver for the recommender. You may then identify that the letter will come from a Service. UCSB will still email your recommender, but we will only ask them to respond to the rating scale prompt. They will not be asked to send a letter. You may also indicate whether the Letter Service will send the letter electronically or in hard copy.
  • May I ask more than four recommenders to submit electronic letters of recommendation? No. Our electronic application will only accept four letters of recommendation electronically per applicant. If you have more than four recommenders, additional recommenders must submit hard copy letters of recommendation via mail. Coversheets are required for hard-copy letter of recommendation submissions.  Please also contact your department to determine whether or not ​more than four letters of recommendation can be reviewed with your application. 

GRE, MAT, TOEFL or IELTS Scores

  • Where may I take the GRE and or TOEFL? The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) are both administered by ETS. Applicants should instruct ETS to send scores to UCSB. The UCSB institution code is 4835. A department code is not required​; however, if you route your scores to institution code 4835 and provide a department code, UCSB will still receive your scores. Please note that official GRE test scores are valid for five years after your test administration date. If you are not sure when your scores expire, please contact ETS directly to inquire. 

    NOTE: The GRE is not required by the Department of Art. The Technology Management Program (TMP) requires either the GRE or Graduate Management Admission Test (​GMAT). The Gevirtz Graduate School of Education requires either the GRE or Miller Analogies Test (MAT) for applicants applying to the Teaching Credential Program. GMAT and MAT scores must be no more than five years old at the time of application.
  •  Where may I take the IELTS (International English Language Testing System)? Applicants choosing to take the IELTS must make arrangements directly with the International English Language Testing System. An institution code is not required to report the score results to UCSB. IELTS scores must be no more than two years old at the time of application.
  • How do I report my IELTS scores? Applicants taking the IELTS must make arrangements directly with IELTS for testing and score reporting. UCSB prefers paper test reports from IELTS. Please have paper test reports sent to the Graduate Division:
  • UCSB Graduate Division
    Attn: Graduate Admissions
    3117 Cheadle Hall
    Santa Barbara, CA 93106-2070
  • If you choose to have you scores reported electronically you must email gradadmissions@graddiv.ucsb.edu with a notification that your scores have been reported online.  Provide your Centre Number, Candidate Number, and Test Date in your email.  
  • Do you have my test scores? Once you ask ETS to send score reports to UCSB, please allow three to four weeks for processing. Once your scores have arrived, your Application Status Page will be updated accordingly. Please note, the Graduate Division will not supply test score reports to applicants, outside persons, or other institutions.
  • I ordered my GRE scores to be sent to UCSB. Why haven’t they been received? If when ordering your GRE scores you listed ​UCSB as UI (undergraduate institution) instead of GI (graduate institution), we will not receive them. You will need to reorder your scores through ETS. UCSB must be listed under "Graduate Institutions" in the "Designated Score Recipients" section of your score report. If you ordered your GRE scores to be sent to the GI​, waited 3-4 weeks for processing, and checked your status via your online application, you may e-mail ​gradadmissions@graddiv.ucsb.edu to check.
  • What if my test scores will arrive after the department's deadline? Contact the department if the scores will arrive after the deadline. A delay in your test scores could make your application incomplete and ineligible for application review.
  • Will UCSB send copies or a printout of my test scores to me or other schools? No, the GRE and TOEFL scores become property of UCSB Graduate Division Admissions and cannot be reprinted or recreated for applicants, outside persons, or other institutions.
  • How do I update my test scores if I took the test again? You can request the new scores be sent to UCSB. For admissions purposes, UCSB reviews the most recent and complete set of scores reported. It is not possible to mix-and-match the best scores. If you want to improve your test scores, you need to retake the entire test. If you have already submitted your online application with complete scores and wish to replace them, please first notify the department and the Graduate Division.
  • What are competitive scores? The Graduate Division does not set minimum score requirements for the GRE, GMAT, or MAT. Some academic departments do have certain exam standards and you should contact the department directly. GRE scores must be valid within the five years after your exam administration date.  If you are not sure when your scores expire, please contact ETS directly to inquire.  MAT and GMAT scores must be no more than five years old at the time of application. For international applicants required to take the TOEFL or IELTS, the minimum TOEFL score is 550 when taking the paper based test and 80 when taking the internet based test. The minimum IELTS score for consideration is an Overall Band Score of 7 or higher. Some departments may require a higher score. TOEFL or IELTS scores can be no more than two years old at the time of application.
  • Will you accept a photocopy of my test scores? No. The Graduate Division requires official scores, submitted directly from ETS, Miller, Graduate Management Admissions Council, or the International English Language Testing System. GRE scores are valid for five years after your test administration date. If you are not sure when your scores expire, please contact ETS directly to inquire.  MAT and GMAT scores must be no more than five years old at the time of application. Please do not send your original paper score report since you may not be able to obtain another copy and the Graduate Division is unable to release the original copy back to you or another university.
  • May I waive the TOEFL or IELTS requirement? Exceptions to TOEFL or IELTS testing may only be considered for those students who have completed an undergraduate or graduate education at an institution whose official sole language of instruction is English. For additional information, contact the academic department.
  • What are the differences between TOEFL and IELTS? Depending on location, the TOEFL exam comes in two formats: Internet-based (iBT) and Paper-based (PBT). The Internet-based test is the first TOEFL exam to test speaking, along with writing, listening, and reading. The speaking section is done through a voice-recorder online. The Paper-based exam tests listening, reading, writing, and structure, which tests how students recognize English sentence structure and idiomatic word usage. Scores can be sent either in paper-based form or electronically.

    The IELTS is a newer exam and has recently become a competitor for TOEFL. It also tests speaking, reading, writing, and listening. However, the speaking portion is conducted through a live interview with a trained and certified ESL specialist. However, whereas TOEFL is offered through ETS, IELTS is its own organization and test registration is handled through them. Scores are usually mailed to the Graduate Division, where we then enter them into the online application. However, applicants can opt to have them sent electronically. The tests are quite similar, and the Graduate Division does not have a preference - it depends on how the student wishes to be tested, taking into consideration his or her strongest areas of language.

Undocumented/Dream Scholar Applicants

  • Who is a Dream Scholar?  Student who qualify for AB 540 legislation and are undocumented fall into the category of Dream Scholars. The terminology is UCSB specific; it reflects the academic success of these students on our campus.
  • Can Dream Scholars apply for graduate studies at UCSB? Yes. The UCSB Graduate Application is available to all applicants online: https://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/eapp/
  • How much does the application cost for Dream Scholars? The application fee for Dream Scholars is $​125. Dream Scholars may request a fee waiver. ​You may apply for a fee waiver ​within the online application.  Within your application click on the Payment Information tab and scroll-down to the fee waiver information.  Submit your request online by selecting the option relevant to you and uploading your supporting documentation. You must submit your fee waiver request at least two weeks before the application deadline. Do not submit a fee waiver request the day before the application deadline​; it will not be processed and your application will not be reviewed.
  • Is in-state tuition available for Dream Scholars?  UCSB recognizes the AB-540 nonresident tuition exemption. All admitted applicants who choose to attend UCSB must complete a Statement of Legal Residence (SLR), which determines the tuition and fees assessed. You can find more information about UCSB’s SLR process and AB540 regulations on the Office of the Registrar's web site.
  • Do Dream Scholars need to fill out a FAFSA?  No. Dream Scholars should not file a FAFSA for UC Santa Barbara. Dream Scholars who qualify for the AB-540 nonresident tuition exemption should file the California Dream Act Application by the posted deadline (March 2nd of the year prior to enrollment) to be considered for financial aid.
  • Are Graduate Student Dream Scholars able to hold teaching and/or research assistantships?  If a student has DACA certification, they may have an opportunity to work as a Graduate Student Researcher (GSR), Teaching Assistant (TA), Teaching Associate, Reader, or Tutor through their program. (Note: If a student is eligible for DACA, but not for AB 540, they can still be employed by UC).
  • What other types of funding are available to Graduate Student Dream Scholars?  UCSB regularly offers fellowships, scholarships, and “block grants” to graduate students to help cover tuition, fees, and stipends.  Dream Scholar graduate students who have AB 540 status are eligible for block grants, private scholarships, and fellowships donated to the UC Regents and administered by the UC. (Disclaimer: Some fellowships may be restricted to only US citizens/permanent residents.  Additionally, some fellowships require employment, in which case the student must have DACA certification.)  If a student does not have AB 540 status, that student cannot receive institutional fellowships or block grants from either UC or from private donors administered through UC.
  • Does UCSB have any point of contact for Dream Scholars? Yes. ​Information is available on the UCSB Dream Scholars resources page. The UCSB Dream Scholar Resource Team is an active campus network of staff and faculty who “promote diversity, create safe spaces, and provide direct assistance and mentorship to Dream Scholars.” Finally, UCSB has a very active, student-run organization called IDEAS (Improving Dreams, Equality, Access, and Success).

Gender & Sexuality Application Questions

  • Why did UC ​Santa Barbara add questions pertaining to gender identity and sexual orientation to the Graduate Application? On October 8, 2011, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 620, which includes a request that UC provide the opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to report their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression on any forms used to collect demographic data. 

    In 2012, then UC President Mark Yudof created and charged the Task Force & Implementation Team on LGBT Climate and Inclusion (LGBT Task Force) with developing priorities, strategies, and expected resource requirements to advance recommendations submitted by the LGBT Working Group of the President’s Advisory Council on Campus Climate and Inclusion. On May 30, 2014, the LGBT Task Force presented a report to UC President Janet Napolitano with a recommendation to implement AB 620. 

    In September 2014, UC President Janet Napolitano formed the President’s Advisory Council on LGBT Students, Faculty, and Staff, which is comprised of faculty, LGBT Center staff, students, and community experts. They were charged with making the UC system a gold standard for LGBT issues, and to provide recommendations for the implementation of AB 620 by collecting data on gender identity and sexual orientation through the admission application. 

    Providing the LGBT community with the option to self-identify supports the University’s priorities of creating an inclusive and welcoming campus environment across the UC system. Including these questions on the graduate application will signal to applicants that UC is an inclusive environment and that the LGBT community is part of it. As with all other demographic questions on the admission application, providing gender identity and sexual orientation data will be voluntary, optional, and as required by law, not impact admission decisions.
  • What is the wording of the gender identity and sexual orientation questions?​

    Gender Identity

    1) How do you describe yourself?

    • Male
    • Female
    • Trans Male/Trans Man
    • Trans Female/Trans Woman
    • Genderqueer/Gender Non-Conforming
    • Different Identity
    • No Selection

    2) What sex were you assigned at birth, such as on an original birth certificate?

    • Male
    • Female
    • No Selection

    Sexual Orientation

    Do you consider yourself to be:

    • Heterosexual or straight
    • Gay or lesbian
    • Bisexual
    • Not listed above (please specify)
    • No Selection
  • How were the gender identity questions developed? The Transgender Health Advocacy Coalition in Philadelphia, PA developed the two-step question protocol for gender identity data collection in 1997. The Center of Excellence for Transgender Health and UC San Francisco began advocating the use of the two-step protocol in 2007, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adopted it in 2011. The two-step method was also cognitively tested by two research teams as part of the Williams Institute’s research on best practices to identify transgender people and other gender minorities through population-based surveys.
  • Why is the gender identity measure comprised of two questions?  The two-step question protocol for gender identity data collection involves first querying the respondent’s current gender identity, followed by a second question that asks the respondent to state their sex assigned a birth. Research has shown that together, these two variables work well in identifying transgender and other gender minority respondents. The two items are cross-tabulated to identify those who currently identify with their assigned sex (non-transgender) and those who do not currently identify with their assigned sex at birth (transgender and other gender minorities).
  • How was the sexual orientation question developed?  The Williams Institute at UCLA recommended the question regarding sexual orientation after a five-year study of sexual orientation measures. The question has been thoroughly tested and is currently in use in the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), and other state-level surveys. In keeping with approaches employed by NHIS and CHIS, respondents are provided a space to self-identify if the available answer options do not suit them.
  • How will UC Santa Barbara use responses?  Data collected on gender identity and sexual orientation will provide UC Santa Barbara with meaningful population data necessary for targeting resources and other student support services (e.g., scholarships and themed housing). These data will also enable campuses to develop curricular and co-curricular offerings that reflect students’ diverse perspectives, and that promote a safe and welcoming learning environment for all students.

    As a recipient of federal Title IV financial aid funds, UC Santa Barbara is required to gather and report demographic data for undergraduate and graduate students, including gender data. For federal reporting purposes (i.e., IPEDS), it is recommended that Trans Female/Trans Woman be reported as Women, and Trans Male/Trans Man be reported as men. In addition, genderqueer and gender non-conforming individuals should be reported as their sex assigned at birth.  Data collected should be included on the student record, unless the student opts for “only aggregate” reporting. If a student opts for exclusion from their personal record, these data should be maintained in aggregate form at the campus and student classification levels.  Students will be provided with an avenue to update or change their gender identity or sexual orientation data through online campus student portals or an alternate method determined by the campus.
  • What is the definition of the terms used in the data collection questions?
  • Bisexual – A person whose primary sexual and affectional orientation is toward people of the same and other genders, or toward people regardless of their gender.
  • Gay – A sexual and affectional orientation toward people of the same gender.
  • Gender – A social construct used to classify a person as a man, woman, or some other identity.
  • Gender Expression – How one expresses oneself, in terms of dress, mannerisms, and/or behaviors that society characterizes as “masculine” or “feminine.”
  • Gender Non-Conforming – People who do not subscribe to gender expressions or roles expected of them by society.
  • Gender Queer – A person’s whose gender identity and/or gender expression falls outside of the dominant social norm for their assigned sex, is beyond genders, or is some combination of them
  • Heterosexual/Straight – A sexual orientation in which a person feels physically and emotionally attracted to people of a gender other than their own.
  • Lesbian – A woman whose primary sexual and affectional orientation is toward people of the same gender.
  • Transgender – Used most often as an umbrella term; some commonly held definitions: 1) someone whose gender identity or expression does not fit within dominant group social constructs of assigned sex and gender; 2) a gender outside of the man/woman binary; 3) having no gender or multiple genders.
  • Trans Man/Trans Male – A female-to-male (FTM) transgender person who was assigned female at birth, but whose gender identity is that of a man.
  • Trans Woman/Trans Female – A male-to-female (MTF) transgender person who was assigned male at birth, but whose gender identity is that of a woman.​​​

International Teaching Assistants

  • What is the testing requirement? All prospective international teaching assistants (TAs) whose first language is not English are required to take the TA Language Evaluation in order to be certified for sole classroom teaching responsibility. This exam is scheduled by your department faculty and conducted through the English for Multilingual Students (EMS) Program prior to the beginning of each quarter. The Language Evaluation requires the prospective TA to give a brief oral presentation in English and respond to questions from a panel of department and EMS faculty.

Academic Review

  • What is the minimum GPA requirement? To be considered for admission, you must have received a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited university prior to the quarter for which you seek admission, and have at least a B average (3.0 GPA) in your undergraduate coursework. Satisfaction of minimal standards does not, however, guarantee admission, since the number of qualified applicants far exceeds the number of spaces available. As a consequence, many well-qualified applicants cannot be accommodated.
  • What do you require in the Statement of Purpose? Review the Statement of Purpose guidelines located on the How To Apply page. The length of your Statement of Purpose can depend on the individual departmental requirements, though ​approximately two pages or more is typically recommended. For additional information about the Statement of Purpose, speak to the Graduate Program Assistant in the academic department to which you are applying.

    Along with your Statement of Purpose, applicants are also required to submit a (1) Personal Achievements/Contributions Statement and a (2) Resume or Curriculum Vitae. Instructions for each document are located on the Statement and Uploaded Documents page of the online application.
  • Do I need to order UCSB transcripts if I attended (or I am currently attending) UCSB? No, you may upload an unofficial UCSB transcript to your application for review.  If you are admitted the Graduate Division will verify coursework and degree(s) completed.  The UCSB Graduate Division reserves the right to require official transcripts at any time during the admissions process, and rescind any offer of admission made if discrepancies between uploaded and official transcript(s) are found.

Admissions Decisions

  • How do I find out my about admissions decision? You will be notified by email when a decision has been made on your application, and your Application Status Page will be updated with a decision letter.
  • I have been admitted, now what do I do? Congratulations! Complete the Statement of Intent to Register through the Application Status Page. This form lets us know whether you plan to attend UCSB. If you accept the offer of admission, your information will be transmitted to the Office of the Registrar. If you ​also received a financial offer with your admission, you will need to formally accept or decline the offer according to the instructions outlined in your offer letter. If you inform us you are not coming, we will close out your application. Additionally, please notify your department of your decision and inquire as to whether there is any additional information that they need.
  • What is "provisional admissions status" and how do I remove it? Provisional Admissions Status means that you were granted admission under the condition that you will provide final/official transcripts (and other documents, if applicable) from all post-secondary institutions as well as any missing application materials. These materials will be noted in your decision letter from the Graduate Division. See below for final/official transcript requirements.

    The deadline to submit any documents still needed by the Graduate Division in order to clear your provisional admissions status is the first day of instruction during your first quarter at UCSB.  As documents are received, the notes in your decision letter will be updated to reflect any items that are still pending. Once all required documents and materials have been received and processed, your admissions status will be updated to "Unconditional."

  • What are final/official transcripts? How do I submit them? If sending paper documents by mail, transcripts and other documents are considered official when they are sent to the UC Santa Barbara Graduate Division directly from the school in the institution's sealed envelope, with all official seals and stamps intact. If sending electronic ​documents, transcripts must be sent directly from​ ​the institution's approved official transcript or document delivery service to transcripts@graddiv.ucsb.edu to be considered official. Transcripts are considered final ​when all grades have been finalized and posted to your official student records and all degrees reported have been finalized and conferred. If you reported a degree in your online application (such as a master's degree or credential) that you do not intend to complete after all, please contact your department immediately. 

  • What if I will not be able to meet the deadline to submit my final/official transcripts? Please contact the Graduate Division’s admissions staff at gradadmissions@graddiv.ucsb.edu to request an extension. Extensions are not guaranteed.
  • How can I find out why I was denied? The academic departments make all admissions decisions. Contact the department to which you applied.
  • If I was denied, may I reapply? Yes, you can reapply if it is in your best interests and those of the department. If, after consulting your department, you are encouraged to reapply, you will need to submit a new online application and pay a new application fee. Please contact the academic department where you last applied to determine what application materials, if any, can be reused.
  • May I have my application materials? No, the application file and all contents are property of UCSB and will not be released to the applicant or another institution. This includes, but is not limited to, transcripts, letters of recommendation, statements of purpose, and test scores. You may, however, continue to log into your online application and access materials that you previously submitted yourself. 

Other Topics

  • When do I receive my registration materials? If you accept the offer of admission via the Statement of Intent to Register, your information will be transmitted to the Office of the Registrar, registration ​information will be generated, and registration instructions will be emailed to you. If you do not receive an email from the Registrar by August, contact the Office of the Registrar. International applicants should review the Office of International Students and Scholars "What to do First" page for additional steps and information.
  • Do graduate students have to pre-enroll? No. Graduate Students have registration priority over undergraduates in all courses.
  • Who handles matters of legal residency? The Office of the Registrar handles all matters of legal residency. Please contact the Residence Deputy, (805) 893-3033 with specific questions.
  • Who handles visas and I-20s for international admits? The Office of International Students and Scholars provides service and support to international students.
  • Where may I receive financial support information? The University will contact you concerning available campus aid. Visit Financial Support or contact your department regarding funding opportunities. All domestic applicants must complete the FAFSA.
  • What is an Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT)? The National Science Foundation has recognized UCSB's superb interdisciplinary studies through Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) awards. These grants provide specialized training and a high level of multi-year funding to qualified graduate admits covering tuition, fees and a generous stipend.

    PhD students who are interested in participating in the IGERT program and applying for a traineeship will first apply online to one of our 7 home departments: 

    Contact the department and indicate you would like to be considered for an IGERT and remember to check a box on the online application form marking your interest in the IGERT program.
  • May I take classes without applying to graduate school? Yes, you can take classes through UC Santa Barbara Extension or Summer Sessions. These programs are separate from the graduate application process. Please consult these departments regarding courses and deadlines.