All applicants must complete the Online Graduate Application. Please carefully read the instructions below and within the eApp portal to ensure that you correctly complete each section of the application.
We recommend that you keep personal copies of all application materials. This page offers information on eligibility, types of applicants, and step-by-step instructions on how to complete the online application.
To be considered for admission, applicants must have:
Additionally, each department has its own criteria for admission. Please visit the Departments and Programs page for requirements.
Satisfaction of minimal standards does not, however, guarantee admission. Because the number of qualified applicants far exceeds the number of places available each term, many well-qualified applicants cannot be accommodated.
You will need to select your intended graduate major and degree objective from the drop-down menu in the application. You can find a complete list of graduate degree programs and application requirements on our Department and Programs page. Please note that most of our graduate programs accept applications for fall admissions only.
Common graduate degree objective abbreviations:
If you are not sure which degree objective to select or whether to apply to a combined PhD and master’s program or only the PhD, contact your department for more information. Each department has its own application deadline. A complete online application and all supporting documents must be submitted by the deadline in order to be considered for admission and fellowship support.
It is important to maintain current and accurate contact information throughout the application cycle. You will be able to return to the Address section to make updates even after you have completed and submitted your online application. Please be sure to update this section of your application if your address changes during the application cycle.
The questions in this section will help us to determine if you will need a visa to attend graduate school and if you may be considered a California resident for tuition purposes.
If you are currently a U.S. Permanent Resident visa holder, please be sure to select the Permanent Resident visa in this section of the application.
List the school awarding your undergraduate degree as the first Undergraduate Institution. List other schools in order of most recent attendance by adding additional Undergraduate Institutions. All schools at which you completed one or more full academic terms (or equivalent) should be reported on your application.
After selecting the school location, select your institution from the drop-down list that appears under School Name. If you do not find your school, select Other Institution and type in the name of your school exactly as it appears on your transcript. Note that some schools may be listed under common abbreviations (for example, California State University may be listed as CSU).
Please indicate the date you received your degree or the date that you expect to receive it. If you will not receive a degree at a particular institution, enter the last date that you will be enrolled there and then select No Degree in the Degree Awarded/Expected drop-down menu.
Report the Units/Credits that you have completed to date. Do not enter the total number of credits required for your degree program if you have not finished all of them at this time.
Report your Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) as listed on your official university transcript. Report your GPA on the scale used at your institution.
If your institution does not use a 4.0 scale, do not convert your GPA to a 4.0 scale. For instance, if your university grades out of a maximum of 100%, and you have a cumulative average of 80% for your coursework to date, enter 80% as your Cumulative Grade Point Average, and 100% as the GPA Scale. The same approach can be used for 10.0, 8.0, or other GPA scales.
If your degree type is not listed in the Degree Awarded/Expected drop-down menu, you may select Other Degree, and then type in the name of your degree. If you will not complete a degree at the institution, select No Degree in the Degree Awarded/Expected drop-down menu.
You are required to upload an official transcript created by your university. This transcript will be used to review and evaluate your application.
Scan and upload all pages of your official transcript from this institution (including the grading scale, which may be on the backside of the transcript). The uploaded transcript must be produced by the university with all appropriate seals/stamps. Remove your Social Security Number by crossing/blacking out numbers before uploading (if applicable). If you have questions about whether or not a transcript is acceptable, contact your department/program directly.
International Applicants: If you have received your degree, please include your degree certificate within the same file as your transcripts. The uploaded document must include both the original language transcript and the certified English translation. English transcripts are required and must be a complete, exact and literal translation of the original transcripts. English translations must be provided by the school or an official agency.
Tips for uploading transcripts:
Do not send your final/official transcripts to UCSB unless you have been admitted and chosen to attend UCSB or you have been specifically instructed to do so.
Final, official documents sent directly to UC Santa Barbara from the institution will be required for all applicants who are admitted and have indicated their intent to enroll at UC Santa Barbara by submitting a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). If sending paper documents by mail, official transcripts must be 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, they must be sent directly from the institution's official approved document delivery service to transcripts@graddiv.ucsb.edu.
Official documents must be received by September 1 st if admitted for fall or before the first day of instruction of the quarter to which you are admitted (all other quarters). Degrees awarded by UCSB will be verified internally by the Graduate Division. UCSB students/alumni are not required to submit official transcripts unless specifically requested.
Note: UC Santa Barbara 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.