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Application Questions
UC Santa Cruz requires applicants to apply online in order to be considered for admission. If you feel you are unable to apply online, please email the Admissions Coordinator at gradadm@ucsc.edu, or call (831) 459-5905.
Please be sure that your application is set for the correct quarter. For example, if you are applying for admission to a program for fall, be sure the program cycle on your application is set to “fall.”
Q. What are my options for completing the online application if I have limited internet access?
There are several things you can do if your internet access is limited:
- Enter part of your application and return to it at any time before submitting it, just remember your password.
- Use computers provided at school, libraries, internet cafes, or by a friend.
- Print out your application and find the answers to the questions while you are offline.
- Prepare your answers in word processing software (e.g. MS Word or Notepad), and cut and paste your answers into the application.
Q. Why can’t I access the online application for admission?
UC Santa Cruz blocks traffic from unsecured web browsers. If you’re unable to access the online application at https://applygrad.ucsc.edu/apply, be sure that you’re attempting to connect to it from a browser that is up-to-date and secure; also try clearing your browser’s history (cache) and relaunching the program to see if this helps.
If your browser meets these standards, you’ve tried these steps, and you’re still unable to connect, please contact gradapphelp@ucsc.edu for further assistance. Be sure to indicate what browser and version you are using.
Q. May I submit my application online before it is complete? How do I know if you have received all my supporting materials?
All required fields and pages of the application must be complete before you submit it. There are several optional pages which you may choose to skip. You can not make any changes to your application after submission. You can, however, submit your application online before you send us all the supporting materials (transcripts, letters of recommendation and official score reports).
The deadlines listed are for submission of all documents. You are strongly advised to submit your application and supporting materials well in advance of the official deadlines. There is no guarantee that materials received after the deadline will be reviewed.
Q. May I apply to more than one department or program of study just in case I’m not accepted to my first choice?
No. Only one application may be considered from each applicant within a given admission-processing period (winter through fall of the same calendar year). Simultaneous applications to multiple departments are not accepted and any application fee paid for multiple applications is non-refundable.
Q. Do I apply to the Division of Graduate Studies as well as the department? Do I need to submit two sets of materials?
“No” to both questions. You submit only one application, and only one copy of each transcript.
Q. How can I change the program that I’m applying to?
If you have not submitted your application yet:
- Changing your program will result in the loss of any data or documents you’ve entered on those pages.
- Be careful to review your application prior to submission to ensure that all of your information is complete and relevant to your new program.
- Any recommenders that you’ve registered thus far will be moved to your new application; recommender invitations do not have to be resent.
- To change the program to which you are applying, select a new program in the “Intended Program of Study” section in the Online Application: Application Instructions page, before submitting your application.
Q. Can I apply for a duplicate degree? If I have a Ph.D. can I apply for a Master’s degree?
It is the policy of the UC Santa Cruz campus to prohibit the pursuit of duplicate advanced degrees. However, applicants may petition the graduate dean for an exception to this policy if the degree sought is in a field of study distinctly different from the field in which the original advanced degree was attained.
In order for a student who already holds the doctorate to be admitted or readmitted to work toward a second Ph.D.—or toward an academic master’s degree—each of the following conditions must be met:
- The applicant must petition the graduate dean in writing prior to the application deadline for the program in question.
- The department sponsoring the program to which admission is sought must support the applicant’s petition.
- The department must present the graduate dean with a clear and complete outline of the program required for the degree sought, and must explain the intellectual separateness of the proposed program from that completed by the applicant in attaining the earlier degree.
- The graduate dean will review all materials submitted and decide whether or not to admit the applicant, consulting with the Graduate Council when appropriate.
Admission to a professional master’s program after a Ph.D.—or to an academic master’s program after a professional doctorate—is not subject to these restrictions.
Q. Can I review the content of my file?
Your online application will be available for review after it is submitted. Supporting materials submitted by other parties (i.e. transcripts, test scores and letters of recommendation) are not available to applicants. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 does give students, once admitted and enrolled, the right to inspect their records.
Q. Will you give information on the status of my file to my parents, spouse, or friend while I’m out of the country?
File information is provided only to the applicant unless you give permission to release information on your file to a specific person. You can request to give this permission in the field for additional information on the application. If you have already submitted your application, send an email to gradadm@ucsc.edu.
Q. My connection to the online application keeps expiring. Why is this happening?
Our application relies on your having a static IP address for the duration of your session. If you’re using an unsecured, public connection, or possibly one associated with your college campus, the service is likely changing your IP address. Each change would result in loss of your authenticated session and force you back to the login page. We recommend finding a more stable source of connectivity to the internet.
Q. What if I have questions that are not answered?
Specific questions about the program or the evaluation of your application should be directed to the individual graduate program.
Questions regarding university policy or the receipt of your application materials, please check the application portal. If you can not find an answer, please contact the Division of Graduate Studies:
Email: gradadm@ucsc.edu
Telephone: (831) 459-5905
Questions related to the online application, system issues, technology challenges (e.g. login problems or browser problems), please contact:
Email: gradapphelp@ucsc.edu
Telephone: (831) 459-2281
Application Fee
Q. What is the application fee, and can it be deferred or waived?
The application fee is $135.00 for domestic applicants and $155.00 for international applicants. Electronic payment options are available through our application system.
Fees can not be deferred. International applicants do not qualify for the Graduate Division’s application fee waivers or exemptions.
Some individual programs may offer a fee exemption for their applicants; please check with the program you are applying to, to see if they offer such a fee exemption.
** This fee does not guarantee admission and is non-refundable **
Q. Do you offer a Fee Waiver for financial hardship or for students currently receiving financial aid?
If you are a US Citizen, AB 540, or Permanent Resident of the United States, you may request an application fee waiver if you believe you are eligible. Please be aware that fee waivers are extremely limited.
Please note: If you pay the application fee via credit card, your money will not be refunded to you.
To demonstrate financial need you must enter the Student Aid Index (SAI) or Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) in the Payment/Fee Waiver page and upload one of the following three items through the online application. Make sure you remove/redact all Social Security numbers before submitting the documents.
- A statement of need from a financial aid officer at the college or university that you are currently attending. This statement must include your Student Aid Index (SAI), the financial aid officer’s signature, and your signature verifying that the information reported is correct. Or,
- A copy of your current Submission Summary (not from the previous year) from your FAFSA, or a copy of your CALSAR statement from your California Dream Act Application showing your Student Aid Index (SAI) and your full name on the subsequent page(s). The California Dream Act Application (Dream App), or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA, http://www.fafsa.gov/) form are both available beginning October 1st. Do not submit a copy of your Dream App or FAFSA. Or,
- A copy of last year’s (2024) Federal Income Tax return. Provide either your Form 1040, if listed as an independent, or a copy of your parent’s or guardian’s recent Federal Income Tax return, if listed as a dependent. Do not submit more than the single page that includes your adjusted gross income and identifying information (name, date of birth). Tip: If you fill out the FAFSA you can use the Submission Summary (see option 2) instead of submitting a tax return.
- Student Aid Index (SAI) cannot exceed $6,656.
- Annual family income cannot exceed the maximum AGI listed in the Family Income Guidelines below:
- FAMILY SIZE (including student) = FAMILY INCOME (Maximum AGI on Tax Return)
- 1 = $28,953
- 2 = $39,128
- 3 = $49,303
- 4 = $59,478
- 5 = $69,653
- 6 or more = Add $10,175 for each additional family member
When you have uploaded the appropriate documents, submit your application by the application deadline. Fee waivers will only be reviewed for submitted applicants.
Unfortunately we can not offer a fee waiver to every applicant. If your fee waiver is declined, we will contact you via the email you used on your application. You will be given a limited time (next business day, for example) to pay the application fee.
Q. I currently participate, or was a participant, in a scholarly program as an undergraduate; or I am in, or honorably separated from, the U.S. Military; can I receive a Fee Exemption?
Fee exemptions are available for applicants who participate in a qualifying program, listed below.
To apply for a Fee Exemption:
- Navigate to the Payment Section of the application.
- For the question, “Do you need assistance paying for your application processing fee?” answer “Yes”
- Answer the remaining questions that appear in the application to determine which program you qualify for
- Select from the drop-down menu the specific program you participated in.
- Fill out all required fields on the page
- Select the “Continue” button at the bottom when you are finished
- ABRCMS (Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students)
- APS Bridge (American Physical Society Bridge Program)
- Cal Bridge
- Caltech WAVE Fellows
- Cientifico Latino (US citizens and Permanent Residents)
- CSU Pre-Doctoral Program
- CURE Program, UC Davis (Continuing Umbrella for Research Experience)
- Diversity Forum (The California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education)
- Doris Duke Scholars Graduate Fellowship
- Fulbright (any sponsoring agency)
- GEM Fellowship
- Graduate Pathways to STEM Conference
- MARC (Maximizing Access to Research Careers, NIH)
- McNair Scholars Program
- MESA Engineering Program, UC Santa Cruz
- MMUF (Mellon Mays Minority Undergraduate Fellowship Program)
- NAC (National Astronomy Consortium)
- NIH Bridge to Doctorate
- NRAO REU (National Radio Astronomy Observatory – Research Experience for Undergraduates)
- NSF REU (National Science Foundation – Research Experience for Undergraduates)
- Peace Corps
- SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science)
- SFSU Genentech Foundation Scholars Program
- SIEML (Summer Institute for Emerging Managers and Leaders)
- SUPERB at Berkeley (Summer Undergraduate Program in Engineering Research) – Artificial Intelligence for Engineering (AI4E)
- STARS, UC San Diego (Summer Training Academy for Research Success)
- SURF, at any University of California campus (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship)
- U.S. Military
- UC Berkeley Amgen Scholars
- UC LEADS (University of California Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees)
- UC-HBCU Initiative (Historically Black Colleges and Universities Alumni for Campus Outreach)
- UC-HSI-DDI Program, c/o the Institute for the Biology of Stem Cells, Baskin School of Engineering
- UC Research Mentoring Internships (RMI) funded by NIH
- UCEAP Reciprocity
- UROC at UC Merced (Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center)
Application Materials
Q. What materials are required for the application?
You need an email address to use the online system.
A complete application consists of:
- Submitted online application
- $135 application fee ($155 for international applicants)
- Transcripts (official or unofficial) from each college-level institution attended
- Three letters of recommendation
- Required test scores (including TOEFL/IELTS for international students)
- Other materials requested by the department (resume, writing sample, CD or tape, etc.)
Q. Where do I send hard copy materials?
Transcripts and items sent from your school or a private letter service are the only materials we accept in hard copy format.
The online application is designed so that most required items, including your transcripts, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, writing samples and resumes, can be submitted online. Please use the online features whenever possible and do not send paper copies of material that has been submitted online.
These paper documents will be scanned and saved digitally so that they can be viewed electronically by your admissions committee. To assist us in processing your application, please do not bind, glue or laminate your documents, nor send in folios or document covers. Be sure to include your name, birth date and the department to which you are applying with every document.
Mail hardcopy materials to:
UC Santa Cruz
Graduate Application Processing
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
For parcel services (FedEx, DHL, UPS), include “Kerr Hall – 500” after the street address.
For additional materials requested by the program such as portfolios, please send directly to the department.
Unsolicited material sent to Graduate Application Processing WILL NOT be included in the review materials and will be discarded.
Q. Can I get copies of my application materials? Can I have my application materials forwarded to another person, institution or organization?
All materials, including the application itself, submitted as part of an admission application are the property of UC Santa Cruz and will not be returned to the applicant, nor shared with another individual, institution or organization under any circumstances.
Q. How do I determine whether or not additional materials are required?
Please review our Graduate Programs page. Any additional (often referred to as “supplemental”) materials required to complete the application package will be listed on the program information page (click the name of the program).
You can also contact the graduate program to which you are applying.
Q. Where do I send additional materials requested by the department to which I am applying?
Materials should be sent directly to the program to which you are applying. Check with the graduate program directly for information about required additional materials and where to send them.
Q. How do I reactivate my old application materials?
If your official test scores were reported in the last admission cycle (one year ago), and they are still considered valid per the testing agency, we will be able to re-use those for your current application. We will not reactivate other application materials (letters of recommendation, personal statements, etc.). You should ensure that your application materials are up-to-date and accurate each time you apply for graduate programs at our campus.
Q. I have additional relevant material (book, magazine article, videotape, award certificate, etc.) that I would like the review committee to see. How do I include it with my application?
If you have website links available to material you would like the review committee to see, please provide the links on your résumé, or in the space for additional information. For all other materials, please check directly with the graduate program you are applying to, to find out what materials they will accept and where to send them.
Please DO NOT send unrequested materials to Graduate Application Processing. We will not process items that are not required by your department. Unsolicited material sent to Graduate Application Processing will not be included in the review materials and will be discarded.
Q. How will I know if you have received all of my application materials? What if you didn’t receive everything I’ve sent?
After you submit your application, your application portal will show you your checklist on your Status Page.
If you have sent material that is not reflected on your Status Page in the application portal:
- If you mailed the document yourself, allow 5-10 business days for mailing and processing time.
- If the item was sent directly to us by another source (ETS test scores, transcripts from another university, letters of recommendation), contact the source directly to confirm if, when, and to where it was sent.
- Please note that many language testing sites are experiencing long delays in reporting scores to campuses in the United States due to the ongoing pandemic.
If we have a required document, it will be listed as “Received,” missing documents will be listed as “Awaiting.”
If you contacted the source and they were not able to resolve your issue, send us an email at gradadm@ucsc.edu to inquire about your missing document. Include in your email:
- Your full name
- The email address used to create your application profile
- The reference number from your Status Page
- The department you applied to
- Information on the document:
- Type of document
- Where did you or your sources (recommender, school, ETS) send it
- When was it sent
- When did you last check on the status of this document
Q. I submitted my application, but I uploaded the wrong material; what can I do?
Applicants who have not paid the application fee, and who have no less than 7 business days before their official application deadline, may ask the program or department they are applying to, to un-submit their application to make adjustments. Programs/departments will need determine if this is acceptable (it is up to their discretion to permit your request) and they will contact the division of graduate studies no less than two business days before the official deadline to request the application be un-submitted. Programs/departments will be responsible for notifying their applicants this has been done.
If a program/department does not approve your request, we will not be able to assist you further. Programs/departments may have their own policies regarding application materials being corrected on submitted applications.
We can not extend the deadline if you do not re-submit your application on time.
If you have already paid the application fee, we will not un-submit your application.
Letters of Recommendation
Q. Where do my recommenders send letters of recommendation? May my recommender(s) send their letters by email or FAX?
We require all applicants to register their recommender(s) for online letters of recommendation. Your recommender will be able to upload their letter as a PDF document or type or paste the text of their recommendation into our system, and will be able to complete qualitative assessment rankings as part of their assessment of your skills and abilities. The qualitative assessment rankings will be used by departments when reviewing your application, but recommenders are not required to complete these.
Please note: We do not accept letters of recommendation by fax or email.
Q. How do I submit letters from a letter service?
If you plan to use a letter service, please review that service’s instructions before registering your recommenders through the online application; many services will provide you with a unique email address under which you’ll register each recommender, allowing the service to electronically submit the letters. (Please see our section on Letters of Recommendation).
Q. May I submit more than three letters of recommendation?
You may submit up to five letters, though three are all that are required.
Q. What if I want to waive access to review letter(s) of recommendation?
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 does give students, once admitted and enrolled, the right to inspect their records, including letters of recommendation.
The FERPA gives important rights, including:
- The right of students to inspect their student records
- The right to challenge incorrect information in those records
- The right to keep student records private
Because the FERPA gives students these rights, neither UCSC nor other institutions or organizations can require you to waive these rights. The following are factors you may want to consider in making the decision to waive or retain access to your letters of recommendation:
- Members of the admissions committee will know whether you waived access.
- A potential recommender may choose not to write a letter for you if you retain your right of access.
You must select to either waive or not waive your right of access when registering each recommender in your online admission application.
If you want to change your decision after you have registered your recommender, you will have to click Edit and Exclude next to the name of each recommender you’re changing your rights on. This will remove their letter from your application; you will have to re-register each recommender again with the correct rights applied, and re-send them an invitation to submit a recommendation.
Q. My recommender wants to edit the letter online. How can that be done?
After online submission, the letter cannot be replaced, but a new letter can be submitted for you. If your recommender feels the letter should be replaced after submission, please ask your recommender to contact Graduate Admissions using the email account they were registered with on your application.
Q. Can I submit a letter of recommendation on behalf of my letter writer?
Letters of recommendation must be submitted by the letter writer; applicants must not submit a letter of recommendation on behalf of the letter writer unless explicit prior consent has been granted by the Office of Graduate Admissions. Contact us to request an exception to this policy.
In cases where an applicant has fraudulently submitted official application materials on behalf of another individual or institution, the matter will be reviewed as a case of falsification and can result in the cancellation of the application. See our Policy: Falsification, Accuracy of Application Materials for more information.
Q. How do I change information for my recommender (email, waiver of rights, etc.)?
If you have submitted your application: Log in to the application portal and view your status page. Below your checklist you will see a link, “To re-send notifications to your recommenders, re-visit the recommendations page…” click this link to make edits. If no link appears, go to this address: https://applygrad.ucsc.edu/apply/ref#
If you need to change a recommender’s information you will click Edit next to their name, and then Exclude. You will then add a new registration for them with the correct information (corrected email, “yes” or “no” for your waiver of rights, etc.). Be sure to send the new link to your recommender, as the previous link will no longer work.
If you have not submitted your application – after logging in to the application, go to the Recommendations page to make any changes.
Q. My recommender did not receive the email requesting their letter
First, verify that their email address is entered accurately in our system. If not, see above FAQ about editing recommender information.
If their email is accurate, be sure they add our email address to their contacts: gradadm@ucsc.edu. Once they have added our email address, re-send their invitation or a reminder to them.
Also, they should check their junk or spam email folder; our recommendation message’s subject line begins with “Request from [applicant first & last name]…”.
If the recommender still can not receive our emails, please send us a message and let us know what steps have been taken, your application reference number, and the name and email of your recommender so that we can investigate.
Scores and Transcripts
Q. What test scores are required and when do I submit them?
GRE requirements vary by program; applicants whose native language is not English may be required to take the TOEFL iBT (including the Home Edition) or IELTS Academic exam. See the Required Test Scores page for a summary of required tests.
Q. Will my test scores arrive in time?
Please be aware that it takes approximately 10 days to receive test scores on the computer based tests and six weeks to receive the scores on the paper based tests. If you know your (GRE, TOEFL or IELTS) scores, report them in your application. Your self-reported scores will suffice for review purposes until we receive the official score reports from ETS. Please do not send paper copies of your scores; only the scores reported by the testing agency are considered official.
Note to International students: Because we need the official TOEFL/IELTS score in order to admit you to the program, please make sure that your official report has been sent by ETS or IELTS by the deadline. It is strongly recommended that you complete testing at least four to six weeks before your application deadline to allow sufficient time to receive official test scores from ETS.
Q. How can I check to see if my scores have been received by UCSC?
After you submit your application you will be able to see what materials and scores we have for you in your Status Page in the online application. If your scores aren’t there, and you’re not requesting a waiver of the language test score requirement, please complete the Test Score Information form in your Status Page.
Scores must be reported to us electronically from your test provider; we do not accept paper test score reports, nor do we look up scores individually.
Did you send your scores right before they were set to expire? If the scores were not sent at least two working weeks before they were set to expire, then there is a good chance that the scores will not be considered valid. IELTS and TOEFL scores expire after two (2) years.
Q. What are the minimum GRE scores required for admission?
Requirements vary by program and you should contact the program to which you are applying for more information.
Q. What are the minimum TOEFL or IELTS scores required for admission?
For students whose first language is other than English, those choosing to take the TOEFL, a minimum score of 83* on the internet-based test (TOEFL iBT and iBT Home Edition) is required for admission to most programs.
*A minimum TOEFL score of 89 is required for applicants to the Bioinformatics, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Applied Math, Computational Media, Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Natural Language Processing, and Statistical Sciences programs.
For those choosing to take the IELTS Academic (in-person and online versions), a minimum overall score of 7 from the IELTS test is required for admission.
Any students who wish to be considered for Teaching Assistant opportunities and do not have English as their first language must score a 26 or higher on the Spoken Word portion of the TOEFL iBT; an Speaking score of 8 from the IELTS test is required for all new international students who may serve as a Teaching Assistant at any time during their graduate career.
The TOEFL ITP Plus China Solution test is not accepted at UC Santa Cruz. We do not accept any Duolingo or Versant scores.
Q. Can I waive the TOEFL or IELTS requirement?
TOEFL/IELTS waivers for admission purposes may be requested by applicants who do not have English as their first language and who have completed a four-year bachelor’s degree at an English-speaking institution. If you plan to request such a waiver, you must select a back-up method of examination on the admission application in case your request is not approved. Indicate a future testing date and explain your desire and qualifications for a waiver of this requirement on the English Language Competency section of the online application.
Please note that the waiver of English Language Competency will be considered only if you are being recommended for admission; you may still see the requirement for English Language Test Score in your application Status Page.
TOEFL/IELTS waivers for teaching assistant positions must be requested by the program that you are admitted to, from the Division of Graduate Studies.
Q. I am a Permanent Resident of the United States; do I have to provide a TOEFL or IELTS score?
If English is not your primary (first) language you must take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test. However, there are waivers for this requirement. See above “TOEFL/IELTS waiver” FAQ.
Q. What if my previous school(s) will not send transcripts directly to me?
Some institutions do not release transcripts directly to students. If this is the case, request that your transcripts be forwarded directly to:
UC Santa Cruz
Graduate Application Processing
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
For parcel services (FedEx, DHL, UPS), include “Kerr Hall – 500” after the street address
If your school will not issue duplicate transcripts to institutions, please email Graduate Admissions.
Q. My university will only release one official transcript to me; how can I submit my official transcript to UCSC?
Please remember that you may upload an unofficial transcript for application purposes.
If your prior degree-granting university will only issue one official transcript to you, do not open this transcript. Retain it so that if you are offered admission you can use it to satisfy our requirement. Send it in the original, university-sealed envelope to us at:
UC Santa Cruz
Graduate Application Processing
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
For parcel services (FedEx, DHL, UPS), include “Kerr Hall – 500” after the street address
Q. I attended (or I am currently attending) UC Santa Cruz. Do I need to order a transcript?
You are required to upload an unofficial transcript with your application for admission. However, if you are offered admission, you do not need to order an official transcript from UCSC. Please notify us at Graduate Admissions if you are graduating in the quarter prior to your admitted term, so that we may verify your degree.
Q. Why do you need my official transcript after I have been offered admission?
If you are offered admission, and you accept this offer, we require a final, official transcript from any previously attended schools where you earned a degree. This is so that we may verify your previously earned degree(s).
If your final transcript does not contain GPA and degree information – for example, your school only uses transcripts to list grades or marks – you should request from your registrar a degree certificate. This certificate must include:
- Your major
- Your degree title
- The date your degree was awarded (provisional degrees will not fulfill this requirement)
- Overall GPA
If you are unable to obtain this document from your university, please contact us at Graduate Admissions.
Q. My school sent me an electronic, encrypted transcript and I cannot upload this to my application, what should I do?
Print the electronic transcript and scan it, and save it as a PDF document; upload the PDF document to your application – please follow the document scanning guidelines at the bottom of the Application Instructions page.
This transcript will be considered “unofficial” which is fine to use for the application, but will not work for the degree verification and final transcript requirement (see above).
Q. I participated in an Education Abroad Program. Do I need a transcript from this school?
You only need a transcript from the EAP school abroad if your home institution did not include your courses and grades on your transcript.
Q. My undergraduate grade point average (GPA) is not on the 4.0 scale, how should I enter it on the application?
We ask you for at least two GPA’s on the application:
- Your cumulative GPA for all undergraduate coursework, and
- Your most recent overall GPA for the last two years of your undergraduate education.
For your cumulative GPA please use your original GPA scale. You can chose the appropriate GPA scale when entering this information on your application.
For the most recent overall GPA, please convert your GPA to the 4.0 scale. You can locate a converter calculator online, we do not endorse a particular one.
Q. My school won’t confer my degree until after I’m scheduled to start the graduate program; is this ok?
If your degree is not awarded (conferred) by the third week of classes, your enrollment at UC Santa Cruz, as well as all financial support, will be subject to cancellation if you do not provide evidence of graduation, and of satisfying any further conditions set by the department. We do not provisionally admit graduate students at UC Santa Cruz. You are required to provide a final transcript with degree certification to the Graduate Division at UC Santa Cruz.
You should contact the program that has offered you admission and notify them of your situation.
Admission Decisions
Q. What are the criteria for admissions to UC Santa Cruz graduate programs?
UCSC is committed to the recruitment, admission, and retention of a highly qualified and diverse graduate student population. The University of California offers admission to those applicants who have the highest potential for graduate study and who, with the benefit of graduate education, are most likely to contribute substantially to their academic or professional fields through teaching, research, or professional practice.
To be considered for admission to the Santa Cruz campus of the University of California:
- One must have received a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited university prior to the quarter for which admission is sought
- Applicants with a three-year Bachelor’s Degree must also hold a post graduate diploma, Master’s Degree, or a higher degree.
- Degrees from schools following the Bologna Process are acceptable.
- And have at least a B average in last two years of undergraduate coursework.
Satisfaction of minimal standards does not, however, guarantee admission, since the number of qualified applicants far exceeds the number of places available. As a consequence, many well-qualified applicants cannot be accommodated. Students must refer to individual departments for additional admission criteria.
Please note that only one application may be considered from each applicant within a given admission-processing period (winter through fall of the same calendar year). Simultaneous applications to multiple departments are not accepted and any application fee paid for multiple applications will be forfeited
Q. When will decisions on my admission to UC Santa Cruz be made?
Applicants to academic (non-professional) programs: Your admission decision will be posted to your Application Status Page. You will be notified by email to check your Status Page when a decision has been posted for you. Emails are sent throughout the months of February and April as the reviews are completed.
Do not call; under no circumstances will this information be given over the phone, in person, or by proxy.
Be sure to add our two email addresses, gradadm@ucsc.edu and graduatedivision-mailings@ucsc.edu, to your email address books so our messages don’t get marked as spam by your email provider. You will be notified of your admission decisions from these accounts.
- International Students: the International Students, Scholars & Programs (ISSP) office will prepare the I-20 for applicants who accept their admission to UC Santa Cruz.
- Professional-Program Applicants: Fall admission: You will be notified by email in summer as to whether or not you have been admitted for graduate study at UC Santa Cruz. Emails are sent throughout the months of June and July as the reviews are completed.
Q. How are admissions recommendations made?
The Graduate Division is responsible for general campus requirements and processes related to graduate admissions; these are stated in the Graduate Division’s admissions information. Admissions criteria specific to over seventy programs and concentrations are the purview of the faculty of the individual programs. Please inquire with the graduate programs for program-specific concerns.
Privacy Policy
This web site, graduateadmissions.ucsc.edu and associated pages including applygrad.ucsc.edu, collects usage information to improve functionality and content and to monitor performance. This information is used to help answer specific questions about the usage and performance of the web site or individual web pages.
As part of our commitment to protecting your privacy, this statement is designed to provide you with information regarding how Graduate Division (“we”), as part of UC Santa Cruz, may use — and process — the information you share when you use The Graduate Division website, and each of its associated domains (together, the “Sites”). Information is also collected when you communicate with us or utilize our services which include admission, academic progress, tracking, financial support, monitoring student employment, communications, event registration, and development activities (“Graduate Division Services”). This statement is applicable to individuals using Graduate Division Services who are located in the European Economic Area (“EEA”).
For purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), the data controller is the Regents of the University of California, with a location at University of California, Office of the President, 1111 Franklin Street, Oakland CA 94607.
UC Santa Cruz uses third party web analysis services to help gather and analyze this information. For details, please see the following:
Disclaimer
THE MATERIALS IN THIS SITE ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE PURSUANT TO APPLICABLE LAW, UCSC DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. UCSC DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE FUNCTIONS CONTAINED IN THE MATERIALS WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, OR THAT THIS SITE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. UCSC DOES NOT WARRANT OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OF THE MATERIALS IN THIS SITE IN TERMS OF THEIR CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. YOU (AND NOT UCSC) ASSUME THE ENTIRE COST OF ALL NECESSARY SERVICING, REPAIR, OR CORRECTION. APPLICABLE LAW MAY NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO THE ABOVE EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
Limitation of Liability
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, NEGLIGENCE, SHALL UCSC BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT RESULT FROM THE USE OF, OR THE INABILITY TO USE, THE MATERIALS IN THIS SITE, EVEN IF UCSC OR A UCSC AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. APPLICABLE LAW MAY NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN NO EVENT SHALL UCSC’S TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL DAMAGES, LOSSES, AND CAUSES OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, NEGLIGENCE), OR OTHERWISE) EXCEED THE AMOUNT PAID BY YOU, IF ANY, FOR ACCESSING THIS SITE.
How We Use Your Personal Data
Graduate Division processes your Personal Data for the following purposes and bases:
- Evaluating your eligibility for graduate-level admission into UC Santa Cruz. This is generally required under the contract we have with you;
- Assessing/appraising our process for evaluating applicants for admission into UC Santa Cruz. It is in our legitimate interest as an institution of higher learning to understand and improve our processes;
- Providing you with information regarding UC Santa Cruz events and initiatives. We will generally only do this where it is in our legitimate interest and where you have not objected or withdrawn any prior consent given;
- Processing and dealing with any complaints or inquiries made by you or legally on your behalf. We do this because it is in our legitimate interest as part of the services UC Santa Cruz offers to you;
- UC Santa Cruz may also be required to disclose your Personal Data to authorities who can request this information by law that is binding;
- Utilizing sensitive personal data in connection with Graduate Division Services, with your consent.
Recipients of Your Personal Data
Graduate Division may share your Personal Data with the following recipients:
- Other UC locations or departments
- Other UC locations or departments in order to provide you with a UC Service or where it is in UC’s legitimate interests.
- Service Providers
- Vendors that need access to your Personal Data in order to provide Graduate Division’s Services. Graduate Division does not collect any type of payments. These services are provided by third-party vendors. For example, application fees are collected by Stripe®.
- UC Partners and Collaborators
- When permitted by law, UC Santa Cruz may share Personal Data with, for example, other academic research institutions in order to support UC’s research mission.
- Public and Governmental Authorities
- Entities that regulate or have jurisdiction over UC such as regulatory authorities, law enforcement, public bodies, and judicial bodies.
- If your Personal Data is shared with a third party, UC will require that the third party use appropriate measures to protect the confidentiality and security of your Personal Data.
If you are offered admission, we want you to make an informed decision. For this reason, we may share limited information with UCSC alumni, students, and/or programs who may contact you to welcome you to the UCSC community and answer your questions.
We may also need to share your Personal Data as required to respond to lawful requests and legal process; to protect our rights and property and those of our agents, customers and others, including to enforce our agreements and policies; and in an emergency, to protect UC Santa Cruz and the safety of our students, faculty and staff or any third party.
Your Rights
As required by the General Data Protection Regulation and applicable EU Member State and EEA state law, if you are located in the European Economic Area, you have a right to:
- Access your Personal Data, as well as information relating to the recipients of your Personal Data, the purposes of processing your Personal Data, the duration for which the Personal Data will be stored, and the source of Personal Data that has not been provided by you;
- Rectify or correct inaccurate or incomplete Personal Data concerning you, taking into account the purposes of the processing, and the right to have incomplete Personal Data completed;
- Have your Personal Data erased in certain circumstances;
- Restrict the processing of your Personal Data in certain circumstances;
- Object to the processing of Personal Data in certain circumstances;
- Withdraw your consent to the processing of your Personal Data, should UC Santa Cruz ask for your consent for the processing of your Personal Data. The withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing based on your consent before its withdrawal.
- Know whether your Personal Data is being used for automated decision-making, including profiling. In those cases, UC Santa Cruz will give you meaningful information about the logic involved, the significance and the envisaged consequences of such processing for your data, and the right to request human intervention; and
- Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.
UC Santa Cruz may be obligated to retain your Personal Data as required by U.S. federal or state law. If you wish to exercise your rights, you can contact the UC Santa Cruz Privacy Office.
You may choose not to visit or use UC Santa Cruz Sites or participate in Graduate Division Services. If you choose not to share your Personal Data with UC or UC-approved third parties for Graduate Division you will not receive event updates or other notifications that may affect you in some way. You may choose to set your web browser to refuse cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent. If you choose to reject cookies, some parts of the Sites may not function properly.
Questions and Complaints: UC Santa Cruz Privacy Office
If you have questions or concerns about our treatment of your Personal Data, or about our privacy practices more generally, please feel free to contact the UC Santa Cruz Privacy Office: privacy@ucsc.edu.
Degree Verification
For degrees earned in the United States:
Official, verifying transcripts or degree certificates from schools in the United States need to contain this information:
- Title of your degree
- Name of your major program of study, and
- Date your degree was awarded (month/year)
If the copy of the transcript sent to us during the application process was official (sent directly to UCSC in a sealed, university-issued envelope), and it includes the above information, there is no need to resend another copy of your transcript.
If your degree is not noted on your transcript, we also need to see your diploma. You may bring your diploma to the Graduate Admissions Office when you arrive on campus. If you need to show your diploma, please email us at gradadm@ucsc.edu so we can schedule an appointment for you.
For degrees earned outside of the United States:
All degrees earned from schools outside of the United States must be verified by submitting an official World Education Services (WES) ICAP course-by-course evaluation. No exceptions permitted.
Please refer to our web site for international degree verification policies.
Enrollment, Registration and Financial Information
**Numbers given for salary and fees are estimates and are subject to change without notice.**
Students should contact their department regarding enrollment in courses for your first quarter.
Some or all instruction for all or part of the Academic Year may be delivered remotely. Tuition and fees have been set regardless of the method of instruction and will not be refunded in the event instruction occurs remotely for any part of the Academic Year. Figures for tuition and fees represent currently approved or proposed amounts and may not be final. Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California as determined to be necessary or appropriate. Final approved tuition and fee levels may differ from the amounts presented.
Registration Fees & Tuition
All students are required to pay Registration Fees and Tuition for the academic year; non-resident students pay an additional Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition. Complete fee details are posted at the Registrar’s Fees page;navigate to the Graduate Registration Fees section, or select the appropriate professional degree program.
Special Notes Regarding Payment of Fees
- An award of a Non-Resident Tuition Fellowship (either full or partial) does not include payment of Registration Fees.
- Teaching Assistantships (TA) beginning fall 2023 will cover all in-state tuition and fees; non-resident tuition is not covered by ASE (TA, GSI) appointments.
- Graduate Student Researchships (GSR) have Registration Fees and Non-Resident Tuition paid by the supporting grant.
Fee Payment Schedule (due dates)
For students admitted for fall quarter, registration bills, including housing charges, will be posted to the MyUCSC portal in late August. Refer to the Academic Calendar for the Graduate Student Enrollment and Fee Payment Deadline.
Students admitted for winter or spring quarters, charges will be posted to the MyUCSC portal in late November (winter), or late February (spring). Again, refer to the Academic Calendar for Graduate Student Enrollment and Fee Payment deadlines.
Payment Options for Fees
Graduate students employed as Teaching Assistants (TAs), Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs), and Graduate Student Researchers (GSRs) will have their tuition remitted – this will be shown as a credit to your student account and campus staff will use the credit to cover your campus tuition and fees.
If you are unable to pay Registration Fees or Non-Resident Tuition in full and do not have a TA appointment, a Deferred Payment Plan is available through the Student Business Services. An application can be downloaded after July 1. There is a charge for this service and arrangements must be made prior to the payment deadline date.
Salary Information
Please consult the Academic Personnel Office for the most up-to-date information regarding Salary Scales. You will refer to the Academic Salary Scales document (PDF).
The salary for a Teaching Assistant is paid per month, beginning in fall on November 1, with state and federal taxes withheld from these amounts. Teaching assistants are typically hired for 50%-time appointments; during the academic year, graduate students are only permitted to work up to 50%-time. All students employed as an ASE (or TA/GSI) for more than 25% time will have in-state tuition and fees covered for the quarter they are employed; Non-Resident Tuition is not covered by a TA-appointment.
The salary for a Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) depends on the salary scale your department uses, with state and federal taxes withheld from these amounts. Graduate students who will be employed as GSRs will have all of their Registration Fees and Non-Resident Tuition (if applicable) paid during the quarter they are employed.
Salary Payment Schedule
As a TA or a GSR for fall quarter, you will be paid on November 1, December 1, and January 1.
For winter quarter, you will be paid on February 1, March 1, and April 1.
Pay dates for spring quarter will be May 1, June 1 and July 1.
Fellowship Payment Information
Fellowships, financial aid and loans are paid quarterly, provided you have enrolled in at least five units of coursework prior to the beginning of the quarter.
You may elect to have your fellowship stipend directly deposited to your bank account, or a check will be produced for you. You can sign up for Direct Deposit via UC Path and via your myUCSC portal. Direct Bank Deposit enables the University to electronically transfer credit balances from your student billing account to your personal checking or savings account. It eliminates the wait time for the mail to arrive and is the most secure method to receive your money.
Note that you must be enrolled in at least five (5) unites of coursework to receive fellowship payments.
Degree Verification
If official verification of your previous degree(s) has/have not been received by this office, you will have to verify your degree during the first term you attend at UCSC. The degree verification deadline may vary but you will be notified via email of the specific date your verification is due.
For degrees earned in the United States:
Official, verifying transcripts or degree certificates from schools in the United States need to contain this information:
- Title of your degree
- Name of your major program of study, and
- Date your degree was awarded (month/year)
If the copy of the transcript sent to us during the application process was official (sent directly to UCSC in a sealed, university-issued envelope), and it includes the above information, there is no need to resend another copy of your transcript.
If your degree is not noted on your transcript, we also need to see your diploma. You may bring your diploma to the Graduate Admissions Office when you arrive on campus. If you need to show your diploma, please email us at gradadm@ucsc.edu so we can schedule an appointment for you.
For degrees earned outside of the United States:
All degrees earned from schools outside of the United States must be verified by submitting an official World Education Services (WES) ICAP course-by-course evaluation. No exceptions permitted.
Please refer to our web site for international degree verification policies.
International degrees verified by WES ICAP will be automatically routed to UC Santa Cruz when you request to have this evaluation reported to the campus.
Your registration at UCSC as well as all financial support will be subject to cancellation if you do not provide evidence of graduation, and of satisfying any further conditions set by the Department, by third week of classes. If you have met the requirements for graduation, but will not be able to arrange for the degree verification to be sent by at least the second week of classes, you should contact your prior school’s Registrar’s Office and request an official Letter of Completion.
We will not accept a certificate with only exam results and/or stating that you completed the program; will will also not accept a provisional certificate. You will be required to present a final, complete degree verification to UCSC.
If you received a degree equivalent to a University of California bachelor’s degree abroad, again please see our web site for international admissions policies.
If you have questions regarding verification of your degree, please e-mail us at gradadm@ucsc.edu.
Health Insurance
Insurance information is provided by the Student Health Center website.