Graduate Admissions

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How to Apply

Scroll through this page for instructions on how to apply for graduate admission at UC Santa Cruz; you can use the links in the list below to jump to a section:

Before You Start

Review the Requirements for the program.

  1. Go to our complete list of programs
  2. Click on the name of the graduate program you are applying to, to see application requirements and a link to the program’s website.
  3. You can only apply to one program per admission cycle, so be sure to pick the program that best matches your research interests!
  4. Make sure you are able to submit your online application by the posted deadline!

See if you qualify for an application fee exemption or waiver.

  • 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.
  • For full requirements for Fee Waiver eligibility see our Application Fee FAQ page: [LINK]
  • ​Incomplete waiver requests, or requests that do not demonstrate eligibility will be denied.
    • 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. 

After You Start

You can not make changes after you submit your application!

  • Be sure to double check everything:
    • Attached documents (résumé, writing samples, statements, etc.) are error-free, you’re addressing the correct campus and program, etc.
    • You’ve entered the right contact information for your recommenders (email address, title, etc.).
    • Your contact information (email, phone, address) and bio-demographic information (citizenship, residency, etc.) are all accurate.
  • You can login to check your application status, review your application checklist, and see your letters of recommendation status after you submit.

One Application Per Person

  • Only one application may be considered from each applicant within a given admission-processing period. Multiple applications are not accepted; any application fee paid for multiple applications will be forfeited (not eligible for a refund).
  • Note that application fee payments do not guarantee you admission. Application fee payments are non-refundable.

Questions or issues?

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Ready to begin?

Continue below for step-by-step instructions!

Step 1: Create Your Application

Go to https://applygrad.ucsc.edu/apply/

Returning users can log in. 

First-Time users will be asked to create an account: 

  1. Register using your email address, first and last names, and birthdate (Month/Day/Year).
  2. A temporary PIN will be sent to your email address; enter it and re-enter your birthdate.
  3. You will then need to set a password for your account.
  4. Continue by selecting “Start New Application.”
  5. Choose the term and program you’ll apply to from the drop-down menu options provided.

Step 2: Biographical & Personal Background, Residency Information

On the next few pages, complete the requested information including your name, date of birth, mailing address, etc. Complete all the appropriate information carefully as you would like it to appear on your official university records.

Residency Information is gathered to determine tuition rates. Adult students (over age 18) may establish residence for tuition purposes if they:

  • Are a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident, or other non-citizen who is not precluded from establishing a domicile in the United States; and
  • Meet the criteria described in the UC Residence Policy Guidelines.

Students who do not qualify as California residents must pay a Nonresident Supplemental Tuition Fee in addition to all other fees (see graduate Fees and Expenses). The residence determination date is the day instruction begins at the last of the University of California campuses to open for the quarter. Please visit the Registrar’s page on residency for more information.

AB 540 applicants will initially be classified as non-resident, but they can choose to apply for the in-state exemption. Applicants should answer the residency questions in the application accurately.

Questions about Names? (click to expand)
Here are answers to common questions we receive about entering names on the application:
  • If a section doesn’t apply to you (for example, if you do not have a middle name) leave that field blank. Do not enter in a symbol (a period or a dash mark, for example).
  • If your transcripts have a different name that you no longer use, you can include this name in the “Previous Names” section in the Personal Background page of this application.
  • If you have a preferred or chosen name, that can be specified under “Preferred/Chosen Name” in the Personal Background page.
  • Will you need visa sponsorship from UCSC? We use the name on your application for your visa documents; be sure use the same name as on your current passport.
Financial Support for AB 540 Students (click to expand)
Fellowships include any support offered through state funding. For example:
  • Regent’s Fellowships, as determined by graduate departments
  • Eugene Cota-Robles Fellowships, as awarded by Graduate Division
  • Chancellor’s Fellowships, as awarded by Graduate Division
  • Dissertation Year Fellowships, as awarded by Graduate Division
  • If your transcripts have a different name that you no longer use, you can include this name in the “Previous Names” section in the Personal Background page of this application.
  • AB 540 applicants are also encouraged to contact Valeria Chavez-Ayala in The AB 540 Student Services Program for information about scholarship opportunities. 

More information about AB 540 is posted at the University of California’s website, as well as information regarding the California Dream Act.

Step 3: Materials, Letters, Transcripts

Complete all required pages and items and upload materials requested in the application; required sections are noted with an asterisk (*).  There are several optional pages which you may choose to skip and you will still be considered for admission.

All materials submitted as part of your application for admission 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.

Letters of Recommendation

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required, up to 5 may be submitted.

Recommendation letters must be submitted electronically through the online application. Register your recommenders in the “Recommendations” section at least two weeks before the application deadline.

  1. Select whether or not you waive your right to review your recommendation. You must make this selection for each recommender. This selection is final and not reversible.
  2. Click the Send To Recommender button to send an email to your recommender. This email will have secure link that they must use to submit their recommendation.
  3. See our page on Letters of Recommendation for further information.
Using a letter service? (click to expand)

Review that service’s instructions before registering your recommenders in the online application; Most services will provide you with a unique email address under which you’ll register each recommender, allowing the service to electronically submit the letters.

The Statement of Purpose

This should be a concise, well-written essay about your background and your reasons for pursuing graduate study in the field you have chosen. The requirements for your Statement of Purpose may vary depending on the program you are applying to:

  • Go to Graduate Programs; scroll down and click on the name of the program you’re applying to; read the page for details on what to include in your statement of purpose.

The Personal History Statement

This is required of all applicants. This statement will be used in conjunction with your application for graduate admission and financial support. Please note that the Personal History Statement should not duplicate the Statement of Purpose. As with the Statement of Purpose, the requirements may vary depending on the program you are applying to:

  • Go to Graduate Programs; scroll down and click on the name of the program you’re applying to; read the page for details on what to include in your personal history statement.

Academic History and Transcripts

Provide dates you’ve attended (to and from) as well as unofficial transcripts for any college or university you’ve attended.

Only enter in degree information (title of degree, date awarded) if you have or expect to be awarded a degree before beginning your attendance in your first term at UC Santa Cruz as a graduate student.

You will also provide your Grade Point Average on the application:

  • A cumulative grade point average (GPA) for all undergraduate coursework attempted
  • Your most recent overall GPA for the last two (2) years of your undergraduate education
  • If applicable, your cumulative GPA for all graduate coursework attempted
  • All GPAs should include courses in which you received an F
  • If you need help calculating your GPA, please locate a reputable calculator online
Unofficial or Official Transcripts? (click to expand)
  • Upload unofficial transcripts to your online application in the Academic History section.
    • If you are admitted, we will require official, sealed transcripts from your degree-granting institution prior to enrollment at UC Santa Cruz.
  • Refer to the Document Scanning Guidelines at the bottom of this page for tips on uploading your scanned transcripts and other materials.
Reporting Test Scores to UCSC? (click to expand)
If you are sending GRE, IELTS, or TOEFL scores officially to UC Santa Cruz:
  • Be sure your test scores are reported to us directly:
    • ETS* School Code 4860 (no department code)
      • *TOEFL and GRE are managed by ETS
    • IELTS request the scores go to UC Santa Cruz Graduate Admissions

Save your work!

When completing the online application click the “Continue Application” button at the bottom of each page. This will save your progress.

Document Scanning Guidelines

  • Scan your documents for a clear, legible, result with settings: letter size, 200dpi, less than 2.5 MB.
    • Scanning in “gray scale” or “black and white” may produce the best results.
    • Still too large? Photocopy the document, then scan that copy.
  • Save as a PDF file
    • Our application only permits these files for uploads.
  • For transcripts, be sure to include a single copy of the transcript legend (usually the back page).
  • Do not include, or make sure you redact (cut or black out) any appearance of your Social Security Number (SSN).

Falsification Policy

Policy: Falsification, Accuracy of Application Materials

Applicants are expected to complete their UC application completely and accurately, and the veracity of that information is at the core of all admissions decisions.

This expectation pertains to all academic records regardless of how far in the past or where (domestic or international) the record was created, and includes all transcript notations whatsoever (e.g., incompletes, withdrawals, etc.). Proper submission of official materials is also of utmost importance.

Letters of recommendation must be submitted by the letter writer; an applicant must not submit a letter of recommendation on behalf of the letter writer. 

In cases where an applicant has submitted incomplete or inaccurate information on their UC application, or 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.

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Last modified: Aug 18, 2025