Admissions

Review and Notification

After receiving all application materials, the faculty in your intended program reviews the application and recommends to the Graduate Dean that you be admitted or denied admission. Decisions are based on the quality of your academic record, as presented in the application and supporting documents, as well as on preparation in the proposed field of study, work experience (if relevant), and the match between your goals and research interests with those of the program. If your application or any supporting materials are received in the department after the deadline, your file will be made inactive.

Admissions Timeline

The admissions timeline varies among departments and applicants are encouraged to contact departments directly for specific deadlines related to the receipt and processing of applications. However, there are general deadlines and periods of processing which are common to most graduate departments and programs at UCSB. Listed below is a traditional timeline for general processing based on admissions for fall quarter.

Checking the Status of Your Application

While the Graduate Division understands the urgency in verifying the status of an application, it is often difficult to immediately answer questions, especially on or near the application deadline, when the volume of mail and email is high. The Graduate Division asks for patience in receiving email notification regarding the receipt of application materials.

Because of the turn-around time in processing applications, the Graduate Division encourages you to complete and submit the application and application fee at least one month before the deadline. This will ensure that the application is processed on time.

Application, Fee Payment, and Test Scores

After submitting the application, check your application status by logging back into your application. The application status page will allow you to view the status of your application, the date your application and fee were processed, and the date your GRE and TOEFL or IETLS (if applicable) scores were received.

Supporting Materials

You may also check on the receipt of your supporting materials as part of the Application Status Check. Some departments will contact you several weeks after your application has been received to notify you of any materials still missing from your application. You should contact your proposed department if you do not receive a letter or email within one month of mailing your application. Again, the high volume of mail in January makes supporting material inquiries difficult to address promptly. Your patience is appreciated.

We suggest you always double check with your recommenders to ensure that letters of recommendation are mailed on time. Providing recommenders with an addressed and stamped envelope encourages timely mailing. It is also wise to order transcripts and standardized test scores as early as possible.

Admissions Decisions

Departments begin notifying applicants of admissions decisions as early as January and continue to do so up until the department admissions process is completed. You will be notified by email to check the application status page when a decision has been made. It's best to contact the department directly regarding your admissions status if you do not hear by early April.

If you are not admitted at UCSB, we hope that your graduate school application process has been broad enough to leave you with other options. If UCSB is your number one choice and you are still interested in attending, you do have the option of reapplying. It is strongly advised that you take the time to discuss your initial application with your department. Try to get more details regarding the decision made on your file. Ask for tips on how to strengthen your next application.

To be considered for a later quarter, you must submit a new application and application fee. We do retain your old application for one admissions year, so we can use the supplemental materials you previously submitted. It is recommended, however, that you take the time to reread your statement of purpose and refine it, if necessary. It may also be necessary to retake the GRE if your scores were not competitive. Again, contacting the department will help you determine what needs to be polished and/or re-submitted.

Applicants admitted for graduate study at UCSB will find the following information on their application status.

• Official letter of admission: Read this letter carefully to be sure you have been admitted to the program to which you applied. Also determine whether your admission is provisional in any way. "Provisional Admissions Status" is routine for graduating seniors or other students whose undergraduate degrees have not yet been reported to the Graduate Division. If your admission is provisional your letter will indicate the reason. Be sure to contact your department if you have any questions.
• Statement of Intent to Register (SIR): This form is the formal reply to accept or decline the offer of admission. It is also used administratively to move your status from "applicant" to "student." In practical terms, this tells us to notify the Office of the Registrar to prepare and email your registration materials. Please indicate your intentions as soon as possible.
• Statement of Legal Residence (SLR): This important legal document is used by the Office of the Registrar to determine California residency status, and thus if nonresident tuition will be assessed. Because there can be numerous factors involved in the determination of residency, and because the financial implications are often high, we ask that applicants direct any questions to the Residence Deputy by email or at (805) 893-3033. The form is required for all newly admitted domestic and international students; failure to complete the form will cause registration to be blocked. The form is available two to three days after completion of the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). If you attempt to log-on to this form, and receive the "NO VALID QUARTER FOUND" message, please try again at a later date.
• Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) information packet: This packet contains documents relating to international students, including the processes and procedures for obtaining the necessary visa to attend UCSB for graduate study. The packet contains:
  • OISS coverletter to Prospective International Graduate Students titled "Important Information Regarding Issuance of US visa Documentation"
  • Financial Fact Sheet for International Graduate Students
  • New International Student Information Form
  • Financial Statement for International Students Seeking Non-Immigrant Visas
  Questions concerning visa policies and procedures and required financial documentation should be addressed directly to Ambi Harsha in the Office of International Students and Scholars.
• Housing information: Because housing can be scarce and expensive, it is important that you understand the available options and act quickly to secure the kind of housing that will provide you with the best environment for graduate study. For more information see Housing and Residential Services.
• Childcare Information: Graduate student parents are entitled to childcare that is both affordable and of high quality. Childcare, like housing, is an essential logistical element of the graduate student experience, contributing to the peace of mind necessary for effective graduate study. For related information and a complete listing of local childcare providers, see Caring for Children
• The academic department may supplement the materials provided by the Graduate Division with information about fellowship support, course offerings/schedules and requirements. Certain provisions, such as the need to take a course before enrollment, will be communicated in a departmental letter.

The Registration Process

After you have been admitted and completed the online Statement of Intent to Register form, the Office of the Registrar will email registration information to both U.S. and international applicants. International applicants who do not receive an email regarding registration information must pick up the packet from UCSB's Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) upon their arrival in Santa Barbara.

New students normally begin the registration process in mid-September and have until the second day of classes to complete registration, so do not be alarmed if you have not received the email by early August.

If you do not receive the email by late August, you should contact the Office of the Registrar to verify that they have your correct email address.