Admissions FAQs for Graduate Program Staff

The purpose of this page is to provide answers to frequently asked questions from department staff regarding admissions. If you have additional questions, please contact a member of the Graduate Division Admissions team who would be happy to assist you.

Dates & Deadlines

Can an applicant apply after the department’s application deadline? What parts of the application can they edit after submission?

Applicants will no longer be able to submit or pay for an application after the department’s application deadline has passed. However, they may continue to edit the sections listed below. You will be able to see the date a document was uploaded and the department may choose to accept late materials (or not) at your discretion: 

• Exam Scores (only self-reported exam records can be edited)

• Letters of Recommendation (if a letter has been received, the recommender record can no longer be edited; a recommender may submit their letter after the deadline) 

• Statements & Supplemental Documents (unlocked documents can be deleted; additional documents can be uploaded)

Late Application Exceptions: If the department would like to allow an individual applicant to submit and pay after the deadline, you may submit an Exception Request.

Department-Wide Deadline Extensions: If the department is interested in extending the application deadline for all prospective students, email the following to Mallarie at mallarie.stevens@graddiv.ucsb.edu.

1. The new requested deadline date and; 

2. The reason for the extension. 

I will notify you if/when the request is approved and update eApp and our website accordingly. 

Dates and Deadlines: Admissions dates, deadlines, and a typical timeline can be found in the https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GUM/pages/18661048528 section of the https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GUM/pages/18661048480. Exception requests can be considered at any point in the admissions cycle (before September 1st for a typical cycle or by July 31, 2026 for the 2026 cycle), depending on the applicant's individual circumstances, but the department should keep other dates and deadlines in mind before proceeding (e.g. fellowships competition, financial offer acceptance deadline, department decision deadline, etc.).  

When can we set our department admissions deadline?

Starting with the 2027 Admissions Cycle, departmental application submission deadlines will be selected from the pre-approved list supplied by the Graduate Division. More information here: https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GUM/pages/19170066465

You can tell us which deadline(s) you’d like to use when completing the Annual Admissions Department Updates (https://engage.graddiv.ucsb.edu/register/2027DeptAdmissionsForm).

Reviewing Application Materials

How do I calculate a GPA from China? India? The UK? 

Instructions for calculating GPAs can be found in the https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GUM/pages/18661343424/Editing+Applications+and+Processing+Materials#Calculating-and-Confirming-the-GPA-and-GPA-Scale section of the https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GUM/pages/18661048480. A more detailed explanation is also given in Episodes 4 and 5 of the Video Training Series. 

Here are a couple of tips to keep in mind that often trip folks up:

• China: GPAs from institutions in China should be calculated on a 100-pt scale whenever possible. Please do not convert the GPA to a 4.0 scale.

• India: A 3-year bachelor’s degree from India (or Bangladesh) is not an equivalent to a US bachelor’s degree. See the Country Guide for more details.

• UK: Often times, transcripts from the UK will look a lot shorter than other countries. This is pretty typical. The UK is a Bologna Country, so as long as the applicant has earned the 180 ECTS required and completed (or will complete) at least 3 years for their undergraduate degree, they have (will have) an equivalent degree to a US bachelor’s degree.

However, international GPA calculations can often be complicated and confusing, especially if the grading scale is unfamiliar or from a country where we don’t typically receive many applications. Additional examples are provided in the following supplemental videos (links at the bottom of the document – use the same password to access all videos). 

• China: Peking University

• India: University of Delhi (Miranda House)

• United Kingdom: University of Cambridge

Note that these short tutorials contain no audio and have been sped up for ease of viewing. 

Exception Requests

When is an exception required?

Succinctly, an exception request is required anytime a department would like to act, or allow an applicant to act, under circumstances that fall outside of one or more established admissions policies. This may be very straightforward (e.g. a missed deadline; admit with a GPA below 3.0 on a domestic 4.0-scale) or more complex (e.g. admit an applicant who attended multiple institutions, in multiple countries, and possibly earned multiple degrees, but who completed an undergraduate degree that is not equivalent to a US bachelor’s degree). The reason for the exception is always informed by the policy that cannot be met, while the justification should explain the department’s decision to proceed despite the unmet policy (see next FAQ). 

How do I submit an exception request?

Exceptions should be submitted via App Review’s Exceptions Queue whenever possible. However, due to the queue-based structure of App Review, this is not always possible. When an applicant requires an exception and has (1) not yet applied or (2) already received an admissions decision, the request will need to be made through an alternative workflow (DocuSign or Deferral Queue). In both of these circumstances, you would be unable to move the application into the Exceptions Queue. The following is a non-exhaustive list of reasons that you might need to submit an exception request and appropriate path for doing so: 

Submit via App Review Exceptions Queue (see https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GUM/pages/18661212399/Admissions+Decisions#Submitting-an-Exception-Request-Using-the-Review-System for instructions): 

• Low GPA (below 3.0 or equivalent) 

• Low TOEFL, IELTS, or DET Scores 

• Waive or Substitute Expired TOEFL, IELTS, or DET Scores 

• Non-Equivalent Bachelor’s Degree 

• Late Admission Decision (After the May 1st or June 1st Deadline) 

• Late SIR Submission (if the Applicant is also being Admitted Late) 

Submit via the Exception Requests Docusign Power Form (see https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GUM/pages/18661212399/Admissions+Decisions#Submitting-an-Exception-Request-Using-the-Exception-to-Admissions-Policy-Request-Form-via-DocuSign for instructions):

• Late Application Submission (pay and/or submit after department’s deadline) 

• Late SIR Submission (if the admit decision has already been processed) 

• Deny Decision Reversal (admit an applicant who has been formally denied)

Submit via the App Review Deferral Requests page (see https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GUM/pages/18661212399/Admissions+Decisions#Deferring-Admission for instructions): 

• One or Two-Quarter Deferrals of Admission 

• Full-Year Deferrals of Admission 

How can my department’s Admissions Committee prepare a successful justification for an admissions exception? 

Requests for exceptions to admissions policies or requirements are relatively common and are generally supported by the Graduate Division when well-justified. The Graduate Division welcomes and encourages a variety of experiences, perspectives, and approaches with the clear understanding that access to resources varies widely among our prospective students. 

It is expected that all applicants are able to submit the two required statements, a resume, and three letters of recommendation. Similarly, if your department requires the GRE, it is expected that all applicants will submit their official scores. Exceptions are generally not considered if these requirements are unmet. Instead, the department is asked to follow-up with the applicant to ask that they complete their application. These materials may be accepted late at the department’s discretion and the applicant may designate a new recommender if their original selection is no longer available. 

For other exception requests, the justification does not necessarily need to be lengthy, but it should be sufficiently detailed for the deans to understand why the department would like to admit the selected applicant in place of others who do meet minimum requirements. The department’s Admissions Committee and/or faculty approver(s) may wish to address the following: 

• Why was the applicant unable to meet the requirement(s)? For example, did they face undue hardships while completing their undergraduate degree that made it more difficult to achieve the requisite 3.0 GPA? 

• Why is the applicant still qualified for graduate study at UC Santa Barbara despite not meeting the requirement(s)? For example, did they go on to succeed in a master’s program despite a low GPA in their bachelor’s program? Have they demonstrated fluency in English during interviews or other direct conversations with members of the department despite a low TOEFL score? Have they demonstrated academic excellence through other means, such as publications or presentations? 

• In addition to the previous questions, will the applicant contribute a unique or diverse perspective to the campus community that others in your applicant pool are unable to provide? 

Each exception requested will be reviewed by a member of the Graduate Division staff and one or more of the deans, with the final decision issued by a Graduate Division Dean. Remember that the intent is to admit this applicant while others who do meet the minimum requirements will be denied admission. In the case of an audit or lawsuit, it is important that we be able to document why decisions of this kind were made and that fair and equitable review procedures were followed. 

When is an exception NOT appropriate? 

It is not appropriate to submit an exception request in the following scenarios: 

• When an update needs to be made to the application by the Application Administrator (e.g. a GPA calculation, an additional degree or institution added to the Education History, a document uploaded, etc.). Instead, the department may move forward with the admissions decision once the update has been made, unless this update reveals that the applicant does not meet admissions requirements (e.g. a corrected GPA calculation is below a B average).  

• When the applicant needs to submit additional or revised documents (e.g. a new letter of recommendation, an updated Personal History Statement, etc.). Instead, the department should follow-up with the applicant and ask them to submit the missing or revised application material(s).  

Provisional Admission Status - General

By what date do students need to submit their required documents to clear their provisional admissions status?

For fall admits, the deadline is September 1. For all other quarter, the deadline is the first day of their admit quarter. If a student defers to a later quarter, their deadline moves to the start date of their deferred quarter.

Are there any extensions to these deadlines?

In exceptional circumstances, the Graduate Division may consider an extension to the deadline. If a student believes that their situation warrants an extension, they should email Graduate Admissions to request an extension. If Graduate Admissions feels it is appropriate, they will share an Extension Request form with the student. Once the student completes the form and provides all the supporting documentation, the Graduate Division will review the request. If it is approved, the student and the department will receive an email confirming the new extended deadline.

How do students see what documents they need to submit? How can department staff find this information?

Students can find this information by logging into eApp. Their Decision Letter will specify exactly what documents are required. As we receive their documents, their Decision Letter will be updated to only reflect the documents that are still missing. This same information can be found under the Required Documents tab. Once a student has submitted all required documents, their admissions status will be changed to Unconditional and the Required Documents tab will disappear.

Staff can find this information in Gradpoint Admissions. Login to Gradpoint and then click on the Admissions button. Then, click on the button that says Provisional Students Coming. This will bring up a report of all students who have SIR’d yes and who are in provisional status. You can see exactly what documents each student needs to provide by scrolling to the right in the report to the Provisional Notes column. Once a student is Unconditional, they will disappear from the report.

How can departments see the official transcripts after the student has provided them to the Graduate Division?

You can find these in Gradpoint Academics when you lookup the individual student. Navigate to the Documents tab. Any document with the type Transcript is an official transcript. As a reminder, official transcripts should never be released to the student.

WES Evaluations for International Degrees (Provisional Admissions)

How will students know what to submit? 

Detailed instructions for incoming students can be found on our Admitted International Students page. The Provisional Notes section of each student’s official admission letter and the Required Documents tab in eApp will also indicate that a WES evaluation is required, if applicable. 

If a student is required to submit a WES evaluation, they should select the WES Document-by-Document ICAP evaluation option. A WES Course-by-Course ICAP evaluation may substitute for the WES Document-by-Document ICAP evaluation to fulfill this requirement if desired. However, no other type of evaluation will be accepted.

What if applicants upload WES evaluations to their applications? 

Applicants will continue to be required to upload a copy of their institution-issued transcripts to their application. If this copy is included as part of a WES evaluation that they have already obtained, is legible, and includes all pertinent details, that is acceptable. If only a WES evaluation is uploaded without the original transcripts, we will be unable to review and process that application.  

Can departments refer to WES for GPA calculations or degree equivalency information? 

No. The new policy covers document submission and verification processes for admitted students who choose to attend UCSB only. These processes are managed by the Graduate Division, so they should not impact the department’s regular application review process in any way. No changes have been made to GPA requirements, the processes for calculating and confirming international GPAs, policies concerning degree equivalency, or documents uploaded to the application. 

What if a student completed coursework abroad, but their degree is from the United States? 

Only provisionally admitted students who completed a degree outside of the United States are required to complete a WES evaluation. If students who completed other coursework abroad are asked to submit those transcripts to the Graduate Division, they may choose to have their institutions send them directly to the Graduate Division (in accordance with the policies for students submitting documents from US institutions) or they may choose to utilize WES. 

What if the student is a US citizen?

All admitted applicants who have earned a degree(s) from an institution(s) outside of the United States are required to complete and submit a World Education Services (WES) Document-by-Document ICAP Evaluation for all degrees earned. This includes US citizens, permanent residents, and all others who have earned a degree outside of the United States.

What if the student earned two international degrees? Are they required to submit two separate WES evaluations or can they be combined?

In one WES Document-by-Document ICAP evaluation, a student can list as many degrees/institutions as they would like. If a student earned more than one degree from an institution(s) outside the United States, then they only need to submit one WES Document-by-Document ICAP Evaluation. This evaluation should include all degrees/institutions where the student earned a degree outside of the United States.

What if the student has previously started or completed a WES evaluation?

If the WES evaluation is already completed, the student can add an additional credential by clicking "Upgrade Report" in WES My Account.

If the WES evaluation is in progress, the student can add an additional credential by submitting a request to WES customer service.

The student should complete these steps to add a credential:

1. Under "Question Category", select "Modify Order" and then "Add Credential"

2. Under "Description", provide the following information:

   • Country or Territory of Education

   • Credential Name

   • Name of Institution

   • Years of Attendance

   • Year Awarded

What if I have additional questions about WES?

Here are some resources that may be useful:

• Graduate Division Incoming Students FAQs - WES Evaluations

• WES Help Center FAQs

You can also contact a member of the Graduate Division Admissions Staff or make a one-on-one appointment.

Additional Questions

Who do I contact for additional questions?

Our Graduate Division Admissions Team is happy to help and answer any additional questions. Please feel free to contact us directly or you can reach out to our general email: GradAdmissions@graddiv.ucsb.edu.

Michele Johnson - Admissions, Outreach, and Diversity Initiatives Director

• michelejohnson@ucsb.edu

Mallarie Stevens - Associate Director, Graduate Admissions

• mallarie.stevens@graddiv.ucsb.edu

Kristina Melsheimer - Graduate Admissions Analyst

• kristina.melsheimer@graddiv.ucsb.edu

• GradDiv Department Admissions Advising Office Hours