Application Fee

A non-refundable application fee of one hundred and thirty-five U.S. dollars ($135) for US citizens and Permanent Residents, and one hundred and fifty-five U.S. dollars ($155) for international applicants and all others, is required. The application fee can be paid (1) by credit card online (domestic bank-issued Visa or MasterCard only), (2) by check or money order, or (3) by a department transfer of funds.

Funds must be drawn on a U.S. bank in U.S. funds. Cash is not accepted. An application fee paid to another University of California campus is not valid for an application to UC Santa Barbara.

The Graduate Division cannot be responsible for lost or misdirected fee payments. It is highly recommended that applicants secure a receipt of mailing from the post office when mailing an application payment.

Department Paid Application Fees

A department may pay the application fee for prospective domestic or international graduate students who do not otherwise qualify for fee waivers. To pay for an application fee using department funds, complete the following steps:

1. Submit a written agreement (email or memo, including the details below) between the department that will be paying for the fee and the Graduate Division to the Finance and Administration Manager and to the Admissions, Outreach, and Diversity Initiatives Director.

   1. The department’s full name

   2. The applicant’s full name and Application/Reference ID Number

   3. The amount the department will pay ($135 for US citizens and Permanent Residents or $155 for international applicants and all others).

2. Create a one-sided transfer of funds for the application fee amount (see 1.c. above) from the department’s FRU and forward it on to the Grad Div Finance and Administration Manager. 

3. Instruct the applicant to select the Check/Money Order payment option after submitting their eApp.

   1. They should not make a payment.

   2. If no payment option is selected, App Review will not generate the Application Submitted confirmation.

4. Once we receive your written agreement, the Graduate Division will update the application in AppReview to Paid by Department. Please note that we are unable to update the payment status until the applicant has submitted their application. It can be helpful if you let us know when this occurs.

All requests must be submitted at least one week before the department’s application deadline to ensure timely processing.

No application or application materials will be processed and released to the academic departments until the application fee has been received. Applications will be visible to department users in the Submitted Queue once the application has been submitted and a payment has been processed.

Fee Waiver Requests

Application fee waivers are available for qualified U.S. citizens, Permanent Residents, and undocumented/Dream Scholars in financial need or who participated in a pre-graduate preparation research program. Fee waivers are not granted to international applicants, except for applicants applying through the Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF) or who participated in the UC-HBCU program.

To apply for a fee waiver, applicants must begin an online application. Within the application, applicants need to first enter their basic personal information, including their citizenship information, in order for their fee waiver eligibility to be fully verified. Next, applicants should click on the Payment Information tab and scroll down to the fee waiver information. Applicants must select the relevant option and upload supporting documentation. Fee waiver requests must be submitted at least two weeks before the application deadline.

Documents accepted for proof of financial need include:

1. A signed letter from a financial officer stating the applicant’s Student Aid Index (SAI);

2. An official financial aid award letter for the current academic year; or

3. A copy of income tax returns from the previous year.

Complete details of fee waiver eligibility requirements as well as a list of eligible pre-graduate preparation research programs can be found on the Requesting an Application Fee Waiver page on the Graduate Division’s website.

Documentation for proof of program participation in an eligible pre-graduate preparation program must indicate that program participation was completed. Acceptance or admission letters for eligible programs are not sufficient. Letters must be on letterhead and signed by the program director or staff.

Applicants requesting a fee waiver will be notified via the Application Status Page within their online application if the request has been approved or denied. Applicants who are denied their fee waiver request will be notified that their application will not be processed unless the application fee is received in full by the department’s application deadline.

Exams

Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores are required of all applicants submitting a graduate application to a department or degree program that has opted to require the GRE for that admissions year. Applicants must schedule their exams directly with the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Departments should review the GRE requirement at the end of each application cycle and confirm with the Graduate Division whether they will continue requiring the GRE for the next application cycle.

Departments can submit an exception request to the Graduate Dean to waive the GRE requirement for Education Abroad Program (EAP) non-degree applicants. These are the only circumstances in which a GRE exception will be considered.

Score Expiration Dates: Official GRE test scores are valid for five years. For individuals testing on or after July 1, 2016, GRE test scores are valid for five years after the test administration date (for example, scores for a test taken on July 3, 2023, are reportable through July 2, 2028. Applicants can check the exact date at which their scores are no longer reportable via the ETS website.

Submission of Official GRE Scores: Scores must be submitted directly from ETS to the Graduate Division. ETS should be instructed to report scores to the UCSB Graduate Institution (GI) using the institution code 4835. A department code is not required. If applicants do provide a department code, it should not negatively impact the reporting of their scores as long as they are sent to institution code 4835.

Self-Reporting Scores: Applicants must also self-report scores by entering their exam information in the Exam Scores section of the application. Applicants are only able to enter one set of score information per exam. 

Score Matching: The online application will attempt to match the self-reported score information to official scores in our database based on a number of items including name, birth date, test date, reported scores, and reported registration number. When new scores are received the system will automatically match the new scores to the applicant’s application, as long as the applicant has entered exam information in the online application. If the applicant re-takes the exam and sends new scores, they do not need to notify any staff in order to make this update.

Minimum Scores: The Graduate Division does not have a general minimum GRE score. However, individual departments are free to establish minimum GRE test score requirements as appropriate for their selection process. These requirements should be clearly explained in department admissions materials, including the General Catalog, the Graduate Division Department Directory webpages, and department websites, and be consistently applied to all applicants.

GRE General Test Score Scales

Additional GRE General Test Resources from ETS:

• About the GRE General test: http://www.ets.org/gre/institutions/about

• How the Test is Scored: https://www.ets.org/gre/institutions/about/general/scoring

• Using Scores: https://www.ets.org/gre/institutions/admissions/using_scores

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Subject Tests

Some departments require applicants to take a GRE Subject Test. This requirement must be consistently applied to all applicants if written into the department’s published admissions requirements. If a department chooses to require a GRE Subject Test, they must also require the GRE General Test. Subject tests are offered in: 

1. Mathematics

2. Physics

3. Psychology

ETS should be instructed to report scores to UCSB using the institution code 4835. A department code is not required. Applicants must make arrangements directly with ETS to take a GRE Subject Test.

GRE Subject Test Score Scales

Every Subject Test yields a total score on a 200 to 990 score scale, in 10-point increments. Note that each of the individual test scales occupies only a portion of the 200 to 990 score range.

English Language Examinations: TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test (DET)

Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) academic exam, or the Duolingo English Test (DET), unless they qualify for an exemption (discussed below). UCSB does not admit students conditionally in order to learn English prior to beginning a graduate program. An excellent command of written and spoken English is required prior to enrollment.

Exam Administration

TOEFL: Applicants who opt to take TOEFL should plan to take the internet-based test (iBT) or TOEFL iBT Home Edition. Tests must be scheduled directly with ETS.

IELTS: Applicants choosing to take the IELTS must make arrangements directly with the International English Language Testing System. The IELTS Indicator is also accepted. Only the Academic version of the IELTS and IELTS Indicator are accepted. 

DET: The online Duolingo English Test (DET) is available anywhere, anytime from a computer with a webcam and microphone. Advance scheduling and appointments are not required.

Submission of Official Scores: Scores must be submitted directly from ETS, IELTS, or Duolingo to the Graduate Division. TOEFL scores should be reported to UCSB using institution code 4835. A department code is not required, but if one is provided, it will not prevent the Graduate Division from receiving scores as long as they have been routed to institution code 4835. An institution code is not required to report IELTS results to UCSB. Applicants are given the option to send scores by mail or electronically. Electronic score submission is preferred when possible. When sending DET scores, applicants should provide their 6-digit UCSB Graduate Application / Reference ID number to Duolingo via the DET portal.

Self-Reporting Scores: In addition to having official scores sent to UCSB, applicants must also self-report scores by entering their exam information in the Exam Scores section of the application.

Score Matching: The online application will attempt to match the self-reported score information to official scores in our database based on a number of items including name, birth date, test date, reported scores, reported registration number and Application ID number (for DET). When new scores are received the system will automatically match the new scores to the application, as long as the applicant has self-reported their exam information. If the applicant re-takes the exam and sends new scores, they do not need to notify any staff in order to make this update.

Minimum Scores

The university minimum score requirements for accepted exams are listed below:

Score Scale

Differences between TOEFL, IELTS, & DET

The TOEFL iBT® test, administered via the internet, measures all 4 academic English skills. The TOEFL® test measures English proficiency in a classroom setting. The language used in the test closely reflects how English is used in everyday academic settings, and the test contains 100% academic content with integrated tasks.

IELTS also tests speaking, reading, writing, and listening. However, the speaking portion is conducted through a live interview with a trained and certified English as a Second Language (ESL) specialist. Whereas TOEFL is offered through ETS, IELTS is its own organization and test registration is handled through IELTS directly.

The DET provides a total English proficiency score, four subscores (Literacy, Conversation, Comprehension, and Production), a video interview, and a writing sample. The test is designed to measure the entire spectrum of English language ability from basic to very proficient. These levels correspond to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The Duolingo English Test is a computer adaptive test; test items vary based on the test taker’s performance in real time.

Exemptions from the English Language Examination Requirement

Exemptions from the English language admissions requirements are permitted for applicants who have completed an undergraduate (bachelor's or equivalent) or graduate (master's, doctoral, or equivalent) degree at an institution where the verified sole official language of instruction is English (or who will complete such a degree prior to the start of their first quarter at UCSB). The language of instruction must be verified in at least one of the following ways:

1. The institution is a regionally accredited U.S. college or university where English is the sole language of instruction;

2. The institution lists English as the sole language of instruction in the IAU World Higher Education Database (WHED). If English is not the sole language of instruction listed (or if no language is listed at all), or if the institution does not appear on the WHED website, an exemption is not permitted.

3. The official transcripts, supplied by the institution and uploaded to the application, specifically state that English is the sole medium or language of instruction. If multiple languages of instruction are listed or if no information about language of instruction is provided on the transcript, an exemption is not permitted.

To determine the language of instruction at an institution, you may search for the institution in the International Association of Universities’ (IAU) Worldwide Database of Higher Education Institutions, Systems and Credentials (WHED). Use the Quick Search field on the right side of the page to search for individual institutions or by country. More information on conducting searches using the WHED can be found in the World Higher Education Database (WHED) section of the International Application Review and Country Guide. Once your search results appear, click on the institution name.

Open

Additional details about the institution will be displayed. Scroll down the page to determine whether language information is provided. The applicant may qualify for an exemption from the TOEFL/IELTS/DET requirement according to the conditions above only if English is the sole language indicated in the WHED or if the applicant’s transcripts explicitly state that English is the medium of instruction.

Open

If you cannot locate an institution in the WHED or if the language of instruction cannot be verified using the WHED and/or the transcripts, the applicant is required to submit official English proficiency exam scores.

Exception Requests for TOEFL/IELTS/DET

If an applicant does not qualify for an exemption from the TOEFL/IELTS/DET requirement, but the department feels that the applicant has demonstrated English proficiency in some other way, the department may request an exception to waive the requirement (or to accept scores below the minimum).

Exceptions to the English Language Examination requirement must be formally approved by the Graduate Dean. The Department Chair or Faculty Graduate Advisor (or other faculty approver) must submit a formal Exception Request using the Exceptions Queue in App Review when recommending the applicant for admission.

The justification must address the department’s specific reason for waiving the admissions exam requirement. For example: Applicant has demonstrated adequate English proficiency via alternate means. Criteria for justification may include direct conversations, high GRE verbal scores, publications in English, time spent in an English-speaking country, previous TOEFL/IELTS/DET scores that have expired, etc. You can also view the Exception Requests section of our Admissions FAQs for Graduate Program Staff page for more information.

Matching Scores for all exam types

In order for scores to be matched to an application, applicants must self-report their test information for each test taken in their application. If an applicant submits an application without self-reported information, they may log in and add this information at a later date (even after the application has been submitted and paid for).

Once matched, scores will be noted as Official in the Exam Scores section of the eApp (applicant login) and on the Datasheet in App Review. Prior to matching, they will be designated as Self-Reported. Each night the system attempts to match official scores with self-reported scores. New/updated scores received will overwrite old scores automatically.

Transcripts

Official transcripts or other official documents are not required to be submitted during the application period. Copies of transcripts must be uploaded to the Education History section of the online application by the applicant. Applicants should report and upload a transcript from each post-secondary institution at which they completed the equivalent of one or more terms (or the equivalent of 12 units at UCSB) of coursework.

Applicants are instructed (see below) to upload “official” transcripts to their online application; however, these transcripts are treated as unofficial because they were not submitted by the university-of-record. 

Instructions to the Applicant

You are required to upload an official transcript created by your university. This transcript will be used to review and evaluate your application.

Scan and upload all pages of your official transcript from this institution (including the grading scale, which may be on the backside of the transcript). The uploaded transcript must be produced by the university with all appropriate seals/stamps. Remove your Social Security Number by crossing/blacking out numbers before uploading (if applicable). If you have questions about whether or not a transcript is acceptable, contact your department/program directly.

International Applicants: If you have received your degree, please include your degree certificate within the same file as your transcripts. The uploaded document must include both the original language transcript and the certified English translation. English transcripts are required and must be a complete, exact and literal translation of the original transcripts. English translations must be provided by the school or an official agency.

Sending Final/Official Transcripts: Do not send your final/official transcripts or other documents to UCSB unless you have been admitted and chosen to attend UCSB or you have been specifically instructed to do so.

Final, official documents sent directly to UC Santa Barbara from the institution will be required for all applicants who are admitted and have indicated their intent to enroll at UC Santa Barbara by submitting a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). If sending paper documents by mail, official transcripts must be sent to the UC Santa Barbara Graduate Division directly from the school in the institution's sealed envelope, with all official seals and stamps intact. If sending electronic documents, they must be sent directly from the institution's official approved document delivery service to transcripts@graddiv.ucsb.edu. Detailed information can be found on our Admitted Students Checklist webpage.

Please note that admitted applicants who have earned degree(s) from institutions outside of the United States and who choose to attend UC Santa Barbara must provide a WES Document-by-Document ICAP evaluation in order for their admission to be finalized. Detailed information can be found on our webpage for Admitted International Applicants.

Official documents must be received by September 1^st if admitted for fall or before the first day of instruction of the quarter to which you are admitted (all other quarters). Degrees awarded by UCSB will be verified internally by the Graduate Division. UCSB students/alumni are not required to submit official transcripts unless specifically requested.

Note: UC Santa Barbara reserves the right to require official transcripts at any time during the admissions process, and rescind any offer of admission made if discrepancies between uploaded and official transcript(s) or WES evaluations are found.

Final/Official Transcripts/Documents (INCOMING STUDENTS ONLY)

Final/Official transcripts and/or WES evaluations are required of all admitted applicants who indicate they will enroll at UCSB by submitting a positive Statement of Intent to Register. Applicants will be admitted provisionally pending receipt of all final/official transcripts and/or WES evaluations. Applicants must have their final/official documents sent to the Graduate Division before the first day of instruction of the quarter to which they are admitted (winter, spring, and summer quarters) or by September 1^st (fall quarter).

The Graduate Division will require transcripts from all post-secondary institutions where the applicant completed at least one full term of coursework (12+ units or equivalent). WES Document-by-Document ICAP evaluations are required from all institutions outside of the United States at which the applicant earned a degree(s).

Final/Official transcripts and WES evaluations should be sent directly to the Graduate Division. The Graduate Division will upload the official documents to the student’s record in GradPoint, which will be stored in accordance with UCSB’s educational record policies.

Domestic Transcripts

To be considered official, transcripts must be received by the Graduate Division directly from the issuing institution. Physical transcripts are only considered official if they are in a sealed envelope from the institution with the registrar’s seal intact.

Electronic transcripts are only considered official if they are sent directly from the institution using their approved official transcript or document delivery service. These include Parchment, eSCRIP-SAFE, National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), Credential Solutions, and eTranscript CA. Transcripts must be delivered to the Graduate Division's document submissions account (transcripts@graddiv.ucsb.edu). Documents sent as email attachments or using cloud storage services will not be accepted.

Complete instructions on submitting final/official documents from US institutions can be found on the main Admitted Students page.

Records from UCSB

The Graduate Division will confirm records and degrees received for all UCSB alumni/past students. These students will not be required to submit official UCSB transcripts unless specified/requested in exceptional circumstances. In addition, if UCSB alumni/past students previously completed transfer work and official transcripts were accepted and processed by the Office of the Registrar such that the coursework can be verified by the Graduate Division, these transcripts will not be required either. 

International Transcripts

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 WES Document-by-Document ICAP evaluation that includes all post-secondary study. All degrees reported on the application must be finalized before proceeding with the evaluation. For all degrees completed outside of the United States, students should not send their official documents directly to the UCSB Graduate Division.

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 by the UCSB Graduate Division.

Incoming students will need to visit the WES website to create an account. They will be prompted to input their academic history, and will then be provided with a list of documents required for the completion of the evaluation. This may include any combination of the following documents:

• Transcripts, attestations, appendices or addenda to diplomas, or mark sheets showing courses and examinations, units or hours, and grades (rank in class, if available).

• Diplomas, degree certificates, or professional titles showing the degree and date conferred.

• Official English translations of academic records and/or transcripts.

If you’d like to see exactly which documents a specific student will be asked to provide, you can use the WES Required Documents tool. Just input the student’s educational history and see the required documents and the methods they can use to provide them to WES.

Further instructions are provided on our website. Students are encouraged to contact WES directly with any questions about what to submit.

Non-Degree Records from International Institutions: For students who completed transfer credits or other post-secondary coursework outside of the United Students without earning a degree, final/official transcripts are required if they completed one or more full academic terms (or equivalent). Students may choose to submit a separate WES Document-by-Document ICAP evaluation for these documents or they may submit official transcripts for non-degree coursework directly to the Graduate Division. All transcripts, other documents, and translations must be received in envelopes sealed and stamped by the school. All academic documents should be sent in the native language along with authorized, complete, and exact, literal English translations by the school or an official agency.

Complete instructions on submitting final/official non-degree documents as well as final/official documents from US institutions can be found on the main Admitted Students page.

Study Abroad/EAP Transcripts

If an applicant participated in a university-sponsored education abroad program (e.g., UCEAP), transcripts are not required from the institution overseas as long as the study-abroad course names, units, and grades are all reflected on the home institution’s transcripts. If transcripts from education abroad programs are required, this will be noted in the applicant’s provisional admission letter.

Statement of Purpose, Personal History Statement, and Resume or Curriculum Vitae

The Statement of Purpose, Personal History Statement, and Résumé or Curriculum Vitae must be completed by all applicants. All three documents must be uploaded and locked in the online graduate application.

Applicants may not combine the Statement of Purpose and Personal History Statement into one statement or document. No part of one statement may exactly duplicate any part of the other statement. The Personal History Statement must be written in narrative (essay) form and a minimum of 250 words is required. There is no maximum length requirement, though each statement must sufficiently address the applicable statement prompt.

We will not process an admit decision for applications that lack one or more documents. The applicant must provide any missing document(s) before a final decision to admit will be released by the Graduate Division.

Letters of Recommendation

Three Letters of Recommendation are required in support of all applications for admission. Whenever possible, recommenders should use institution or company letterhead, not blank paper, when submitting their recommendations. A signature is also recommended.

Recommenders should submit letters via the electronic application. The applicant may provide up to four recommenders in the Letters of Recommendation section of the eApp, but only three letters are required to complete the application. The applicant will enter the name, email address, and institutional affiliation of each recommender. After confirming this information, the applicant is required to submit a waiver of right to view decision for each recommender. When the waiver decision is saved by the applicant, the application system will send a request for a letter to the recommender email address provided.

Letter Service

The applicant may choose to indicate if the letter will be submitted by a professional Letter Service. A letter service is a third-party entity (such as Interfolio or a Career Center) that maintains letters and sends them on behalf of and at the request of the student. If a Letter Service is being used to provide a letter, the applicant will need to provide both the letter service email address (so that the Letter Service may upload the letter electronically) and the recommender’s direct email address.

Verifying Letters of Recommendation

According to various entities, forgery of letters of recommendation, particularly those from outside of the US, is becoming increasingly common. We recommend that you verify some or all of your applicants’ letters of recommendation by contacting the recommender directly. This is easily accomplished by writing a “thank you for your letter” email from the department to the recommender.

It is also a good practice to require that all letters be submitted on university/company letterhead or have a “wet” signature. If these conditions are not met, you may email the recommender to request a new letter. If you suspect forgery please contact the Graduate Division Admissions and Outreach team.

Waiver of Right to Access/View

If an applicant waives their right to access the recommendation, the applicant may not read the letter at any time. If access is not waived, the letter can be made available to the applicant only if all of the following conditions are met: (1) it is requested in writing, (2) the applicant is admitted, and (3) the applicant has enrolled as a student.

Recommender Correspondence

Below you can read the email received by recommenders during the application process. Once the applicant enters their recommender’s information, the email is sent. You may also send these emails to recommenders through the online review system.

To send the reminders yourself:

1. Search for the applicant.

2. Open the Edit Screen.

3. Click on the Letters of Recommendation tab.

4. Click Edit next to the recommender you would like to send a reminder to.

5. Click the appropriate type of email you would like to send.

Letters Submitted via Email

If a recommender is ultimately unable to submit a letter via the electronic application, you may accept the letter via email and upload it on their behalf. In this case, the letter must be sent via the email address on file for that recommender. The applicant may not be copied on the email containing the letter and the letter should be verified in the same manner as letters uploaded directly by the recommender.

Letters Received in the Mail

Recommenders who absolutely cannot submit their letters online or via email may choose to submit hard copy letters via mail. In this case, a completed Letter of Recommendation Coversheet must accompany each letter (cover sheets are not required for letters submitted electronically, including those submitted via email). Applicants must enter the recommender into the online application regardless of whether or not the recommender is sending in a hard copy letter. The waiver decision marked on the hard copy letter of recommendation cover sheet must exactly match the waiver decision the applicant logs online; otherwise the letter will not be considered.

Text of the Full Recommender Request

Dear Recommender,

This message is to notify you that Applicant is applying to the graduate program in Physics with the objective(s) of Doctor of Philosophy (PHD) in Physics (PHYS) at the University of California, Santa Barbara and has selected you as a recommender. We would appreciate knowing your personal impressions of this applicant's intellectual ability and aptitude in past and future research. Additionally, please mention any noteworthy professional or academic traits, including the applicant's character, quality of previous work, and promise for productive future scholarship.

Your letter of recommendation will be included in this applicant's file as one of the items evaluated to determine overall promise for success in our graduate program. Please include your name and title in your letter and submit it on institution letterhead (if possible).

Use the following link to upload a Letter of Recommendation. You may either click the link or copy & paste it into your browser's navigation bar. https://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/eapp/lor/Recommender.aspx?guid=xxxx

This system only permits PDF or MS Word file formats.

*Student Waiver to access Letter of Recommendation:

On 10/17/2024 Applicant did waive the right to view your letter and ratings.

Application Deadline for Physics: Fall Only - December 15, 2024 (by 11:59 PM PST)

Thank you for taking the time to write on behalf of this applicant.

Best regards,

Graduate Admissions Staff

University of California, Santa Barbara

http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu