Minimum Requirements for Admission
Minimum Requirements for Admission
General Requirements
To be considered for admission, the following are required in addition to the online graduate application:
Transcripts reflecting completion of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited university prior to the quarter for which admission is sought (submitted electronically).
At least a "B" (3.0, or equivalent) cumulative undergraduate grade point average (from the degree-granting institution).
Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, if required for the department/program to which the applicant is applying.
Official TOEFL or IELTS or DET scores, if applicable.
Statement of Purpose.
Personal History Statement.
Résumé or Curriculum Vitae.
Three Letters of Recommendation (Submitted electronically. If the letters are submitted offline, they must be submitted with cover sheets).
Departments may add additional requirements; however, those requirements will not be verified as complete by the Graduate Division.
To finalize admission, admitted applicants are required to submit final/official transcripts to the Graduate Division before beginning a degree program at UCSB.
Domestic Applicants
To be admitted to graduate study at UCSB, applicants must have received a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited university prior to the quarter for which they seek admission, and have at least a B average (minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0) in undergraduate coursework. The undergraduate degree awarded must represent the completion of a program equivalent both in the distribution of academic subject matter and scholastic achievement to that offered at the University of California.
International Applicants
To be admitted to graduate study at UCSB, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from an accredited, degree granting university, college or institution, and a B average (minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or equivalent) in undergraduate coursework. UCSB determines equivalency based on years attended, course of study, and breadth of degree requirements. Transcripts not in English must be accompanied by official translations from the school or a certified translator. For more information, please refer to the International Application Review and Country Guide.
English Proficiency Exam Requirements
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam or the Duolingo English Test (DET) is required for those applicants whose native language is not English regardless of citizenship or residency. The following exams are accepted for meeting TOEFL/IELTS admissions requirements: TOEFL iBT, TOEFL iBT Home Edition; IELTS (Academic), IELTS Indicator, and Duolingo English Test (DET). The following exams are not accepted: TOEFL ITP Plus, TOEFL Essentials, and other exams not specifically noted above.
The minimum TOEFL score on the internet-Based Test (iBT) is 4.0 for exams taken on or after 1/21/2026 or 80 for exams taken before 1/21/2026. The minimum IELTS score for consideration is an Overall Band Score of 7 or higher. The minimum DET score is 120 or higher.
Exemptions from the English Language Admissions Requirement
Automatic 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. The language of instruction must be verified in at least one of the following ways:
The institution is a regionally accredited U.S. college or university where English is the sole language of instruction;
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.
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.
No other documentation (e.g. letters, language certificates, school websites) will be reviewed or accepted.
If the applicant earned a degree from an institution where the verified sole language was English, they do not need to take any action. There is no formal exemption process. Graduate Admissions staff will verify that the applicant meets the exemption requirements during processing. If it turns out that they do not meet the requirements, the application will be sent back to the department so that the applicant can add and send their official English language exam scores.