Admissions Decisions

Submitting Department Recommendations to the Graduate Division

Once the admissions committee finalizes admissions decisions, the Queue Manager should move applicants into the appropriate Queues. The Decision Queues are:

• Admit Queue

• Deny Queue

• Incomplete Queue

• Exceptions Queue

Once a decision has been approved by a departmental user with signature authority, the applicant will appear in the Processed Apps queue. The App Status will either display as In Process (this means that the Graduate Division is processing the file and the applicant has not yet received decision notification), or the final admissions decision will be displayed.

Recommending an Applicant for Admission

To admit an applicant who meets the minimum admissions qualifications, move the applicant into the Admit Queue.

BEFORE moving the application into the Admit Queue: Be sure to verify that all application materials have been received, all requirements have been met, the correct GPA scale has been entered, the correct GPA has been confirmed, and accreditation of the undergraduate institution has been confirmed.

Note: The process is different if an applicant requires an Exception to Admissions Policy. For this action, you will need to use the Exceptions Queue. Refer to the https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GUM/pages/18661212399/Admissions+Decisions#Requesting-Exceptions-to-Admissions-Policy section of this manual for more information.

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Table of Contents

1 Admissions Decisions 1.1 Submitting Department Recommendations to the Graduate Division 1.2 Recommending an Applicant for Admission 1.2.1 Updating Degree Objectives 1.2.2 Possible Admit Decisions 1.2.2.1 Admit – Unconditional (A) 1.2.2.2 Admit – Provisional (P) 1.2.3 Deadlines for Meeting Provisional Admissions Requirements 1.3 Requesting Exceptions to Admissions Policy 1.3.1 Exception Requests Reasons 1.3.2 Submitting an Exception Request Using the Review System 1.3.3 Submitting an Exception Request Using the Exception to Admissions Policy Request Form via DocuSign 1.4 Deferring Admission 1.4.1 Requesting a Deferral of Matriculation 1.4.2 One Year Deferral Requests 1.4.3 Financial Support Packages for Deferred Students 1.4.4 Viewing and Submitting Deferral Requests 1.4.5 Editing Deferral Requests 1.4.6 Withdrawing a Deferral Request 1.4.7 Approving a Deferral Request  1.4.8 Graduate Division Review & Applicant Response 1.4.8.1 Denied Deferral Requests 1.4.8.2 Approved Deferral Requests & Applicant Response 1.4.8.2.1 Applicant Response: Accept Deferral 1.4.8.2.2 Applicant Response: Decline Deferral or No Response 1.5 Denying Applicants 1.6 Incomplete Applications 1.7 Withdrawn Applications 1.8 Final Decision by the Graduate Dean and Departmental Admit Letters 1.9 Documentation of Admissions Decisions 1.9.1 Admissions Records Retention 1.10 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) 1.10.1 Waiver of rights to view Letters of Recommendation 1.10.2 Internal Comments

The Faculty Graduate Advisor, Graduate Admissions Chair, or Department Chair must log in to the system to approve the decision. They should select the applicants in the queue for whom they approve admission. In the Actions menu, they must select Approve Decision and click the Apply to Selected Applications button.

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At this point, the applicant(s) will disappear from the Admit Queue and appear in the Processed Apps queue with an application status of In Process.

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The Graduate Division will process applicants’ final admission for all departments in the order they appear in the queue. If it is discovered that an applicant is missing required documents, does not meet minimum requirements, or cannot be processed for any reason the application will be moved back into your department queues and you will receive a notification. For instructions regarding Central Fellowship nominee material and nomination packets, please contact Financial Services.

Once the admit has been processed by Graduate Division Admissions Staff, the App Status column in the Processed Apps queue will reflect that the applicant has received Unconditional Admission or Provisional Admission. This is your indication that the applicant has received a decision in their online application. From the Processed Apps queue, you may view the date the decision was released as well as the Decision Letter from the Dean.

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Once the application has moved to the Processed Apps queue you will no longer be able to modify the applicant’s online application, but you can click on their name to see their Datasheet and all their documents.

All App Review users with access to your department will be able to view applications in the Processed Apps queue.

You do not need to request an exception for applicants you wish to admit to a different degree objective. In these cases, you should contact the applicant directly and let them know why they are being admitted to a particular degree objective. You must verify with the Graduate Division staff that the applicant agrees to the change and request that the degree objective be updated before the admit decision is approved.

All applicants may be admitted either provisionally or unconditionally. Descriptions of each possible admissions status are provided below.

Unconditional admissions status indicates that all admissions requirements have been met. Applicant data is transferred to the Office of the Registrar once the newly-admitted applicant completes the online Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). The applicant will then be given access to the Office of the Registrar’s online Statement of Legal Residence within 5-10 business days. An incoming student can enroll in courses after (1) they have established a NetID and password and (2) a Pass time has been assigned by the Registrar’s Office.

Almost all applicants are admitted provisionally due to the fact that we do not require official transcripts during the application process and/or degrees may be in progress at the time of application. Provisional admissions status indicates that official documents and/or final degree conferral confirmation are still pending, and admission will be granted on the condition that the applicant provides the required materials or documents by the relevant deadline. For more information, view the https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GUM/pages/18741592151 section of the Manual.

• Fall Admission: September 1st

• Winter, Spring, or Summer Admission: First Day of Instruction

If provisional admissions status is not cleared by the deadline, a block may be placed on registration for any quarter during which the student remains provisionally admitted.

Applicant data is still transferred to the Office of the Registrar for provisionally admitted applicants once they complete the online Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). The applicant will then be given access to the Office of the Registrar’s online Statement of Legal Residence within 5-10 business days. An incoming student can enroll in courses after (1) they have established a NetID and password and (2) a Pass time has been assigned by the Registrar’s Office.

If the department wishes to admit an applicant who does not meet minimum admissions criteria, an exception request with an appropriate justification must be submitted for review by the Graduate Division deans. Exceptions are also required for actions taken after the applicable deadline (to allow an applicant to apply late, for example) or other actions that are outside of regular admissions policies.

1. GPA Below 3.0 Domestic or Foreign Equivalent

2. TOEFL iBT below minimum of 4.0 (exams taken on or after 1/21/2026) or 80 (exams taken before 1/21/2026)

3. IELTS below minimum Overall Band score of 7

4. DET below minimum total score of 120

5. Non-Equivalent Degree: degree is not equivalent to a U.S. degree

6. Unaccredited Institution

7. Late Admission (after May 1 / June 1 departmental decision deadlines)

8. Late Statement of Intent to Register (SIR after June 15th)

9. Waive English Proficiency Test

10. Other Reason (fill in reason)

All exceptions should be requested in the Application Review System unless it is not possible to do so (in cases of Late Application, Late SIR requests, or Reversals of Deny Decisions). Use the Exceptions Queue to request admission for applicants requiring exceptions. See below (https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/GUM/pages/18661212399/Admissions+Decisions#Requesting-Exceptions-to-Admissions-Policy) for details on how to submit an exception request.

Departments should not send an admissions letter to an applicant who requires an exception. The Graduate Division will send out the admissions notification if the exception request is approved by the Graduate Dean. Once the applicant appears in the Processed Apps Queue with a status other than In Process (e.g. Provisional Admission or Unconditional Admission), the department may follow up with a letter, if applicable.

You do not need to request an exception for applicants you wish to admit to a different degree objective. In these cases, you should contact the applicant directly and let them know why they are being admitted to a particular degree objective. You must verify with the Graduate Division staff that the applicant agrees to the change and request that the degree objective be updated before the admit decision is approved.

Steps for Entering Exception:

1. Move the applicant for whom you are requesting an exception into the Exceptions Queue.

2. From Exceptions Queue click Add Exception:

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3. Enter the Exception Reason(s) and Justification (selecting Other will open an additional text box for reason). If the applicant requires multiple exceptions (e.g. low GPA, non-accredited institution, etc.), you will need to enter all applicable reasons for the exception and address all of these reasons in the justification.

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4. Click Save Exception.

5. The faculty member with Signature Authority should then check the box next to the applicant name(s), select Approve Decision from the Actions menu, and click Apply to Selected Applicants. This moves the applicant to the Graduate Division queue for review and processing.

If the exception request is approved by the Graduate Dean, admission will be processed and the applicant will show as provisionally or unconditionally admitted in the Processed Apps queue. If the exception request is rejected, the department will be notified via email and the applicant’s file will be returned to the Review Queue or Exceptions Queue, as appropriate.

Departments will need to use the DocuSign Exception Request Memo to request exceptions for Late Applications (after the department’s final application deadline), for Late SIR submissions (after the June 15^th deadline), or to Reverse a Deny Decision. The Exception Request Memo can be found in the https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/x/TIFJiAE Confluence page. If you are not sure whether an exception is required or whether an exception can be submitted via App Review, contact the Associate Director of Admissions.

You can also review the Exception Requests section of our https://ucsb-atlas.atlassian.net/wiki/x/C4CrPgQ page for more information.

In some exceptional circumstances, departments may wish to request that an applicant be allowed to defer (change the quarter or year of) admission. Applicants successful in gaining admission to a graduate department or program may not defer their admission to a later quarter without prior approval from the Dean of the Graduate Division. Departments may request deferrals on behalf of admitted applicants via the Deferrals page within App Review.

Eligible students who have accepted offers of admission may defer their matriculation for one quarter up to a maximum of one year. Deferral requests will be considered only in the following circumstances (situations falling outside of these categories typically will not be approved):

1. The applicant has experienced medical or family issues that will preclude them from beginning the program as expected.

2. The applicant experienced a delay in obtaining a visa and will be unable to enter the country by the start date of the quarter of admission.

3. The applicant has been granted a compelling educational opportunity that benefits the student’s academic program of study (e.g., a unique research opportunity).

4. Other unexpected and/or compelling rationale (e.g., military reservist called to duty).

Departments may choose to request deferrals on behalf of applicants who have accepted offers of admission (SIR’d) or admitted applicants who have not yet SIR’d but have expressed interest in delaying matriculation. To defer admission, applicants must (1) submit a positive (Yes) Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) response before accepting an approved deferral and (2) formally accept the deferral. Both the SIR and deferral acceptance must be submitted via the eApp system by the relevant deadlines.

To allow for maximum enrollment flexibility, we strongly recommend that departments request one-quarter deferrals (rather than one-year deferrals) for students experiencing medical, family, or visa-related concerns. Subsequent one-quarter deferrals may be requested as needed. Students who have been offered a central fellowship and who are granted admissions deferrals will automatically have their fellowship deferred until the following year. Before requesting a full year deferral, the department must upload the departmental offer letter to App Review.

If an admitted student defers, the department/program is expected to provide the same or a higher level of financial support as in the original offer package upon enrollment. The department will need to state this commitment when communicating with the student about a potential deferral. For students who have been offered recruitment fellowships (e.g., Chancellors, etc.), these will be deferred and held for the students upon arrival. Please contact the Graduate Division Financial Unit (financial@graddiv.ucsb.edu) with any questions.

1. To navigate to the Deferrals Page and view deferrals, log in to App Review and select Deferrals from the Navigate drop-down menu. 

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2. The Application Deferrals page will display, with the View Requests button selected. A list of all current deferral requests will display.

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Requests are sortable by each of the following column headers: App. ID, Name, Dept., App. Quarter, Deferral Quarter, Request Status, Submitted Date, Decision Date, Response Status, and Response Date. Requests may also be filtered by any of the following criteria using the drop-down menus: Application Quarter, Request Status, Deferral Quarter, and Accept Status.

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To submit a new deferral request:

1. Click on the Submit Requests button.

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2. Search for the applicant requesting a deferral by entering one of the following criteria in the text box:

   1. Name (formatted as Last, First or Last only or First only)

   2. Perm Number

   3. Application ID Number

   4. Email Address (be sure to use the email associated with the application)

3. Click the Search button. A list of applicants matching your search criteria will populate. 

4. Click on the Submit Request link for the selected applicant in your search results. The Deferral Request Form will open. 

   1. From the Deferral Quarter drop-down menu, select the term to which you would like the applicant to be deferred. Admission may be deferred for one quarter up to a maximum of one year.

   2. From the Deferral Reason 1 drop-down menu, select the most applicable reason for the deferral request. 

   3. If more than one reason applies, you may also choose to select a secondary reason from the Deferral Reason 2 drop-down menu (optional). 

   4. In the Deferral Justification text box, enter a detailed justification in support of your deferral request. 

   5. Click Save Request. The Deferral Request Form will close and your request will appear on the View Deferral Requests page. 

   6. An email notification will be sent to App Review users whose permissions allow access to the Deferrals Page.

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5. Click on the View Requests button to view the status of your request.

Departments may edit requests that are in the Submitted status. Once the request is approved by the department, it can no longer be edited. However, if the department approves a deferral request by mistake, you may contact the Graduate Division to ask that it be moved back to Submitted status for further editing as long as a final approval decision has not yet been issued.

To edit an existing deferral request:

1. Navigate to the Deferrals Page and click on the Edit Request link corresponding to the request that you wish to view/edit. The Edit Deferral Request dialogue box will open.

2. Complete any necessary edits and click the Save Request button at the bottom of the box. 

3. To cancel your edits without saving, click the X at the top right corner of the dialogue box.

If the department no longer wishes to pursue a request that has already been saved/submitted, the request may be withdrawn. Note that once the department has withdrawn a deferral request, the status can no longer be changed (e.g. the request cannot be returned to Submitted status and cannot be edited further), but a new request for the same applicant/term can be created. 

To withdraw an existing deferral request:

1. Navigate to the Deferrals Page and click the checkbox corresponding to the request that you wish to withdraw (you may select multiple checkboxes if you wish to withdraw multiple requests at once).

2. Select Apply Status: Withdrawn from the Select an Action drop-down menu.

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3. Click the Apply to Selected Applications button.

4. A notification will appear at the top of the page to indicate that your update was processed and the Request Status will update to Withdrawn. 

The following App Review users may approve deferral requests: Department Chairs, Faculty Admissions Chairs, and Faculty Graduate Advisors. To view or edit the request before approving, click on the Edit Request link corresponding to the request that you wish to view/edit.

To approve a deferral request, the faculty approver should complete the following steps:

1. Navigate to the Deferrals Page and click the checkbox corresponding to the request that you wish to approve (you may select multiple checkboxes if you wish to approve multiple requests at once).

2. Select Apply Status: Department Approved from the Select an Action drop-down menu.

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3. Click the Apply to Selected Applications button.

4. A notification will appear at the top of the page to indicate that your update was processed and the Request Status will update to Department Approved. 

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Once the department has approved a deferral request, the status will change to Department Approved and the Graduate Division will begin reviewing the request. A status of In Review indicates that the Graduate Dean is reviewing the request. 

When the Graduate Division releases a final decision, an email notification will be sent to App Review users whose permissions allow access to the Deferrals Page.

If the request is denied by the Graduate Division, the applicant will not be notified. Applicants who were not granted an approved deferral at the time of their prior admission must follow the re-application process. Although departments are encouraged to work with applicants in streamlining their re-application process, it should be made clear to applicants that admission is not guaranteed.

If the request is approved, the applicant will receive an email notification instructing them to log in to eApp to view and accept or decline the deferral. Applicants must submit a positive (Yes) Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) response before accepting a deferral. The Deferrals tab will display to applicants as follows in eApp:

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Screenshot of the Deferrals tab in eApp that prompts the admitted student to complete their SIR before accepting their deferral of admission. They should select Yes, I accept or No, I do not accept and then click Submit Deferral Response.

Once a positive SIR has been submitted, the warning will disappear and the applicant may proceed with their response to the deferral. Once the applicant has accepted or declined the deferral, the department users noted above will receive an email notification. The status of the request will be updated in App Review. Applicants who SIR “No” are not eligible for deferrals.

To process the deferral, the applicant must click Yes, I accept and then click Submit Deferral Response. When this step is complete, the applicant’s first enrollment term will be moved to the deferral quarter. The official decision letter will be updated to reflect the new first term of enrollment and a new SIR for the new (deferred) term of enrollment will be generated.

The Application Status will be updated on the Applicant Datasheet in App Review to reflect the applicant’s Deferred Admission status and the Deferral Quarter:

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If an applicant declines a deferral or does log a decision on the Deferrals tab of their eApp, their original decision letter and SIR will remain unchanged and they may enroll for their original admission term.

Denial status is given to applicants with complete applications who fail to gain admission for various reasons. A record of the reasons for denial should be kept internally by the academic department. Departments should also be prepared to discuss the denial with applicants who inquire. Departments should not direct applicants who have been denied admission to the Graduate Division Admissions staff to discuss the reason for the denial. The Graduate Division does not know the reasons for denial and thus cannot discuss this decision with the applicant. It is also at the department’s discretion to create a reference sheet listing the names and reasons for the denial decision for follow-up purposes.

To deny applicants, move them into the Deny Queue. A faculty member with signature authority should log in and select the appropriate applicants. They should then use the Actions menu to select Approve Decision. Applicants will immediately be moved into the Processed Apps queue and Denied Admission will appear as the App Status. Applicants for whom the deny decision has been approved by the department will immediately receive an email that they have a decision available. When they log in to their applications, the denial letter from the Dean will be available. The Graduate Division does not review departmental decisions to deny applicants.

A final admissions decision of Incomplete reflects that required supporting materials were missing from an application. Because incomplete applications cannot be reactivated for a later quarter, please give applicants every opportunity to complete their application.

Before marking a file incomplete, please consult with the Graduate Division for assistance in identifying any missing materials that may be on file. If supporting materials are received after the department deadline and the applicant is not likely to be considered for admission it is recommended that you consider the file for denial rather than incomplete.

If an incomplete application was not reviewed by the admissions committee and you want to inform the applicant that their final decision is No Action—Incomplete due to missing materials, you can move them to the Incomplete Queue. A faculty member with signature authority should log in and select the appropriate applicants. They should then use the Actions menu to select Approve Decision. Applicants will immediately be moved into the Processed Apps queue and Incomplete will appear as the App Status.

 Applicants for whom the Incomplete decision has been approved by the department will immediately receive an email that they have a decision available. When they log in to their applications, the Incomplete letter from the Dean will be available. The Graduate Division does not review departmental Incomplete decisions.

Withdrawn status is applied to those applicants who specifically request that their application be removed from admissions consideration. This will only be applied if an admissions decision has not yet been made by a department. If an applicant wishes to withdraw their application, please instruct them to email the Graduate Division.

The Graduate Division will process the withdrawal and the applicant will appear in the Processed Apps queue with an App Status of Withdrawn. No action is required by the department. Application materials submitted by applicants who choose to withdraw will no longer be available to the department. If applicants request that their applications be withdrawn after an admissions decision has been made, please instruct them to simply submit their Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) and indicate Not Coming.

Unsubmitted/unpaid applications cannot be withdrawn. If an applicant who has not yet submitted an application asks to withdraw their application, please inform them that as long as they don’t pay the application fee, their application will not be reviewed.

Admissions recommendations submitted by departments are reviewed by the Graduate Division Admissions staff and assigned a final admissions status on behalf of the Graduate Dean. As soon as an admissions decision is logged in the application review system, applicants will be notified via email that an official decision is available to them on their Overview Page.

The Graduate Division sends email notifications to all of the following:

• Domestic and Permanent Resident applicants

• International applicants

• Five-Year Combined Degree Program (Bachelor’s/Master’s) applicants

• Joint Degree program applicants

• Applicants for whom an exception to policy is required

• Incomplete applicants

• Denials

The Graduate Division maintains the responsibility and right of notifying all applicants of their admissions decisions. While the Graduate Dean has authorized the practice of departments sending letters regarding admissions offers (which may or may not include offers of financial support) to applicants, only the official letter from the Dean of the Graduate Division constitutes a formal offer of admission. To ensure that applicants understand that the Graduate Dean’s decision letter is their formal offer of admission, departments must include an indication that the final letter will come from the Graduate Division. The following suggested text may be used:

“We have recommended your application be approved for admission. The official offer of admission is made by the Associate Vice Chancellor for Graduate Affairs and Anne and Michael Towbes Graduate Dean. Confirmation of admitted status is received via an email providing a link to the notification letter in the Graduate Application Portal.”

Departments are not required to send an admissions offer letter. However, if your department chooses to create a notification letter and you have questions about the content of your letter, please forward a copy to the Graduate Division Admissions unit for review. If applicable, financial offers should be crafted according to the template(s) provided by the Graduate Division Financial Unit. If you have any questions about how to craft or communicate financial awards, please contact the Financial Unit directly. 

Each year, many worthy applicants are denied admission to UCSB. Some of these applicants are keenly disappointed and threaten to bring suit against the University. Federal legislation, executive orders, and court decisions on admissions practices have increased the likelihood of such suits.

The University can protect itself from formal complaints by keeping precise and accurate records of admissions decisions—both the procedures by which departments make decisions as well as the particulars of individual cases. These records often deter applicants from making formal complaints because department faculty can provide the Graduate Division with a precise statement of how applicants were evaluated and the results of that evaluation. These records are required by federal agencies or the courts if the applicant lodges a formal complaint.

Departments should keep records of admissions cycles for at least two years. Such records might include Letters of Recommendation, worksheets used by faculty evaluators, data or spreadsheets used to compute applicant scores or ranks, etc. Departments alone have information on the particular strengths and weaknesses of individual applicants, such as the evaluation of Letters of Recommendation and the results of interviews.

Admissions records, including ranking procedures for each cohort, should be retained for those admitted and denied. Federal agencies, for example, require the University to summarize the qualifications of successful as well as unsuccessful applicants in order to demonstrate that the complainant's qualifications were below the level of those admitted for a particular program and quarter, according to the department's criteria for evaluation. Recent cases have required some University of California campuses to provide such information for at least two admissions cycles.

Retaining admissions data for two or more years may seem cumbersome for departments, but it is relatively cheap insurance against the need to reconstruct admissions decisions for a year's worth of applicants. Retaining records also simplifies matters if applicants reactivate their applications.

Under regular record retention policies, the Graduate Division also retains central application files for two years for applicants who were admitted but chose not to enroll (in addition to those who were not admitted). However, as of fall 2025, the Graduate Division is required to retain all potentially relevant information and documents related to recruitment and selection activities indefinitely until further notice.

Departments may receive requests from applicants past and present to review the contents of their applicant file or to receive copies of documents in the file. It is important to know that protection granted to students under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) does not apply to applicants.

Departments are not obligated to make available specific content of applicant files to the following applicants:

1. Applicants who were denied

2. Applicants who were admitted but chose not to enroll at UCSB

3. Those whose applications are still under department or Graduate Division review

Although department faculty and staff may wish to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of an applicant’s file with the applicant, they are not obligated to do so and the release of any specific notes taken during faculty review, or additional contents is strongly discouraged.

Enrolled/matriculated students may request, per FERPA regulation, access to their student records. All application data is maintained as part of their student record and must be released if requested. If you receive this type of request, do not release any documents to the student and notify the Graduate Division immediately. The Graduate Division and Registrar’s Office are the offices of record, which means only the Graduate Division and Registrar’s Office may release records.

Applicants must choose to waive or not waive their rights to view their letters of recommendation at the time of application. If a student has waived their rights to view their letters, then their letters may never be released to them. If a student has not waived their rights, then we must release their letters at their request (remember, this pertains to matriculated students only).

Internal Comments become part of the educational record of a student should the student matriculate at UCSB.