General Application Questions
UC Santa Cruz requires applicants to apply online in order to be considered for admission. If you feel you are unable to apply online, please email the Admissions Coordinator at gradadm@ucsc.edu, or call (831) 459-5905.
Please be sure that your application is set for the correct quarter. For example, if you are applying for admission to a program for fall, be sure the program cycle on your application is set to "fall."
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What are my options for completing the online application if I have limited internet access?
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Can I apply for a duplicate degree? If I have a Ph.D. can I apply for a Master's degree?
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My connection to the online application keeps expiring. Why is this happening?
What are my options for completing the online application if I have limited internet access?
There are several things you can do if your internet access is limited:
- Enter part of your application and return to it at any time before submitting it, just remember your password.
- Use computers provided at school, libraries, internet cafes, or by a friend.
- Print out your application and find the answers to the questions while you are offline.
- Prepare your answers in word processing software (e.g. MS Word or Notepad), and cut and paste your answers into the application.
Why can't I access the online application for admission?
UC Santa Cruz blocks traffic from unsecured web browsers. If you're unable to access the online application at https://applygrad.ucsc.edu/apply, be sure that you're attempting to connect to it from a browser that meets our campus's web browser security standards and is the newest version of that browser.
If your browser meets these standards and you're still unable to connect, please contact gradapphelp@ucsc.edu for further assistance. Be sure to indicate what browser and version you are using.
May I submit my application online before it is complete? How do I know if you have received all my supporting materials?
All required fields and pages of the application must be complete before you submit it. There are several optional pages which you may choose to skip. You can not make any changes to your application after submission. You can, however, submit your application online before you send us all the supporting materials (transcripts, letters of recommendation and official score reports).
The deadlines listed are for submission of all documents. You are strongly advised to submit your application and supporting materials well in advance of the official deadlines. There is no guarantee that materials received after the deadline will be reviewed.
May I apply to more than one department or program of study just in case I’m not accepted to my first choice?
No. Only one application may be considered from each applicant within a given admission-processing period (winter through fall of the same calendar year). Simultaneous applications to multiple departments are not accepted and any application fee paid for multiple applications is non-refundable.
Do I apply to the Division of Graduate Studies as well as the department? Do I need to submit two sets of materials?
"No" to both questions. You submit only one application, and only one copy of each transcript.
How can I change the program that I'm applying to?
If you have not submitted your application yet:
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Changing your program will result in the loss of any data or documents you've entered on those pages.
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Be careful to review your application prior to submission to ensure that all of your information is complete and relevant to your new program.
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Any recommenders that you've registered thus far will be moved to your new application; recommender invitations do not have to be resent.
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To change the program to which you are applying, select a new program in the "Intended Program of Study" section in the Online Application: Application Instructions page, before submitting your application.
Can I apply for a duplicate degree? If I have a Ph.D. can I apply for a Master's degree?
It is the policy of the UC Santa Cruz campus to prohibit the pursuit of duplicate advanced degrees. However, applicants may petition the graduate dean for an exception to this policy if the degree sought is in a field of study distinctly different from the field in which the original advanced degree was attained.
In order for a student who already holds the doctorate to be admitted or readmitted to work toward a second Ph.D.—or toward an academic master’s degree—each of the following conditions must be met:
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The applicant must petition the graduate dean in writing prior to the application deadline for the program in question.
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The department sponsoring the program to which admission is sought must support the applicant’s petition.
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The department must present the graduate dean with a clear and complete outline of the program required for the degree sought, and must explain the intellectual separateness of the proposed program from that completed by the applicant in attaining the earlier degree.
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The graduate dean will review all materials submitted and decide whether or not to admit the applicant, consulting with the Graduate Council when appropriate.
Admission to a professional master’s program after a Ph.D.—or to an academic master’s program after a professional doctorate—is not subject to these restrictions.
Can I review the content of my file?
Your online application will be available for review after it is submitted. Supporting materials submitted by other parties (i.e. transcripts, test scores and letters of recommendation) are not available to applicants. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 does give students, once admitted and enrolled, the right to inspect their records.
Will you give information on the status of my file to my parents, spouse, or friend while I'm out of the country?
File information is provided only to the applicant unless you give permission to release information on your file to a specific person. You can request to give this permission in the field for additional information on the application. If you have already submitted your application, send an email to gradadm@ucsc.edu.
My connection to the online application keeps expiring. Why is this happening?
Our application relies on your having a static IP address for the duration of your session. If you're using an unsecured, public connection, or possibly one associated with your college campus, the service is likely changing your IP address. Each change would result in loss of your authenticated session and force you back to the login page. We recommend finding a more stable source of connectivity to the internet.
What if I have questions that are not answered?
Specific questions about the program or the evaluation of your application should be directed to the individual graduate program.
Questions regarding university policy or the receipt of your application materials, please check the application portal. If you can not find an answer, please contact the Division of Graduate Studies:
Email: gradadm@ucsc.edu
Telephone: (831) 459-5905
Questions related to the online application, system issues, technology challenges (e.g. login problems or browser problems), please contact:
Email: gradapphelp@ucsc.edu
Telephone: (831) 459-2281