Supplemental Materials

For a successful application, the Online Application and Payment of fees must be completed by December 15th. In addition, submit a Statement of Purpose (including achievements and resume documents), Letters of Recommendation (with completed coversheets), Official Transcripts, GRE exam scores, TOEFL exam scores if required, and an optional document sample of research or writing ability. All supplemental application materials should be uploaded online or sent directly to MAGIS, and not to the Graduate Division.

Materials may be submitted online through the Online Graduate Application. Or send hard copies of materials to the address below, including transcripts. Note: two copies of official transcripts and statements of purpose materials are required; one copy of recommendation letters and optional writing sample are needed.

Graduate Admissions in Global & International Studies
2008 Social Sciences and Media Studies
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-7065

E-mail: magis-info@global.ucsb.edu or email materials to Jessea Gay Marie jmarie@global.ucsb.edu
Tel: (805) 893-4668 (Cannot return long-distance calls)
Fax: (805) 893-8003

Online Application: https://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/eapp/

Application Status:
Applicants may log in to their application to check their Application Status Page and verify receipt of materials throughout the application process.

Non-Refundable Application Fee:
$80 for Domestic & Permanent Residents; $100 International Students.  Please pay the application fee by check/money order or online via credit card to complete application submission. http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/admissions/application/#applicationfee

Fee Waivers:
A limited number of application fee waivers are available to qualified U.S. citizens and permanent residents who demonstrate evidence of financial need or proof of participation in an undergraduate research program. Fee waivers are not available to international applicants. Fee waiver request forms are due in the Graduate Division two weeks prior to the departmental application deadline. Please see the Graduate Division Policies and Procedures Handbook and the Fee Waiver Request Form for more information. Please send fee waiver materials as early as possible (limited number) to the following address:

UC Santa Barbara Graduate Division
Attn: Graduate Admissions
3117 Cheadle Hall
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-2070

Statement of Purpose:
Statement of Purpose, Personal Achievements/Contributions, and Resume or Curriculum Vitae.  You will be able to upload the following documents to your online application:
• Statement of Purpose
• Personal Achievements/Contributions statement
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Please see http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/admissions/forms/ for the Statement of Purpose, Personal Achievements/Contributions,
  and Resume/Curriculum Vitae prompts and upload instructions.

Applicants should put their name on each page of their Statement of Purpose (Hard copies: print it on white paper at 1.5 spacing). The statement of purpose should clearly indicate why the applicant wishes to pursue a M.A. degree in graduate studies in the field of Global & International Studies as well as something about the applicant’s background, academic and life experiences, and future goals. The cover sheet also requires an essay on Personal Achievements/Contributions as part of the statement. The entire statement should be two or three pages. The Resume/CV is separate and not counted in the total number of pages for the statement.

Official Transcripts:
NOTE: If your current degree program is still in progress, you will be required to submit final and official transcripts with the degree awarded once your program is complete, if you are admitted.

For U.S. applicants, two official copies of the applicant's transcripts from all post-secondary educational institutions attended, including community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs, must be sent to the proposed department as part of the application. Transcripts must show all courses taken, credits or hours, grades or marks in each subject, and rank or class level if given. The institutional grading scale, including maximum and failing grades, should be provided. Also required is the type of degree awarded or in progress (e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science), and the date of the award if the program is complete. Records submitted to UCSB will not be copied, returned, or sent to another institution.

For international applicants, two official copies of documents showing all post-secondary academic work completed must be sent to the proposed department as part of the application. All transcripts 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. Unofficial copies made by the applicant or UC faculty and staff are unacceptable. Additionally, documents must show the type of degree awarded or in progress (e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science), and the date of the award if the program is complete.

NOTE for U.S. permanent residents: U.S. permanent residents who received a degree from a U.S. institution should follow the application guidelines for U.S. applicants. U.S. permanent residents who received a degree from an international institution should follow the instructions for international applicants.

Letters of Recommendation:
Online Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation are required as part of your application. Letters of recommendation are submitted online through the Online Graduate Application. You will be asked to supply the name, email address, and current institution of each recommender. Once supplied, the online application will provide recommendation submission instructions to any of your recommenders via email. Recommenders may upload letters in PDF file format only.
Once you submit your online application, you can manage your letters of recommendation through your Application Status Page. Here, you can:
• Add or replace a recommender;
• Send a follow-up notification to each of your recommenders;
• View the status of each letter.

The faculty members who write the letters of recommendation should be aware of the applicant's scholarly abilities and capability to do graduate work. They should speak analytically of achievements and research abilities. Applicants can provide recommenders with background information to assist them in writing a strong letter, such as copies of papers written, copies of the Statement of Purpose, a Resume/CV, or a list of courses and grades received from the professor.

Nonacademic letters may be useful when they relate directly to the intended area of study, such as work experience, internships, teaching, etc.

Letters Submitted via Postal Mail
In instances where your recommender absolutely cannot submit a letter online, a letter of recommendation may be sent directly to your prospective academic department. A Letter of Recommendation Coversheet must accompany the letter. Please note: online letter submission is highly recommended and preferred.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE):
The GRE is required for admission to global studies. Official GRE scores are those submitted directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Official GRE test score dates must be within five years from the time of application (i.e. from the day the applicant submits the online graduate application). Tests should be taken early enough for results to be received by December 31st.  http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/

Applicants must make arrangements to take the GRE directly with ETS and should instruct ETS to report scores to UCSB; the institution code is 4835. A department code is not required.
Global Studies does not have minimum scores for the GRE for admission.

Applicants who take the GRE examination a second time and want scores updated must request that ETS send the new scores to UCSB, and must update the Application Status Page with new score information. Please note: For admissions purposes, UCSB reviews only the most recent and complete set of test scores reported. It is not possible to mix-and-match multiple score reports from separate test sittings. Applicants who want to improve GRE scores will need to retake the entire test.

TOEFL and  IELTS:
English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams
UCSB does not admit students conditionally in order to learn English prior to beginning an academic program; an excellent command of written and spoken English is required prior to enrollment.
Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the TOEFL or the IELTS. Exemptions or exceptions to this requirement will be considered for those students who have completed an undergraduate or graduate education at an institution whose primary language of instruction is English. Proof must be provided by sending the final/official transcripts associated with the degree. The transcripts must indicate that the coursework and degree program was completed at the previous institution. Please contact Global Studies if there are any further questions.

SCORES: The MAGIS minimum TOEFL score for consideration is 600 when taking the paper based test (PBT) and 94 when taking the internet based test (IBT). The IELTS score for consideration is an Overall Band Score of 7.

Applicants choosing to take the TOEFL must make arrangements directly with the Educational Testing Service (ETS). ETS should be instructed to report scores to UCSB. UCSB's institution code is 4835. A department code is not required. Official TOEFL test score dates must be within two years from the time of application (i.e., from the day the applicant submits the online graduate application).

Applicants choosing to take the IELTS must make arrangements directly with the International English Language Testing System. An institution code is not required to report the score results to UCSB. Official IELTS test score dates must be within two years from the time of application (i.e., from the day the applicant submits the online graduate application). Please note: For admissions purposes, UCSB reviews only the most recent and complete set of test scores reported. It is not possible to mix-and-match multiple score reports from separate test sittings. Applicants who want to improve TOEFL and IELTS scores will need to retake the entire test.

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International Applicants

Completing a Pre-application is recommended prior to applying. This form will enable us to decide if you have the needed elements for a successful application. You will be contacted directly by global studies admission advisor regarding your pre-application, and if approved, you may then proceed in completing all parts of the graduate online application. Please pay close attention to requirements or procedures pertaining to international applicants. http://graddiv.ucsb.edu/preapp/

Fee Waivers: Unfortunately, application fee waivers are not available to international applicants.

Transcripts: two official copies of documents showing all post-secondary academic work completed must be sent to the proposed department as part of the application. All transcripts 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. Unofficial copies made by the applicant or UC faculty and staff are unacceptable. Additionally, documents must show the type of degree awarded or in progress (e.g., Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science), and the date of the award if the program is complete.

For Visa issues and other requirements, Please visit the Office of International Students and Scholars: http://www.oiss.ucsb.edu/Students/index.aspx

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Important Dates Calendar

September-December 15th — Online Application available for admission for the following academic year.
December 15th — Supplemental materials due at MAGIS office
December 30th — GRE/TOEFL/IELTS scores must be received
February — Admission decisions will be sent out
March 2 — FASFA priority deadline (U.S. citizens only)
April 15th — Date to accept with fellowship offers intact.
June 30 — Final date to accept or decline admission offer
September 20th or so — Fall quarter begins.

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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How many applicants apply each year?  
The amount varies but roughly 70 applications each year, of which about 25 applicants are admitted, for an anticipated final admit count of 10-15 students.

My GPA is slightly less than the required 3.0—May I still apply?
Yes, you can apply and hope for an exception to the requirement—but you will need to explain your low GPA in your Statement of Purpose.

I’ve just graduated and I really have no “Personal Achievements/Contributions” as required for the Statement of Purpose—Can I leave this part out?
You can, but I recommend you try and add something in this area by thinking outside the box. Remember, you are selling your qualities and abilities to the admission committee.

What are the average GRE scores of those who are admitted?
From last year’s GRE scores, the averages are as follows: Quantitative average 633, 55%; Verbal average 577, 79%; Writing average 4.5 62%.  No averages for the new GRE exam at this time.

May I come to campus and meet the professors or sit in on a class?
If you are coming to campus, you may email professors to see if they will be available to meet with you.  Unfortunately, it’s usually too disruptive to have visitors in the classes.

I just completed an internship abroad—may I count that for the internship in the program?
Having internship experience will add in your desirability as a candidate for admission, but your internship within the program will be based on the coursework you take prior to leaving so you will still be required to do one within MAGIS.

My degree is in an area outside of global studies so my writing sample isn’t on global topics—should I not include one then?
The admission committee is interested in your writing and research abilities—so the writing sample  topic is less important than the how well executed the paper is.  We only need a 15 page sample, but you can mix it up—the writing doesn’t have to be contiguous. For example, you might include the introduction, a sample from the center and the conclusion from a longer thesis.

I took language in high school—may I count that towards the second language requirement?
No, the requirement is for college-level language, but you can test out of the requirement if your language ability meets the 2 year (6 quarter) at grade B level as required.

I’ve been out of school for a while—must I still retake the GRE exam?
Yes, it is a requirement of the graduate division for graduate admission in the global program. If you took the GRE more than five years ago, you must retake it. You may state in your statement why your scores might be lower than current student applicants.

I’m an international student—may I qualify for fellowships and financial aid?
Yes, for our fellowships, we consider all applicants equally. However, we do not offer fellowships that will cover the full tuition of international students.  Financial aid through the US government is usually limited to residents, however extramural funding from independent resources is worth investigating.

I work full time. May I complete the program through part-time study or distance learning?
No, our program must be done in-residence at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

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