General Information

Current graduate students who want to apply to a MFA or doctoral department (including a doctoral program in their home department) must use the Online Graduate Application. With these new procedures, students who add or change to a MFA or doctoral program you are eligible for central recruitment funding, including the International Doctoral Recruitment Fellowship (IDRF).

Current graduate students may only apply during the regular application cycle for the department.  Please note that applicants for winter or spring admission are not eligible for central recruitment funding, but may be eligible for other types of departmental funding. In the case where a terminal UCSB master's student has applied for and is admitted to an MFA or doctoral program that starts in the fall quarter, but finishes the master's degree in fall or winter of the previous year, the Graduate Division can consider an exception to move up the start date of the doctoral program so that there is no break in registration.

Please contact the department to which you wish to apply before applying. Each department has its own application deadline. A complete online application and all supporting documents must be submitted by the deadline in order to be considered for admission and fellowship support.

When Do These Procedures Apply?

Currently enrolled UCSB master's students interested in entering a UCSB MFA or doctoral degree program, or UCSB doctoral students interested in transferring from one doctoral program to another doctoral or MFA program, please follow the application instructions below.

When Do These Procedures NOT Apply?

Current UCSB graduate students interested in adding a non-MFA master’s degree program or certificate should visit Academic Services for a different set of procedures.

Non-UCSB students and current UCSB undergraduate students applying for doctoral and/or master’s degree programs should visit the general admissions How To Apply page for a different set of procedures.

How to Apply

All doctoral and MFA applicants must complete the Online Graduate Application. Begin an application by logging in with either the New Applicants or Existing Applicants (using the same email address you previously used to apply) option. Be sure to complete all sections of the application. We recommend that you keep personal copies of all application materials.

Learn more about the parts of the online application here.