Application and Admission

Home Graduate Program Application and Admission

For admission to the Ph.D. program in International Economics, applicants must have completed the bachelor's degree in economics. Graduates in political science or business with minors in economics may be admitted if they can demonstrate sufficient analytical aptitude and training. If the degree is in another discipline, applicants must have completed courses in intermediate microeconomics, intermediate macroeconomics, and economic statistics. They must also have adequate preparation in mathematics, including at least two quarters of calculus and one of linear algebra. Basic computer skills are also expected. Elective courses in international economics are recommended.

For admission to the M.S. program in Applied Economics and Finance, applicants must have a bachelor's degree in economics, or if the degree is in another discipline, they must have completed courses in intermediate microeconomics, intermediate macroeconomics, and statistics. Applicants must also have adequate preparation in mathematics, including at least two quarters of calculus and one of linear algebra. Basic computer skills are also expected.

Note that there are two separate and distinct application deadlines for these two programs.

The deadline to apply for the M.S. program is February 1st for acceptance the following fall quarter.

The deadline to apply for the Ph.D. program is January 15 for acceptance the following fall quarter.

As our classes are sequential, we admit only in the fall quarter.

All applications to the graduate programs must be submitted on-line.

For instructions on how to apply, visit the Division of Graduate Studies. Please visit to learn more about graduate student fees, fellowship opportunities, and graduate education at U.C. Santa Cruz.

A complete application consists of:

1. Submitted on-line application
2. $70.00 application fee (pay through the on-line application)
3. Official transcripts from each college-level institution attended (in sealed envelopes signed by the registrar)
4. Three letters of recommendation (submitted on-line)
5. Required General GRE test scores (including TOEFL for international applicants)

One official transcript from the Registrar of each institution listed (including university correspondence or extension divisions), or a statement of good standing, if work was not completed, is required. (Request that your transcripts be sent to you.) Each transcript should be in an envelope sealed and signed by the Registrar. To expedite the processing of your application, send your transcripts (leaving each sealed envelope intact) and other required hard-copy materials together in the same envelope to:

U.C. Santa Cruz
Graduate Application Processing
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064

If you attended UC Santa Cruz as an undergraduate, you must also request and pay to have an official transcript sent to Graduate Application Processing from the Registrar's Office. Transcripts submitted to UCSC will not be returned to the applicant, nor will copies be forwarded to any other persons or agency. To qualify for graduate study at UC Santa Cruz, you must present official evidence that you have received a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education. (However, verification of UC Santa Cruz bachelor's degrees can usually be accomplished electronically.)

Application fee waivers are available on the online application for Graduate Opportunity Program applicants and for hardship cases. The university does not waive the application fee ($70.00) for international applicants.

The university does not accept GMAT scores in lieu of the GRE. The GRE school code for U.C. Santa Cruz is 4860. We are accepting computer based GRE scores; however, in weighing these scores when we review applications, we will take into account the controversy surrounding the computer based test scores coming from selected countries. The minimum GPA requirement for UC graduate admissions is 3.0. International applicants need not convert their international GPA to the U.S. GPA scale. Applicants from countries where English is not the primary language must submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. A minimum score of 550 (paper-based), 220 (computer-based), or 83 (iBT) is required for admission. If your TOEFL score is older than two years, you will need to re-take the exam. We will consider TOEFL waiver requests for those applicants who have completed a degree from an English-speaking university. The TSE is not required for admissions.

Departmental financial support is based on merit. The university does not offer need-based financial aid to international applicants. The evaluation process depends on a review of your completed application, the strength of the overall applicant pool, and our target enrollment number. We have in the past offered full support to Ph.D. applicants in the form of TAships and fellowships. Some amount of funding may be available to M.S. applicants. We let you know if you have been given financial support at the same time we notify you of an admissions decision.

The review of applications is generally completed by March 1. Most offers of admission are prepared and mailed by March 15. Denial letters are sent thereafter. By a general agreement to which UC Santa Cruz and most graduate schools in the United States are signatories, admitted applicants have until April 15 to reply with their acceptance of fellowship offers.

For further information, please contact:

Graduate Programs Coordinator
University of California, Santa Cruz
Department of Economics
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Phone: (831) 459-2219
Fax: (831) 459-5077
Email: econ_grad_coor@ucsc.edu