History Graduate Admission for Fall 2021, (last updated Fall 2020)
The History Department has moved to a new model of admission in which it will be rotating fields in its admission process. We are especially interested in applicants who contribute to the department’s commitment to diversity and in applicants who are pursuing transnational and transregional approaches. Please contact prospective mentors before submitting an application.
This year, we will be admitting students in the following fields (to begin in the program in the Fall of 2021):
- Africa
- Comparative Race and Ethnicity
- East Asian(Admitting students in the department’s newly expanded China program)
- Latin America(Admitting students with research interests in the Andean region of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, in the Mexican Revolution, and in gender and transnational migration during the twentieth century)
- Middle East
- World History
Any questions, please contact Rhiannon Parisse (rparisse@ucsb.edu)
Application Deadline for Academic Year 2021-22:
Monday December 14, 2020.
Application Checklist
(All documents requiring submission are to be uploaded on the Graduate Division application page.)
- History Department – Supplemental Information Form (required)
- Statement of Purpose
Give a brief statement outlining your reasons for undertaking a graduate program, your particular area of specialization within the major field, your past academic work, and your plans for future occupation or profession. Also include any additional information that may assist the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and aptitude for graduate study at UC Santa Barbara. - Personal Achievements/Contributions Statement
Please provide any additional information regarding economic challenges in achieving higher education, such as being financially responsible for family members or dependents, having to work significant hours during undergraduate schooling or coming from a family background of limited income. Please describe if you have any unusual or varied life experiences that might contribute to the diversity of the graduate group, such as fluency in other languages, experience living in bicultural communities, academic research interests focusing on cultural, societal, or educational problems as they affect underserved segments of society, or evidence of an intention to use the graduate degree toward serving disadvantaged individuals or populations. - Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
- One Writing Sample
Submit a sample that best demonstrates your writing and research abilities. We strongly recommend that students submit a research paper that draws upon primary and secondary sources. Research paper should be 20-25 pages or a chapter or two of a thesis. Submit in the online graduate application – supplemental documents section - Transcripts
You are required to upload an official transcript created by your university. This transcript will be used to review and evaluate your application. - GRE, TOEFL or IELTS Scores – SUBMIT TO GRADUATE DIVISION
GRE Scores – Request that the Educational Testing Service submit your score to UCSB, institution code 4835. A Department code is not necessary. The UCSB History Department does not require the History Subject test. Scores may be no older than five years at the time of application.- International Applicants – IELTS and TOEFL Scores
Submit scores to Graduate Division For international applicants required to take the TOEFL or IELTS, the minimum TOEFL score is 550 when taking the paper based test. The minimum IELTS score for consideration is an Overall Band Score of 7 or higher. TOEFL OR IELTS scores can be no more than two years old at the time of application.
- International Applicants – IELTS and TOEFL Scores
- Application Fee Payment
$120 for domestic applicants. $140 for international applicants.
Don’t forget to submit your FAFSA!
New and continuing domestic students are required to file.
- Submit Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- An overview of the process is available at 7 Easy Steps to the FAFSA
Page last modified: November 16, 2020