The nonrefundable $80.00 application fee must be paid by credit card (VISA or MasterCard) prior to submission of your application .

This fee is devoted to the administrative cost of processing an application, and is not refundable regardless of the outcome of an application.

Graduate programs in some areas require special departmental applications or supplements in addition to the Application for Graduate Admission. As applicants are expected to be aware of all requirements, please refer to Departmental Information for your proposed major for specifics.

• Transcripts

Two official copies of your transcripts must be sent directly from the Registrars Office of ALL academic institutions attended beyond secondary school. You may request official copies and send them in the original sealed university envelopes to the academic department to which you are applying.

• Letters of Recommendation (form in PDF format) These forms are to be used by applicants to the Graduate School of Education only. Applicants to all other programs are participating in an alternate application system whose references are electronic.

Three letters of recommendation are required in support of all applications for admission. At least two of these letters should be requested from professors in your major subject. Forms for this purpose are enclosed.

Enter the appropriate personal information at the top of each form and present one to each person from whom you are seeking a recommendation. Letters of recommendation should be sent directly to the attention of the graduate adviser in the department office. You should supply your recommender with the correct address or an addressed envelope.

Applicants are not permitted to inspect letters of recommendation in their UCR files. If you are admitted to UCR and enroll, you may then have access to your letters of recommendation unless you previously waived the right of access on the form.

• Supplementary Fellowship Application (Optional for domestic applicants) This form is to be used by applicants to the Graduate School of Education only. Applicants to all other programs are participating in an alternate application system in which this information is processed electronically .

We encourage all domestic applicants to submit this form so they may be considered for all awards for which they might be eligible. This optional form is for domestic applicants who wish to be considered for merit-based diversity fellowships.

• English Language Requirements

ALL applicants whose first language is not English and who have not earned an advanced degree at an institution where English is the exclusive language of instruction, must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This exam is administered by the Educational Testing Service and offered in nearly every country abroad. This exam must be taken within two years of the time you intend to enroll at UCR. The minimum acceptable scores are: 550 for the the written exam; 213 for the computer-based exam, and 80 for the internet-based exam (iBT).

All admitted applicants whose first language is not English and are expected to be Teaching Assistants are required, upon arrival at UCR, to take the TOEFL Academic Speaking Test (SPEAK). The SPEAK evaluates English speaking proficiency at the intermediate to advanced levels. TAST is developed from the speaking section of the next generation TOEFL test. It presents test takers with integrated speaking tasks that simulate real academic situations.

• The Graduate Record Examination

The GRE general test is required of all applicants with exceptions noted below. Some programs also require applicants submit scores from the Subject Test of the GRE. Consult the department to which you are applying for specific requirements. Although current scores are preferred, some graduate programs will accept scores from tests taken within the last five years.

GRE scores from the General Test must be submitted for fellowship consideration. We strongly advise you to be aware of the deadline for the program to which you are applying. Dates and information for computer-based testing (CBT) may be obtained by contacting the Educational Testing Service (ETS) at the address below, by calling 1-800-GRE-CALL, or by consulting the GRE Web site. Fellowship applicants should take the exam in time to meet the departmental deadline. Applicants should plan to take the GRE prior to December to ensure the timely receipt of their test scores for admission consideration. Keep in mind that it may take several weeks for test scores to reach us from ETS.

Applications for the GRE can be obtained from:

Educational Testing Service
P O Box 6000
Princeton, NJ 08541-6000

Exceptions to the GRE Requirement
Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts (MFA); Dance (MFA); Visual Arts (MFA); and Education (MEd only) do not require the GRE exam. M.B.A. applicants must submit scores from the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) in place of the GRE.

Be sure to list the GRE institution code for UCR R4839. GRE department codes can be found on the GRE website or by contacting prospective departments. If ETS has not assigned a major code to your proposed area of study, instruct them to send your score to your specific department.