An applicant’s statement of purpose is very important and is given careful consideration in the selection process. For additional guidelines, please refer to Statement of Purpose. There is no specific word limit, but be concise and specific in preparing your statement, giving information that demonstrates your level of preparation and potential for success in graduate school.The statement of purpose must be submitted online through the UC San Diego Application for Graduate Admission.

NOTE: Requests to update the Statement of Purpose are not granted after submission. Please carefully double-check edits prior to official submission.

An applicant’s Curriculum Vitae or Resume is used to gain a better understanding of the individual’s potential for success in this program. It should highlight details such as academic history, relevant work experience, skills, publications, honors/awards, etc. A resume or curriculum vitae should be uploaded to the  UCSD Application for Graduate Admission.

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required. Additional letters may be submitted, however, you must submit a minimum of three (3) letters.

LORs are submitted via the online application only. For additional information about the procedures and policies for letters of recommendation, please review the UCSD Graduate Division guidelines at Procedures for Letters of Recommendation.

Unofficial transcripts should be uploaded online to the UCSD Application for Graduate Admission. More information about how to upload unofficial transcripts can be found on this website: Academic Records and Transcripts

Official transcripts from all prior higher education institutions attended will be required AFTER an applicant receives their official offer of admission from UCSD. Applicants who attended any campus of the University of California, including UCSD, must provide official transcripts of the UC coursework. Transcripts from UCSD may be ordered by an applicant from the Office of the Registrar. There is no charge for UCSD transcripts of record sent to departments in support of an application for graduate student.

GRE

Applicants for Fall 2024 Admission to the Data Science Graduate Programs (MS and PhD) will not need to provide a GRE score with their applications for Admission.

If applicants have already completed the GRE and would like to include their scores with their application, they can include these scores when submitting the application for review. Applicants with valid test scores should request that ETS submit the scores directly to the UC San Diego institution code 4836; the department codes are not needed. Information about the GRE is available from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) website.

English Language Proficiency 

Demonstrated proficiency in the English Language is required for all international applicants whose native language is not English.

UC San Diego accepts both the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores.  To learn more about the minimum score requirements and possible exemptions, please visit UC San Diego’s English Language Proficiency website.

Students may us the following Institution code when submitting official scores: 4836. The Department code can be left blank.

Applicants will be required to pay the application fee for each application submitted or to request a fee waiver at the end of the online application. Your application cannot be reviewed until this fee is paid.

• US Citizens, Permanent Residents, and Undocumented Applicants: $135.00
• International Applicants: $155.00

Applicants may submit multiple applications for the same term. Please note that each application must be submitted to a different department and to only one degree level (Master or PhD) per department.

For information regarding fee waivers, please review the Graduate Division website.