Graduate Office

Pre-Application FAQs

1. How do I apply for admission?  
 
We have an online application for admission available at the Graduate Division.
 
2. May I apply with a paper application instead of online?  
 
No, all applications for admission must be filed online. We no longer use a paper application.
 
3. Is there a fee to apply for admission?  
 
Yes, the required fee if $60 for US citizens and permanent residents and $80 for international applicants, whether in the US or outside. Depending upon the applicant’s residency status, an application fee waiver may be available. Please visit the Graduate Division for additional information on how to pay fees. We cannot waive the application fee, for any reason, for international applicants. You will not be considered for admission if you file an application but neglect to pay the required fee.
 
4. Do you accept admission for the MA degree?  
 
No, with one exception - our one year MA-only program in Demographics and Social Analysis (DASA). With this one exception, all applications and admission offers are for Ph.D. level study (Ph.D. students within the Social Sciences are,
however, encouraged to complete the MA degree along the way to a Ph.D.).
 
5. Am I required to have completed an MA degree before applying for a Ph.D.?  
 
No, in fact, most applicants apply for a Ph.D. having only completed a Bachelor’s degree (Ph.D. students within the Social Sciences are, however, encouraged to complete the MA degree along the way to a Ph.D.).
 
6. Can I apply for more than one program at a time?  
 
Yes, however, separate and distinct applications and application fees are required.
 
7. When do applications open?  
 
September 1 for the following academic year.
 
8. When do applications close?  
 
January 15 for all programs except Psychology within Cognitive Sciences which has a December 15 deadline for application.
 
9. Do we have a system of rolling admissions?  
 
No. Admission decisions are made beginning in early February.
 
10. What are the GRE and TOEFL codes for UCI and the School of Social Sciences?  
 
Please use both the UC Irvine institution code and a program code when ordering score reports from ETS.

Institution Code: 4859

Program Codes
Program GRE (4 digit code) TOEFL (2 digit code)
Anthropology
1701
81
DASA
2101
80
Economics
1801
84
LPS
2299
80
MBS
2299
80
Political Science
1902
89
Psychology
2002
08
Sociology
2102
96
 
11. I took the GMAT instead of the GRE. May I use that score instead?
 
No, we are unable to accept GMAT scores or GRE (Subject Test) scores in place of the General Test Requirement. We do not waive our GRE requirement for applicants who have already completed a Master’s degree.
12. Can the TOEFL requirement be waived for international students?
 
TOEFL is required of all international applicants whose primary language is not English. (This requirement does not apply to citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom). We may waive the requirement for international students who have completed a recent undergraduate degree in residence at a US college or university. We may also recommend that the requirement be waived if the student has completed a Master’s degree in the US. In all other cases, TOEFL is required even when the applicant attended schools in which the medium of instruction was English.
13. Are any other language tests required?
 
For admission purposes, we require only the TOEFL. However, for financial support consideration, international students (except citizens of those 5 countries listed above) are required to demonstrate proficiency in spoken English. This may be done in any of three ways at the time of application:
  • Minimum score of 5 on the test of spoken English.
  • Minimum score of 26 on the speaking component of the internet based TOEFL (TOEFL-ibT).
  • Minimum score of 8 on the speaking module of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam.
A further detailed explanation of these requirements is available at the Graduate Division.
International applicants are required to submit language proficiency verification with the application for admission.

Still have questions? Please let us know; contact us at socsci.gradinfo@uci.edu. We will take your feedback into account when revising our lists of frequently asked questions. University of California, Irvine Interested in Graduate School? School of Social Sciences


 

University of California - Irvine School of Social Sciences