California sea otter in Monterey Bay kelp. Art: Katie Bertsche
The 2025-26 application cycle will open October 1, 2025. The preferred application deadline for fall 2026 admission is January 16, 2026.
Offers of admission will be made on a rolling basis after January 16, 2026. The final application deadline is April 3, 2026.
Before applying, first, watch this video to learn more about our program.
Our next program information session will be in October 2025 (TBD). Please contact Colt Hangen, cjhangen@ucsc.edu, if you would like to be notified when this information session is scheduled, and/or to gain viewing access to our October 9, 2024 info session.
If you would like to schedule a meeting with our program director, Erika Check Hayden, please send over the following brief self-introduction (in one email) to cjhangen@ucsc.edu:
- Several sentences about your educational background and research experience
- A few sentences about what draws you to science journalism
- Unofficial transcripts (going back to frosh year – screenshots are fine)
- A current resume/c.v.
We will offer one in-person visit date to admitted students on March 12, 2026. We are not able to accommodate requests for in-person visits during admissions season outside of the scheduled admit days.
All UCSC graduate program applications are submitted electronically. You may access the instructions and links to apply through the UCSC Graduate Division website. Applications and letters of recommendation are accepted only through the online system. Be sure to read the current application instructions thoroughly. We strongly recommend that you include PDF copies of any published works that you would like us to review in the “Additional information” section of the application, to ensure that your work is accessible to our reviewers.
Also, please note: though the electronic system will inform your recommences that their letters of recommendation are not due until March 31 (8:59pm, Pacific Time), your application is not considered complete until we receive these letters of recommendation. We strongly recommend that your recommences submit their letters by our program’s preferred application deadline of January 9.
While working on your application in the online system, remember to save often. Feel free to ask questions: scicom (at) ucsc.edu.
Applications and supporting materials must be submitted or postmarked by midnight on the deadline date.
The basics: Three to five letters of recommendation (online only); transcripts from all colleges attended; UCSC Graduate Studies online application; and the application fee ($150 for domestic applicants; $170 for international applicants). The two required writing samples are included in the application as the Personal History and the Statement of Purpose. Be sure to list your research experience where indicated. Use the Additional Information section if you’d like to add more details, a longer list of publications, upload a c.v., write special notes to the reviewers, or include anything that wouldn’t fit in the body of the application. See the FAQ section or the application instructions of the Graduate Division site for information on reactivating your application from the previous year. We do not require GRE scores, but if you took the GRE for another program and would like to submit your GRE scores, use school code 4860.
Foreign students may be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).Apply online through the UCSC Graduate Division
The application fee may be paid with a credit card when applying online. Please refer to the instructions at the application website. Transcripts and letters of recommendation that are not done through the online registration option should be sent to Graduate Application Processing at the address below.
Fee Waiver Application Instructions
The Graduate Division offers fee waivers based on a number of factors. Please visit their website HERE to learn more about the variety of fee waivers and fee exemptions offered. If you are a domestic student and qualify for one of these fee waivers, please follow the directions for requesting a fee waiver described in the application portal.
If you do not qualify for one of the Graduate Division’s fee waivers/exemptions, you may apply for a Science Communication program fee waiver fellowship. The program can grant a limited number of fee waiver requests on a case by case basis to students who complete their applications by the priority deadline and hold a GPA of 3.0 or greater.
To be considered for a fee waiver fellowship, please read the instructions below carefully:
- Submit a completed application by the priority deadline, including an official copy of your transcript demonstrating a GPA of 3.0 or above. If your previous institution(s) did not measure GPA on a 4.0 scale, you will need to convert your GPA into the equivalent on a 4.0 scale.
- Do not pay yet for your application to the University.
- Request the fee waiver: Contact scicom@ucsc.edu and explain why you are requesting a fee waiver in less than five sentences. Include the conversion of your GPA to a 4.0 scale if needed.
- If you are granted a fee waiver, we will provide additional directions for how to complete the fee waiver section in the application portal (NOTE: DO NOT SELECT “FEE WAIVER” as an international student).
- If you are not granted a fee waiver, you must pay your application fee to complete and submit your application.
NOTE: if you have received a fee waiver for a past application cycle, we are unlikely to grant a fee waiver for a subsequent application cycle.
ALL applicants, including international applicants, are eligible to apply for a fee waiver.
Mail hardcopy materials (transcripts, official GRE scores) to:
*DO NOT MAIL THESE MATERIALS DIRECTLY TO THE SCIENCE COMMUNICATION PROGRAM.
Graduate Application Processing
UC Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
If sending materials using special carrier services, such as Express Mail, Federal Express or UPS overnight, be sure to include the office location of 2nd floor Kerr Hall, and the phone number: 831-459-5905.
ETS school code: 4860 for GRE scores. There are no department codes.
We do not recommend sending optional additional materials via mail (e.g., sample articles, unofficial/older test scores). You may reach out to us if you need to submit an item: scicom@ucsc.edu .
SciCom phone: 831-459-4475
SciCom fax: 831-459-5052