Applications may be submitted online at UCSB Graduate Division. Faculty accepting graduate students for the coming year will appear on the drop-down menu on the application portal. Helpful information on applying to Graduate Programs at UCSB may be found at the Graduate Division Admissions and Outreach.
December 1st, 2026 is the deadline for submitting applications. All materials must be received by then to be considered.
Application Requirements
Applicants should put their name on each page of their Statement of Purpose. The statement of purpose (typically 2-5 pages) should clearly indicate why the applicant wishes to pursue graduate studies in the field of Black Feminist Studies.
UC Santa Barbara is interested in a diverse and inclusive graduate student population. Please describe any aspects of your personal background, accomplishments, or achievements that you feel are important in evaluating your application for graduate study. For example, please describe if you have experienced 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 bi-cultural communities, academic research interests focusing on cultural, societal, or educational problems as they affect under-served segments of society, or evidence of an intention to use the graduate degree toward serving disadvantaged individuals or populations. Your Personal History Statement must be written in a narrative (essay) form without duplicating content from your Statement of Purpose. A minimun word count of 250 words is required. There is no maximum length requirement. Most statements are typically 2-3 pages.
List your positions of employment or volunteer work/community service since high school, either full or part-time. Include awards, distinctions, and memberships if applicable.
These letters should reflect the referee's evaluation of the applicant's overall intellectual and critical thinking and academic ability, effectiveness of oral and written communication, and commitment to feminist studies.
Transcripts are required from all college-level institutions attended (where 12.0 or more units were earned), including junior college, lower-division, extension, study abroad, and graduate transcripts, regardless of whether or not a degree was awarded. Official documents should be uploaded directly to the application. Documents in any language other than English must be accompanied by certified translations. Official hard copy transcripts are required only upon admission, after signing the Statement of Intent to Register.
Applicants must submit a research paper or some other piece of writing that best reflects research, analytical, and writing ability. This may be an undergraduate or graduate paper or policy paper. All writing samples must be in English (20 pages approximately).
Download the Additional Required Form, fill it out, and then upload it to your application via the online application portal. Be sure to choose your intended area of research specification as listed on the application portal and the form.