• Coastal Science & Policy statement of purpose
• Personal history statement
• Statement of Financial need (optional)
• Resume/CV
• College transcripts
• Three letters of recommendation
• Two writing samples or excerpts (no more than five pages in length)
• Instructions for the above sections may be found HERE or download the  CSP_Application Instructions 2023

• CSP applicants are not required to identify a faculty advisor in order to apply.
• CSP applicants are not required to submit GRE scores. These scores will not be considered as part of your application.
• CSP seeks to provide its students with individual fellowships and thus students are not eligible for other forms of financial support from the university (e.g. Teaching Assistant or Graduate Student Researcher positions). If you would like to be considered for a CSP fellowship, please upload a one page Statement of Financial Need letter.
  • Domestic students should also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  • International students are encouraged to complete and upload the Affidavit of Student Support.
• On the Financial Support page, applicants need to identify other fellowships or scholarships for which you have applied or that you have been awarded.
• Where possible, CSP students are supported by individual fellowships and thus are not eligible for diversity fellowships from the university. In the application, select the “section not applicable” link on the Diversity Fellowships page.
  • Be sure to use the newest version of an internet browser that meets our campus web browser security standards.
  • Only one application may be considered from each applicant within a given admission-processing period (winter through fall of the same calendar year).
    • Simultaneous applications to multiple departments are not accepted and any application fee paid for multiple applications will be forfeited.
  • Be sure to add three email addresses, csp@ucsc.edu, gradadm@ucsc.edu and graduatedivision-mailings@ucsc.edu to your email address books so our messages don’t get marked as spam by your email provider. You will be notified of your admission decisions from these accounts.
  • Application fee payments to the UCSC Graduate Division and your application will only be delivered to UCSC.Graduate students are an integral part of UCSC’s research and learning community and we look forward to the prospect of your joining us.

1. At minimum, have completed, uploaded, and submitted the following items to your application: statement of purpose, personal history statement, statement of financial need, and your resume.
2. Not yet paid for your application to the University.
3. Requesting the fee waiver:
   • Domestic Students-in the application portal, follow the directions for requesting a fee waiver. 
   • International Students-Contact csp@ucsc.edu stating why you are requesting a fee waiver and attach your financial needs statement. 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). 
4. NOTE: if you have applied, and received, a fee waiver for a past application cycle, we are unlikely to grant one for this application cycle.

 ALL applicants are eligible to apply for a fee waiver and we encourage you to submit the request if you have a need. Note: The online application portal states that international students are not eligible, however the CSP program will consider requests on a case by case basis and work with the Graduate Division to allow international students to apply for the application fee waiver if needed.

The Coastal Science & Policy Program is interested in the referee’s professional assessment of the candidate. Please share the following instructions with your letter writers. 

Referees should submit their letter in advance of the application deadline to ensure that the prospective student’s application can be evaluated in full. Please review the program website here to gain a stronger understanding about the program.

Recommendation letters should be limited to no more than two pages and should address the following questions:

1. How long, and in what capacity, have you known the candidate?
2. What is the candidate’s capacity for leadership, in terms of their ability to influence and organize others, achieve positive outcomes, and commitment to their self-development as a leader?
3. How will the candidate’s proficiency from their prior education and/or work experience position them to succeed in the Coastal Science and Policy program and to contribute to solving real-world coastal sustainability problems (from land to the sea), especially in the near-term?
4. What have you observed about the candidate’s collaboration, engagement and/or communication skills?
5. What other characteristics make this candidate stand out for you in terms of their leadership, scientific or policy ability or prior experience?

Where possible, referees should cite specific examples to highlight their personal experience with the candidate. The letter will help the program better understand the prospective student’s strengths and areas of growth.

If a referee is having trouble submitting their recommendation or will not be able to submit by the application deadline, please contact us by email:

• For program-specific questions contact csp@ucsc.edu for help.
• For technical assistance with the online application portal email gradapphelp@ucsc.edu or call: (831) 459-2281

Students seeking financial support from the program should complete the statement of financial need in the application portal.

In addition, domestic students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA.

Additional financial aid resources can be found here. This list is not comprehensive, but can serve as a starting point for applicants who wish to seek additional external support.

Curious about the cost of attendance, a committee of 5 faculty and 2 PhD candidates created a new tool. Click here to use the tool. Note, CSP core courses, seminars and workshops do not typically require purchase of books or other fees. In addition, public transit is free for students with their current student ID and most health care costs are covered by student health insurance.