Admissions Information

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in applying to the History graduate program at UCLA for 2024-2025.

DEADLINES

The deadline for application is December 1. All admitted students are expected to enroll the following fall. Deferred enrollment is not permitted. Before submitting the application please read all forms and instructions carefully.

All applicants must apply electronically for graduate admission and financial aid. The application should be available mid September, but please continue to check the website at the beginning of September for updates. This can be done at https://grad.ucla.edu/gasaa/admissions/applicat.htm . Admission status for Fall will be available online by mid-March. A direct link to the application can be found here: https://grad.ucla.edu/admissions/admission-application-for-graduate-admission/

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Because the History Department has several different fields, each with slightly different requirements, the criteria for admissions are not rigidly standardized. The admissions committee considers the following factors:

• three letters of recommendation from the student’s former or current professors.
• the applicant’s statement of purpose (1000 Words).
• personal statement
• a writing sample of no longer than 10 pages, double spaced (not including bibliography).
• foreign language training
• undergraduate or M.A. grade point average
• Unofficial transcript uploaded on the online application. We may request official transcripts at a later time.
• International applicants must also submit a TOEFL or IELTS score (in most cases). Please visit the following link for more information:http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/admissions/ENGREQ.HTM.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

The faculty relies heavily on the comments and assessment of colleagues at UCLA and other academic institutions. A thoughtful and thorough assessment provides insight into the student’s abilities, preparation and motivation. Several such evaluations combine to form a detailed picture of the student’s background and potential. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check with people who have written the letters of recommendation to make sure that they are submitted by the deadline.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

A candidate’s statement of purpose distinguishes him or her from all other applicants. It indicates to faculty the student’s interests, ability to state research goals concisely, and to some degree, the candidate’s maturity and sophistication, both of which are significant in an extremely competitive program. The admissions committee looks for students who show that they have already focused on a given field and have a reasonable awareness of what the department has to offer. It is helpful for candidates to list the names of faculty members with whom they would like to work.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

The Personal Statement is an opportunity for you to provide additional information that may aid the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and aptitude for graduate study at UCLA. It will also be used to consider candidates for the Cota-Robles and Graduate Opportunity fellowships.  Please be sure to follow the application prompts and guidelines for the personal statement.

WRITING SAMPLE

Your writing sample should be no longer than 10 pages, double spaced (not including bibliography). Book reviews, senior thesis, and research papers are acceptable.  You may also submit an excerpt of a longer paper (e.g. MA or senior thesis) but please adhere to the 10 pages.  You can include a brief explanation before the sample if it is from a larger work.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE TRAINING

The importance of language training varies from field to field. A student of U.S. history, which requires only one foreign language, could conceivably begin the program with minimal foreign language preparation. On the other hand, students in other fields should come to UCLA already having done significant work in their major language. Those without such training would have difficulty with their required course work and research, both because of the difficulty of these languages and because these fields require proficiency in two or more foreign languages.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE

The general requirement for admission for a U.S. student is a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution, comparable in standard and content to a bachelor’s degree from the University of California. An overall scholastic average of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better is required, or its equivalent if the letter grade system is not used, and in any post-baccalaureate study.

ENGLISH REQUIREMENTS

If your first language is not English, you must certify proficiency in English when you apply to UCLA.  If you are admitted, you may also be required to confirm your proficiency upon arrival.  Submit your scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)  Academic as part of your application. The TOEFL is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). IELTS Academic is administered by local IELTS test centers throughout the world. Consult IELTS for the test center nearest your home or university. More information about this requirement can be found on Graduate Division’s website here: https://grad.ucla.edu/admissions/english-requirements/

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY MAILING ADDRESS (FOR OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS) *WILL BE ASKED FOR AT A LATER DATE*

UCLA Dept of History
Attn: Graduate Advisor
6265 Bunche Hall
Box 951473
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1473

All applicants should upload unofficial transcripts from all academic institutions into the Application for Graduate Admission. 

GRADUATE DIVISION LINKS:

General: http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/admissions/admisinfo.html

History: http://www.gdnet.ucla.edu/gasaa/majors/hist.html

UCLA HISTORY LINKS:

Field Information and Faculty by Field

Current graduate students

Course Listings

If you have any other questions, please contact the History Graduate Office: gradoffice@history.ucla.edu.