The faculty, staff, and current graduate students of the Department of Linguistics at UCSB are excited to welcome you to our community of scholars! We hope that you will find UCSB and Santa Barbara as a whole to be a warm, friendly, and comfortable place to work, play, and live throughout your graduate career!
Now that you have been admitted, please take the following steps to accept our offer, get situated in Santa Barbara, and begin your graduate career. Please read the information below in order to ensure that your admission is in order.
- Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – Due March 2nd
- Submit your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) & Financial Offer Letter – Due April 15th
- Submit your Statement of Legal Residency (SLR)
- Apply for housing – Due May 15th
- Register for courses
- Complete new hire paperwork (for TAs and GSRs)
- Obtain ACCESS card (student ID card)
- Attend orientation and departmental social events
1. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): Priority Deadline March 2nd
It is required that all domestic graduate students file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students may file the FAFSA electronically by accessing the website or secure a hardcopy application from their local financial aid office. Please have your FAFSA sent to the UCSB Financial Aid Office. In September, you will be asked to submit your financial aid award letter.
2. Submit your Statement of Intent to Register & Financial Offer Letter: Due April 15th
To officially accept our offer of admission, you must submit the online Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), located on your Application Overview Page. You will need your original email address and password used to create your online application.
Your departmental financial offer letter was sent to you from the Graduate Program Assistant just prior to the release of your official offer of admission from the Dean of the Graduate Division. Your SIR indicates acceptance of your offer of admission, but you must also indicate acceptance of the financial offer and return the signed letter to the department.
3. Submit your Statement of Legal Residency as soon as possible upon submission of your SIR.
Instructions for completing the Statement of Legal Residency (SLR) are found on the Registrar's web site. If the Registrar does not receive your SLR, you will be automatically assessed non-resident tuition. If you have any questions, please contact the Registrar at RegResidency@sa.ucsb.edu or 805.893.3033.
4. Housing: Applications for housing at San Clemente Villages due May 15th
UC Santa Barbara offers a variety of housing options for graduate students. For information on how to apply for housing, please visit Housing and Residential Services. The deadline to apply for housing at San Clemente Villages is May 15th. You are also welcome to seek housing in the community (in which case, you do not need to submit an application for university-owned housing; see the Community Housing Office for help getting started).
5. Register for Courses
Registration instructions can be found on the Office of the Registrar's web site. New graduate students in the Department of Linguistics typically register during Graduate Student Orientation activities in September (you will also learn which courses to take at that time). You may notice charges to your BARC (UCSB Billing Office) account before then, but please note that the department will begin processing fees only after new students have registered for fall. It is important to register in no less than 8 units by the posted deadline each quarter or the department cannot pay your tuition and fees. However, the Department requires that you maintain a minimum of 12 units per quarter.
6. Complete new hire paperwork
Students should be sure to visit the South Hall Administrative Support Center to complete new hire paperwork. They will also provide department keys and answer any questions regarding payment and employment. In order to accept support as a TA (Teaching Assistant) or GSR (Graduate Student Researcher) it is necessary for students to bring with them a birth certificate or social security card AND driver’s license OR passport. Click here for a list of acceptable documents. Foreign students are required to bring their passport and all current visa information.
7. Obtain ACCESS card (student ID card)
The ACCESS Card is the student identification card, which can be obtained at the ACCESS Card Center located in the UCen, on the main level. Students should bring proof of registration and photo identification. The ACCESS card is required to utilize various campus services, such as free access to the local MTD bus system and the UCSB Recreation Center.
8. Attend orientation and departmental social events
The two weeks prior to Fall quarter include a variety of events and workshops intended to help prepare new students for success as both teachers and learners at the graduate level. Students are expected to participate in all events. In addition to departmental TA and general orientation and the annual departmental welcome party, Campus-wide Orientations (including new TA Orientation) will also take place during this time. Students should be sure to always arrive to events on time so that invited guests, speakers, and faculty may begin their introductions and presentations promptly as scheduled.