For Newly Admitted UCSB Physics Grad Students
This is advice and information for students who have been admitted to the Physics Department, but have not yet accepted.
Information Day for Admitted Students
The Physics Department holds an Information Day for newly admitted Graduate students every March or April. This will be an opportunity for students admitted to the program to familiarize themselves with the campus and department, to attend a poster session on various areas of research, tour department research facilities, and meet individually with faculty in their areas of interest. The Department will also host a group luncheon and dinner with faculty and current graduate students.
The UCSB Physics Department Information Day will be held during the same week as information programs at other California universities. In order to reduce costs, we strongly encourage visitors to plan their California trip so that expenses may be shared between schools. UCSB will provide admitted students with some financial assistance to offset travel expenses.
If you are not able to visit during the scheduled Information Day, please contact the Physics Department Graduate Affairs Coordinator at gradapp@physics.ucsb.edu to make other arrangements at least three weeks in advance of your intended visit.
Below is a list of dates that should be avoided for visits to UCSB during the 2009-2010 academic year:
- March 15 - 19 (APS Meeting - UCSB faculty and graduate students away)
- March 21 - 27 (UCSB Spring Break)
- March 26 (César Chávez Holiday)
Visitor Accommodations
A block of double occupancy rooms will be reserved at a motel near campus. Your attendance at Information Day and motel reservation must be confirmed with the Physics Department rather than the motel. If you plan to travel with another admitted student and wish to share accommodations with that student, please inform the Physics Department at the time you confirm your attendance. For further information, please contact us at (805) 893-4646 or email.
Transportation
The Santa Barbara Airport is located approximately 1.5 miles from campus. The following airlines fly to and from the Santa Barbara Airport: American Eagle, America West Express, Delta Connection, Horizon Air, and United Express.
The Santa Barbara Airbus provides round trip shuttle service from Los Angeles International Airport. The Santa Barbara Airbus provides an easy way to get to and from LAX - no traffic, no parking, and no worries.
The Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District bus system is an easy and inexpensive way to get around, with a direct line between UCSB and downtown Santa Barbara.
Accepting Admission to UCSB
Acceptance Deadline
The deadline for accepting an offer of admission is April 15. Your initial acceptance may be by email correspondence to the Graduate Affairs Coordinator by April 15. This is to be followed up with your signed Statement of Intent to Register (SIR); consult the Graduate Division website for more information.
Acceptance Documents to Provide
If you accept admission to UCSB:
- Inform the Physics Department of your decision by the April 15 deadline.
- Log in to your e-application at the Graduate Division's website, and indicate your intent to enroll by the April 15 deadline.
- Submit two official copies of your final transcript reflecting your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree to the Physics Department by the Fall Quarter.
- Please remember that the Graduate Division requires all new incoming and continuing domestic and permanent resident students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you have not yet completed the FAFSA, please do so as soon as possible (priority filing deadline is March 2, for consideration for Departmental and Campus fellowships)! For more information, please visit the Graduate Division website, Financial Aid website, or FAFSA online.
Deferral of Admission
UCSB does not grant deferrals of admission. However, the Physics Department may guarantee admission to the Department for the following year provided the student submits a new application (excluding supplemental materials) and application fee to UCSB Graduate Division. The Physics Department Admissions Committee makes informal deferral decisions on an individual basis. If you would like to be considered for informal deferral, please contact the Physics Department Graduate Affairs Coordinator at (805) 893-4646 or email to discuss your request.
Salaries & Stipends
Individual financial offers are made in the initial letter of admission. Most students admitted to the Ph.D. program are guaranteed four years of 50% employment as a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) and are awarded a first year tuition, fee, and health insurance fellowship. In subsequent years, fees and health insurance will continue to be paid by the Department for graduate students employed as GSRs or TAs. Beginning year two, domestic students must apply for California residency, which will eliminate the cost of tuition. Some tuition fellowships for international students may be provided by the department. International students must pass the oral and written English language evaluations by the end of the first academic year in order to by employed as a TA and receive fee and health insurance fellowships the following year.
TAs and GSRs are paid on the first of each month. The current 50% salary for teaching assistants is $16,636 for the nine-month academic year. GSRs are typically paid on a 12-month basis with the current 50% annual salary at $20,928.
Supplemental Departmental fellowships may be offered to students with outstanding academic records. In addition, all applicants whose applications were received by December 15 are automatically considered for campus-wide Academic and Diversity Fellowships. The results of this competition are generally announced in late March after the initial financial offers have been made. Students who are awarded acampus-wide fellowship will receive a revised financial offer from the Graduate Division and the Physics Department in late March. For information on the Graduate Division campus-wide fellowships and their requirements, please see the financial section of the UCSB Graduate Handbook [PDF].
