FAQ
Q. Can the application fee be waived?
A. No. It is against University policy to offer fee waivers.
Q. Is it easier to be admitted for the Fall, winter or spring quarter?
A. Applications are accepted for Fall quarter only. Under special circumstances, students may enroll in the Winter or Spring quarters only if they have a faculty sponsor in the department. Fellowships are only awarded in the Fall quarter.
Q. May I defer my admission offer?
A. Admitted students may be approved to defer admissions for up to one year. Deferral requests must be made in writing before the start of the original quarter of admission. Students may only defer once.
Q. My admission letter didn't include an offer of financial support. When will I hear about my financial support?
A. Every effort is made to make admission and financial support offers together for outstanding applicants. Sometimes candidates are admitted first and offered financial support later. In such cases the financial support offer is sent within two weeks of the admission offer. Every effort is made to offer financial aid by April 15th for the following fall. The department may make additional offers after April 15th subject to available funding.
A. Uniform admissions standards are applied to all students regardless of financial need.
Q. If I defer my offer of admission with financial support, what are my chances of being offered financial support again later?
A. The department will often approve admission and financial support deferral for one quarter only, from fall to winter. When the student defers admission from fall to fall, there is no guarantee that any financial support offer can be deferred as well. In such cases the student is again considered for financial support along with all others being offered admission for the same academic term.
A. To be hired as a TA or GSR, students must provide proof of eligibility for employment on campus. An international student must have taken and passed the TSE with a score of at least 50 in order to qualify for TA appointment.
Q. I received a fellowship for next academic year that includes a monthly stipend. Will I be required to work as a TA or a GSR in return for the stipend?
A. Conditions of your financial support award are included in the formal letter you received from the Department. Employment as a TA or GSR is not generally required when the student's financial support package includes a monthly stipend. When service is required in return for the stipend, the student is typically employed on a "without salary" basis as a Graduate Student Researcher.
Q. Why is there a difference between TA salaries and GSR salaries for M.S. students and Ph.D. students who have not yet passed the qualifying examination?
A. GSRs and TAs are paid on different wage scales. The employment scale for a GSR is 49% time (19 hours per week), whereas, TAs are employed at 50% time (20 hours per week). In addition, fees and nonresident tuition for GSRs appointed to work at least ten hours per week are paid in full. TAs however, must pay a portion of their fees and nonresident tuition.
Q. Will my admission offer include guaranteed access to on-campus housing?
A. With the implementation of the UCI Guaranteed Housing Program, incoming PhD students will be provided on-campus housing for one year less than the normative time to degree. Guaranteed housing offers will be made for the Fall quarter only and cannot be deferred. All newly admitted students are responsible for applying on their own to live on campus; you will receive information direct from the UCI Housing Office concerning the various housing options available on campus. Early applications to live in on-campus housing are strongly encouraged; you do not need to wait to be admitted to apply to live on campus.
