Application Materials

The Admissions Application is comprised of these components:

 

GRE Scores have been permanently removed from our admissions requirements

Below, we have listed and described the components of the application for admissions. In addition, we have also provided suggestions to guide you in preparing the best possible application.
 

Admissions Application

The Admissions Application must be submitted online via the following website:
 https://grad.ucdavis.edu/apply. The deadline for submitting an application is December 1st.

Apply Now
 

Suggestions:
  • Complete all lines of the application.
  • Take time to review your application before you submit it.
  • Contact the Graduate Program Coordinator if you are having any issues with the application.

Statement of Purpose and the Personal History Statement

The Statement of Purpose and the Personal History Statement are detailed essays that introduces you to the admissions committee.  This will be the only and best opportunity to do so prior to the admissions committee meeting to review the applications.

Statement of Purpose. (Graduate Studies at the University of California at Davis requires a 4000 character “Statement of Purpose)
Please describe your motivation, academic preparation and aptitude for graduate study at UC Davis. You should describe your academic plans and research interests, your specialization within your academic field, your research experiences and your career goals.  In addition, what is your academic background, including majors and minor fields, as well as identifying related Native American Studies courses you have completed. If you are considering the M.A. Program and you are considering writing a thesis, state your proposed topic. If you are applying to the Ph.D. Program, discuss your proposed research areas and previous research experience. How will your completed studies contribute to the present scholarship in Native American studies? If you are already working on some aspects of your research areas, such as publishing an article or presenting at a professional conference, please tell us about it. Explain to the admissions committee why you have selected Native American Studies at UC Davis to complete your graduate studies. Which faculty members are you interested in studying with, and why? Finally, state what you intend to do when you receive your M.A. or Ph.D. degree in Native American Studies. In other words, what are your future goals after completing your graduate studies?

Personal History Statement: (Graduate Studies at the University of California at Davis requires a 4000 character “Personal History Statement.”)
In an essay, discuss how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree.  Please include any educational, familial, cultural, economic, or social experiences, challenges, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how your life experiences contribute to the social, intellectual, or cultural diversity within your chosen field; and how/or how you might serve educationally underrepresented segments of society with your degree. The Office of Graduate Studies requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 for enrollment to graduate studies. If at the time of applying you have a GPA below 3.0, please explain.
 

Suggestions:
  • As much as possible, avoid generalizations. Detail is key.
  • Take the time to revise your Statement of Purpose and Personal History Statement. If possible, have a mentor review and critique your Statements. Once you have submitted your Statements to us, we will not accept revised versions.

Writing Sample

Applicants are required to upload the Writing Sample via the online application web site. Hard copies of Writing Samples received by the Department will not be accepted.  There are no exceptions to this requirement.

The Writing Sample is a 10-20 page scholarly paper that demonstrates originality of ideas, research and writing abilities, and your analytical skills. If at all possible, your Writing Sample should reflect some aspects of your research interests as indicated in your Statement of Purpose. If your proposed study is in visual or performing arts, you are welcome to submit a video or DVD or portfolio, in addition to a writing sample. Ideally, your writing sample should provide explanation and discussion of your media submission. Send videos, DVDs or portfolios directly to Native American Studies.


Suggestions:
  • As with the Statement of Purpose and Personal History Statement, take the time to revise your Writing Sample, as well as having a mentor review and critique it. After you have submitted your Writing Sample, we will not accept a revised copy.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of Recommendation must be submitted via the online application web site. Letters of Recommendation in hard copy form received by the Department will not be accepted. In such circumstances, the applicant will be notified and informed to contact the Recommender to re-submit the Letter of Recommendation online. There are no exceptions to this requirement.

Applicants are required to submit three Letters of Recommendation, preferably from professors in your field(s).  However, if this is not possible, it is permissible for employers, supervisors, co-workers and co-associates to write these letters. What is crucial is that you select individuals who can best discuss your academic strengths, as well as speak to your potential of successfully completing a graduate program.


Suggestions:
  • Inform your recommenders that we cannot accept hard copies of their letters. All Letters of Recommendations must be submitted electronically through the online application web site. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
  • The deadline for submission of Letters of Recommendation is December 1. Please inform your recommenders of the deadline.

Transcripts

UC Davis requires academic records from each college-level institution you have or are currently attending (including community college, transfer coursework, study abroad, summer session, etc.). You may upload your transcripts in the Academic History section of the application or after submitting your application using your Application Status Page. Documents uploaded incorrectly will prevent your application from being reviewed.

  • Your upload must include ALL of the same information that would appear on an official transcript, including:
    • Your full name
    • The name of the college/university
    • A complete list of all coursework listed by academic term, including number of units and grades earned
    • Any degree you have already earned (and the degree date)
    • Your overall grade point average (GPA), if your college/university provides it
  • Your upload must be large enough to read, not blurry or pixelated, and all pages must be rotated so that the text is right-side up (not upside down or sideways).
  • Unless the back of your transcript is completely blank (no stamps, signatures, grading scales or course information, etc.), you must upload images on the front and back your transcript.

Please carefully review the instructions listed here to upload your documents to your application: https://grad.ucdavis.edu/submitting-your-transcripts

Applicants who are admitted to a UC Davis graduate program will receive instructions for sending the required official copies of their transcripts or academic records to UC Davis Graduate Studies. To view more information about the official transcript requirement, please see here: https://grad.ucdavis.edu/transcript-requirements-new-admits 

English Language Examinations

Applicants are exempt from the English language examination requirement if they have earned or will be earning a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree from either: 

  • A regionally accredited U.S. college or university where English is the sole language of instruction, or
  • A foreign college or university which provides instruction solely in English. UC Davis Graduate Studies will only approve waivers for foreign colleges and universities which list English as the sole language of instruction in the IAU World Higher Education Database (WHED). If English is not the sole language of instruction listed (or if no language is listed at all), or if the institution does not appear on the WHED website, the waiver will not be approved. No other documentation (e.g. letters, language certificates, school websites) will be reviewed or accepted.

Applicants who do not meet one of the criteria above are required to submit either scores from one of the tests below.

  • TOEFL iBT
  • Minimum Score: 80
    Institution Code: 4834
    No department code
    Website: https://www.ets.org/toefl.html
  • IELTS
  • Minimum Score: 7.0 on a 9-point scale
    No institution code.
    Send scores to: University of California, Davis Graduate Studies
    Website: https://www.ielts.org/
  • *Duolingo English Test (Fall 2022 and Fall 2023 only)
  • Minimum Score: 115
    No institution code.
    Send scores to: University of California, Davis Graduate Studies
    Website: https://englishtest.duolingo.com/home


These scores expire after two years.  Scores that are older than two years old will not be accepted by Graduate Admissions. For more information about this requirement, please click here.

*Applicants should only submit Duolingo English Test scores if none of the other examinations are available to them. All applicants who submit Duolingo English Test scores as their sole English language test will be required to take the UC Davis Test of Oral English Proficiency (TOEP) if they are admitted to a UC Davis graduate program. Additionally, applicants who are selected for admission but have a score below 130 will be required to complete additional English language testing or take English language courses once they enroll at UC Davis.

Curriculum Vitae

Applicants are required to upload the Curriculum Vitae (CV) via the online application web site.  Do not submit CVs to the Department.  They will not be accepted.  There are no exceptions to this requirement.
 

Fellowship Application

All applicants are required to submit the Internal Fellowships Application for New Students. The Fellowship Application allows Native American Studies to nominate potential graduate students for University and Department fellowships.  The Fellowship Application is available through the online application web site. NOTE: The deadline to submit the Internal Fellowship Application is December 1.

All new students and continuing students are required to file a FAFSA report for purpose of being considered for grants, fellowships and loans. The FAFSA is available online at http://www.fafsa.edu.

Application Fee

An application fee of $135.00 is required for the domestic students and $155.00 for the international students. Only credit card payment will be accepted, and only through the online application system.  The fee must be paid before the application will be considered as complete, and the fee must be paid for each application submitted.  Please note that the application fee is nonrefundable.

Graduate Studies offers application fee waivers only to applicants who have participated in or are affiliated with one or more of the following programs. Applicants who are affiliated with these programs are required to indicate their participation AND must provide a name and contact information for their program coordinator in the relevant section of the online application system to receive an application fee waiver.

  • AGEP (Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate)
  • BUILD (BUilding Infrastructure Leading to Diversity - NIH)
  • Cal-Bridge Scholars
  • CAMP (California Alliance for Minority Participation)
  • Ecological and Evolutionary Response to Rapid Environmental Change (EERREC REU)
  • Envision UC Davis Program participants
  • Gates Millennium Scholars
  • GEM (National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science)
  • Guardian Scholars Program (or if you have ever been in foster care)
  • HSI Pathways to the Professoriate
  • IMSD (Initiative for Maximizing Student Development - NIH)
  • IRT (Institute for Recruitment of Teachers)
  • LSAMP (Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation)
  • MARC (Minority Access to Research Careers - NIH)
  • MBRS (Minority Biomedical Research Support)
  • McNair Scholars
  • MMUF (Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship)
  • NIH Bridges to the Baccalaureate
  • NIH Bridges to the Doctorate
  • PREP (Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program - NIH)
  • RISE (Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement - NIH)
  • Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholar (CSU)
  • UC Davis Graduate Admissions Pathways (UCDGAP)
  • UC-HBCU Initiative Summer Research Program
  • UC LEADS (Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees)


The Native American Studies Department now offers Fee Fellowships for students that qualify. Please go to the Application Fee Fellowship page for more information.

NAS Application Fee Fellowship

Mailing Application Materials (Optional)

Videos, DVDs, or portfolios can be mailed to the Department of Native American Studies:

Department of Native American Studies
University of California, Davis
2407 Hart Hall
Davis, CA 95616

All other application materials (Application for Admission, Statement of Purpose, Personal History Statement, Letters of Recommendation, Transcripts, Curriculum Vitae [CV], Internal Fellowships Application, Writing Sample, and Application Fee) are to be submitted via the online application web site.

Interview

The faculty may or may not request a brief pre-interview (via Zoom or speaker phone) with applicants during the period of application review.
 

GRE EXAM
Beginning the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, the GRE exam as an admissions requirement has been removed. Applicants are not required to take the GRE exam and/or submit official scores. 

 

Contact Monica Shiel, Graduate Program Coordinator, mashiel@ucdavis.edu, for additional details.