International Students

​In an effort to remove barriers to the success of international students, the Literature Department and the Division of Graduate Studies at UC Santa Cruz have partnered to cover payment of the non-resident tuition fee (NRT) for the first three years in the doctoral program, so long as the student remains in good academic standing. In addition, current policy of the University of California is to waive will the non-resident tuition for a maximum of three years after international students advance to candidacy. This means that, as long as you stay on track with program milestones and remain in good academic standing, the non-resident tuition will be covered or​ ​waived for six years. Typical time to degree for our program is six or seven years, although students entering the program with an MA or MFA are sometimes able to complete their degree in five.

For further information, please see the Division of Graduate Studies' Financial Aid page. Click on the link for "Graduate Student Costs."

English Language Testing

English is the language of instruction and communication at the University of California. Success at UC Santa Cruz depends on daily classwork, written papers, frequent short examinations, and major examinations in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test.

Additional information for International Applicants, including required test scores, waivers, and transcripts, can be found on this page on the Division of Graduate Studies website.