PS The first section is the standard academic statement of purpose. This is where you outline your research goals and academic interests, as well as your career goals. It is crucial to the Admissions Committee that your statement 1) demonstrates familiarity with the academic study of religion, and 2) clearly states an intended area of emphasis and how your goals fit in with our programmatic strengths. You should also emphasize how and why this department will meet your research needs, and with whom you anticipate working. Applicants applying with a master’s degree to the PhD program should articulate a focused and nuanced understanding of their intended area of research interest. Applicants applying to the MA/PhD and MA Plan II programs are not expected to have narrowly focused areas of interest, but should indicate to the committee a general area/tradition, and an openness to be trained broadly in the academic study of religion. The second section is oriented toward how you would contribute to the diversity of the student population at UCSB. One of the reasons for this section is that there is a campus-wide fellowship competition based on merit plus diversity; this section helps the department identify applicants who might fit within a diversity profile and be nominated for the fellowship competition. Be sure to pay careful attention to the requested information and be aware that there are many ways to fit within a diversity profile. This section can also be regarded as a personal statement, where information on travels, life experiences, volunteerism, etc., can be included. The third section simply asks for a resume or a curriculum vita. The Statement of Purpose is the only place in your file where the Admissions Committee gets to hear your voice. It is well worth the time to craft it so it reflects who you are. There is no specific required length for the Statement; it varies widely and the emphasis should be on the quality of the information given rather than the quantity. As a very general rule of thumb, the first section is typically two to four pages long while the second section is usually shorter, perhaps one or two pages in length GPA Undergraduate GPA counts heavily and must be a minimum of 3.0 CV Resume or Curriculum Vitae Fee All applications require a non-refundable application fee of $?105 for domestic applicants, and $125 for international applicants. No application will be processed until the application fee has been received. This fee can be paid by credit card or with a check/money order using the Check/Money Order Submission Form found on the last page of the application. RL Three letters of recommendation (4th letter optional) Transcript You are required to upload an official transcript created by your university. This transcript will be used to review and evaluate your application. Scan and upload all pages of your official transcript from this institution (including the grading scale, which may be on the backside of the transcript). The uploaded transcript must be an official transcript, produced by the university with all appropriate seals/stamps. Remove your Social Security Number by crossing/blacking out numbers before uploading (if applicable). Final/Official transcripts will be required for all applicants who are admitted and have indicated their intent to enroll at UC Santa Barbara by submitting a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). Official transcripts must be sent to the UC Santa Barbara Graduate Division by mail directly from the school in the institution’s sealed envelope. Final/Official transcripts must be received before the first day of instruction of the quarter to which you are admitted. International Applicants: Please include your degree certificate within the same file if you have received your degree. Uploaded document must include both the original language transcript and certified English translation. English transcripts are required and must be a complete, exact and literal translation of the original transcripts. English translations must be provided by the school or an official agency. Tips for uploading transcripts: Scan a copy of your current transcript Ensure that your document is saved as a PDF and that its size does not exceed 9 MB Color documents are not necessary Ensure that the institution name and all other identifying marks are visible and clearly legible and that your scan can print on letter-size paper – 8 ? by 11 in (21 ? by 30 cm) Be sure to include a copy of the transcript legend or university key for each institution (usually found on the backside of the official transcript or in the school’s general catalog or website) Click the “view document” button to verify whether the uploaded document is legible, if it is not legible, try again If you need assistance, please note that public libraries, office supply stores (Kinko’s, Office Max, Office Depot, Staples, etc.), and other services can create scanned documents for you UC Santa Barbara reserves the right to require official transcripts at any time during the admissions process, and rescind any offer of admission made if discrepancies between uploaded and official transcript(s) are found.