Apply
APPLY FOR THE EXCHANGE
Each UC has a unique graduate application and application process. Check department webpages for deadlines, examination reporting codes and supplementary materials requirements.
Some departments have deadlines as early as November but the majority are from early December through mid-January. Faculty committees make final decisions about graduate students and may only meet once a year for review of applicants.
CONTACT UC
Contact UCEAP to obtain your nomination letter. You will need this letter to document your graduate reciprocity non-degree/no-fee exchange status when completing the application.
Create your UCEAP Account
Create an account to provide your personal and contact information to UCEAP. Upload required documents as .jpg, .png or .pdf files before you apply to a prospective host UC graduate program.
If you cannot complete the entire UCEAP profile in one sitting, save your information before exiting and complete it at a later time.
Complete the UC Application
Each campus has special instructions for UCEAP graduate reciprocity applicants that will identify you as an exchange student and allow you to be exempt from application fees.
Before you begin:
- Review the campus-specific instructions.
- Prepare required documents saved as .pdf files.
- Be prepared to provide the contact information for your recommenders. They will receive an email invitation to submit their recommendations electronically.
Program Notes
- Programs not open to UCEAP students: law, business, journalism
- Public Health: Applicants must complete the SOPHAS application and pay the SOPHAS system use fee.
Special Instructions
- Residency Status: Select "J1-Student"
- Alternate Contact Name: Enter "UCEAP"
- Alternate Contact Email: Enter "uc-reciprocity@uceap.universityofcalifornia.edu"
- Transcript Upload: Upload your UCEAP Reciprocity nomination letter as the first page of your home university transcript. To obtain the letter, contact UCEAP.
- Payment:
- Select "Credit Card" in the payment page, but do not pay the application fee.
- Email UCEAP with the subject line "UCEAP application submission." In your message, include your full name, UC of application, home university and department (and program). This tells UCEAP that your application is complete and that the application fee should be waived on your behalf.
Program Notes
- Programs not open to UCEAP students: law, business, medicine, veterinary medicine.
Special Instructions
- Plans for Graduate Study-Degree Objective: Select the degree most applicable to you.
- Transcript Upload: Upload your UCEAP Reciprocity nomination letter as the first page of your home university transcript. To obtain the letter, contact UCEAP.
- Applicant Fellowship: Not applicable to UCEAP students; skip completing this section and click "Save and continue."
- Payment:
- Once you have submitted your application, do not complete the credit card payment form. Instead, email UCEAP with the subject line "UCEAP application submission." In the message include your full name, UC of application, home university and department (and program). This tells UCEAP that your application is complete and the fee should be waived on your behalf. UCEAP will contact UCD to have your fee waived.
Program Notes
- Programs not open to UCEAP students: law, medicine, business (except by invitation)
- Public Health: Applicants must complete the SOPHAS application and pay the SOPHAS system use fee.
Special Instructions
- Citizenship/Residency status: Select "J1-Foreign (other)"
- Academic History: List all universities you have attended after high school.
- Transcripts: Do not mail your transcripts to the academic department. Upload your UCEAP Reciprocity nomination letter as the first page of your home university transcript. To obtain the letter, contact UCEAP.
- Financial Support: Not applicable to UCEAP students; skip this section and save.
- Payment:
- After submission of the application, email UCEAP with the subject line "UCEAP application submission." In your message, include your full name, UC of application, home university and department (and program). This tells UCEAP that your application is complete and that the application fee should be waived on your behalf.
- Notify UCEAP if you do not receive an email acknowledgment within 7-10 days after submission of your application.
Program Notes
- Programs not open to UCEAP students: law, business, medicine
- Public Health: Applicants must complete the SOPHAS application and pay the SOPHAS system use fee.
Special Instructions
- Citizenship/Residency: Select "J1-Exchange"
- Application Type: Select "EAP"
- Transcript Upload: Upload your UCEAP Reciprocity nomination letter as the first page of your home university transcript. To obtain the letter, contact UCEAP.
- Fellowship Application: Not applicable to UCEAP students.
- Supporting Documents Upload: Upload your UCEAP nomination letter in addition to your program-specific documents. To obtain the letter contact UCEAP.
- Application Submission:
- Email UCEAP with the subject line "UCEAP application submission." In your message, include your full name, UC of application, home university and department (and program). This tells UCEAP that your application is complete.
- The application fee will automatically be waived if you select "EAP" for your application type.
Special Instructions
- Citizenship/Residency: Select "J1-visiting student"
- Fellowship Application: Not applicable to UCEAP students
- Supporting Documents: Upload your UCEAP nomination letter in addition to your program-specific documents. To obtain the letter contact UCEAP.
- Fee Waiver: Request an application fee waiver directly through UC Merced Graduate Division under the "Fee Waiver" tab. Provide the following information:
- Waiver-Eligible Program: "UC Education Abroad Program"
- First and Last Name of Program Contact: "Reciprocal Programs"
- Email Address of Program Contact: "uc-reciprocity@uceap.universityofcalifornia.edu"
- Phone Number of Program Contact: "805 893 4534"
- Verification Letter to Confirm Participation: Upload your UCEAP nomination letter. To obtain the letter contact UCEAP.
- Follow the instructions on how to claim your fee waiver. For more information, contact Graduate Division.
- Application Submission:
- Email UCEAP with the subject line "UCEAP application submission." In your message, include your full name, UC of application, home university and department (and program). This tells UCEAP that your application is complete.
Program Notes
- Programs not open to UCEAP students: business, medicine
Special Instructions
- General Information/Graduate Program: Select "EAP" in the special program affiliation "drop-down" box
- General Information:
- Select "Yes" for a visa required to attend UCR
- Select "J-1" visa
- Select "Non-Immigrant" (required status to study in the US)
- Scholastic Information/Transcripts: Upload your UCEAP Reciprocity nomination letter as the first page of your home university transcript. To obtain the letter, contact UCEAP.
- After applying, email UCEAP with the subject line "UCEAP application submission". In the message include your full name, UC of application, home university and department (and program).
- Announced deadlines are for degree candidates only. Contact UCEAP to verify that your selected program of application is open to non-degree applicants.
Program Notes
- Programs not open to UCEAP students: medicine, business (except by invitation)
Special Instructions
- Request non-degree application authorization from UCEAP. Do not initiate an application until you receive authorization.
- Citizenship/Residency: Select "J1-Exchange Visitor"
- Transcripts: Upload your UCEAP Reciprocity nomination letter as the first page of your home university transcript. To obtain the letter, contact UCEAP.
- Additional Information-Sponsoring Organization: Select "UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) Reciprocal Programs."
- Application Submission and Fee-waiver Request:
- Email UCEAP with the subject line "UCEAP application submission." In your message, include your full name, UC of application, home university and department (and program). UCEAP will contact UCSD Graduate Admission to request an application fee waiver on your behalf. UCEAP will respond to you when the waiver has been granted so that you can submit your application without having to pay.
Not currently open to non-degree students.
See Visiting Scholar Programs.
Special Instructions
- Request non-degree application authorization from UCEAP. Do not initiate an application until you receive authorization.
- Citizenship/Residency: Select "J1"
- Transcripts: Upload your UCEAP Reciprocity nomination letter as the first page of your home university transcript. To obtain the letter, contact UCEAP.
- Application Submission:
- Email UCEAP with the subject line "UCEAP application submission." In your message, include your full name, UC of application, home university and department (and program). This tells UCEAP that your application is complete and ready to be submitted on your behalf.
Special Instructions
- Request non-degree application authorization from UCEAP. Do not initiate an application until you receive authorization.
- Citizenship/Residency: Select "J1-Exchange Visitor"
- Transcripts: Upload your UCEAP Reciprocity nomination letter as the first page of your home university transcript. To obtain the letter, contact UCEAP.
- Additional Information-Sponsoring Organization: Select "UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) Reciprocal Programs"
- Application Submission:
- Email UCEAP with the subject line "UCEAP application submission." In your message, include your full name, UC of application, home university and department (and program). This tells UCEAP that your application is complete and ready to be submitted on your behalf.
