The Natural Language Processing Program Offers a Unique Master of Science degree

Taught intensively over 15-18 months in state-of-the-art facilities in Santa Clara, in the heart of Silicon Valley, our master’s degree program is the product of close collaboration between our distinguished academic team and industry leaders. Our faculty team and Industry Advisory Board are made up of leading scientists and practitioners in the information processing and NLP fields, and our students benefit in a variety of ways from this industry collaboration.

Learning from world-class faculty and practitioners who are leaders in the field means you can be confident your syllabus will give you the real-world knowledge and skills needed for a successful career.

We’re pleased that you’ve decided to take an important step toward advancing your professional expertise and are considering applying to UCSC’s NLP MS Program. Review this page for guidance on the application and admission requirements for this program.

Admission requirements

Visit our Admissions page to review essential admission requirements and tips for applying to the program.

Application timeline

Applications for UCSC graduate programs open each year on October 1st, but deadlines vary by program and are subject to change. View the NLP Program’s current application deadline on the Graduate Admissions website.

Once the application opens, visit UCSC’s Graduate Application Page to begin applying.

Required application materials

1. Transcripts

• Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for application purposes, but official transcripts may be required if admitted to the program.

2. Letters of Recommendation

• Three letters of recommendation are required. Letters should be prepared by professors and professional contacts who may best speak to your abilities and academic potential in your chosen field of study.

3. Résumé or CV (can also provide a link to your own website)

4. A Personal History Statement

• Recommended length is a concise 1-3 pages, single-spaced.
• UC Santa Cruz is interested in a diverse and inclusive graduate student population. In the essay, discuss how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Include any educational, familial, cultural, economic, or social experiences, challenges, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey; how you might contribute to social or cultural diversity within your chosen field; and/or how you might serve educationally underrepresented segments of society with your degree.
• This statement will be used in conjunction with your application for graduate admission and financial support. Note that the Personal History Statement should not duplicate the Statement of Purpose.

5. A Statement of Purpose

• Recommended length is a concise 2-4 pages, single-spaced.
• Please describe your plans for graduate study or research and for your future occupation or profession.
• Include any information that may aid the selection committee in evaluating your preparation and qualifications for graduate study at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

6. Test score requirements may apply

• Review TOEFL/IELTS test score requirements for applicants whose native language is not English.
  • Visit the Graduate Admissions’ FAQs page for guidance on requesting a waiver of this requirement.
• The GRE requirement has been waived for admission consideration for NLP MS applications. You are welcome to submit your official scores, but please note the inclusion of your official GRE score will not be a deciding factor for admission.

7. Statement of Financial Need (optional)

• This optional Statement of Financial Need will help the NLP Program determine your eligibility for fellowship support for your graduate education at UC Santa Cruz. Submitting a Statement of Financial Need does not guarantee funding.
• The Statement of Financial Need should not exceed one page and should fully explain, in your own words, your need for financial assistance.
• Please also address personal resources and other fellowships or grant opportunities that you will pursue to help cover your graduate education expenses.
• Master’s students in Baskin School of Engineering programs are typically self-supported. While a small number of partial fellowships may be extended to eligible NLP students each year, the NLP program encourages students to seek external support for covering graduate education expenses.

8. Application Fee Waiver Request Form (optional)

• Criteria: If you are currently enrolled in a UCSC undergraduate or graduate program or have an undergraduate or graduate degree from a UCSC program, you may request an application fee exemption directly from the NLP Program. Please be aware that there are a limited number of fee waivers available.
• Before you submit your application: Please fill out Application Fee Waiver Request Form for NLP MS 2023-2024 with your application details and be sure to include a brief statement regarding your financial need for the application fee exemption. To ensure sufficient time to process your fee waiver request, your fee exemption request must be received at least 2 weeks before the application deadline  (Application Deadline: Feb 1st, Fee Waiver Deadline: January 18th 5PM PT).
• After you apply for the fee waiver:
1. To be eligible for a fee waiver, you must submit the fee waiver request form by January 18th at 5 PM PT, and you must submit your complete application to the NLP program by February 1st at 11:59PM PT. Incomplete submissions for either of these requirements will disqualify you from being considered for a fee waiver.
2. On the “Fee Waiver/Payment” page of the application, please choose “No” to the question, “Do you believe you will need assistance paying for your application processing fee?” Then select “Yes” to “Has the program you are applying to agreed to pay for the application processing fee?” The page will tell you a credit card payment is required. Do not worry about this, and do not pay it; we will pay for it on your behalf. Please submit your application as soon as it is ready.
3. After you have submitted your application, you will be directed to the status portal. There will be a pay fee link, do not pay this fee. You will not be refunded, and a reimbursement process is more involved and takes time to process.
• Processing Time: We will review your request within 5 business days and send you a confirmation email to inform you whether the fee waiver has been approved. If you haven’t received any updates after this period, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at nlp@ucsc.edu

Get support with your application

For general information:

• Check out the NLP FAQs page for support with general inquiries about the program and application process.
• Visit the UCSC Graduate Admissions website to review application instructions, deadlines, test score requirements, and detailed guidance about applying to a UCSC graduate program.
• Additional guidance about applying to Baskin Engineering graduate programs can be found on Baskin’s Office of Graduate Student Affairs website.

Have questions? We’re here to help

If you have questions about the application requirements or the admissions process, you can email the NLP Support Team (nlp@ucsc.edu) and let us know if you’d prefer to discuss your questions in a Zoom meeting with a member of our team. You can also review insights and tips from NLP students on Reddit.

Join an information session

Learn more about the unique benefits of the program and share your questions with the NLP Program Team. Register for one of our upcoming information sessions:

• Friday, November 3rd from 11 AM to 12 PM (PDT) – Register now
• Wednesday, December 6th from 7 PM – 8 PM (PST) – Register now
• Tuesday, January 9th from 8 AM – 9 AM (PST) – Register now

Support for parents and families of prospective students

As you consider your options for a master’s degree program, you may also want to include your support network in your decision-making process. We’ve put together a guide for parents and family members to provide insight into life at UCSC, as well as the support and resources available to our graduate students. Please always feel welcome to contact our Support Team if you or your family members have any questions.

All other inquiries:

For all other questions, please email the NLP Program Team (nlp@ucsc.edu) or complete the form on our Contact page.