Please check out the NLP Program Overview page for more detailed information on the curriculum including sample planners for the 4-quarter and 5-quarter degree plans.

The NLP Support Team is here to help you with your application experience. You can contact the NLP Program Coordinator and the Baskin Graduate Advising Team by emailing nlp@ucsc.edu. In your email, let us know if you’d prefer to set up a Zoom appointment with a member of the NLP Support Team.

You can also speak with a current student or a faculty member. Visit our Contact page to access virtual office hours with our Student Ambassadors and the NLP Executive Director.

You’ll find full details of the documents we require on our Application page.

Application deadlines can vary each year. Please review the application deadline listed on the Graduate Admissions website after the application period opens on October 1st.

Once the application deadline has passed, the NLP Admissions Review Committee begins reviewing submitted applications. Generally, admissions decisions are issued by email in late March and April of each year. Please note that we are unable to provide individual application status updates, but you can check your Application Checklist to verify that all of your materials have been received. Please email cse-gradadvising@ucsc.edu if you have any questions or concerns.

We accept:
TOEFL score reports (minimum score of 100)
IELTS score reports (minimum score of 7.0)

More information about test score requirements can be found on the Graduate Admissions website.

Test scores are only valid for two years from the day the test was taken. You will need to take another TOEFL/IELTS test or provide evidence of another English language qualification.

TOEFL/IELTS waivers for admission purposes may be requested by applicants whose primary language is a language other than English and who have completed a four-year bachelor’s degree at an English-speaking institution. If you plan to request such a waiver, you must select a back-up method of examination on the admission application in case your request is not approved. Indicate a future testing date and explain your desire and qualifications for a waiver of this requirement in the English Language Competency section of the online application.

Please note that the waiver of English Language Competency will be considered only if you are being recommended for admission; you may still see the requirement for English Language Test Score listed in your application’s Status Page. Also, a TOEFL/IELTS waiver for admissions purposes does not apply toward waiving the language profiency requirements for Teaching Assistantship applications. Students who wish to apply for available Teaching Assistantships (pending admission to a UCSC graduate program) must meet the language proficiency requirements outlined on Baskin’s Graduate Advising website.

Please be sure to respond to your offer letter by the deadline listed in the letter. You can review the letter and submit a response in your UCSC Application Portal. If you accept the offer, you’ll then receive emails from the Office of Graduate Admissions, the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (if applicable), and the NLP Program Team over the next few months. Please review each email you receive carefully and follow any guidance provided.

If you encounter any issues that may affect your enrollment plans, please contact the NLP Program Team immediately so we can provide support and navigate all available options with you.

Students in the NLP MS Program are expected to enroll full-time each quarter, and we have recently created two new degree plans that enable students to customize the pace of the program to better suit their learning needs and professional goals. Starting in Fall 2022, students will be able to select a five-quarter, decelerated plan where they would take 10-15 credits per quarter and graduate from the program at the end of their second Winter Quarter. View sample planners for our new 4- and 5-quarter plans on our Program Overview page. Please contact the NLP Support Team if you have further questions about part-time status options and the 5-quarter plan, and please note that degree requirements are subject to change pending Graduate Council approval.

Because the NLP curriculum each quarter builds upon the learning gained in the previous quarter, it is critical that students begin the program in fall and we are unable to approve deferral requests. If you are not able to attend the program in fall, you may re-apply for next year, and we will consider a request to waive the application fee.

If you encounter any issues that may affect your enrollment plans, please contact the NLP Support Team immediately so we can help you navigate all available options.

We believe the program is excellent preparation for doing a PhD. The multi-quarter NLP Capstone Experience gives you a chance to do a significant research project as part of a team. Additionally, your other NLP classes may have a project component as well. We believe the in-depth, project-based learning our NLP MS students engage in as part of the program makes them competitive candidates for doctoral programs. Members of our alumni community have also gone on to join PhD programs after successfully completing their NLP MS degrees.

The NLP MS program is designed for in-person instruction at our state-of-the-art facilities at the UCSC Silicon Valley Campus. Please consult the COVID-19 guidance listed on the UCSC website for more information about in-person instruction at UCSC. You can also request a campus tour by emailing the NLP Support Team.

Yes and it is eligible for CPT and OPT. It is in the same category as AI. Please look over the “Optional Practical Training (OPT) for International Students” section of our website.

Generally, NLP coursework is conducted using mostly Python in a UNIX environment.

We do not offer internships; however, our program engages students in the NLP Capstone Experience and provides a variety of professional development opportunities each quarter. The NLP Capstone Experience centers around a multi-quarter Capstone project that provides students the opportunity to apply their learning and work with industry professionals and our Executive Director. As part of this experience, students present their projects at our annual NLP Capstone Workshop attended by invited guests from our network of industry contacts. We believe the Capstone project is more of a substantial undertaking in comparison to a typical internship. Visit our Capstone Experience page to learn more and to review the industry-mentored Capstone projects our students have developed.

Additionally, starting in Fall 2022 students will also have the option to complete the program in four quarters (fall, winter, spring, and fall) or in five quarters (fall, winter, spring, and additional fall and winter terms). Both options may enable students to pursue and participate in optional internship and research opportunities during the program, especially during Summer Session. Engagement in an internship or independent research is not required by the NLP MS program. You can review sample planners for both degree plans on our Program Overview page. Please note that degree requirements are subject to change pending approval from the Graduate Council.

Generally, balancing a job or internship with full-time enrollment in an intensive graduate program like the NLP MS program is up to the discernment of each individual student. International students in the NLP MS program have the opportunity to apply for CPT and OPT provided that they meet eligibility requirements. However, it is important to note that the NLP MS program is an intensive professional program, and we expect students to fully participate in their coursework, attend all classes, and successfully complete course requirements to make satisfactory academic progress in the program. We have found that students must devote a substantial amount of time inside and outside of class each week in order to be successful in the program.

Starting in Fall 2022, students will now have the option to complete the program in four quarters (fall, winter, spring, and fall) or in five quarters (fall, winter, spring, and additional fall and winter terms). Both options may enable students to pursue and participate in optional internship and research opportunities during the program, especially during Summer Session. Learn more about each degree plan on our Program Overview page. Engagement in an internship or independent research is not required by the NLP MS program. Please note that degree requirements are subject to change pending approval from the Graduate Council.

We only offer admission consideration for Fall Quarter. You can review key dates for upcoming academic years and the current Academic and Administrative Calendar on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

The cost of the program can be found on the NLP Financials page, specifically in the “Cost of Attendance” section. 

A number of fellowship packages are extended to some NLP students each year that may include stipends, and partial payment of fees and tuition. Recipients of these fellowships are selected based on merit and financial need. To be considered for this financial support, please complete the Statement of Financial Need in your application. Additional financial support options are also listed on the NLP Financials page.

Baskin Engineering MS students are expected to be self-supported and so TAships and GSRships are not guaranteed to master’s students. NLP MS students who meet the TAship language eligibility requirements may apply for available TAships each quarter, but placement is not guaranteed. Students should also note that most Baskin TAships are offered at the Santa Cruz Main Campus, and so NLP MS students who are offered a TAship may need to consider their transportation options to meet their course requirements and fulfill their TAship responsibilities.

GSRships are prioritized for doctoral students, and are not guaranteed to MS students. GSRships are awarded at the discretion of faculty members. NLP faculty frequently offer non-funded research opportunities to NLP students especially after the first quarter of the program is completed. If you are interested in this opportunity, please check in with your instructors closer to the end of your first Fall Quarter.