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This sample example letter is for educational purposes only. Letters vary year to year, but may resemble something like this, beginning with an introduction followed by financial offer:
Dear Sammy Slug:
I am pleased to offer you admission into the Physics Ph.D. program at the University of California, Santa Cruz ! As you may know, admission to graduate standing at UC Santa Cruz is highly competitive; by accepting this invitation, you will be joining a select group of advanced students whose academic records evidence their potential for superior scholarly achievement.
Outlined below is the financial support the University is offering you. This financial support is contingent on you being and remaining in good academic and student conduct standing, and where support is based on employment, contingent on you being and remaining in good employment standing.
Financial Support for the academic year:
Regents Fellowship, 1 Qtr: $x,xxx
Any direct funding from the Physics Department is called "Regents Fellowship." For new students this is often a relocation supplement intended to help offset costs moving costs to Santa Cruz and rent, though also includes technology grants, conference grants, or other one-time funding from the Department.
Teaching Assistantship, 3 Qtrs: $xx,xxx
The current quarterly paycheck outlined in the UAW contract for working a Teaching Assistant (TA) part-time (20 hrs/wk).
Summer Quarter Support: $x,xxx
Money you receive to help you through the summer to do with what you want. It comes as a Regents Fellowship to be used for rent, food, living expenses, etc.
First-year students get priority for getting a summer TAship to help with expenses, though you don't have to if you choose a different position like working for COSMOS, SIP, GSR, are traveling, or have another arrangement during the summer.
Tuition Remission, 3 Qtrs: $xx,xxx
The in-state tuition covered by working a TAship or Graduate Student Researcher position.
Non-Resident Tuition Remission, 3 Qtrs: $xx,xxx
The Department pays for your first year of non-resident student tuition (NRST):
Out-of-State students are asked to pursue Residency to eliminate NRST for future quarters;
International students have their NRST covered in future quarters by Graduate Division under the International Docotoral Research Fellowship (IDRF) program, as long as they are making progress to ATC.
Total Financial Support Package: $xx,xxx
The fine print explains these numbers are projections. We do our best to include as up-to-date information as accurately as possible based on data available from the UC Regents, HR, and UAW.
Amounts are estimates only. The tuition, fees, and charges posted here are estimates based on currently approved amounts. These figures may not be final. Actual tuition and fees for in-state and non-resident students are subject to change by the Regents of the University of California and could be affected by State funding reductions. Tuition and fees are paid directly to the campus and are not refunded to the student.
Amounts are estimates only. The relevant collective bargaining agreement determines salary amounts pertaining to employment.
Stipend payments are not contingent on employment or service to the University and will be at a level established by the department to which you affiliate.
Staying Funded
In the succeeding four years, you will receive financial support in the form of employment as a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), Teaching Assistant, and/or a Graduate Student Researcher; or fellowship support, depending on the financial resources available to the program to which you are admitted. This admission offer constitutes five years of financial support while you are a student in your graduate program. Continued funding is contingent upon students making satisfactory academic progress and remaining in good academic and employment standing. If you are receiving student financial support not contingent on employment or service to the University, it will be at a level established by the department to which you affiliate.
We're committed to helping you be funded for five years (PhD) or two years (MS), whether by working as a TA, a GSR, an external fellowaship, or some other arrangement. This means in order to have a steady paycheck, health insurance, and waive in-state tuition you can expect to work as a TA or GSR (unless you have another way of being funded, like a Chancellor's Fellowship). We can only employ you if you remain in good academic and employment standing though, so please reach out for support if you experience academic difficulty!
Getting Employment
If your funding includes employment as a GSI, Teaching Assistant, or Graduate Student Researcher, your funding eligibility is also contingent upon your maintaining appropriate work standards to continue eligibility for such appointments. During the terms you are employed, your compensation will be governed by the collective bargaining agreement(s), which cover your employment title. Please note you may decline the type of financial support your academic program has offered, but should you decline or become ineligible for one or more elements of your financial support offer, the academic program is not obligated to provide or offer you alternative funding. Students will be expected to seek and apply to specific campus positions that match their skills and interests, as well as continue to pursue prestigious external fellowships and grants.
Salary for these positions is determined by UAW Union contract.
We'll do your best to find you a TA or GSR position to keep you funded, but if you decline you will need to find alternative funding.
Housing Supplement
Sometimes the Graduate Division will offer an additional housing supplement to assist with finding off-campus housing if there is not enough on-campus housing. If available, this funding is disbursed only after the school year starts.
A $2,500 housing supplement will also be awarded to you, contingent upon your enrollment in all three quarters (fall, winter, spring) and maintaining good academic and conduct standing.
Students can expect additional money to help offset the cost of housing, but it is dispersed a couple months after the school year starts.
Maintaining Employement
Please note the exact schedule of when you might be offered a Teaching Assistant position versus a Graduate Student Researcher position or fellowship is subject to change based on the University's instructional and research opportunities and needs. For help understanding your financial support offer, visit the Understanding your Financial Support Offer page. In addition to the conditions outlined above, financial support in the form of employment (i.e. TA or GSR appointments) is also subject to maintaining valid authorization to work for the duration of the employment period as required by federal law. Failure to maintain a valid authorization to work makes the student ineligible for employment. Receipt of salary and continued Teaching Assistant (TA) or Graduate Student Research (GSR) appointments are also conditioned on your satisfactory completion of all employment obligations as will be outlined in your appointment letter for each quarter. You should contact your department with questions concerning your offer of financial support.
You can generally expect to hear about a TA or GSR offer 30 days before the next quarter starts, though this can be later if we receive unexpectedly high enrollment for a course and need to open a class or lab last-minute.
Generally, students can only work a total of part-time, 50%, 20 hours/week across all jobs while a full-time student. This means if you accept a 50% TA position with Physics, and another 50% position elsewhere, you will need to decide which one to work.
Employment also hinges on work performance, most often how closely an employee follows the TA Description of Duties (DoD) outlined for the course. If an employee consistently fails to meet work expectations, a remedial period may be required in order to maintain employment.
International students have a strict limit of 20 hours/week based on your visa. Accepting more jobs than you can work, even accidentally, jeopardizes your visa, so please let us know if hiring you at a certain percentage would go over your limit.
California Residency
Students are encouraged to seek California Residency for funding purposes as soon as possible, usually beginning the process the first quarter they arrive:
It is the responsibility of students who are able to establish California Residency as required by the UC Santa Cruz Registrar (i.e. filing a Statement of Legal Residency) to do so as soon as possible for tuition purposes. Non-residents of California are required to pay non-resident tuition, either from fellowship funding or personal funds. Please check with your program if you have questions about non-resident tuition.
Out-of-state students who are U.S. citizens are encouraged to take steps to establish California residency during the first year here. Successfully applying for CA residency removes the cost of non-resident tuition for future years.
Accepting the Offer
You must respond to this offer no later than month, day by 11:59 pm Pacific Time, the form is available on your Application Status page; scroll towards the end of the page and select the Reply to Admission Offer Form link.
April 15th is usually the date students need to accept by, though if you receive an offer after this date you usually have two weeks to respond.
Immunizations
Please be aware that the University of California requires that all incoming students complete an Immunization and Tuberculosis Risk Screening Compliance Process prior to arrival on campus. You will be informed, in future emails from the campus, about how to complete these requirements along with any other vaccinations or screenings that may become required. This applies to re-admitted and deferred admission students. Exemptions to immunization requirements are provided only for those with a medical condition that creates a contraindication to a vaccination. The UC Immunization and Tuberculosis Screening Policy is available on the Student Health Center's website.
Terms and Conditions
Non-UC Santa Cruz Awards. We encourage you to seek external funding and will gladly work with you to incorporate external funding with the offer above as allowed by campus and departmental policies. Students receiving financial aid from a non-UC Santa Cruz source must accept that award and forward a copy of their award letter to the department promptly. Full non-UC Santa Cruz and University awards may not be held concurrently. Should you seek external funding support or employment, the terms of your awards will be updated to reflect the requirements of the external funder and our departmental policies.
Meeting Graduate Student Policies. Admission and continued enrollment in the graduate program is contingent upon meeting all policies regarding academic progress for graduate students at UC Santa Cruz, general standards for the award of graduate degrees, and the conditions and procedures that govern academic standing and degree candidacy. Failure to meet any of these requirements and conditions may result in loss of funding and/or impede or terminate a student’s progress toward their degree goal.
Tuition Rate. The tuition rate for each academic year is subject to approval by the UC Regents.
Declining Support. You may decline the type of financial support your academic program has offered, but should you decline or become ineligible for one or more elements of your financial support offer, the program is not obligated to provide or offer you alternative funding.
Summer Support. In order to be eligible for summer support, students must be engaged full-time in academic work over the summer.
Residence Requirement. Candidates for advanced degrees are expected to be physically present on campus for each academic term unless they meet the requirements for in absentia registration. All U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents are expected to establish California residency at the end of their first year of study and to maintain residency throughout their time in the program. Information about California residency is found on the Office of the Registrar’s page.
Work Eligibility Requirements. Students must meet requirements to satisfy work eligibility requirements and/or legal employment authorization in the United States in order to be employed on campus, where applicable, and the timely submission of all documents required by the University to process a request for work authorization.
Withdrawing or rescinding a funding offer. UC Santa Cruz reserves the right to withdraw or rescind an offer of admission under any of the following conditions:
(a) any part of your application contains misrepresentations;
(b) if you fail to graduate, do not receive an undergraduate diploma (or its equivalent) by the end of the current school year, or otherwise will not hold the academic credentials you presented as part of your application;
(c) if you are currently enrolled in a degree program, you show a significant drop in your academic performance between now and your graduation (as determined by our office);
(d) If you accept our offer of admission as well as the offer of admission of another college or university for the same period of enrollment;
(e) if you engage in behavior that brings into question your honesty, maturity, or professional suitability; or
(f) if you engage in conduct that violates University policy.These terms and conditions are subject to change as a result of action by federal and/or state governments or the Administration of the University of California, Santa Cruz.
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