Admissions

The deadline to submit a complete application for the 2025–2026 academic year is December 15, 2024.  Any undergraduate major may be considered for admission to the program. Applications are especially encouraged from students whose interests include interdisciplinary connections among the humanities, social sciences and physical/life sciences. Please note that our program only admits students for the Ph.D., with the understanding that students who have not completed an M.A. at another institution will earn the M.A. as a component of their studies. Because the program requires all students to take a yearlong core seminar series starting in the Fall Quarter of their first year, students are only admitted on an annual cycle. The following documentation is required and must be submitted before an application can be reviewed:

• Application for Graduate Admission 
  Please visit the Graduate Division website to apply online. All application materials are submitted online via the Graduate Division portal.

• Statement of Purpose (1,000 word limit)
  The statement of purpose should identify which prior experience and training prepared you for graduate-level study in archaeology, why you wish to pursue interdisciplinary training in archaeology at UCLA, the types of research you plan to pursue in graduate school, and your career aspirations after the Ph.D. It is also helpful for applicants to identify UCLA faculty whom they seek to work with as advisors and mentors. The UCLA Graduate Division provides further guidance on topics to include in a statement of purpose here.

• Personal Statement (500 word limit)
  The personal statement is an opportunity for you to provide information about your background and experiences not described in your statement of purpose that have shaped your involvement in higher education and scholarly activities. The UCLA Graduate Division provides further guidance for topics to discuss in the personal statement here. The personal statement is used by the university to evaluate candidates for university-wide fellowships, including the Eugene Cota-Robles Fellowship. To be considered for a Cota-Robles Fellowship, be sure to describe your potential contributions to diversity. The University of California Diversity Statement can be found online, and information on diversity in admissions at UCLA is here.

• Plan of Study
  Each applicant is requested to submit a one-page plan of study outlining projected course work. Please use the template available here. Consult our courses page for the most up-to-date information about recent course offerings. Course information for our program and affiliated departments is available here, but please be aware that catalog listings do not necessarily reflect recent offerings.The Plan of Study should be uploaded via the admissions application portal. 

• Foreign Language Survey
  Please complete the Foreign Language Survey available on the admissions application portal. The survey will enable the admissions committee to evaluate your level of language proficiency. For the M.A., facility in one foreign language is required; for the Ph.D., one additional language is required (for a total of two foreign languages beyond English).

• Letters of Recommendation
  Three letters of recommendation are requested from individuals known to the applicant in a professional capacity. Usually this means university faculty who you have taken courses with or research supervisors who are able to assess the candidate’s suitability for graduate work. You will use the application portal to identify and provide contact information for three references. Your references will receive an email link, which will allow them to upload the recommendation letter.  

• Writing Sample
  Applicants must supply some evidence of previous research, which may be in archaeology or in some other field relevant to the applicant’s interest in the Ph.D. program. This may be in the form of an honors thesis, one or more course papers, or publications. The admissions committee will assess your writing skills as well as your ability to work with data and ideas in a creative, scholarly, ethical, and scientific manner. The writing sample must be uploaded via the application portal. 

• General Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Report (not required)
  A GRE score is not required for admission to the Archaeology IDP. Scores will not be evaluated as part of admissions review and should not be submitted to UCLA or self-reported to the program.

• Transcripts 
  Unofficial transcripts are required to complete your online application. Official transcripts are only required of applicants who are officially notified of admission by the UCLA Graduate Division. Further information about submitting transcripts is available here.

• International Applicants

Information about UCLA requirements for international transcripts, English language proficiency, and visa procedures are available here. For submission of TOEFL scores, use the following codes: (Institution Code: 4837, Dept Code: 11)