Application Timeline & Deadlines
Proposed start quarter: Autumn 2026
| June 1, 2025 | Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) application opens |
| Early Fall 2025 | All TOEFL (iBT)/ IELTS (Academic) tests should be taken in early fall to ensure a timely submission. |
| September 15, 2025 | CEE Application opens for Fall 2026. Graduate Application Coterm Application |
| October 8, 2025, 1:00pm PST | Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) Application Deadline |
October 15, 2025, 9:00 am PST
| CEE Graduate Application Information Session for Fall 2026 intake recording (passcode: @img$3Or), presentation slides |
| by November 18, 2025 | Application fee waiver deadline is 10 business days before the department application deadline (December 2, 2025). Application fee waivers are requested through the online application after you start it. Fee waiver requests are not accepted through email. Fee waiver awards run out, so we encourage you to apply as soon as the application opens. |
| 11:59pm, December 2, 2025, PST | Application deadline for all PhDs. Application deadline for all Master's. Application deadline for coterms. All supporting materials must be received. |
| February-April 2026 | Admission decisions are released. If necessary, the process can stretch longer. |
| March 12, 2026 | Visit Day - for accepted students only. |
| April 15, 2026 | Deadline for admitted students to respond to offers of admission. |
| June 30, 2026 | Deferral request deadline to change starting quarter from Autumn 2026 to Autumn 2027 |
| mid. September, 2026 | New Graduate Student Orientation. More information on this event will be distributed to newly admitted students by email over the summer. |
| September 22, 2026 | First day of classes. |
Decisions
Decisions are based on a comprehensive evaluation of each applicant’s file. PhD admission decisions are typically available by early March and MS admission decisions are typically available by early April. Applicants can access their admission decisions on Application Status page.
Deferral Requests
Admitted students are expected to enroll in the program in September of the year they are admitted. Admitted MS students can request a one-time deferral to next Autumn. Deferral instructions are listed in Admit letter. Admitted PhD and ENG students are not eligible to request a one-time deferral to next Autumn.
Decision Feedback
Feedback is not available to applicants denied admission. We recognize that you devote a great deal of time and effort to your application, and may wish to discuss it with a member of our admissions committee or a faculty member. Regrettably, we are unable to provide individual feedback to any applicant.