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Admissions

Essential Resources

FAQ for Applying to the Graduate Program

  • For information on application deadlines, please refer to the Division of Graduate Studies Admissions website.
  • Use the online application form - available as of October 1, 2022. The department accepts applications to the PhD and MA programs during the regular admissions period for the UCSC campus.
  • Application materials - (upload with application)
    • Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
    • Writing sample
    • Statement of Purpose
    • Personal History Statement
    • Letters of recommendation, minimum of 3
  • GRE scores are not required for the MA or PhD application. 
  • International students
    • Take the TOEFL or IELTS English Proficiency test by November 2022.
    • Translate application materials and documents (particularly the transcripts).
  • What we look for in an application:
    • Strong letters of recommendation.
    • A depth and quality of prior training in linguistics. 
    • The degree of fit between the applicant's interests (as described in the statement of purpose) and the department's strengths.
    • Writing sample which need not be in the area of linguistics, but should ideally reveal the applicant's ability to address abstract issues and formulate and investigate precise hypotheses.
    • An undergraduate degree in linguistics or a demonstrated excellence in some related discipline (e.g., psychology, mathematics, computer science, language studies, anthropology, or philosophy) and have the equivalent of a minor in linguistics. Applicants should in any case have a foundation in at least one of the central theoretical fields of linguistic structure: phonology, morphology, syntax, or semantics.
    • A demonstrated ability to conduct original research.
  • For general information about the graduate application process at UCSC, go to the campus Graduate Division page.
  • General questions about the Linguistics graduate program should be sent to the Linguistics Graduate Coordinator, LingGrad@ucsc.edu.

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