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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, 2024. 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 2024. TOEFL/IELTS waivers may be requested by applicants who have completed a four-year bachelor’s degree at an English-speaking institution. Please see the Graduate Division website for more information.
    • 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. 
  • ALL DEPARTMENT APPLICATION FEE WAIVERS HAVE BEEN CLAIMED FOR THE 2025 ADMISSIONS CYCLE. The department will provide up to four application fee waivers to PhD applicants who meet the following criteria, on a first-come, first-served basis:
    • Applicant does not qualify for the fee waiver or exemption offered by the UCSC Division of Graduate Studies
    • Has not yet paid the application fee
    • Has completed and uploaded the following documents to their application: statement of purpose, personal history statement, CV, and writing sample 
      AND
    • Is the first person in their family to attend college
    • To apply for a departmental fee waiver, please complete this form. 
  • 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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