Apply

Important Deadlines

December 1st, 2023	Submit completed online ApplyTexas application form.
December 8th, 2023	Upload to MyStatus: Writing Sample, Statement of Purpose, Official Transcripts. Please note that it takes up to 3 days to receive access to MyStatus after completing your ApplyTexas application. Applicants who do not submit all documents by this deadline will not be considered.
February 2024	Notifications of admissions decisions sent via email.

 

Eligibility Requirements

Bachelor's Degree
Earned from a regionally accredited institution in the United States, or a comparable degree from a foreign academic institution.
GPA
3.0 minimum GPA (on a 4.0 scale) on all upper-division and graduate coursework (if applicable). Additionally, the English Department requires at least 15 hours of upper-division English credit.
TOEFL/IELTS (International Applicants only)
Minimum scores considered acceptable for Graduate School admission are:
TOEFL: 70 on the internet-based test (iBT)
IELTS: An overall band of 6.5 on the Academic Examination

How to Apply

To begin the application process, you must access the Texas Common Application at goapplytexas.org. The application system is scheduled to open for access for Fall 2024 applications on September 1, 2023. Within 1-2 business days after submitting your application and paying the application fee, you will receive an email from the Office of Graduate Admissions (OGA) with your UT EID, a temporary password, and a link to OGA’s Admissions Status Check System, MyStatus. From this site, you will be able to upload your required application materials: a PDF copy of your official transcripts, writing sample, and statement of purpose.

Please note: it can take up to 3 business days (not including weekends) to receive your MyStatus credentials. If you do not receive the email with your EID and temporary password after 3 business days, please contact OGA. The deadline to upload your Writing Sample, Statement of Purpose, and Official Transcripts is a week after the deadline to submit your ApplyTexas Application in order to compensate for this delay. 

Required Application Materials

Required by the Graduate School:

This section is a general summary of the Graduate School’s admissions requirements. For full explanations on each of the following topics, please visit Graduate School’s Graduate Admission website.

1. ApplyTexas Application Form
The online application can be found at goapplytexas.org. You will be asked to select your major. The English major can be found grouped under Liberal Arts. You will need to choose “Doctorate” as the initial degree you wish to seek, even if you will be entering with Bachelors’ degree. You will also need to specify your area of interest within the English major (e.g. Medieval Studies, 20th-21st Century American Literature, Pre-1900 British Literature, etc...). Please choose the area that most closely fits your desired area of study. You will able to choose up to two secondary fields of concentration to present a more accurate representation of your goals.
NB for Rhetoric applicants: The Department of Rhetoric and Writing has combined its Rhetoric and Digital Literacies and Literatures concentrations into a singular Rhetoric area of study. When asked for your "major area of interest," please only select the Rhetoric option.

2. Application Fee
$65 Application Fee ($90 for international applicants). You will not be able to upload any documents to your MyStatus profile until your fee is paid. 

If you can’t afford the application fee and are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident pursuing your first graduate degree, you may be eligible for a fee waiver.

3. Transcripts
You will need to upload PDF copies of your official transcripts from each senior college that you have attended via your MyStatus profile. Transcripts must have been produced within the last calendar year. Please carefully read and follow the Instructions for Uploading Transcripts.
International Applicants: Transcripts written in a language other than English must be accompanied by an official translation.

Please address transcript questions to gradtranscript@austin.utexas.edu. Do not send transcripts to this address.

4. TOEFL or IELTS Scores (International Applicants only)
Two years old or less. Scores must be reported to GIAC directly from the testing agency. Please note: IELTS does not currently offer electronic reporting of scores. To fulfill the requirement with scores from the IELTS, have an official paper score report sent to OGA.
TOEFL UT-Austin Institution Code: 6882

Required by the Department of English:

5. Writing Sample
Your Writing Sample should be between 15 and 25 pages double spaced. This document should demonstrate your readiness and aptitude for graduate study, in particular your ability to recognize and to effectively state research-worthy problems. A compelling writing sample typically—although not always—establishes an applicant’s project in reference to an important scholarly work or modest body of scholarship. Other considerations include the clarity and economy of your prose.

6. Statement of Purpose
Your Statement of Purpose should be 1 to 2 pages single-spaced. The purpose of this essay is to give the faculty a clear idea of a) why you want to pursue a career in English; b) what topics in the field of Literature or Rhetoric interest you; c) how you have prepared yourself for graduate study in English; d) why you want to pursue your graduate degree at the University of Texas at Austin.

7. Letters of Recommendation
We require three letters of recommendation, which should informatively address your academic achievement and potential for graduate study. During the online application process, you will need to provide the names and email addresses of your “Academic References,” individuals from whom you will be seeking a letter of recommendation. Within 24 hours of your online application submission, your recommenders will receive an email with instructions and a secure link to upload their letters of recommendation directly to your application file. Please ensure that the email addresses are current and accurate. Letters and materials sent through folio services (such as Interfolio) will not be accepted.

Current UT Graduate Students (Change of Major)

For change-of-major applicants (applicants already admitted to the UT Austin Graduate School) ONLY: Please follow the instructions here, and send all supporting documents to the graduate program administrator. The December 8th deadline and supporting document requirements still apply.

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