Prospective Students

The admission process is highly competitive; only exceptionally qualified applicants whose records indicate considerable academic potential are admitted to the program. Some of the students we admit already have extensive training in history, either at the undergraduate or graduate level; others have majored in related disciplines such as economics, art history, law, philosophy, political science, or sociology. Students are admitted to the doctoral program once each year for enrollment beginning in the fall semester only. The program does not accept applications for a terminal M.A. degree.

Applications are reviewed and ranked by a faculty committee. In making its decisions, the committee considers the following five primary factors:

• Academic record (undergraduate and graduate)
• Resume
• Letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose
• Writing sample
   

The department is looking for applicants whose letters of recommendation, academic profile, and writing sample indicate a capacity for sustained, sophisticated, and original scholarly activity. It seeks to encourage a stimulating learning environment and a vigorous exchange of ideas by admitting a student body that is intellectually diverse.

Deadline: Dec. 1, 2024

Students applying for admission for Fall 2025 must submit all admission materials by Dec. 1, 2024. Admission decisions will be announced by mid-March, 2025.

How to Apply

All application materials are submitted online to The Office of Graduate Admissions.

We recommend that you begin your application a few weeks before the application deadline. The application has two parts: 1) an electronic application through UT Austin Graduate School Application for Admission; 2) uploading additional material through the MyStatus website. 

If you are a current UT Austin graduate student, you must apply for a change of major. Change of Major applicants should contact the graduate administrator about their application.

We also recommend that you review the Graduate School's page on admission.

Application to The University of Texas at Austin

• Electronic application. Available from the UT Austin Graduate School Application for Admission. Online applications are available one year in advance of the semester you are applying.

• Three Letters of Recommendation. Letters of recommendation must be submitted online through the website. Please follow these instructions: in the electronic application, enter the names, e-mail addresses, and titles of the recommenders; indicate that you are waiving the right to view your letters after they are submitted by answering the associated question on the application for admission. Within 24 hours of your application submission, an automatic e-mail will be generated and sent to the recommenders. The e-mail will contain instructions and a secure link to the letter of recommendation website. You can monitor your requests for reference and other admissions materials on the Application Status Check website.

• This site also allows you to resend a Request for Reference e-mail to your recommenders, add a new recommender, and revise your FERPA (right to view) status from retained to waived. If you have any questions, please e-mail gradref@austin.utexas.edu.

• Resume. This document is not part of the online application; it needs to be uploaded separately through the Application Status Check website.

• Statement of Purpose. A statement of one to two pages in length (no more than 700 words) outlining your reasons for pursuing the Ph.D. at The University of Texas at Austin should be submitted as part of your online electronic application.

• Writing sample. A short piece that shows your analytical writing skills (e.g., senior or master's degree thesis, term paper). Recommended length is approximately 20 pages. If your 20-page submission is from a longer document, you may submit the complete document.

• Application fee (U.S. — $65; International — $90). Fees are subject to change so please refer to the application website for current fee information.

• Official report of TOEFL or IELTS scores (Required for all international applicants unless exempted). More information on exemptions can be found here. Reports are to be mailed directly from The Educational Testing Service (ETS) agency.
  — ETS code for the University of Texas at Austin is 6882
   

• Transcripts. You may upload an official copy of your transcript(s) after you have submitted your application for admission and paid the application fee. For instructions, please visit the Graduate School’s admissions page.

Helpful Hints

• It may take a few days to receive access to MyStatus after you submit your initial electronic application through Graduate School Application for Admission website, so make sure to give yourself enough time to complete both.
   
• Be sure to provide an e-mail address that will be active until the end of April. If you change e-mail addresses, please contact the Graduate Program Administrator to have your records updated.
   
• Give your recommenders plenty of lead time when requesting letters of recommendation. You must submit the online application before your recommenders can get the e-mail directing them to the online submission of letters of recommendation.
   

• “Please use the university’s MyStatus page to monitor your application. It’s the applicant’s responsibility to confirm the application is complete and that all materials have been received by the deadline. Incomplete applications are unlikely to be reviewed. Use MyStatus to:  
         - Review application materials that have been submitted and see items
          that are still required.
         - Review the status of recommendation letters, resend recommendation
            requests, or add recommenders.
         - Upload transcripts as PDFs (if institutions can’t submit them
          electronically).
         - See admission status after a decision has been made.

• Still have questions? Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. When in doubt, e-mail the Graduate Program Administrator for help and clarification.

Useful Links

• Email the Graduate Program Administrator
• Application for Admission to Graduate Study
• The Office of Graduate Admissions

Financial Support

Program Funding

All applicants are automatically considered for all applicable funding available through the university, including fellowships and Teaching Assistantships. No additional applications or materials are required. Funding offers are made along with offers of admission. Funding packages for doctoral students generally consist of six years of support through fellowships and teaching assistantships, including costs of tuition, fees, and health insurance. Applicants are also encouraged to complete the FAFSA application prior to the priority deadline of March 15 in order to qualify for grants and other need-based forms of aid, regardless of whether or not they intend to take out student loans or grants.

History Department Recruitment Fellowships

The History Department offers recruitment fellowships to incoming graduate students based on their regular admission applications; no separate application is required. Each fellowship carries a stipend of $30,000 per year, plus tuition and a health insurance supplement. Fellowships are typically combined with four years of Teaching Assistantships for multi-year admission funding packages.

History Department Research Fellowships

The History Department also offers research fellowships to continuing graduate students based on the students’ academic record since entering graduate school. These awards are generally made in the fourth year, contingent on successful completion of the Comprehensive Qualifying Exam. The fellowship carries a stipend of $30,000 per year, plus tuition and a health insurance supplement. An application, which includes a research proposal and a letter from your supervisor, is required.

Professional Development Awards

Available to History graduate students to help pay conference expenses for presenting at a major professional conference. Only students who have had papers accepted for presentation may apply. Applications are considered each fall, spring, and summer semester. Stipends vary but are generally between $200 and $1000. Only one award per student per year. Calls will be sent via the Graduate Program Administrator.

Fellowships / Funding Sources

View/Download a list of grants here.

Academic Appointments

Teaching Assistants

The History Department has a limited number of Teaching Assistant positions available each year. Most are awarded to students as part of multi-year recruitment packages. TA work consists of grading examinations and other assignments and holding weekly office hours. (For more information about departmental expectations for TAs see related documents in the Useful Info panel on the right.)

History Teaching Assistant wages are set by the College of Liberal Arts, and TAs currently receive $20,760 per academic year (fall through spring). TAs holding regular appointments of at least 20 hours a week also receive health insurance benefits and tuition assistance (see Office of Graduate Studies' TA/AI Tuition Assistance web page). Students with funding packages from the History Department also receive fellowships that raise their overall stipends above the TA wage.

TA assignments to specific courses are generally made several weeks before the start of each semester. Assignment preferences are solicited from faculty and prospective TAs before the assignments are made; TAs also have the opportunity at this time to provide information about their schedules to so that TA assignments do not interfere with coursework. Although every effort is made to accommodate faculty and student preferences, because of the number of courses and respective schedules that need to be coordinated, faculty and students may not always get their first, or even third, registered preferences.

Graduate Research Assistants

The History Department also regularly employs several Graduate Research Assistants to work with various departmental programs. The GRAs are paid at the same rate as TAs. 20 hour positions (full time) receive health insurance benefits and a full tuition payment.

The department currently offers these ongoing year-long GRA positions:

• Not Even Past GRA (20 hours)
• Institute for Historical Studies GRA (10 hours) 
• Social Media Manager (10 hours)
   

In addition to these regular appointments, the department hires short term, semester, and year long positions as they become available:     

• GRA for Individual Faculty or Faculty Led Projects (10-20 hours)
• Ad Hoc Short Term GRA (1-10 hours)
   

A call for applications for ongoing positions will be emailed to the History Graduate Student email list every Spring. Calls for short term, semester, and year long positions will be sent out when they become available. Applications can be found here.

Out-of-State Tuition Waivers 

Note that graduate students who hold TA or GRA positions are eligible for in-state tuition rates. They must, however, file for a waiver each semester before their bill is due. Students may file for a waiver through UT Direct: Tuition Bill Waivers.

International students who hold TA or GRA positions are also eligible for insurance waivers. For more information, visit the International Office - Student Insurance waiver website.

English Language Exams

Students who are not native speakers of English must pass a language examination before they can be appointed to positions as Teaching Assistants. For more information, visit the International Office - ESL Services website: http://www.utexas.edu/student/esl/.

For more information about graduate student employment, visit the Office of Graduate Studies' student employment page: Student Employment, Academic Appointments.

Useful Info

• Academic Integrity
• Summer TA application (PDF)
• TA workload (PDF)
• TA questions to ask your professor (PDF)
• TA classroom scenarios (PDF)
• TA guidelines-expectations (PDF)
• Faculty guidelines for supervising grading (PDF)
• Faculty guidelines for mtg. with TA (PDF)

 

 

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