Linguistics | College of Liberal Arts
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How to Apply

Deadline for applying for Fall 2025

The deadline for applying for Fall 2025 is November 15, 2024. Please note that this deadline is earlier than in preceding years. We do not admit in Spring or Summer. Decisions are announced in late February or early March.

Apply online here
College of Liberal Arts

Information about admissions can be found here: https://gradschool.utexas.edu/admissions/apply. 

When creating your profile, make sure you enter your family name in the field "Last Name, Family Name, or Surname" and your given name in the field "First Name or Given Name." Otherwise, your application will not match your transcripts and test scores correctly.

Admission to the graduate program is not restricted to those with a BA in linguistics, and the core course offerings are specifically designed to meet the needs of entering students with little or no previous course work in linguistics. It is not necessary to have an MA to apply for the PhD in Linguistics.

Application Requirements

  • U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and those who have already attended the University of Texas at Austin:
    • Submit the Application for Admission to Graduate Study and $65 application fee to the Office of Admissions.
    • You must upload one copy of the official academic transcript from every senior college you have attended. Transcripts are not required from junior colleges and community colleges. See instructions for uploading the pdf of your transcript.
    • We will not be requiring applicants to have taken the Graduate Record Examinations General Test (GRE) for the fall 2024 application period. 
  • Citizens of other countries who have not previously attended the University of Texas:
    • Submit the Application for Undergraduate & Graduate Admission - Students From Other Countries and the $90 non-refundable processing fee. If you are admitted to UT, you will also be required to submit a Certificate of Financial Responsibility, which can be found on the UT International Office page and which shows you have sufficient funding to attend UT.
    • You must upload one copy of the official academic transcript from every senior college you have attended. Transcripts are not required from junior colleges and community colleges. See instructions for uploading the pdf of your transcript.
    • We will not be requiring applicants to have taken the Graduate Record Examinations General Test (GRE) for the fall 2024 application period. 
    • Take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) in time to have the official test scores reported to the Office of Admissions by the application deadline. Look here for minimum test requirements and when exemptions may be granted.
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All applicants:

The following three items are required by the Graduate Linguistics Program.

  • Statement of Purpose - a clear and straightforward statement in which you give an idea of: your current interests in linguistics; how these interests developed; your plans for graduate study and eventual specialization, even if tentative. The statement of purpose may be uploaded electronically through the online application process.
  • Recommendation letters - we require three letters from professors who know you and your work. E-mails will be sent to the recommenders whom applicants identify on the application. The recommenders will receive a link which they can use to upload letters of recommendation.
  • Sample research paper, or work of similar scope, that clearly demonstrates your writing ability. The sample research paper can be uploaded at this link once your application is loaded and your application fee is paid.
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • List of Publications (submitted as "Supplemental Info").

Do not send official paper transcripts at this time. You will only be required to submit official paper transcripts if you are admitted to the program.

Note: All applicants are responsible for ensuring that the above mentioned items are uploaded. Applicants should contact the Linguistics Graduate Program in order to verify that all items have been uploaded by their due date.

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