Applying to the Graduate Program

Applications can now be accessed through the Graduate School's website at www.grad.uconn.edu/applications . Note that the fee for the online application is less than the fee for the paper application.

For fall admission, complete application folders must reach the University by January 15th . Foreign applicants must submit application materials by January 1st .

Applicants may submit the personal statement , the writing sample, and the three letters of recommendation directly to the Department of English. All other supplementary materials, including transcripts and test scores, should be sent (along with the main application) to the Graduate School; see the above link for instructions.

Applicants are usually judged by the following criteria:

GRE Scores : Candidates who are admitted usually score in the 600's or above, and minimally in the 500 range, on the Graduate Record Exams. Both the Verbal and the English Literature subject tests are required. Further information is available at www.gre.org .
TOEFL Exam : The University requires the TOEFL Exam for all students whose native language is not English.
GPA : It is rare that a candidate is admitted with a grade point average of less than 3.2 (on a 4.0 basis) or 3.4 in the candidate's major field. The department's Admissions Committee does make exceptions from time to time when the candidate's junior and senior years of college work show substantial improvement over the freshman and sophomore years.
Letters of Recommendation : Three letters of recommendation should accompany each application. Students should request letters from teachers who know them well, preferably from their last two years of coursework.
Personal Statement : This letter gives the department's Admissions Committee some idea of the applicant's writing style, range and depth of ideas, quality of mind, and motivation to embark on an advanced degree program in English and American Literature. A cover sheet should be attached to this letter.
Writing Sample : A writing sample is required for both the MA and Ph.D. application. The committee would like to see a researched critical paper.