Graduate Application

Submit the completed application and all supporting materials by DATE. Please note that the system will close promptly at midnight, so you will be unable to edit your application past 11:59 p.m. on December 1. The system is set to Maryland time (EST). If you are uncertain about what time the system will close in your timezone, please look it up. We are unable to make exceptions for late applications based on timezone.

Admission to the Ph.D. is highly competitive. If you would like to be considered for the M.A. program if not selected for the Ph.D. program, please indicate that in your personal statement.

The University of Maryland’s Graduate School accepts applications through its application system. Before completing the application, applicants are asked to check the admissions requirements site for specific instructions.

As required by the Graduate School, all application materials are to be submitted electronically:

• Graduate Application
• Non-refundable application fee ($75) for each program
• TOEFL (if applicable)
• Statement of goals, research interests and experiences. The statement, which should be around 1,000 words, should address relevant aspects of your educational experience, the focus of your academic interests and reasons for applying to our program. If you are applying to the Ph.D. program but would like to be considered for the M.A. if not selected for the Ph.D., please indicate that here.
• Unofficial transcripts of your entire college/university record (undergraduate and graduate), including records of any advanced work done at another institution. Electronic copies of these unofficial transcripts must be uploaded along with your online application. Official transcripts will be required after an applicant is admitted to the program.
• Three letters of recommendation. In your online application, please complete fully the information requested for your recommenders and ask them to submit their letters electronically. We do not accept letters through Interfolio.
• A single critical writing sample of approximately 12-20 pages double-spaced (not including works cited/bibliography). While we encourage you to submit your best writing sample, we prefer a writing sample in your declared field of interest. If you are submitting an excerpted selection, please include a brief description or introduction to the selection. The Chicago Style citation format is preferred.
• Academic CV/resume.

Applications will be carefully reviewed by the Departmental Graduate Admissions Committee. All aspects of the application will be considered, including background, academic strength, recommendations and the professional plans of the applicant. Admission to the program is very competitive. Many factors influence the decision, including the availability of a given professor to work with a prospective student.

Please note that the Graduate School application will ask you to select major fields of study as well as nominate potential advisors. The selection of advisors is a critical part of the admissions process, as we typically assign major field advisors at the time of acceptance into the program. We suggest that applicants review the faculty profiles in advance of their selection. Only faculty with the title of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor are eligible to serve as primary advisors for graduate students. If you have any questions please contact the Director of Graduate Studies. You are also encouraged to reach out to the faculty member with whom you would hope to work, to check whether they are accepting students and whether your research interests match theirs.

The electronic submission of application materials helps expedite the review of an application. Completed applications are reviewed by an admissions committee in each graduate degree program. The recommendations of the committees are submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School, who will make the final admission decision. Students seeking to complete graduate work at the University of Maryland for degree purposes must be formally admitted to the Graduate School by the dean. To ensure the integrity of the application process, the University of Maryland authenticates submitted materials through TurnItIn for Admissions.

The University of Maryland is dedicated to maintaining a vibrant international graduate student community. The office of International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) is a valuable source of information and assistance for prospective and current international students. International applicants are encouraged to explore ISSS’s services and contact them with related questions.

The University of Maryland Graduate School offers admission to international students based on academic information; it is not a guarantee of attendance. Admitted international students will then receive instructions about obtaining the appropriate visa to study at the University of Maryland which will require submission of additional documents.  Please see the Graduate Admissions Process for International applicants for more information.

For questions related to the admissions process, prospective students may contact the Graduate School.

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