Application Instructions
Our application is now entirely online, and all materials should be submitted through the online application. Please do not send any materials in hard copy. If for any reason it is not possible to submit materials online, please contact us by email.
We recommend submitting application documents as PDF files for the most reliable results. The application system will also accept Microsoft Word documents, OpenDocument files, and a few other formats with varying levels of fidelity. Regardless of the file format you use, we recommend reviewing your application proof carefully to make sure all documents were successfully added to your file by our system.
Applications will be evaluated on the basis of materials submitted by the deadline, and we cannot guarantee that materials received after the deadline will be given consideration. Late applications will not be considered.
All programs require the following materials:
- a statement of purpose written in English ("Artist's Statement" for MFA in Visual Arts);
- 3 letters of recommendation;
- transcripts for all previous degrees and coursework;
- TOEFL or IELTS test scores from within the preceding 2 years if needed to meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement; and
- an application fee of $90.
- A note on the application fee waiver process: Fee waivers are available for University of Chicago alumni; current undergraduate students receiving need-based aid; applicants who are current or former members of the Peace Corps, Americorps/Vista, or Teach for America; active duty U.S. military and veterans; past recipients of Fulbright/IIE fellowships; and alumni of any of the following academic preparatory and service programs: McNair Scholars, the Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers (IRT), Leadership Alliance, the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, and the National Name Exchange. Applicants to the PhD program in Romance Languages and Literatures are also eligible for a fee waiver if they are alumni of the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF). Fee waivers may also be requested by applicants for whom paying it would present financial hardship. Anyone wishing to have the fee waived for any of the above must submit a fee waiver request form, which is accessed on the application status portal after the application has been submitted. Applicants who submit a fee waiver request form should do so before the application deadline, and should not pay the fee when submitting their applications. Requesting a fee waiver will have no effect on the review of the application.
Most programs also require a sample of academic writing, and two require a current CV or Resume. The following table lists the requirements for Writing Samples and a CV. In all cases the writing samples should be double-spaced. Some programs also have special requirements, and you should follow the link to your program of interest to learn more.
| Program | Writing Sample | CV |
|---|---|---|
| Art History | 15-20 pgs | No |
| Cinema & Media Studies | 15-20 pgs | No |
| Classics | 15-20 pgs | No |
| Comparative Literature | 15-20 pgs | No |
| East Asian Languages and Civilizations | 10-20 pgs | No |
| English Language and Literature | 15-20 pgs | No |
| Germanic Studies | 15-20 pgs, in English or German | No |
| Linguistics | 15-20 pgs | No |
| Music | 2 samples, approx 20 pgs each | No |
| Middle Eastern Studies | 15-20 pgs | No |
| Philosophy | 15-20 pgs | No |
| Romance Languages and Literatures | 15-20 pgs, in language of specialization | Yes |
| Slavic Languages and Literatures | 15-20 pgs | Yes |
| South Asian Languages & Civilizations | 15-20 pgs | No |
| Theater and Performance Studies | maximum 25 pages | No |
| MFA in Visual Arts | Portfolio in lieu of writing sample | No |
| MA in Middle Eastern Studies | 15-20 pgs | No |
| MA in Digital Studies of Language, Culture, and History | none required | No |
| Master of Arts Program in the Humanities | 10-15 pgs; 2nd sample for Creative Writing applicants | No |
Applications will be evaluated on the basis of materials submitted by the deadline, and we cannot guarantee that materials received after the deadline will be given consideration. Late applications will not be considered.
Applying to multiple programs
Joint Programs
Transfer Credits
Reapplying
Enrollment Quarter
Detailed Instructions by Department or Program
Instructions for Applicants to English Language and Literature
For the 2025-2026 graduate admissions cycle, the University of Chicago English Department is prioritizing applications focusing on literature and culture in relation to environment, ecology, and space. Possible areas of interest include (but are not limited to) the environmental humanities; built environments and literature; geography and urbanization; the atmosphere and setting of literary and artistic works and circles; ecopoetics; the poetics and politics of space. We encourage applications from students wishing to work in all historical periods, and on texts from and about any region of the world. We welcome hybrid scholars working in creative and critical modes or across media, or doing public humanities and public-facing work that foregrounds environmental and spatial concerns. For more information on faculty and current graduate students in this area, please visit the department website. Please note that while we are prioritizing applications that align with our thematic focus, we will also consider applications outside of this focus.
Instructions for Applicants to Linguistics
Supplemental Material: In addition to a writing sample, applicants to Linguistics should prepare and upload a document that lists all courses the applicant has taken or will have taken by the time of enrollment which have relevance to graduate study in linguistics (in particular, language courses and courses in linguistics, mathematics/statistics, computer science, psychology, anthropology, and language of philosophy). This list should include the complete title of each course, the instructor's full name, the grade earned (if available), and a brief (at most a paragraph) description of the contents of the course (a list of topics covered, for example), along with the titles and authors of any texts used or papers read.
Instructions for Applicants to Music
Writing Sample: Applicants to Music are required to submit two writing samples, double-spaced, each approximately 20 pages in length. Click here for information about the desired content for a writing sample.
Composition Applicants: Composers should upload digital copies of 2-5 scores and recordings of recent works below. Please submit scores in PDF format, and recordings in any of the formats listed below. For files exceeding 2GB, please contact humanitiesadmissions@uchicago.edu prior to the application deadline to arrange a webshare.
Instructions for Applicants to Romance Languages and Literatures
Writing Sample: Applicants to Romance Languages and Literatures should submit a writing sample that is 15-20 pages long, double-spaced. The writing sample should be in the language of specialization. Click here for information about the desired content for a writing sample.
Curriculum Vitae: Applicants to Romance Languages and Literatures are also required to admit a current CV or Resume.
Instructions for Applicants to Theater and Performance Studies
The Theater and Performance Studies (TAPS) PhD program is a joint-only PhD program, and does not admit students who are not also admitted to another program. Applicants must choose a TAPS partner department (the "home department") and submit an application to that department, indicating their interest in also being considered for admission to TAPS. The applicant must submit all materials required for the home department application along with supplemental materials for the TAPS application. TAPS Partner Departments are Art History, Cinema and Media Studies, Classics, Comparative Literature, East Asian Languages and Civilizations, English Language and Literature, Germanic Studies, Music, and Romance Languages and Literatures.
GRE Scores: Applicants to Theater and Performance Studies are not required to submit GRE scores. TAPS applicants should submit GRE scores only if the home program to which they are applying requires scores.
Statement of Interest: Applicants to Theater & Performance Studies should provide a statement of interest for the TAPS joint PhD program in addition to the Statement of Purpose for the home program.
References: Applicants to Theater and Performance Studies should supply two references specifically for the TAPS program. If one or more of the references to the home program can serve as TAPS references, they do not have to be additional references. However, applicants can add as many references as necessary in the online application.
Optional Items: Applicants to Theater and Performance Studies may submit any or all of the following optional materials:
- A TAPS-related Writing Sample (maximum 25 pages);
- An Artistic Resume;
- Media of past creative work, such as performance videos;
- Other supporting materials they feel are relevant to their application.
Instructions for Applicants to the MFA in Visual Arts
Artist's Statement: Applicants to Visual Arts will submit an artist's statement rather than a statement of purpose. The Artist's Statement should comprise one or two pages illuminating your artistic practice by discussion of such questions as sources of influence, character of the inquiry, and some suggestion of future directions you wish to explore.
Portfolio: In lieu of a writing sample, applicants to Visual Arts should submit a portfolio consisting of twenty digital images. Alternatively, students who work in time-based media may submit a selection of work as video files. A significant number of the images should represent work done within the last twelve months. Three-dimensional works should show the surrounding space and context. Portfolios are submitted online as part of the online application. The portfolio submission interface will allow you to label each image with a title, a date of completion, the materials used, and a brief description of the work. Digital files must adhere strictly to the specifications outlined below. Do not format images in any presentation program (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote), or include composite images (more than one work per file). Still image files may be sent in jpeg, png, bmp, or tiff format. Videos will be accepted in QuickTime, AVI, FLV, MP4, or WMV format. Video files should be no longer than two minutes in length, and the size of your video uploads is limited to 250 MB. Please note that videos are considered as part of your selection of twenty files, not as additional material. Do not include titles or credits within the video files.
Instructions for Applicants to the Master of Arts Program in the Humanities (MAPH)
Writing Sample: Applicants to the Master of Arts Program in the Humanities should include a sample of their critical writing that is 10-15 pages in length, double-spaced. Click here for information about the desired content for a writing sample. Applicants to the MAPH Creative Writing Option must also submit a creative writing sample relevant to the proposed focus of study.
MAPH Two-Year Language Option (MAPH TLO): Applicants interested in the MAPH TLO will indicate their interest in the application. They are expected to submit an additional statement of interest specifically addressing their reasons for applying to the TLO, and to provide information about their language(s) of interest on the supplement page in the online application.
Additional Instructions
Applying to programs in more than one division or school
If you are also applying to a program in another Division, you should follow the instructions available from the other division or school to submit an application to one of their programs. You can find links to the relevant information for all the Graduate Divisions and Professional Schools at UChicagoGRAD.
Applying to multiple programs in the Division of the Humanities
If you would like to apply to more than one graduate program in the Humanities Division, please start and submit a separate application at https://apply-humanities.uchicago.edu/apply/. You will need to submit two separate complete applications. This includes uploading all materials for each application and paying two application fees.
Applicants interested in the joint Ph.D. program in Theater and Performance Studies and the M.D.-Ph.D. Program in Medicine, the Social Sciences, and Humanities should indicate this in the online application. Theater and Performance Studies applicants are required to submit additional materials to their application. Applicants seeking a joint Ph.D. in other fields may petition to be admitted into a second department only after completing at least one year in a Ph.D. program.
Doctoral Programs
Students starting a doctoral program in the Division of the Humanities with graduate level course work completed outside of the department may petition the department to have previous course work counted toward the program requirements. By divisional policy at least half of the course work must be accomplished within the department. The departmental faculty will determine whether the student will receive credit towards the degree for each previous course completed outside of the department. Each department may determine the maximum number of courses for which a student may receive course credit.
Master’s programs
Students starting a master’s program in the Division of the Humanities with graduate level course work completed at the Graduate Student-at-Large program in the Graham School of Continuing and Professional Studies may petition the program to have previous course work counted toward the program requirements. The program will evaluate and determine whether the student will receive credit towards the degree for any of the previous course work completed at the Graham School of Continuing and Professional Studies for a maximum of two courses. Other graduate level course work completed outside of the program is not eligible for course credit toward the program requirements.
Reapplying or Reactivating a past application
Our online application system does retain materials from one application cycle to the next. In order to reuse materials and information, you should log on to the application site using the same email address and password that you used last year. This should allow you to access any materials from your previous applications that have been retained. If you were admitted to one of our programs, declined your offer for that current academic year, and you are now reapplying for next year, please send an email to humanitiesadmissions@uchicago.edu for assistance.
All divisional programs begin in Autumn Quarter each year. Enrolling students cannot begin their studies in any quarter other than Autumn.*
Enrolling PhD and MFA students cannot defer their offer and must begin their studies in the year they were admitted unless there are significant extenuating circumstances and with departmental approval.
Enrolling MA students can defer their enrollment one year to the following Autumn Quarter only. We do not permit two-year deferrals or non-Autumn quarter starts. The only exception is if an individual is active duty or reserve military and is unexpectedly deployed between the time they accepted their offer and their matriculation date.
*Students admitted to some MA and PhD programs may, with permission of their program/department, enroll in coursework in the Summer Quarter prior to the quarter for which they have been admitted. In those cases, PhD students will officially matriculate in Summer Quarter and have their stipend and time to degree begin. Students in Master’s programs who enroll in courses during the Summer prior to beginning the program may not have those courses be counted towards degree requirements, and the student matriculates into the program in the Autumn.