For Students

Admission to Illinois Linguistics

Thank you for your interest in studying Linguistics at the University of Illinois! We are excited at the prospect of your becoming a member of this dynamic body. The quality of our programs depends on the quality of our students. We strive to attract outstanding applicants and to offer them a challenging intellectual environment.

For questions concerning application materials and procedures, please contact Lynn Stanke by email (stanke at illinois.edu) or telephone (217-333-6269).

Undergraduate Admission

Our undergraduate admission process is handled by the Admissions Office of the University of Illinois. The following websites will help guide you through the process:

University of Illinois Office of Admissions and Records

Getting Started with Admissions
Undergraduate Student Blogs

Contacts for Undergraduate Admission:

Lynn Stanke (stanke at illinois.edu)
Dr. Peter Lasersohn (lasersoh at illinois.edu)

Graduate Admission

Applicants to the M.A., MATESL, and Ph.D. programs in Linguistics must have completed a bachelor’s degree.

For the M.A. and Ph.D. programs, undergraduate preparation should include the study of at least one foreign language; courses equivalent to LING 210, 400, and 401 on this campus; and a broad background in the humanities, social sciences, or mathematics.

For the MATESL program, an undergraduate major in linguistics, English, a foreign language, or education is generally recommended, though other majors are also acceptable. Applicants must present a grade point average of at least 3.0 (A = 4.0) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. Two years of coursework in a foreign language or the equivalent are also required.

The graduate admission process to the M.A., MATESL, and Ph.D. programs in Linguistics is handled jointly by the Graduate College and the Department of Linguistics.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign now has a web-based application procedure. The application web site is at http://www.grad.uiuc.edu/admissions/apply/.

The Graduate College web site contains brief instructions regarding the application process and lists the options (with links) for applying on-line, downloading a paper copy of the application or contacting departments to request an application packet. Applying on-line is the preferred method; a central advantage to the on-line application is that applicants can pay by credit card (Visa or Mastercard) and the application is then available to departments immediately following the credit card processing.

Graduate Admission requirements for the Department of Linguistics are:

completed graduate application
application fee
official transcripts (with English translations, if applicable)
three letters of recommendation
statement of purpose
writing sample of 10-20 pages
GRE scores (there is no minimum score requirement)
for non-native English speakers: TOEFL score of at least 88 (100 preferred) on the internet-based test (iBT); the speaking subsection of the iBT must also be passed with a minimum score of 24 (see http://www.grad.illinois.edu/Admissions/instructions/04c.cfm for instructions)

After completing the online application, applicants should submit their original trasncripts statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation, and writing sample to: SLCL Graduate Student Services 3070 Foreign Languages Bldg. 707 S. Mathews Ave. Urbana, IL 61801 The applicant should ask the ETS to submit scores to institution 1836. Applications are accepted for fall admission only. Application questions may be directed to SLCL Graduate Student Services (slclgradservices at illinois.edu).

The deadline for applications and financial aid is January 1st. Note that this is different from other UIUC deadlines. Also, be aware that many opportunities for financial aid have deadlines prior to January 1st. Prospective students are advised to inquire about these deadlines.

If you are interested in second language acquisition, you should know about the SLATE (Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education) advanced certificate program. Another option is the Language and Speech Processing certificate program. Students enrolled in a Ph.D. program can simultaneously earn either of these certificates.

Additionally, a dual degree program that combines a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Speech Communication with an Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) is available through the Medical Scholars Program.

Alternative forms of admission are also available. Students can apply for re-entry if they were previously a graduate student at the University of Illinois. Students can also apply as nondegree gradation students.

There are many opportunities for financial aid at the University of Illinois. The Graduate College Fellowship Office has produced a guide entitled "Financial Aid for Graduate Students", which describes all the different opportunities available to you, and how to apply. You can access this information at http://www.grad.illinois.edu/fellowship/finaid.htm.

For additional information, please see the University’s Programs of Study guide.

Contacts for Graduate Admission:

Lynn Stanke (stanke at illinois.edu), Administrative contact
Dr. Rakesh Bhatt (rbhatt at illinois.edu), Director of Graduate Admissions

Department of Linguistics University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign