DEPARTMENTAL GRADUATE APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS IN A NUTSHELL
Please note: All entering students are admitted into the M.A. program in Comparative Literature. Students are officially accepted into the Ph.D. program only upon the successful completion of the Second Year Examination. (The Second Year Examination is also required of students entering with advanced work from another M.A. or Ph.D. program.)
(Please also see the UW-Madison Graduate School listing and the Memoranda for International and Domestic Graduate Applicants. Please also see the Graduate School’s: http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/gschecklist.html
Admission Requirements: http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/requirements.html❡ Application deadline
- December 15 for fall semester; spring admissions are rare; plan to apply for fall.
❡ On Line Application: https://www.gradsch.wisc.edu/eapp/eapp.pl
❡ Language Training
- Ability to read and comprehend with ease literary texts in English and at least one additional language.
❡ TOEFL or GRE requirements
- GRE General Test (http://www.gre.org). An official report must be sent to the Department of Comparative Literature (University Code: 1846). This is the only code you need to use.
- TOEFL or MELAB Test for applicants whose native language is not English (University Code: 1846). Please see: (http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/requirements.html). (See Information about Financial Aid for International Students for exceptions.) An official report must be sent directly to the Graduate School. The Graduate School minimum TOEFL score is 580. (Please see Memorandum to International Applicants for additional information.)
❡ Transcripts
- Applicants should send official transcripts (2 copies) to the department of Comparative Literature from each institution attended.
- International academic records must be in the original language accompanied by an official English translation. Documents must be issued by the school with the official seal/stamp and an official signature(s).
❡ Recommendations
- Three confidential letters of recommendation may be submitted either electronically or in hard copy mailed directly to the Department of Comparative Literature. Please have your recommenders send their letter on institutional letterhead. ( http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/elorinstructions.html)
❡ Other Materials
- Application form (on line)
- A brief (1-3 pages) statement of purpose for wanting to study Comparative Literature
- A 10-15 page writing sample in English
- A list of your foreign language and literature courses, indicating the course title and number, the term and year you took it, and the number of credit hours.
All application materials (except the application fee) should be sent to the Department. Please do not send the items requested above to the Graduate School as they will not be forwarded to the Department.
Graduate Admissions Committee
Department of Comparative Literature
932 Van Hise
1220 Linden Dr.
Madison WI 53706
❡ Financial Aid
- Information about applying for Financial Aid is available at: http://www.finaid.wisc.edu/how.html
- For information about loans, work study, and other forms of financial aid, contact the Financial Aid Office at: http://www.finaid.wisc.edu/
- International Student Financial Information: International student Financial Information will only be requested by the Graduate School after the departmental recommendation for admission. Therefore, the link to the financial statement form has been removed. However, the Graduate School realizes applicants may want to know how much it will cost to attend UW-Madison. They have created a web page for International Student Expenses. (http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/financialinfo.html)