Memorandum to International Applicants to the Department of Comparative Literature Graduate Program
From: The Graduate Director
Thank you for your inquiry about graduate work in Comparative Literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We encourage you to review the following admissions and funding requirements before requesting an application. Please also see the “Memorandum to Applicants to the Graduate Program of the Department of Comparative Literature” for additional information.
Application Fee: The application fee is currently $45. Applications will not be processed without this fee. Under Wisconsin law, the Graduate School may not waive or defer this fee.
Funding: International applicants are required to have adequate financial resources to cover their expenses completely while attending UW-Madison. http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/financialinfo.html
Financial aid is extremely limited and consideration of financial aid requests is highly competitive. The Department of Comparative Literature is able to offer teaching Assistantships to only 25% of its students, and these are almost always filled by advanced students in the program. Also, United States law strictly limits work opportunities for international students; please do not plan to pay for any significant university costs by working--it is unlikely that you will be able to do so.
Application Deadline: The application deadline for the Comparative Literature Department is January 15 for the subsequent fall semester. Please see the “Memorandum to Graduate Applicants” for additional details and information.
Graduate Record Examinations: The GRE is required, although the Comparative Literature Department does not require subject tests. The GRE scores must reach the Graduate School by the application deadline.
English Proficiency: Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide officialscores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). Anadmitted applicant whose TOEFL (paper-based) test score is below 580; TOEFL computer-based test (CBT) score below 237; or MELABbelow 82 must take an English assessment test upon arrival. You must then register for any recommended English as a Second Language (ESL) course(s) in the first semester you are enrolled. Visit the TOEFL Web site to sample exam questions, to get free test preparation materials, and to find where the test will be given in your area.
International applicants must have a degree comparable to a regionally accredited U.S. bachelor's degree, with a strong
academic performance comparable to a "B" or above average grades. The Graduate School views your overall performance using
your institution's grading scale. Please do not convert your grades to a four point scale. Degree, academic documents and
language
requirements vary by location of your undergraduate institution. For specific information select a country from the list
below.
Degree Equivalency: By the time of enrollment, every international applicant must have a degree comparable to an approved U.S. bachelor's degree per University of Wisconsin Graduate School minimum level requirements.
Other Requirements: We require that all students enter the program with the ability to engage in literary work in English and at least one additional language. The “ability to engage in literary work,” for us, means ability to read and understand literary texts with ease.
If you are able to comply with the above requirements and able to obtain financial support to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we invite you to request an application. Regardless of your decision, we wish you every success in your educational endeavors.