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How to Apply

How to Apply to the Graduate Program


MA, MFA, and PhD Applicants

Students applying to the MA, MFA, or PhD degree programs must hold a BA or BS degree from an accredited college or university. Successful applicants generally have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.3 or higher. Applicants holding an MA or MFA in English (or, in some cases, another appropriate discipline) are eligible for admission into the PhD program.


BA-to-PhD Track

The BA-to-PhD track is available to applicants to any program who do not hold a MA or MFA degree in the field. Applicants to the BA-to-PhD track must submit application materials at the same time as other candidates (December 15th). Applicants accepted into the BA-to-PhD track will receive a teaching assistantship for the first year. Applicants who are denied admission into the BA-to-PhD track might instead be offered admission into the MA or MFA program.


Complete applications are due by
 December 15 for admission following fall semester. 
Applications submitted after the December 15 deadline will not be considered.

Please include your name on all application materials. All applications will be considered for funding during the admissions process; no separate application for funding is required.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The English Department no longer requires the GRE test to apply.


All applications, writing samples, and recommendations must be submitted via the University of Utah Graduate online application system Slate. The English Department will not accept applications that are submitted by mail.

Please be sure to indicate in the appropriate places on the application your name, address, and the specific program to which you are applying. If you are applying for admission to our doctoral program but will not have a master's degree in the field of English upon entering our program, please choose “English-PHD,” and in the section labeled “Additional Information” indicate that you are applying to the BA-to-PHD track. Applicants to the BA-to-PhD track will automatically be considered for admission to the appropriate master's program if they are not admitted to the doctoral program.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The online application system permits applicants to apply to only ONE of the department’s MA, MFA, or PhD programs. Please apply to the program you are most interested in pursuing. (You can, however, apply to both the MA and MFA programs.)


All applications must include:

  • A statement of purpose describing your professional interests and goals.
  • A substantial critical writing sample of at least six pages. The critical sample should demonstrate your ability to frame a critical argument and to conduct a sustained reading of a text or texts.
  • Three (3) academic letters of recommendation from faculty who know your work and can assess your ability to do graduate work in English. Please submit the email addresses of your three recommenders via Slate.

Applications for Creative Writing must include:

  • In addition to the critical sample (detailed above), a creative writing sample, either poetry, fiction, or non-fiction (approximately 10 pages). For the poetry sample, a small collection of poems is acceptable. For fiction or non-fiction samples, a short story or a chapter or selection from a novel, a memoir, or an essay is acceptable. If your fiction or non-fiction samples are short, you can submit more than one piece. Please submit creative samples only in the genre to which you are applying.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The application software allows applicants to submit two files. Creative writing applicants must upload one critical and one creative sample. If your creative sample consists of several short pieces, you must incorporate them into one file before uploading. 


International Applicants:

International applicants who are not native speakers of English must demonstrate proficiency in English before they are eligible for  teaching fellowships. Proficiency is partly demonstrated by a TSE or SPEAK score (40 on the TSE, 180 on the SPEAK). International students who will hold teaching fellowships are normally also required to obtain certification through the University’s International Teaching Assistant Program. For more information on the ITA program, see: International Teaching Assistant (ITA) Program

International applicants must upload the appropriate fee, one unofficial set of transcripts, and official TOEFL results to Slate.

Applicants will be notified of application decisions by March 15.


The forms for application to the University of Utah Graduate Admissions and the Department of English can now be accessed via the online application system Slate.

Further information is available by contacting
Karli Sam
karli.sam@utah.edu
(801) 581-7131

Click Here To access Graduate Application Forms


Complete applications are due by
 December 15 for admission following fall semester. In order to be considered for admission, your application must be complete by this date. Please include your name on all application materials. All applications will be considered for funding during the admissions process; no separate application for funding is required.

Applications submitted after the December 15 deadline will not be considered.*

All applications, writing samples, and recommendations must be submitted via the University of Utah Graduate online application system Slate. The English Department will not accept applications that are submitted by mail.

There is no longer an April 15th deadline for admission to the MA or MFA programs.

Applicants who apply for admission by the December 15th deadline will be notified of their admission status by March 15. Applicants cannot be advised of their admission status over the telephone, but they can check the status of their processed application through the online application system: Slate.

*If a deadline falls on a holiday or weekend, applications will be accepted through the following business day.


To be considered complete, all items listed below must be submitted via the online application system by
 December 15thSlate.

  • Application
    A completed University of Utah Common Online Graduate Admissions Application, including an affidavit of support for International Students.
  • Application Fee
    Payment of application fee ($55 for domestic applicants; $65 for international applicants) via the online application system.
  • Transcripts
    Transcripts must be uploaded via the online application system. To facilitate this process you may request your unofficial transcripts, print them out, and upload them into the online application system in accordance with the directions here. If you are accepted into the program and choose to attend, you must then supply official transcripts mailed from your schools directly to the University of Utah Admissions Office.

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
ADMISSIONS OFFICE

201 S 1460 E RM 250S
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84112-9057

  • Statement of Purpose
    (see "Instructions for Application Submission" above)
  • Writing Sample
    Include a writing sample, or, for creative writing applicants, samples.
    (see "Instructions for Application Submission" above)
  • Three Academic Letters of Reference
    (see "Instructions for Application Submission" above)

Note: The English Department no longer requires the GRE to apply.


You can check to see whether your application is complete by logging into the online application system using your user ID and the password you receive after completing your application and paying the application fee. You can also receive email verifications when your recommenders have uploaded their letters of recommendation to the electronic system.


Please note that due to the time required for processing updates on applications submitted after the first week of December might not be available on the Application deadline of December 15.

The University of Utah seeks to provide to people with disabilities equal access to its programs, services, and activities.

 

Frequently Asked Questions



No. The English Department no longer requires the GRE.


The application deadline is December 15 to enroll the following fall semester.


No. We only admit new students in the fall.


No. At this point we do not offer any graduate courses online.


At this point, it would be difficult, as the vast majority of our classes are scheduled during the standard workday. Please contact the
 graduate advisor for further information.


There is no absolute limit, but in order to assure that the committee will have the time to consider your writing sample or sample carefully, you should limit your samples to 10-12 pages for a critical sample and 15-20 pages for a creative sample.


Most Master’s and MFA students complete the program in 2-4 years, and most PhD students complete the program in 4-6 years. Do remember that these are only rough averages; there is no guarantee of completion in a specified length of time. If you are receiving department funding and a tuition waiver, there is a two-year funding limit for the MA and MFA and a four-year limit for PhD students. Beyond those limits, however, there are fellowship and teaching opportunities, especially for PhD students.


Applicants will receive official emails from the Department of English and the online application system. You should expect to be notified by March 15.


The number of applicants accepted depends on the application pool in a given year. In general, we accept roughly ten percent of applicants in all programs combined.


You may apply to only ONE track within the MA and PhD programs. You can, however, apply to both the MA and MFA programs.

Don't see your question covered here?
Call the English office at (801) 581-6168 or contact the graduate advisor.

Last Updated: 7/27/22