Information for Prospective Graduate Students
Thank you for your interest in our graduate program. This website will provide you with a good deal of information about our department and graduate program. At your request we will send a number of other informational items that will tell you more about this department and university. The quality and diversity of our faculty and the resources of the university and community combine to make this an excellent place to pursue graduate study. You are undoubtedly considering applying to a number of graduate programs. We hope that, when you have examined these materials, you will conclude that ours should be among them.
You may now apply electronically by going to:
http://www.grad.uiuc.edu/admissions/apply/
Alternatively, the application form may be downloaded electronically from that same site. If you prefer we will send you an application form. However, the preferred method is to apply online. One advantage to the online application is that applicants can pay their application fee by credit card (Mastercard or Visa). Another is that your application will be transmitted to us immediately following credit card processing of your fee.
Applications for admission and financial aid must be supported by at least three letters of recommendation and copies of all of your undergraduate (and any previous graduate) transcripts. The submission of Graduate Record Examination results (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing) and a sample of your written work (preferably in philosophy) is strongly recommended and is required if you are applying for financial aid. The GRE website is www.gre.org. Their email address is: newgeneraltestinfo@ets.org. (If you are an MD/PhD applicant, MCAT scores may be submitted in place of GRE scores, but both are preferred).
You are also welcome to write a letter providing any further information about your background and interests that you feel might be helpful in the consideration of your application.
International students whose first language is not English must submit TOEFL results. A score of at least 600 (paper-based test) or 115 (iBT - internet-based test) is normally required. International applicants should be sure to use the special international application form.
All non-native English speaking graduate students who are candidates for classroom teaching assistantships must take either the TSE (Test of Spoken English) or the SPEAK (Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit) and receive a score of 50 or higher, on either test, before becoming a teaching assistant. You are encouraged to take the TSE in your country before arriving in the United States. You can find information on when and where the test is given by going to www.toefl.org. Your TSE test score results need to be sent to our department.
If you are unable to schedule the TSE test you then have the option of taking the SPEAK test once you arrive here at the University of Illinois. The test is administered 3 times each calendar year; fall, spring and summer. You need to notify our department if you plan on taking the SPEAK test so that we can get you registered.
You can get extensive information about our campus and community at the site http://www.uiuc.edu/ and you can get detailed information about graduate studies on this campus at http://www.grad.uiuc.edu/.
If you are a U.S. citizen and are applying by mail, your application, fees, and GRE scores should be sent to:
Office of Admissions and Records
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
901 W. Illinois St., MC-061
Urbana, IL 61801
International applications, fees, GRE scores, TOEFL and TSE scores, and financial statements should also be sent to the above address.
Transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other supporting materials may be sent directly to:
Graduate Program Admissions
Department of Philosophy
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
105 Gregory Hall, MC-468
810 South Wright Street
Urbana, IL 61801
Please Note: Letters of recommendation and writing samples may now be uploaded to the online application.
If you wish to apply for financial aid as well as for admission, your application (and supporting materials if possible) should be received by December 10, in order for you to be assured of receiving full consideration.
We would be happy to receive an application from you. If you have any further questions about our program and this university, feel free to contact either of us. If you have specific questions about the application process, you can contact our Graduate Program Secretary at (217) 244-2646.
Sincerely,
Robert Cummins, Professor & Chair
Timothy McCarthy, Professor & Director of Graduate Studies
