To apply to one of the graduate programs we offer at the MA level (French Studies, French Applied Linguistics) or the PhD level (French Studies, French Linguistics, French SLATE), please use the University of Illinois Graduate College online application form.

Fall 2025 admissions for French

The priority deadline for applications to our graduate programs in French is December 11, 2024, for admission in Fall 2025. Applications received by this date are eligible for competitive fellowships offered by the University of Illinois Graduate College.

The final deadline for applications to our graduate programs in French is February 19, 2025, for admission in Fall 2025.

All admitted students receive a tuition waiver and guaranteed financial aid for 4 to 6 years in the form of either fellowships or teaching and research assistantships.

For more information, see our answers to Frequently Asked Questions about graduate admissions. 

Application materials

For your online application, you will need to provide scanned or PDF versions of the following documents by uploading them into the application form:

  • transcripts (and an English translation where applicable), certificates of degree and/or diplomas from all institutions of higher education you have attended (junior college, college/university, or graduate school). Please note: upon admission, official final transcripts and certificates of degree or diplomas will be needed at time of arrival.
  • an academic statement of purpose (written in either English or French, maximum 1000 words). Please use the academic statement of purpose to describe (1) the substantive scholarly questions you are interested in exploring in graduate study, (2) your academic background, intellectual interests, and any training, research, or other experiences that have prepared you for graduate study, (3) how our program would help you achieve your intellectual goals, (4) any specific faculty members, if applicable, whose research interests align with your own interests, and (5) your professional goals. 
  • a personal statement (written in English, maximum 500 words). The University of Illinois strives to cultivate graduates and future alumni to be responsible citizens and leaders who value knowledge, creativity, global awareness, and social and cultural understanding. Please use the personal statement to describe how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Provide insight on your potential to contribute to a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect in which scholars with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn and collaborate productively and positively together. 
  • two writing samples (minimum five pages each), in the form of two papers (such as a term paper or research paper), at least one of which must be written in French.

In addition, you will have to supply:

  • the contact information for three referees who will provide a letter of recommendation, preferably professors familiar with your work. Submission guidelines for these letters are explained in the online application form.

GRE scores are not required and should not be included in your application.

Each new student will be accepted for one of our graduate specializations (at the MA level: French Studies or Applied French Linguistics; at the PhD level, French Studies, French Linguistics or French SLATE). In the online application, under “Other Field of Specialization,” you should therefore clearly indicate to which of the graduate specializations you are applying.

In the online application form, under “Application Information,” please indicate the kind of financial support for which you would like to be considered. You may rank the options in order of importance, or you may indicate that you have no preference. In the Department of French & Italian, we generally do not admit more students than we can support with assistantships or fellowships.

If you cannot complete the online application, please contact the Graduate Student Services of the School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics (SLCL) at slclgradservices@illinois.edu for assistance or write to Graduate Student Services, 3070 FLB, 707 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL 61801.

In case you have any questions about the online application form and procedure, please do not hesitate to contact SLCL Graduate Student Services at slclgradservices@illinois.edu.

English proficiency requirement

For admission consideration, the University of Illinois requires that all applicants whose native language is not English submit a current TOEFL or IELTS score report. Please have ETS send your TOEFL score report to institution code #1836. Applicants who have already taken the IELTS should upload their score report forms directly to the online application.

This requirement may be waived if, within five years of the term of enrollment, you have completed at least two academic years of full-time study or completed a graduate degree in a country where English is the primary language of instruction. Minimum score requirements for admission are 79 on the TOEFL iBT, 550 on the TOEFL PBT, or 6.5 total and 6 in all subsections of the IELTS. See the Graduate College's website for detailed information on English proficiency requirements for admission.

In order to be considered for a teaching assistantship, the University additionally requires that all applicants who are not native speakers of English provide evidence of a minimum of 24 on the oral section of the new TOEFL iBT or a minimum score of 8 on the oral section of the IELTS. See the Graduate College's website for detailed information on English proficiency requirements for teaching assistantships.

You should be aware that some of the tests mentioned above may be given infrequently and only in certain locales. You should therefore register for them as early as possible.