Frequently Asked Questions

The best source of information about our Graduate Program is our website. Since everything is now on the web, we no longer print hard copy materials. Under the Graduate Program page, you can obtain the full details about our Ph.D. program. The Prospective Students page has an abundance of information for those interested in applying to our program. Please feel free to contact us at linggradadmissions@umich.edu if you cannot find the information you need.

The application for admission is only available online: online application. To view information about a faculty member, click on Faculty. Click on their name to go to their personal homepage for more information.

The application deadline is December 1 to enter the program the following Fall. All online application materials must be submitted by this date, and any items being sent by mail must be postmarked by December 1. We cannot accept additional or updated materials after the application is submitted.

Applicants that are US citizens or permanent residents and meet the RMF eligibility criteria may apply for a waiver through the Google form here. 

The Linguistics department is unable to offer any other fee waivers. Applicants from Africa may be able to reach out to them for possible support. 

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The application and the fee payment are the only things that absolutely have to be in by the December 1st deadline. As long as your recommender's letter arrives by early January, you should be okay as all complete applicant files are submitted to the areas at that time. It is highly recommended, however, that your credentials arrive as close to the deadline date as possible.

GRE scores are no longer considered for applications to the Linguistics PhD program.

There is no minimum GPA requirement or cut-offs. The admissions committee takes all parts of your application into consideration and reviews it as a whole. On average, entering students have a GPA of 3.5 or higher, although there is no strict minimum requirement.

 Generally, students who are not native speakers of English must submit scores on the “Test of English as a Foreign Language” (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the “Michigan Assessment Battery” (MELAB).

A minimum score of:

• 84 on the MELAB
• 100 on the internet-based TOEFL
• 600 on the paper-based TOEFL
•  OR 7.5 on the IELTS is normally necessary for admission. 

This requirement is waived for students who have earned or will earn a bachelor’s degree from a University where English is the primary language of instruction. (These required scores are higher than the Rackham Graduate School requirements list here for the English Proficiency Exam).

No later than April 1st.

 No, we do not offer an independent Master's degree. We offer a 5- year, fully funded Ph.D. program. However, students may request a Master's degree en route to their Ph.D.

We prefer electronic submission of letters of recommendation. Be sure to register your recommenders when you fill out the online application. However, we still accept paper letters of recommendation which should be sent to:

Graduate Admissions
Department of Linguistics
University of Michigan
440 Lorch Hall
611 Tappan Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1220

The recommender can send them to our office or you can collect all three and mail them together in one envelope. However, the recommender's letters must be in an envelope that is individually sealed and signed.

 Yes, you can submit your letters of recommendation through your university's Graduate Letter Service.

Since our Ph.D. program is for 5 years and fully funded, you need to complete the certification form only if you are bringing dependents with you.

All forms required for an application can be found at the Rackham Graduate School website.

If you have written an honors or master's thesis, you should submit that. However, many of our applicants will not have written such theses. In that case, a term paper, preferably from a class in linguistics, would be best.

All of our incoming students are funded for 5 years through a combination of fellowships and Graduate Students Teaching/Assistant positions. This includes full tuition, medical coverage and a stipend.

We hope that students will finish their dissertation at the end of the fifth year, though it may take longer depending on the nature of the topic and the research methods employed.

Both the Rackham Graduate School and the Department of Linguistics have funds available for purposes such as travel to a conference or for emergency expenses. Students should first apply to the Rackham Graduate School for funds before applying to the department.

Housing information is available. Please follow this link.

The Recruitment weekend usually takes place in March, although specific dates may vary from year to year. Candidates typically arrive to Ann Arbor on a Wednesday and depart on Saturday. Travel is arranged in collaboration with the department.

Candidates invited to the recruitment weekend are typically housed in a hotel close to campus.