Graduate Admissions FAQs

In addition to the general requirements of the Graduate School (see page 10-12 of Graduate Student Handbook) candidates to the graduate program in the Department of Spanish & Portuguese must meet the criteria below.  Please note that students applying to our graduate programs must be proficient in oral and written Spanish.

For the M.A. Program:

-   B.A. degree, preferably in Spanish literatures and cultures, or related fields.

-   Minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in overall undergraduate coursework.

For the Ph.D. Program:

-  M.A. in Hispanic Literatures or related field.

-  Minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in overall graduate coursework.

In addition to the KU Graduate Application, the following components should be included in your application:

All External Applicants:

-  A statement of academic objectives in English describing your intellectual development, previous academic training, and areas of academic interest. The quality of this statement is an especially important factor in the decisions of the admissions committee. It would also be helpful if you identified the faculty member(s) with whom you intend to work. The statement should not exceed two single-spaced pages.

-  A curriculum vitae

-  Copies of official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate programs

-  An academic writing sample in Spanish (not to exceed 30 double-spaced pages)

-  Three letters of recommendation with the appropriate waiver form

-   A video file (mp4) or a sound file (mp3) in spoken Spanish and English. Your recording should describe your background with Spanish, your reasons for seeking a graduate degree in Hispanic Studies, and the goals you intend to achieve as a student and instructor at the University of Kansas. Please speak spontaneously and be yourself; record 5 minutes for each language. The committee is trying to get a sense of your oral communicative abilities.

Admission to the graduate program is competitive and based on an evaluation of the entire dossier of materials submitted by the student. Particular attention is paid to the student’s self-presentation, so care should be taken in writing the personal statement and in choosing the essay sent as a writing sample. The Admissions Committee considers each applicant’s statement, academic accomplishments, letters of recommendation, audio recording, and writing samples to assess the applicant’s potential for graduate studies. The committee uses the video-sound file to evaluate candidates for GTAships.

Proof of English Proficiency

Non-native English speakers must demonstrate English proficiency to gain admission to a graduate program. See Graduate Admissions guidelines regarding the University’s requirements for providing proof of English Proficiency.

Internal M.A. Applicants to Ph.D. Program:

-  The Department’s Graduate Studies Committee oversees the application process.

-  Applications for the Ph.D. program are due on the first Friday of the semester when the student will be taking their M.A. exams. Students should submit their completed application to the Graduate Program Coordinator AND to the Director of Graduate Studies for review. A completed application includes:

• Statement of Ph.D. goals, including likely committee members;
• Current degree progress report by signing in through the My KU website;
• Writing sample from M.A. work;
• One-paragraph letters from two faculty members with whom the student would work; applicants request these letters from faculty, to be delivered to the Director of Graduate Studies.

-  In addition to reviewing the application materials, the Graduate Studies Committee contacts the Co-Directors of the Language Program for an assessment of the candidate’s teaching qualifications.

Admissions Contact Information

If you have questions about the academic program or curriculum, contact the Director of Graduate Studies. If you have questions about the application process or required materials, contact the Graduate Program Coordinator.

Strictly speaking, no. Our admissions committee members can read Spanish and Portuguese; for consideration by the committee, the letters do not need to be written in English. However, if you are nominated for School or campus-level fellowships, other committees will evaluate your application package, including your letters of recommendation. If at all possible, have your recommenders write in English.

Completed applications for the Fall semester, including all supplemental documents, are due no later than January 5th. Applicants to the program who wish to be considered for funding through a University Fellowship or Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) appointment should submit applications by that date. The final deadline for Fall matriculation is May 1. Late applications may be considered only in exceptional cases. Please email our Director of Graduate Studies for questions about late applications.

Applications to begin in the Spring semester are only available to internal candidates and to candidates from exchange programs affiliated to the Department of Spanish & Portuguese.

We do not close the application portal on the early January priority deadline. Instead, we continue to accept applications until May 1st, or all of our available spots have been filled. So don’t worry if you missed the priority deadline. Some fellowships are no longer available after the priority deadline, but we still accept (and fund) students (with fellowships and/or teaching assistantships) who apply after that date.

Yes, all applicants to the MA and PhD programs will be considered for departmental funding in the form of Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs). The appointments are contingent on approval by the College and the University and on the availability of funds from the State. Graduate Teaching Assistants are usually appointed on an annual basis. Departmental funding includes research and travel grants from the Fox Research Fund and the Anderson Fund. The department has been successful in maintaining funding for students who are making good progress in our graduate program. In addition, the Department will also nominate eligible students for various University fellowships and scholarships. These include the University Fellowships, Summer Research Fellowships granted by the Graduate School, and Tinker Research Grants from the Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies. 

Yes! Living in Lawrence is significantly cheaper than living in the areas where many of our peer institutions are located. Keep this in mind when you are comparing offers from other programs. We recommend that you look at a cost-of-living calculator to make an informed decision. Many are available free on the internet, and you can find some by Googling “cost of living calculator.”

In our experience, students can live comfortably (albeit frugally) on the teaching assistant stipend.

Here are just a few reasons:

• Excellent research facilities
• Dedicated, well-published faculty
• Affordable cost of living
• All accepted students receive funding so out-of-pocket costs are minimal.