Admissions

Deadlines

• JANUARY 5th - The deadline for admission and financial support is January 5th. Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted by this date in order to be considered for funding.
• JUNE 1st - Applications completed after January 5th, but by June 1st will be considered for admission if space is still available. Application for admission and all supporting materials must be received by the deadline to be considered for admission. Applications completed after June 1st will not be considered.

Application 

As you prepare your graduate school application, keep in mind that our admission committee will be looking for two main things: 1) evidence that you have the potential to succeed in our graduate program and 2) a match between the area(s) you wish to study and the expertise of our available faculty mentors. Make sure the required items below speak to these two criteria. 

Online Application

To apply for admission, you must complete all elements of the online application.

Prepare your application & apply

About the sample of written work (uploaded to the online application)

The sample should be a research paper or critical analysis. It can be a work previously submitted for a class. It will be submitted online during the application process.

Please make sure that all information in your online application is correct and that all statements & writing samples are revised/uploaded before submitting. No changes can be made to your application once it is submitted.

Additional Required Materials for International Applicants - Must also be received by the deadline

• TOEFL/IELTS Scores: International Applicants must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. The minimum requirements for admission are a total score of 80 on the internet-based TOEFL test OR a whole test score of 7.0 on IELTS. Typically successful applicants score significantly higher than these minimums. A TOEFL speaking score of 26 or an IELTS speaking score of 8 is required to be eligible for Teaching Assistant positions. Students with a TOEFL speaking score of 23-25 or an IELTS speaking score of 7-7.5 must pass an additional English Exam when they arrive in order to be eligible to TA. Please request OFFICIAL SCORES from the relevant testing agency using the following codes:
  UC Davis Institution Code: 4834
  Comp Lit Department Code: 28
  (We can waive the TOEFL or IELTS requirement if you have earned an undergraduate degree from a university where English was the primary language of instruction. Please make sure this university is listed on your application with the degree received and the date.)
• Transcript Translations: As mentioned above, certified English Translations are required for all transcripts issued by the institution in a foreign language. Please upload both the non-English transcript and the English translation. For more information, please see the graduate studies website: https://gradstudies.ucdavis.edu/prospective-students/international-applicants.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Did you receive my materials?
• Once we have received AND processed your application materials, program staff will email you a courtesy notice to let you know if any items are missing. This will typically take about one week. It may take longer if it is very close to the deadline.
• When I preview the application, it seems like I didn't fill in some of the information, but I wasn't asked.  What should I do?
• Our graduate program opted out of asking some questions because we felt they were redundant. You will not be able to fill in the following sections: GRE Scores; Prior Experience; Prerequisite Course History; Future Interests or Goals; Resume/CV (upload).
• Is funding available for international students?
• Yes. Funding is available for international Ph.D. students. Since teaching is an integral part of the Comp Lit Ph.D. program, the most competitive applicants are fluent enough in English to be able to accurately grade essays.
• Is funding available for undocumented or DACAmented students?
• Some scholarships and loans may be available to undocumented students thanks to the California Dream Act. In order to be eligible to work (including as a TA), students must be authorized to work (by DACA or other means). To learn more, please visit the Undocumented Student Center website.
• How do I apply for Spring admission?
• Applications for admission are accepted for fall quarter only.

For questions about the admissions process or more information about the Comparative Literature Ph.D. program, please contact Faculty Advisor Michael Subialka at msubialka@ucdavis.edu. Thank you!