1. Graduate
  2. Application Process

Application Process

The GradCAS application portal is now open for 2027 enrollment: https://gradcas.liaisoncas.org/apply/.  Please submit all application materials via GradCAS and do not email materials to the Department.  Please make sure to use a contact email address that you will still be able to access for 6-12 months after the application date. In addition, please consult our frequently asked questions

In GradCas, please search for 'University of Pittsburgh Linguistics'. You should see our 4 programs. Please select the one for the degree you are seeking.

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Hispanic Linguistics
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics
  • Master of Arts in Linguistics (This is the 2 year Master's in Linguistics or Applied Linguistics. A TESOL Certificate can be added if a student wishes.)
  • Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (This is the one-year MA TESOL option, completed in two semesters.)

Please let us know if you do not see the program that you are interested in.

If you wish to be considered for a fee waiver, please review the information below for more information on that process.

The application deadline for the PhD programs is December 1 for admission in the fall of the following year. (If you do not currently hold an MA degree, you can still apply for the PhD and obtain an MA during your PhD studies. You must still contact a potential advisor and apply by the December 1 deadline.)

The deadline for MA programs is March 15 for admission in the fall of that year--however, early application to either program is strongly recommended.

All Applicants

In order for your application to be considered complete, we have provided a checklist of what you will need to submit via our online application:

  • $75 check or payment voucher if you chose to pay your application fee by credit card. You will be asked to pay this fee when you have completed the online application.
    • In an effort to reduce financial barriers to attending graduate school, the Kenneth P. Dietrich Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers application fee waivers. Please note that fee waivers are approved on a case-by-case basis and not all fee waiver requests will be granted.  All requests received will be reviewed and responded to within 48 hours during normal business hours: Monday - Friday 8:30a.m. to 5:00p.m. EST.  To be considered for a fee waiver, please complete the following fee waiver survey for review: https://pitt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cD38CmmjcOT3Tvw.
       
  • Upload copies of your undergraduate transcripts and when applicable, graduate transcripts, with your online application. Certified transcripts and translations of all undergraduate and graduate study are required if you are accepted to the program. We will request these certified copies at the time of the formal admission.
  • Three forms/letters of recommendation are required. You should submit the names of three referees with your online application for admission. The recommendation form we ask to be included with each letter of recommendation is available for download as a pdf file once you begin your online application process. Referees should submit their recommendations electronically.
  • Career/Research Statement
  • A Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume is required. We need this information to decide on appropriate financial aid packages.
  • Writing Sample: Because your success in our program will depend on your writing skills, all applicants must submit a sample of written academic work. Preferably this example will be on a linguistic topic, but it need not be. The writing sample should demonstrate your ability in academic prose and argument.
  • If you are applying for the Hispanic Linguistics Program and Spanish is not one of your first languages, you must supply evidence of Spanish proficiency.

If you are having issues with any part of your on-line application for the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences please reach out to the GradCas Applicant Help center: https://help.liaisonedu.com/GradCAS_Applicant_Help_Center.  If you cannot find the answer to your question you can also contact them by phone 857-304-2086 or via email: gradcasinfo@liaisoncas.com.  For the quickest response it is best to contact them via chat on the Applicant Help center page.

Additional materials needed for International Applicants

Submission of the TOEFL, IELTS, or DET is a University requirement for all applicants for whom English is not one of their first languages. Please enter your scores in the section of the online application. An official copy of the test score must be sent directly to our department. The institution code is 2927. Personal copies of test scores are not acceptable. 

  • Recommended TOEFL Score: 5.0 or higher on the new TOEFL scale (1–6), effective for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026. Skill Requirements: Reading, Listening, Writing – 4.5 or above; Speaking – 5.0 or above. For tests taken before January 21, 2026, a score of 95 or higher on the iBT (0–120) scale is recommended (Skill Requirements: Reading and Listening – 22 or above; Speaking and Writing – one skill must be at the level of Advanced). TOEFL scores must not be more than two years old.
  • Recommended IELTS Score: 7 or higher on the IELTS with at least 6.5 in each of its four sections. (Skill Requirements: Speaking and Writing – combined minimum of 13). IELTS scores must not be more than two years old.
  • Recommended Duolingo English Test (DET) Score: 130 or higher (Skill Requirements: Speaking and Writing or Production and Conversation – one skill must be 130). DET scores must not be more than two years old.
  • Admitted students in TESOL-related programs who use English as an additional language must demonstrate proficient spoken English skills as determined by a score of at least 4 on the International Teaching Assistant interview test administered by the University of Pittsburgh. These students must successfully complete the interview before graduating.

Only applicants who have recently received a degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States are exempt from submission of the TOEFL and this requirement is also waived for certain countries where the medium of university instruction is English, for example the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, as well as some universities in Nigeria, Ghana, Singapore and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
 

International Graduate Student Visa Information


The University of Pittsburgh welcomes applications from talented students worldwide. However, current federal travel bans may prevent admitted students from certain countries from obtaining a visa to study in the United States. We recommend that students from these countries who do not have a valid U.S. visa and/or are currently living outside of the United States delay their application until there is a clear pathway to obtain a student visa. Prospective international students can review the current information about U.S. entry on the Office of International Services website.
 

International Graduate Student Financial Information

Upon learning of your decision with regard to our recommendation, we will forward your information to the Office of International Services (OIS). At that point, you will be contacted by OIS directly on how to submit your financial documentation. Find more information on the financial requirement.

Please refer to our Admission FAQ’s for additional information.

For information specific to our programs, please visit the pages of the MA Degree (Applied Linguistics or Hispanic Linguistics), PhD Degree, MA/PhD Degree and TESOL Certificate.

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