Effective July 15, the $50 graduate application fee will be waived for students applying to the Graduate School for our 2024-2025 admission cycle (Summer 2024, Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 terms).
Admissions Criteria
Because students interested in Linguistics often come from diverse backgrounds and may not have had the opportunity to major in Linguistics as undergraduates, each applicant is considered on an individual basis.
Your application will be considered (along with all other applications submitted in the current application cycle) by our Graduate Admissions Committee. Individual professors cannot admit students directly, so, you do not need to approach a professor in advance to sponsor you. However, one of the required documents for application is a statement of purpose and, in that document, you would say why you want to study at USC and which professor(s) you envisage working with.
Prospective students who have the PhD as their goal, but do not have an MA in linguistics should apply for the concurrent MA/PhD track. Applicants should apply for the MA and specify in the personal statement that they wish to be considered for the MA/PhD. Students applying for the concurrent track must otherwise meet the minimum requirements for the PhD. Concurrent admission is determined on a case by case basis by the Admissions Committee; expressing a desire to be considered for it does not guarantee placement in it.
Students admitted to the concurrent track typically earn their MA in Linguistics, although in some cases they may earn it in a cooperating graduate MA program. Currently, the Linguistics Program has such a cooperative agreement with the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. Applicants for the concurrent track in the Linguistics Program and another program must submit separate applications to each academic unit. The personal statement to each program should specify that they are applying for the concurrent track in both programs.
Admission Materials and Deadlines
| Materials | Ph.D. or M.A./Ph.D. Applicants | M.A. Applicants | TESOL Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| An official application, including the application fee, through the Graduate School application portal. | Required | Required | Required |
| Academic transcripts for all prior undergraduate and graduate study (typical GPA of successful applicants is 3.5) | Required | Required | Required |
| Letters of recommendation | Three Required | Three Required | Two Required |
| Personal statement | Required | Required | Required |
|
TOEFL (minimum score 80), or |
Required for non-native speakers of English only | Required for non-native speakers of English only | Required for non-native speakers of English only |
| Résumé/CV | Required | - | - |
| Writing Sample | Required | - | - |
| Deadlines | Priority: December 15th Final: May 1st |
May 1st | May 1st |
†The Duolingo English Test is permitted as alternative evidence of English language proficiency for Summer/Fall 2023 admissions.
In all cases, minimally acceptable scores and grades are no guarantee of admission. At the same time, evidence of high potential from several parts of an applicant's
file may occasionally outweigh a low test score or GPA.
Students are normally admitted to the program in the fall semester. To receive full consideration for financial assistance, applications should be completed before the first round of selections (December 15). The absolute deadline for applying is May 1.
Applications submitted outside of the fall admissions cycle are rarely considered, and only possible if the student has taken a graduate survey in linguistics. Graduate assistantships are awarded only to students entering in the fall semester on a highly competitive merit basis.
Funding Opportunities
The Linguistics Program at South Carolina makes financial support for its graduate students a priority. In addition to offering our PhD students graduate assistantships, the program has been particularly successful in securing additional support through the University of South Carolina Presidential Fellowship Program, the College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Assistantship Enhancement Program, and the Bilinksi Fellowship, which supports students during their dissertation research and writing.
Additional funding is available on competitive basis through the Graduate School and the office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships.
Contact Us
Have general questions about our graduate program that cannot be answered on our website? Reach out to the Graduate Director or contact specific faculty members of interest.