Graduate Concurrent Degree Programs
Information provided by the Admissions Office about applying as an undergraduate student concurrently for admission to a graduate program can be found here.
Specific information about requirements to apply to the concurrent graduate programs below offered by the English Department is available using the provided links.
Application requirements for all degree programs
The following materials are required for all graduate degree applicants regardless of program. Additional program requirements are listed in the next section. Application documents must be uploaded in the appropriate category for the review committees to easily identify the various required components.
General requirements
The online application is not actually submitted until you click “Save and Submit” and pay the application fee (if required at the time of application submission). You will need to log out of your application account and log back in to continue to provide information and upload required documents.
NOTE RE: FALL 2026 ENTRY APPLICATIONS – All of our six (6) graduate degree majors receive a deferred application fee. This means you will not be required to pay the application fee upon submission of your application. The application fee will only be required for those admitted in this entry term, the application fee will be paid for you, and your admission will be processed.
Scanned official academic transcripts and degree statements
Scanned transcripts must be official ones issued by the institution(s) where you earned (or will earn) degrees for all undergraduate and graduate work (if applicable). Please contact the ISU Admissions Office if you have transcript questions (admissions@iastate.edu).The ISU Graduate College requires an overall minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.00 to qualify for full admission and eligibility for graduate assistantship support. Preferred overall minimum undergraduate GPA for English department graduate programs:
MA and MFA: 3.25
PhD: 3.50
Written and spoken English proficiency
Nonnative speakers of English must submit English proficiency examination scores (if applicable)
Nonnative speakers must meet the English Department’s minimum TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo score requirement in order to be considered for admission and teaching assistantship support. Test scores are not required if an applicant meets requirements established by the Office of Admissions (found here under English proficiency requirements). Official scores must be reported directly to ISU by the testing agency in order to be considered official. If official scores cannot be sent by the agency at the time of application due to expiration, the exam must be retaken. Please record scores (leave blank if not available yet) and upload a copy of your scores into your application account.
Iowa State University Inst Code: 6306.
Required minimum scores:
All programs: 95 IBT (100 preferred); 587 PBT (600 preferred); 7.0 IELTS; 68 PTE; Duolingo 115
*Applicants scoring below the above preferred minimum requirements may need to take English support courses.
**Preferred score of 25 IBT Writing or 7.0 IELTS Writing for graduate teaching assistantship consideration.
Nonnative speakers of English must submit an audio or video file demonstrating competence in spoken English
Required even though English proficiency scores may not be required. This speaking sample should include 3-5 minutes of extemporaneous speaking. You might begin by talking informally about your educational background and your reasons for pursuing graduate study.
- Please send your file electronically as an email attachment to englgrad@iastate.edu (you cannot upload this file to your ISU application account because this format is not supported by that system).
- Upload a PDF document for this application action item that provides a link to a website containing your audio or video of spoken English (i.e., YouTube).
Additional requirements
Three letters of recommendation
References are to be submitted electronically using the electronic letter of recommendation option in the online application system. These letters should be from persons qualified to comment on your preparation for graduate study in the major to which you are applying. If applying for a teaching assistantship, at least one of your references should comment on your teaching experience and abilities or on your potential to teach. If a recommender does not wish to submit an online LOR, you must download a Letter of Recommendation form, complete the appropriate sections at the top, and send the form to your recommender. You must include our email address (englgrad@iastate.edu) or postal address (Department of English, Graduate Studies Program, 227 Ross Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1201 USA) for the recommender to submit their recommendation directly to the program. The use of dossier services, such as Interfolio, is also acceptable for transmitting letters to the program by having them sent directly to englgrad@iastate.edu; these services cannot submit them directly to your application account.
Application for Teaching Assistantship in the Department of English
In Iowa State’s Department of English, graduate students who receive teaching assistantships will normally receive training and begin teaching for one of the programs below. To be considered for a teaching assistantship, please upload a separate stand-alone document containing a statement explaining your relevant experience and/or interest in teaching courses in one or both programs below. Statements should be 500 words or less and are uploaded to your application via the appropriate Action Item.
- ENGL 1500 and ENGL 2500: In this two-course sequence, undergraduate students practice analyzing, composing, and reflecting on written, oral, visual, and electronic (WOVE) discourse within academic, civic, and cultural context.
- SPCM 2120: In this course, undergraduate students study oral communication and learn to compose, deliver, and analyze public speeches in academic, civic, and professional contexts.
Support opportunities in the English department
In Iowa State’s English department, all graduate program applicants are considered for support opportunities we have to offer to applicants admitted to our programs.
Freda Huncke Scholarship
The Freda Huncke Scholarships were established to support new graduate students as they develop teaching expertise and get a solid start in their academic program by providing financial support. This scholarship is combined with a graduate teaching assistantship support offer. Preference is given to new students whose potential for excellence in teaching is evident in their application file. Recipients are chosen by the Graduate Admissions Committee of the ISU English department in cooperation with the graduate faculty in our graduate programs.
Pearl Hogrefe Fellowship in Creative Writing
Pearl Hogrefe Fellowship in Creative Writing offers a talented writer one academic year to study creative writing full time at Iowa State University and focus on his/her creative work without distraction.
Program-specific additional application requirements
Please note: Department level program requirements should be followed when there is a discrepancy within the ISU admissions application system (i.e., the minimum English proficiency score, the length or number of words for the statement of purpose or a writing sample).
