Important notice
Information about applying to the graduate programs below 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
- ISU online graduate application
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.
- 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, or PTE 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
*Applicants scoring below the above preferred minimum requirements may need to take English support courses.
**Minimum score of 25 IBT Writing or 7.0 IELTS Writing required for 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 these programs. Statements should be 500 words or less.
- 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.To be considered for a teaching assistantship, please provide a statement explaining your relevant experience and/or interest in teaching courses in these programs. Statements should be 500 words or less. The statement should be provided as a stand-alone document and must be uploaded with the other application materials as a supplemental document.
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).
