Requirements for Admission

Requirements for Admission

In assessing candidates for the graduate program, we consider a variety of factors, including GRE scores, grades in undergraduate and any previous graduate coursework, letters of recommendation, writing samples, and written statements. Admission to our program is highly competitive. Only about one applicant in ten is admitted. The median GRE score (verbal + quantitative) for admitted applicants for fall 2007 was 1470; the median GPA, 3.86.

You do not need to have majored in philosophy in order to be admitted, but you should have had some coursework in philosophy, preferably, in logic and in the history of philosophy.

Applications for Admission

Submit by January 1, 2010 to the Graduate and International Admissions Center:

1. Application (online) The University of Texas asks that you apply electronically. The online application includes the statement of purpose and electronic letters of reference.
2. Three letters of reference (from teachers who know your work in philosophy or a related field). This is a part of the online application.
3. One official copy of transcripts from all senior colleges you have attended
4. GRE scores
5. International applicants will be required to send additional applications materials to the Graduate and International Admissions Office.  See their web site for further instructions.

Questions about these materials should be directed to Graduate and International Admissions.

Send, by January 1, to the Philosophy Graduate Coordinator:

1. A sample of written work in philosophy, such as a brief term paper. This must be a hard copy, faxes and/or emails are not accepted.

Graduate Coordinator
Department of Philosophy
1 University Station, C3500
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX 78712-1180

Applications for Financial Aid (optional)

The application for financial aid is a section on the application for admission. Recipients of financial aid in Philosophy and their dependents pay tuition and fees at the lower rate applicable to Texas residents. Assistants and their dependents are eligible for medical insurance benefits. If an applicant is admitted with financial aid, the department tries to continue aid for 6 years, provided they remain in good standing.

Here are the stipends for the 2007-2008 academic year:

Types of aid	9-month stipend	Summer	Tuition
University Fellowship	$5,000-15,000	possible	paid
Assistant Instructorship	$15,141	possible	reimbursed
Teaching Assistantship	$12,154-13,390	possible	reimbursed
Department Fellowship	$1,000	possible	reimbursed

In-state tuition and fees for a graduate student taking a normal courseload of nine hours will total approximately $3,200 per semester. AIs, TAs, and Readers receive $3,012 per semester, a special stipend to offset tuition offered by the Graduate School. Students who meet certain criteria of personal and family financial need are eligible for various other awards administered directly by the University-wide Student Financial Aid Office-scholarships, long- term loans, and work-study awards.