Department of English

Deadline: December 15, 2025

Application Status for Fall 2025:

Applications for Fall admits are processed by Graduate Admissions staff and English program staff.  Applications go to PhD graduate admissions committee members in two batches; we meet in mid February and early March to discuss applications.  Admissions announcements are expected after the second week of March 2025.  Those with offers have until April 15 to accept or decline the offer.  Those placed on a waitlist may be offered space, if a funded space becomes available, anytime from late March until late April.

You must apply to the University online through the main University Portal.  The portal will guide you through the process. You must upload all documents prior to submitting the application. You will not be able to add documents after submission is complete. All applicants should choose Fall as their application term. We do not admit for spring or summer.

The application fee is non-refundable. It is valid for one calendar year: an application may be updated within one year from the original anticipated term of admission without payment of a new application fee. UF currently does not offer application fee waivers.

The materials you will need for your application are:

• Test scores: As of Fall 2021, the department of English no longer requires the GRE
• Updated resume or CV: Upload as a pdf file. Pursuant to Florida Statute, your application requires inclusion of all post-high school education and employment, as well as information about ongoing international affiliations and research funding. Please ensure this information is included on your curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé.
• Statement of purpose: In an essay of up to 800 words, please describe how your previous studies and, if applicable, work and life experiences, have prepared you for graduate study. You should also outline your research, teaching, and other interests and explain how UF English’s PhD program might support them. Please also briefly explain why you are interested in pursuing the PhD, including how the PhD degree is related to your goals for the future, including career plans, and explain how this program can help you achieve your goals. Upload as a pdf file. The online application specifies a 400-500 word limit. Please disregard those instructions and send an essay of up to 800 words.
• Writing Sample: The writing sample should demonstrate your best work in criticism or theory and be about 15 pages. Upload your writing sample to the online application on the “Additional Questions” page under “Resume/Other”. Please upload it as the “Other Upload” file. If you have trouble uploading the file, please contact phd-admissions@english.ufl.edu before you submit your application.
• Transcripts: You may upload unofficial transcripts for consideration by the admissions committee. If you are admitted, UF requires official transcripts from all institutions you have attended.
  • If you have not yet completed a program, you may upload incomplete unofficial transcripts to the online application.
  • You may also upload official transcripts to the online application.
  •   If you would like to send official electronic transcripts, UF accepts electronic transcripts only from e-SCRIP-SAFE, Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, and F.A.S.T.E.R. Please have electronic transcripts sent to graduate@admissions.ufl.edu. (Please also submit an unofficial transcript through the online application).
  • You may also send an official paper copy of your transcript to UF at Office of Admissions, 201 Criser Hall – PO Box 114000, Gainesville, FL 32611-4000 – Please do not send your transcripts directly to the English Department.
  • International students must send transcripts in the native language and an English translation, along with a copy of the degree certificate in English and the native language.
• Letters of Recommendation: We require three recommendations, but will accept more. These should be completed by someone in a position to assess your ability to succeed in the program. Please use the submission instructions in the online application to send a recommendation request to your recommenders. If they have trouble submitting their letters through the online application, please email or have them email phd-admissions@english.ufl.edu. UF does not accept letters of recommendation through any other online process, including Interfolio.

Notes for international applicants

International students should consult the University Admissions website for information regarding testing requirements for the TOEFL and/or the IELTS. All applicants must demonstrate written and oral proficiency with English in order to be admitted to the PhD program and to receive an offer of financial support. You can find more information about demonstrating oral proficiency, particularly, at https://eli.ufl.edu/international-graduate-student-support-speak/, which describes the available options. These include scoring 28 or higher on the TOEFL iBT or, for scores between 23-27, enrolling for EAP 5836 in the first semester at UF. The University Admissions site also maintains a list of possible exemptions from the rules governing English language proficiency.

Additional fellowship materials

All applicants are automatically considered for graduate school and department fellowships with one important exception:

• • The McKnight Doctoral Fellowship is available to applicants but requires additional materials. Please consult their website for details.

Before you submit your completed application to our PhD program, we recommend that you read advice on crafting a strong application.