How to apply
Apply online via the UI Graduate and Professional Admissions website.
After you submit your application, you will receive email instructions on how to establish your HawkID and password in order to access your Admissions Profile on MyUI, our online portal for students. All supporting materials can and should be uploaded through your Admissions Profile. If your academic program requires letters of recommendation, you will be asked to provide the contact information of your recommenders on your profile. The recommender will then receive an email from the Office of Admissions instructing them on how to upload a recommendation letter and/or recommendation form.
Applicants for admission to the graduate program must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College and the department offering the degree program (review the General Catalog for departmental requirements). See the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College on the Graduate College website for additional information.
For international applicants who do not meet the requirements for an English proficiency waiver, submission of English proficiency test scores is required by the application deadline.
Important deadlines
Application Deadline for Fall semester: January 15th
Applications (or waivers of consideration) for departmental financial assistance are due with completed application materials. Admission decisions are usually made by April 1.
Applications received after Jan. 15 will be considered for financial assistance only in second or third-round decisions if funds are available. Applications received after April 1 will not be considered for the upcoming fall semester.
It is the applicant's responsibility to check with the Department of Classics and Religious Studies to ensure all application materials have been received. Please direct questions to classics-religion@uiowa.edu.
Requirements for admission
Relgious Studies gradaute programs
All applicants to the MA and PhD program must have a bachelor's degree and a minimum overall grade-point average of 3.40 for PhD and 3.00 for MA.
Please do not send any materials directly to the department. Everything must be uploaded at the Graduate College Admissions site.
The following are required materials:
- Completed application form
- If you are from a country where English is not the first language, please submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score
- Three letters of recommendation submitted by persons familiar with your academic performance (written on the referee's letterhead when possible)
- Transcript(s) of all undergraduate and graduate work (Official transcripts required following acceptance of admission)
- A brief personal essay that explains your objectives for graduate study in light of existing faculty expertise in the Department of Religious Studies and other relevant departments
- A writing sample demonstrating the ability to engage in critical thinking
- Application (or waiver of consideration) for graduate assistantships
Application fee waivers are available for students facing financial hardship. Domestic students can apply for an application fee waiver here. International students should write to the Director of Graduate Studies, Celsiana Warwick.
If you have questions about the program or about the application procedure, check out our FAQ section. If that section doesn't answer your questions, please contact Celsiana Warwick, Director of Graduate Studies.
Applicants to the MA program ordinarily must have a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.00.
Regarding the TOEFL Exam, PhD applicants are normally expected to achieve a minimum score of 600 on the paper version or 100 on the internet-based version; MA applicants are expected to score at least 560 on the paper-based version or 83 on the internet-based version.
Students admitted without substantial academic preparation in the academic study of religion may be required to make up for deficiencies by taking up to 12 semester hours of designated coursework at the University of Iowa. Credit for such courses does not count toward the graduate degree.
Classics, Latin, and Greek graduate programs
All applicants to the Master's and Doctorate programs must have a bachelor's degree and a minimum overall grade-point average of 2.80, with at least a 3.00 in classical languages.
Admission decisions are based on prior academic performance, letters of reference, and the applicant's statement about background and purpose. Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College on the Graduate College website.
The following are required materials:
- Recommendations (3)
- (Instructions for recommendation letter writers) Thank you for agreeing to write a letter of recommendation. In your letter, please address the following topics:
- How long you have known the candidate and in what capacity
- Candidate’s attainments in Latin and Greek language, ancient civilization, and/or other relevant humanities courses
- Candidate’s experience in conducting supervised or independent research
- Clarity and effectiveness of candidate’s writing, especially research writing
- Intellectual characteristics
- Personal characteristics relevant to success as a graduate student and teaching assistant (e.g., self-discipline, maturity, ability to get along with others
- And comparison with previous students who have gone on to graduate study in Classics or other humanities fields
- (Instructions for recommendation letter writers) Thank you for agreeing to write a letter of recommendation. In your letter, please address the following topics:
- Statement of Purpose
- A one-page statement of purpose to set forth your reasons for and commitment to graduate study in Classics. This is also your opportunity to explain anything unusual in your record, or to explain why your record doesn’t necessarily represent your ability to do advanced work. Be specific, focus on the positive, and keep it at one page. Before submitting your materials, it is a good idea to ask your current professors to review your statement of purpose.
- Include Classics training you have had thus far (Greek, Latin, ancient civilization courses), describe the Classics research interests that you want to pursue in graduate school (e.g., Greek epic, Roman history), name the professors you would like to work with based on your research interests, and explain why this program at this university is a good fit for you more broadly.
- Exclude slang, typos, humor, and references to childhood.
- Writing Sample
- A 5-20 page double-spaced sample of your best critical written work (e.g. term paper, seminar report, published article).
- If you don’t have anything short enough, submit a longer document with a note of explanation.
- Supplemental Information
- A list of Greek and Latin works read in their original languages. Also include how many semesters you have studied each of the two languages.
Notice: Effective October 1, 2021, applicants to graduate programs in the Department of Classics and Religious Studies are no longer required to submit GRE test scores.
CARS admissions frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How many applicants do you accept into your graduate program each year?
Admission is quite competitive and we are typically only able to accept a small percentage of applicants. We usually admit 2-3 students to the PhD and MA track each.
How do I apply?
Go to the Graduate Admissions website.
Note that the application procedures have two steps, as explained on the website.
When can I apply and what is the deadline for application?
You can begin the application process during the Fall semester the year before you wish to enter the program. The deadline for application is January 15 for Fall admissions in the same year. We only accept applications for Fall admissions.
What materials do I need to submit with the application?
Everything is detailed on the Graduate Admissions website.
I see on the Graduate Admissions website that I am required to submit a personal essay that explains my objectives for graduate study and a writing sample. What should these documents contain and how long should they be?
There is no set length for either document. The personal essay should state as clearly as possible what you hope to study and why you think the UI would be a good fit for you; typically between one to four pages. The writing sample should give a good example of your writing abilities, and can be a paper from a course you took, a BA or MA thesis, or an essay that you wrote specifically for the application; these are typically between ten and forty pages.
Do I need to make contact with a faculty member in the Department of Religious Studies before I apply?
No, but you may do so, and it is always a good idea to look at what faculty members in the department have interests that align with yours, to determine potential advisors. You can see a list of faculty members and their academic areas on our website under “People.”
Do you require the GRE test?
No, the GRE is not required.
Can I apply for a waiver of the application fee?
Yes, write to classics-religion@uiowa.edu for more information.
How do I apply for graduate-student funding?
Almost all of our funding is in the form of Graduate Assistantships (Teaching Assistantships or Research Assistantships, both require up to 20 hours of work a week). As part of the application process you must submit an Application for a Graduate Assistantship (or, if you have other funding, a Waiver of Consideration). Normally, all admitted PhD students will be offered a Teaching Assistantship, which also covers tuition. Admitted MA students are not usually offered a Graduate Assistantship, although we will try to find funding for them.
What is the minimum GPA?
The University of Iowa Graduate School has set the minimum GPA for admission to graduate programs as 3.40 for PhD and 3.00 for MA, or the international equivalent as determined by the Office of Admissions.
What are the English proficiency requirements?
These are also set by the Graduate School, see the English Proficiency Requirements page for more details. This includes a list of exemptions.
Do you do Zoom interviews as part of the application process?
Yes, we will set up Zoom interviews with selected applicants, typically in February.
Do you have funding for campus visits for accepted applicants?
Yes, once you have been accepted into the program, we can help fund a visit to the University of Iowa campus and the department.