Thank you for your interest in the Scandinavian Languages and Literatures Ph.D. graduate program. The deadline to submit your application for Fall 2013 is January 3, 2013. The online application is usually available by the second week of September.

Note that we do not accept applications for an MA-only degree. It is also important to note that University policy prevents us from considering applicants who already hold a doctoral degree in any subject, whether obtained at a US institution or abroad.

We select our graduate students on the basis of their record of academic achievement in the past and their promise of future success in scholarship and teaching. A bachelor's degree in Scandinavian is preferred but not absolutely required for admission; however, applicants with degrees in other fields must have already undertaken significant coursework and have reading fluency in at least one modern Scandinavian language, and be familiar with either one modern Scandinavian literature tradition or Old Norse.

Before you begin your application, be sure you have reviewed the faculty research specialties elsewhere on this web site. These are the individuals who will supervise your graduate education and research; it is important to find a good intellectual fit before undertaking any graduate program.

Each section of the graduate application has specific and detailed instructions to help you successfully navigate. In general though, the complete application will include:

Statement of Purpose
Personal History statement. (These are not the same thing, nor do they have a set length.)
3 letters of recommendation
writing sample
scanned transcripts of all schools attended
GRE or TOEFL exam registration number (The GRE is required of applicants from US schools, and international applicants from schools at which the language of instruction is English--such as Canada and the UK. We require the TOEFL only from all other International applicants.)

Berkeley’s Educational Testing Service code is 4833--department codes are no longer necessary. Also, be sure to fill out the domestic or International fellowship information sections.

You are not required to complete the whole application in one sitting. Answers are saved and you may return to edit or finish sections until you actually submit the application. We strongly advise that you review everything after a good night sleep before submitting the application and paying the fee. Once the application is submitted, you are not allowed to go back and make further edits.

The application system features a status update page for applicants. You may check this page to see if your official exam scores have been received and letters of recommendation submitted.

Applicant files are reviewed for completion, sorted and summarized after the deadline by the graduate assistant. The faculty admission committee reads and evaluates applications into early February. Decisions regarding admissions will be announced later in February through mid March. We usually invite prospective admits to visit the department in order to meet the faculty, current students, and their potential co-hort for a few days in early to mid March. The exact timing of this visit is announced in February when students are invited.

If you have specific procedural questions, please write to the Student Services Adviser at scandiadmit@berkeley.edu. If you have questions about the academic program please contact the Slavic Department Graduate Adviser, Professor Mark Sandberg, sandberg@berkeley.edu.

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