Our graduate program offers training for teaching and research in all areas of French and Francophone literature and literary history, in critical theory, film, gender and queer studies, romance philology, and foreign language pedagogy. Our large and varied faculty teach graduate courses in all areas and at regular intervals. Applicants for the M.A. or Ph.D. in French must submit all application materials by the application deadline of December 20 for the following Fall semester.
Graduate School Electronic Application
Please refer to the following links:
- Consult the Graduate School website for complete information about graduate education opportunities at UW-Madison. This site is especially helpful in understanding Admissions Requirements and developing a Timeline for application.
All materials must be submitted via the online Graduate School application. Please do not send materials to the Department.
Required Graduate School Application Materials:
- Statement of Purpose
- Up-to-date CV
- Unofficial or Official Transcripts from each listed institution previously attended. Transcripts not written in English will also require a certified English translation of the document.
- You will need to list 3 people who will write letters of recommendation for you. They should be in faculty or permanent academic staff positions. The Graduate School will contact your recommenders directly via e-mail once you have completed your online application. You should be sure to contact each recommender at least a month prior to when the letter of recommendation is needed to provide them enough time to submit the letter. You should also let them know that they will be contacted directly by the Graduate School via email.
- Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide an English proficiency test score. TOEFL scores must be submitted electronically via ETS. IELTS scores can be submitted electronically or by mail via IELTS. To send electronically, select the account name UW-Madison Graduate School. To send by mail, us the following address: UW-Madison Graduate School, Office of Admissions, 232 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706. Duolingo English Test scores must be submitted electronically via Duolingo to University of Wisconsin – Madison – Graduate Admissions. Your score will not be accepted if it is more than two years old from the start of your admission term. Country of citizenship does not exempt applicants from this requirement. Language of instruction at the college or university level and how recent the language instruction was taken are the determining factors in meeting this requirement. Institution code for UW-Madison is 1846.
- The GRE is optional. Institution code for UW-Madison is 1846
Required French Program Application Materials:
- TA/Fellowship Application: To be considered for Teaching Assistantship or Fellowship support, you must submit to the department a document listing all relevant experience since you began studying French. There is no specific application form – it is a document, much like a CV, that you put together yourself. Include travel, study, or residence abroad. For teaching experience, be specific about subject, level, actual classroom hours/week, and age of students. Also indicate undergraduate and graduate honors. A separate TA/Fellowship application is not required if the above listed information is included in your CV submitted as part of the Graduate School application.
- Writing Sample (essay or paper in French – usually between 7-12 pages in length)
- List of French Literature and/or Civilization courses taken and Grades received
- Finalists for admission will be interviewed: Interviews (approx. 15 minutes) will be conducted in French with a faculty member during the month of January.
Submit the on-line Graduate School Application for Admission and pay the $75 application fee. (Non-U.S. citizens must also pay a $6 international document processing fee in addition to the application fee.)
Admissions decisions by the Department are announced in early February via email and are final. Additional materials are required by the Graduate School after recommendation by our Department for admission to the Graduate School at UW-Madison. These materials will be requested by and must be sent directly to the Graduate School as requested in their direct communication with you. These materials include:
- Official transcript from your bachelor’s degree granting institution. International applicant’s transcripts or academic documents must include an official English translation done by the bachelor’s degree granting institution OR an official translator.
- International applicants are required to have adequate financial resources to cover expenses for the duration of their studies at UW–Madison. Do not send any financial statements to the program. The Graduate School will request the documents through your online status check page. You must certify that you have a minimum amount of financial resources available for the first year of attendance at the time of admission. This amount was $44,280 (U.S. dollars) for Fall 2024 and will be greater if you bring dependents. Stipends and tuition remission expected to be received from teaching assistantships and fellowships during the first year are counted toward the minimum dollar amount.
The UW-Madison Graduate School subscribes to the resolution of the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States, which does not require a decision from you until April 15. Of course, if you know your response before that date we hope you will let us know as soon as possible. We ask you to accept or decline admission through the Online Status Check of your online application if recommended for admission to the Graduate School by the Department of French and Italian. If you decline, there are a few simple questions to answer. A written decision to our Graduate Program Manager via email is also acceptable.
Questions about the application? Please contact Graduate Program Manager Shawn Ramer.
Questions regarding the Ph.D. in French that are not addressed here on the website? Please e-mail the French Admissions & Fellowships Committee.