Admission to the Graduate Program

The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures (GLL) offers a PhD program in German Studies. Students can earn an MA as they progress towards the PhD, but there is no freestanding MA program, and the Department normally does not admit students who wish to earn only an MA.

GLL admits students for the Fall and Winter terms.
The deadline for admission in Fall or Winter semesters is January 10.

Application Requirements

• U.S. bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution.
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores
• Sample of written work
• Three letters of recommendation
• International applicants must provide certification of financial resources.
• Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. Applicants are required to provide an official score report from either the Michigan English Language Battery (MELAB) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
• Applicants who have earned a degree from an institution where the language of instruction is English, (e.g. U.S., United Kingdom, Canada) are exempt from submitting a MELAB or TOEFL score. These applicants will be required to have their English evaluated when they arrive on campus by taking the Academic English Evaluation (AEE) prior to the beginning of the term of admission.

Application Fee

The application fee is $60.00 for domestic applicants (U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents) and $75.00 for international applicants (non-U.S. Citizens).

How to apply

The Rackham School of Graduate Studies oversees the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Masters (MA) degrees at the University of Michigan: therefore, different parts of the application need to be sent to the Rackham School of Graduate Studies and to GLL separately.

Apply online using the Rackham on-line application system. GLL will then retrieve the application electronically. Checklists of supplementary materials that need to be sent to GLL and to the Rackham School of Graduate Studies directly are at the bottom of this page.

Application Materials Checklist

    Submit the following materials to the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures:

• • Completed Rackham School of Graduate Studies Application. Online applications are retrieved electronically by the Department.
  • Statement of purpose (included in online applications)
  • Official Transcripts
  • GRE scores
  • Three letters of recommendation (may be submitted online)
  • Sample of Written Work (may be submitted by email to mshampel@umich.edu)
  • TOEFL scores (non native speakers of English, whose degree is from an institution where the language of instruction is not English)

Our mailing address is:

The University of Michigan
Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures
812 East Washington Street, 3110 MLB
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1275

    Submit the following application materials to the Rackham School of Graduate Studies:

• • Official Transcripts
  • Non US citizens: please refer to the following webpages:
    • Providing Evidence of Financial Support (non-U.S. students only)
    • Applicants Whose Native Language Is Not English

                Rackham's mailing address is:

The Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies
The University of Michigan
915 E. Washington St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1070

For more information, please visit: www.rackham.umich.edu/Admis/prosp/apply.html

Timing of the Decision

The Executive Committee of GLL will review applications and make decisions on admission in the Spring and you will be informed about the outcome of your application by mail.

Contact information

If you have questions about the application process, please contact us by email at german.graduate.program@umich.edu or call us at (734) 936-0150.

Link to Rackham Graduate School

Application materials are due January 10.