Please note that the application for Fall 2024 is now available. Please direct questions to complit.grad.admissions@nyu.edu.
Students interested in pursuing a Master's degree might wish to consider NYU's interdisciplinary program XE: Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement, which allows students to take half their course work in departments around the university and supports students who intend to pursue doctoral studies.
Access the application online: Apply
For a full breakdown of the PhD application components, please see: Requirements & Deadlines
Q. Do you have both fall and spring application cycles?
Q. Whom do I contact for an application?
Q. Do I need an M.A. to apply?
Q. Does my B.A. or M.A. have to be in comparative literature to apply to your graduate program?
Q. Are applications for an M.A. only (a terminal M.A.) accepted?
Q. What if I already have an M.A.?
Q. How many people apply to your Ph.D. Program? How many applicants are accepted?
Q. What do you mean by fully-funded? And, how does the MacCracken Fellowship work?
Q. How high do my GRE scores need to be?
Q. Do you require the GRE subject test?
Q. Are foreign students required to take the TOEFL?
Q. How can students ensure the IELTS test scores are sent to NYU?
Q. Can the GRE or the TOEFL/IELTS be waived?
Q. What is the GRE and TOEFL institutional code?
Q. What are requirements for the Statement of Purpose?
Q. What are requirements for the Writing Sample?
Q. How many languages do I need to be accepted into the program?
Q. Do you have both fall and spring application cycles? A. No. We accept students to begin in the fall only. Applications are due by December 18th.
Q. Whom do I contact for an application? A. The Office of Admissions and Financial Aid. It is preferred that you apply using the online application, which is available at gsas.nyu.edu/admissions/gsas-application-resource-center/application-and-instructions/nyu-gsas-online-application
For questions about applications, contact Graduate Enrollment Services by email at gsas.admissions@nyu.edu or by phone at (212) 998-8050.
Q. Do I need an M.A. to apply to the Ph.D. program? A. No. Candidates without an M.A. earn a master's degree as they progress towards the Ph.D.
Q. Does my B.A. or M.A. have to be in comparative literature to apply to your graduate program? A. No.
Q. Are applications for an M.A. only (a terminal M.A.) accepted? A. The only terminal MA students we accept are those who have enrolled in our BA/MA program (which is only open to NYU undergraduate students). There is no financial aid awarded for a terminal M.A.
Q. What if I already have an M.A.? A. Previously earned M.A.s are evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine applicability to the Ph.D. program in comparative literature. If applicable, the entire M.A. is transferred. In other cases, individual courses may be transferred.
Q. How many people apply to your Ph.D. Program? How many applicants are accepted? A. Each year, approximately 150 people apply. We generally accept 6-8 candidates from this applicant pool.
Q. Are students fully-funded? A. Yes. Our students are fully-funded by Henry Mitchell MacCracken Fellowships for 5 years.
Q. What do you mean by fully-funded? And, how does the MacCracken Fellowship work? A. Fully-funded MacCracken Fellows receive full tuition and fee remission, a living stipend, and NYU health insurance for the 5 years of their fellowship. Students who enter our Ph.D. program are awarded a 5-year MacCracken. Doctoral students may also have the opportunity to teach as Adjunct Instructors, which are paid positions.
Q. How high do my GRE scores need to be? A. We have no threshold GRE score for acceptance to the program. Components of your application are evaluated as a whole.
Q. Do you require the GRE subject test? A. No.
Q. Are foreign students required to take the TOEFL/IELTS? A. Either the TOEFL or the IELTS is required of all applicants who are not native English speakers or who do not have a bachelor's or master's degree from an institution where the language of instruction is English. See test score requirements.
Q. How can students ensure the IELTS test scores are sent to NYU? A. We will only accept official test scores that are sent to us electronically from IELTS. In order to request test scores be sent to us, the applicant contacts his or her test center directly and requests that the test scores be sent electronically to New York University, Graduate School of Arts and Science, New York, NY. There is no institutional code. Received scores will be reflected in the Application Checklist (see more information here).
Q. Can the GRE or the TOEFL/IELTS be waived? A. For non-native English speakers, the TOEFL/IELTS requirement is waived if your baccalaureate or master's degree was (or will be) completed at an institution where the language of instruction is English. You do not need to do anything to inform us that you are eligible for the TOEFL/IELTS waiver; GSAS can determine this fact from your application materials. It is not possible to waive the GRE requirement for any student.
Q. What is the GRE and TOEFL institutional code? A. 2596 is the NYU GSAS school code (New York U Grad Arts Sci). This code is used for both the GRE and TOEFL. Please see the following link for more information regarding the GRE/TOEFL and IELTS: gsas.nyu.edu/admissions/gsas-application-resource-center/faqs/testing-requirements
Q. What are requirements for the Statement of Purpose? A. The statement of purpose should not exceed two double-spaced pages in 12 point font. Applicants should avoid excessive personal anecdotes and offer a clear sense of their training in national literature(s) and comparative and theoretical approaches. While a precise account of their intended specialization is not necessary, it should describe their area(s) of scholarly interest, and the critical questions and/or conversations that inform their interest in pursuing the masters or doctoral degree. Finally, applicants should address their particular reasons for wanting to work within the Department of Comparative Literature at New York University.
Q. What are requirements for the Writing Sample? A. The Writing Sample should be an academic paper (e.g., term paper or published article) of about 12-15 pages double-spaced. The paper must be in English, and should demonstrate your best work. It need not demonstrate a comparative approach but may focus on a single national literature, or upon a critical/theoretical issue. If you choose to submit part of a chapter from a longer work (such as a thesis), please include a brief introductory note to provide context for the sample. Please do not submit a full chapter if it exceeds the page count indicated above.
Q. How many languages do I need to be accepted into the program? A. All students must be proficient in English to enter the program. A demonstrated reading proficiency in one foreign language is necessary. A demonstrated reading proficiency in a second foreign language is highly recommended.
Q. How many languages do I need to earn the Ph.D.? A. Demonstrated reading proficiency is required in three non-English languages (modern or ancient). Three courses in a non-literary discipline may be substituted for the third language with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies. Reading proficiency can be demonstrated through any of the following methods:
Q. What is the ISR? A. Comparative Literature PhD applicants with an interest in Russia should be aware of the Interdisciplinary Specialization in Russia, which takes advantage of curricular offerings in the Department of Russian & Slavic Studies. Students who pursue the ISR may choose to take up to half of their points in or cross-listed with the Department of Russian & Slavic Studies while earning the doctoral degree in Comparative Literature. For more information please contact the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Russian & Slavic Studies.
