Apply

Thank you for your interest in our graduate program. The Department of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Colorado at Boulder offers its graduate students the very best professional training and mentoring, and we look forward to receiving your processed application and supporting documents.

Please note: to apply to and to be considered for our PhD program, you must hold an MA in Spanish (Peninsular or Latin American Literature) or related field (Classics, Comparative Literature, etc.). Please contact the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies if you have questions regarding this.

FAQs regarding the application process and the Spanish and Portuguese Department program.

From this page, it's possible to download the forms necessary to complete your application to our graduate program. To do this, your computer must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed.

Application period for Fall 2025 admissions is now open. The deadline for applying to the Spanish and Portuguese Department for Fall 2025 admission is December 1^st 2024 if you are applying as international student, December 15th 2024, if you are applying as national

The following are the steps necessary to apply to our graduate program:

Step One: Apply Online and Pay Application Fee

Go to the online application web page managed by the University and submit your application online.

You need to pay the application fee online. $60 application fee (Domestic Applicants) or $80 application fee (International Applicants). 

Step Two: Application Requirement

-- Transcripts
Applicants must provide one unofficial transcript from all institutions of higher education you have attended.

-- Recommendation Letters
Applicants must provide three letters of recommendation. Applicants have the option of having the recommender upload their letter or sending their letter to the above address with this form: Graduate Recommendation Letter Form.

-- Writing Sample
All applicants are required to submit a 10-15 page writing sample written in Spanish (or Portuguese if you are applying for MA in Spanish and Portuguese)  that represents academic work in literature or linguistics. Include a one-page abstract written in English. The paper should focus on the applicant's area of interest and include the pertinent bibliography.

-- Statement of Purpose
Applicants must include a brief description of plans for graduate study and their professional career.

-- TA Position (Optional)
Applicants who wish to receive TA positions in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese must submit the Application for Teaching Assistantship Form along with an updated CV.

--All international students, whose native language is not English, will need to score at least 80 on the online Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in order to be admitted (65 on the IELT or 550 on the paper-based exam). We will also accept English language proficiency demonstrated through Duolingo. A minimum score of 120 (on the 160 point scale) is required.

International students who have completed an MA in the US with a minimum two years of study are exempted from this requirement.
 

The University of Colorado at Boulder is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, creed, religion or veteran status.