Graduate Programs

Admissions

IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ADMISSION OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, A COMPLETE APPLICATION MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE POSTED DEADLINE.  FOR FALL ADMISSIONS, THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DEADLINE IS JANUARY 2.

A COMPLETE APPLICATION CONSISTS OF:

  • USF Application for Admission and Admission Fee.
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation, each with a Recommendation Request Form attached
  • 10 Page Philosophy Writing Sample
  • Brief Statement of the Applicant's Philosophical Interests
  • Official Transcripts from Each University or College Attended
  • Official GRE Scores*
  • International Students also must demonstrate proficiency in the English language.*
  • Other**

Attach these documents to your Online Application:

  • 10 Page Philosophy Writing Sample
  • Brief Statement of Philosophical Interests
  • CV or Resume
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation, posted to your Online Application by the Letter Writers, each with a attached

Send directly to Graduate Admissions:

  • Official Transcripts
  • Official GRE Scores
  • Official test scores to demonstrate English proficiency (Int'l. Students)

Attach Unofficial Transcripts and Scores to your Online Application two weeks before the deadline, in case official documents are not received in time. 

*A NOTE ABOUT GRE SCORES: Competitive GRE scores will be at least 160 Verbal, 148 Quantitative, 5.0 Analytic. In the old scale these were: 600 Verbal, 600 Quantitative and 5.0 Analytic. 

*A NOTE ABOUT ENGLISH PROFICIENCY: Applicants from countries where English is not the official language, and who have not earned at least a bachelor’s degree in the U.S., must also demonstrate proficiency in the English language. View the list of English-speaking countries to determine if you must meet this requirement. Minimum test scores required to demonstrate proficiency are:

  • IELTS - 6.5
  • PTE-A - 53
  • TOEFL (iBT - 79; PBT - 550)
  • GRE Verbal - 153
  • Duolingo – 110 

**Other Information:

Personal Potential Index (PPI)

You may opt to participate in the PPI, though it is not at present required for admission.

The USF Graduate School is taking part in the evaluation of a new assessment tool, the Personal Potential Index (PPI). In part, this new instrument is being developed to offer administrators a more holistic understanding of an applicant’s potential for success as a graduate student. Students, too, may benefit from this tool because it may allow them to communicate a more comprehensive representation of their skills and attributes to their desired graduate program. The instrument is designed to ascertain an applicant’s knowledge and creativity, resilience, communication skills, planning and organization, teamwork, and ethics and integrity.