Apply for Graduate Studies

Click here to review all application materials and instructions.

Applications to UNM graduate programs must be submitted online.  Within the application, make sure to click the Application Instructions to see Linguistics-specific requirements. 

If you have questions, contact:   lingasst@unm.edu

Deadlines

Fall Admission
PhD Program

For best consideration: December 15th
Those wishing to apply for financial aid must meet the above deadline.
Final deadline: March 31st

Fall Admission
Master's Program

For financial aid consideration: December 15th
Best consideration without financial aid: March 31st
Spring Admission
Master's Program
(No Financial Aid)
Best consideration (international students): August 1st
Best consideration (domestic students): October 31st

There are no summer admissions, nor are there typically any graduate courses offered in the summer semester.

FAQs

Yes, all applicants are required to submit unofficial academic transcripts with their application by the application deadline. These transcripts must be submitted in the online section designated towards transcripts. 

Upon notification and acceptance of admission, an Official Transcript must be submitted from each academic institution you have attended (with the exception of the University of New Mexico). 

Domestic applicants should have official transcripts sent to:
apply@unm.edu

or paper transcripts to:

UNM Admissions
PO Box 4895
Albuquerque, NM 87196-4849


International applicants should have transcripts sent to:
goglobal@unm.edu

or paper transcripts to:

Global Education Office (GEO)
2120 Mesa Vista Hall
MSC06 3850, 1, University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001


Applicants must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 (B). For more details, see here.

Yes. The minimum scores are: TOEFL 79, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 105. More details can be found here.

GRE scores are not required by the Department of Linguistics.

Unfortunately, no. We suggest that you inquire with your home country's government for any available funding for students who wish to study abroad. Additionally, EducationUSA Centers offer a great number of resources regarding financial aid.

No. We encourage prospective students to get in contact with our faculty to make general inquiries. However, acceptance to our graduate programs is determined by the entire department faculty, after we have evaluated your application materials.

No. However, if you were to be admitted and planned to attend with either an F-1 or J-1 visa, you would be responsible for showing available funding for one full year's cost of attendance. The International Admissions Office will handle all the paperwork regarding the necessary funding to issue visa related documents.

We offer one Fellowship that provides funding for doctoral studies. There are also some funding packages that are some combination of teaching and/or research assistantships. Fellowship/assistantship awards are made strictly on the basis of academic merit. More details are available here.

There are some opportunities for students admitted into the program of getting assistantship across campus, but of course the department cannot guarantee that at the moment of admission. A list of current assistantship opportunities in other departments can be found here.

We recommend completing two as an absolute minimum before applying. If you are an undergraduate student at UNM, you could possibly apply to the Shared Credit Program to start the MA program before completing all four of these courses. You can take the missing pre-requisite courses after admission to graduate status, but they do not count towards the required hours for the MA degree. You can also take prerequisite courses as a non-degree student before applying. For more information, click here.

Juniors or seniors majoring or minoring in Linguistics at UNM may seek admission to the Master of Arts (M.A.) in Linguistics under the Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degree Program.

The letter of intent should outline your background in linguistics, research interests and research experience specifically enough so that we can evaluate whether you would be a good fit for our programs. That will also make it possible for us to determine whether you would be best advised by any of our faculty members. Additional information can be found here.

We do not offer an MA/PhD in the area of TESOL/English/applied linguistics. Programs at the University of New Mexico that relate to applied linguistics include the PhD in Educational Linguistics and Language, Literacy & Sociocultural Studies.

Re-applying might be worthwhile only if there are significant changes in your application, such as additional qualifications or a substantial change in your area of interest. 

Students who have completed the baccalaureate degree in Linguistics with an average of B+ or better and have completed a research paper of publishable quality demonstrating ability to carry out independent research may apply to the Ph.D program without a Master's degree. It is recommended that students who have not met these requirements apply to the Master's program. Students who apply to the Ph.D program who have not met the recommended requirements may be admitted to the Master's program instead. If you are uncertain which program to apply to, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies in Linguistics or the general email above.

 

*International applicants can find answers to many other questions in this site: https://international.unm.edu/faq-info/faq.html*