PhD Comparative Literature at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Programme overview

A candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree must fulfill the general requirements of the Graduate College in addition to those specified for the master's degree. At least 12 additional gh of work, normally at the 500 level, should be taken in courses regularly offered by the literature departments; among these, courses cross listed with the program in comparative literature are especially recommended.

Faculty: College of Liberal Arts & Sciences | Study mode: full-time | Location: Champaign, IL, United States

What you will study

Required courses listed include CWL 582 Proseminar; CWL 599 Thesis Research (min/max applied toward degree).

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

A student entering the program should have an undergraduate major in Comparative Literature, English, the classics, or a foreign language. Majors in history and philosophy or other humanistic areas that present suitable linguistic and literary competence may also be granted admission by the Admissions Committee. Applicants should apply online , submit a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation and a writing sample. Original transcripts showing all undergraduate and graduate work completed should be sent to SLCL Graduate Student Services, 3070 Literatures, Cultures, and Linguistics Bldg., 707 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL 61801. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required and should be submitted to institution code 1836. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and must score at

Domestic applicants: USD 14,908 a year (2026-27). Illinois resident rate. Tuition only for new and continuing graduate students, Fall 2026-Spring 2027 at full-time (12 credit hours per term). Non-Illinois U.S. resident tuition for this programme: $32,204. Excludes campus and mandatory fees, health insura Source

International applicants: USD 32,204 a year (2026-27). International rate. Tuition only for new and continuing graduate students, Fall 2026-Spring 2027 at full-time (12 credit hours per term). Excludes campus and mandatory fees, health insurance, housing and other expenses as the source states them separately Source

Not all graduate programmes offer admission in all terms; term availability is set by each programme of study.

Graduate applicants apply online through the Graduate College application; deadlines and term availability are set by each programme. Medicine, law and veterinary medicine applicants apply directly to their colleges.

Apply through the official page: https://grad.illinois.edu/admissions/apply

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