PhD Philosophy at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Programme overview

The normal program of graduate study in philosophy is directed toward the Ph.D. The M.A. degree is awarded after completing Stage One. Only under exceptional circumstances and without any commitment of financial aid, students may be allowed to seek only the Master of Arts degree.

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

What you will study

Required courses listed include PHIL 599 Thesis Research (16 min applied toward degree).

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

The Graduate College admission requirements apply. Applicants should have had a course in symbolic logic and general courses in the history of ancient and early modern philosophy. Students deficient in these areas may be admitted, but they are required to remedy their deficiencies by taking such courses in their first year. Applicants should also have done some coursework in such central areas of philosophical inquiry as ethics and the theory of knowledge. All applications for admission must be supported by three letters of recommendation from persons qualified to comment on the applicant's aptitude for graduate study in philosophy. They are further required to submit a sample of their written work in philosophy (10-20 pages). International applicants whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and submit their scores; a

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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