The graduate application process has two steps

• You must first submit the online application to the Graduate College and pay the $60 application fee by credit card ($100 for international applicants).
• Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an email instructing you on how to upload your supporting documents and submit letters of recommendation. A few programs require materials be sent directly to them. However, almost all supplemental material can and should be uploaded from your Admissions Profile in MyUI, our online service center for applicants and students. You can only access this AFTER you have submitted your application.

GRE scores are not required for this program.

Degree Program Supplemental Materials

All supplemental materials must arrive by the posted application deadline.

• A statement of purpose (no more than 500 words) explaining your reasons for choosing this degree program
• A résumé or curriculum vitae
• A 20- to 30-page writing sample representing any form of literary nonfiction, such as a personal essay, cultural commentary, in-depth portrait, interview, memoir, or feature story
  • Your writing sample may consist of a single 20-30 page piece of writing, a collection of shorter pieces, or an excerpt from a longer piece.
  • Submissions should be double-spaced with a one-inch margin in 10- to 12-point font and should include your name and page number.

Recommendations

The application requirement section of your Profile includes an electronic letter of recommendation feature. If your program of study requires letters of recommendation, you will be asked to give the contact information of your recommenders including their email on your Admissions Profile. The recommender will then get an email giving them instructions on how to upload the recommendation letter and/or form.

• Three letters of recommendation
  • Letters of Recommendation may be submitted through a dossier service (such as Interfolio), please inform the service to submit the letters via email to tara-atkinson@uiowa.edu.

Materials to send to Admissions

• A set of your unofficial academic records/transcripts from all post-secondary institutions (current and former UI students do not need to provide UI transcripts). For international records, all records should bear the original stamp or seal of the institution and the signature of a school official.  Documents not in English must be accompanied by a complete, literal, English translation, certified by the issuing institution.
• International students must satisfy the university's English-language proficiency requirement by sending their official TOEFL scores (the university's institutional code on the TOEFL is 6681; the English department's code is 2501).
• Once recommended for admission, international students must send a Financial Statement.