Graduate Admissions

The Admissions Process and Calendar

The graduate admissions cycle begins in the fall of the year prior to the applicant's anticipated entry date.  Applicants must complete and submit the Graduate Admissions Application, and the supplemental application materials, to the Department of German and Romance Languages administrative office no later than December 30.  Complete applications are then reviewed by department faculty.  Admissions decisions are mailed by early-March, with the request that admitted applicants acknowledge (either to accept or decline) our offer by April 15.

October through December (year prior to anticipated entry date):
Complete and submit application materials

December 30, 2009:
Deadline for submission of all materials

February:
Applications are reviewed by faculty
Admissions Visiting Day

March:
Decision letters are mailed

April 15:
Deadline for admitted students to accept or decline our offer

Required Materials for the Admissions Application

The following materials are required for an admissions application to be complete:

Online Application Form
Statement of Purpose
3 Letters of Recommendation
Transcripts from each college or university attended*
Official GRE scores
TOEFL scores for International Students
Writing Sample*
Application Fee

*Graduating Seniors will be asked to supply a transcript that includes Fall 09 grades and a final paper from a Fall 09 course.

Supporting documentation should be mailed, in one envelope, to the following address:

Johns Hopkins University
Full-time Studies in Arts, Sciences and Engineering
Graduate Affairs and Admissions Office
Shriver Hall 28
3400 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218

For all materials, we require the use of our Mailing Label and Cover Sheet.
Please note: The Graduate Affairs and Admissions Office will only accept regular mail, Certified Mail, UPS, DHL and Fed Ex deliveries.

Applying On-line

All applicants should apply on-line at the Graduate Admissions website.  When you apply on-line, you must pay the application fee using a credit card (it is a secure website).  Once you submit your application on-line, you will receive an email from the Graduate Admissions server giving you a UserID and Password.  With these 2 pieces of information, you can login to the Graduate Admissions website to monitor the status of your application as the receipt of your supplemental materials (letters of recommendation, test scores, writing samples, etc.) is recorded in the system.

Financial Aid and Other Costs

All applicants who are admitted to our programs are admitted fully funded up to 5 years.  This means that the Department covers the cost of full-time tuition and a fellowship for the academic year (September through May).  The fellowship award for the 2009-2010 academic year is $17,500.

Each year, the Italian section of the Department admits one student on a Singleton Fellowship.  This fellowship covers full tuition and a stipend currently set at $17,500 for the student's first year in the program.  The student on the Singleton Fellowship receives $3,000 additional funding for summer research related travel expenses.

Students are responsible for the one-time matriculation fee of $500.  This is a required fee payable at the time of fall registration.

Students are also responsible for maintaining adequate health insurance coverage throughout their course of study.  Students will not be permitted to register without proof of health insurance coverage.  JHU offers an affordable health insurance plan for students for those who do not have coverage by an outside provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a GRE subject test required?
No.  We only require the General Test.

My native language is not English, but I have been studying in an English-speaking institution for more than 2 years.  Do I need to take the TOEFL?
Students whose native language is not English and who have been studying in an English-speaking institution for more than 2 years (immediately prior to their anticipated entry into JHU) do not need to re-take the TOEFL.  However, the student should submit photocopies of their score reports with their application.  The TOEFL is required for all students whose native language is not English and who have not studied at an English-speaking institution for at least 2 years immediately prior to entering JHU.  These students must also submit GRE scores.

Can my writing sample be in French/German/Italian/Spanish?
Yes.  Writing samples in English are also accepted.

Do my letters of recommendation have to be in English?
Yes.  Letters of recommendation are submitted as part of the official record with the University and therefore must be in English.

Do my transcripts have to be in English?
Transcripts and all accompanying transcript documents not in English must be submitted with certified translations into English.

Are there any teaching opportunities for graduate students?
Yes.  The Department feels that apprentice teaching is an integral part of a graduate student's education in language pedagogy.  Therefore, all students are required to perform apprentice teaching during their course of study in the program.  Students teach one section of an undergraduate-level language course each semester that they are in the program, with the exception of 2 semesters.  The exempted semesters are for study abroad.  Students who have achieved ABD status (All But Dissertation) may compete for a Dean's Teaching Fellowship.  This fellowship affords the recipient the opportunity to teach a course of his/her own design, usually relating to their area of interest or research.

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