PhD Program Admissions

Admissions Information

Northwestern University’s Department of Philosophy has made the difficult decision to suspend applications to our PhD program and not admit a new cohort of graduate students in Fall 2021.  This decision has been made as a result of the financial impact and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and our concurrent need to support our present PhD students as best we can during this period of uncertainty.  We expect to begin admitting students again for matriculation in Fall 2022, with applications made available in September 2021.
 
We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused for our prospective students, and we thank you for your patience and understanding. We very much hope you will consider submitting an application to our program for Fall 2022.

Application Materials

The Department of Philosophy requires the following supplemental application materials:

• Transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended. Students working toward a master's degree at another institution should submit transcripts of all undergraduate work as well as transcripts of all graduate work completed at the time of filing the application. The department accepts the uploading of unofficial transcripts when you apply. Once accepted into the program, The Graduate School will require the submission of official (bearing the registrar's signature and/or the institution's seal) transcripts.
• At least three letters of recommendation. The recommendation form is available as part of the online application and is sent directly to the letter writers through the online application system. Prior to requesting that your providers complete the recommendation online, be sure to check with them to ensure they have a personal email address and access to the internet.
• Statement of Purpose - The statement of purpose should not exceed two single-spaced pages.
• Writing Sample - 10-20 pages.
• TOEFL Scores are required for applicants who are not native English speakers, although this requirement will be waived for those who have completed four years as an undergraduate, or two years as an MA student, in an institution where all instruction is conducted in English. Official scores must be less than two years old and must come directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The institutional code assigned to The Graduate School at Northwestern is 1565. The minimum TOEFL score for admission is 577 for the paper-based test and 233 for the computer-based test. The minimum score required for the iBT TOEFL is 90. The Graduate School will accept the results of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) as a substitute for the TOEFL, with a floor of 7.0. For information regarding the internet-based TOEFL exam and an explanation of the exam, please consult http://www.tgs.northwestern.edu/admission/requirements/test-scores/index.html.

The following supplemental materials are optional, but not required:

• GRE Scores* - Official scores must be less than five years old and must come directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The institutional code assigned to The Graduate School at Northwestern is 1565.

     * The department provides a holistic review for each application.  For those applicants who choose to submit GRE scores, these count as simply one data point among many.  They are not used to filter out any applications.  The absence of GRE scores in an applicant's dossier has no negative impact; when GRE scores are not submitted, the applicant will be assessed entirely on the basis of the required materials.

If you have any questions about the graduate application process that cannot be answered by consulting the Department of Philosophy website or The Graduate School's Admissions website, please feel free to email us at: philgradadmissions@northwestern.edu