Apply to the Graduate Program

Students interested in applying for Autumn 2025, please read the following

message from our Director of Graduate Studies!

Application materials are due January 5 (for all applicants, both international and US). Offers of admission are usually made by mid March.  We are no longer accepting applications for Autumn 2024.  The application portal for admission in Autumn 2025 will be open October 2024.  

Our graduate program application is entirely online. The application and directions for submission are available at the following Graduate School website: https://apply.grad.uw.edu/portal/gr_app

Frequently Asked Questions

You will be asked to submit the following materials online:

1. Online Graduate School Application for Admission with application fee.
2. Statement of Purpose (double-spaced, 12-point font preferred):
   • MA applicants: 1-2 pages describing your academic background, reasons for attending graduate school, and potential research interest. Be sure to address why our particular program is right for you and how you see our program benefitting your future, including how you might contribute to social or cultural diversity within the fields of cinema and media studies (or have already).
   • PhD applicants: 2-3 pages describing your academic background, reasons for attending graduate school, and potential research interest. Be sure to address why our particular program is right for you and how you see our program benefitting your future, including how you might contribute to social or cultural diversity within the fields of cinema and media studies (or have already).
3. Three letters of recommendation referring to competence in projected fields of study, writing ability, potential to excel in graduate study, and teaching ability (our graduate students are funded through teaching assistant positions). 
4. Critical writing sample in English (double-spaced, 12-point font preferred) :
   • MA applicants should submit a 10-15 page sample.
   • PhD applicants should submit a 15-20 page sample.
5. Unofficial University Transcripts.
6. Test Scores:
   • International applicants: TOEFLiBT or IELTS scores. Applicants should ask Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send official TOEFLiBT scores to the University of Washington, institution code 4854. If you are interested in a Teaching Assistantship, spoken English proficiency MUST be met with a score of at least  26 on the speaking portion of TOEFLiBT or at least 7.0 on the speaking section of the IELTS.  
   • GRE scores are optional.  If applicants choose, they may ask Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send official scores to the University of Washington, institution code 4854.