How to Apply
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How to Apply to the History Graduate Program
Applications for fall 2025 are now closed.
Prerequisites for Admission
Those who hold a BA or BS from an accredited college or university and who have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or above are eligible for admission to the Master's Program. Those who already hold a MA degree from an accredited college or university and who have a cumulative GPA of 3.6 or above are eligible for admission to the PhD program. In exceptional cases the grade point requirement may be waived.
The Department of History Graduate Program no longer requires GRE scores as part of the application materials.
Required Application Materials
Please read this section with great care
All applications, writing samples, recommendations, and supporting materials must be submitted via the University of Utah Graduate online application system, Slate. The History Department will not accept applications nor materials that are submitted by mail.
Use the Graduate Application Materials Checklist to ensure that you have submitted all the required application materials.
If you have any questions regarding the application process, please email our Academic Advisor, Amarilys Scott at history@utah.edu.
The research statement of interest is an academically oriented discussion of the fields and themes that interest you. You should begin with your broad interests and then funnel down to a more specific research interest or project. You should reference any relevant skills (including methodologies like oral history, languages, digital skills, etc.) and work experience, and conclude with a discussion of three faculty in our program whose work most closely matches yours.
750 - 1000 words
Your personal statement should discuss your professional goals and how you see the University of Utah helping you further those goals. It should address your career path and be specific about the work you would like to do. That can be anything related to history including but not limited to: K-12 teaching, public history (work in archives, historic preservation, museums and state, federal or tribal agencies), and/or obtaining a PHD and college or university teaching.
100 - 250 words
Applicants must submit at least one example of academic or professional writing, e.g., a published essay, a masters thesis, an honors thesis, or a research seminar paper (10 to 15 pages is the expected length for Masters candidates, 20 to 25 pages is the expected length for PhD candidates).
We strongly recommend that you select individuals to write references that can comment on your academic abilities. Letters from History or other academic faculty are highly valued. We recommend you waive your right to see the letter. It is your responsibility to ensure that all three letters of recommendation reach us by the application deadline.
For the application, we need an unnoficial copy of your academic transcripts from all institutions you have attended. If you are admitted to your graduate program, you will be asked to submit an official copy of your transcripts, sent directly from your previous school(s) sent to the Admissions Office.
Application Fee
The application fee is $55.00 for domestic students and $65.00 for international students. The History Department only offers application fee waivers to students in the McNair Scholars Program.
International Applicants
International applicants need to allow more time for their applications to be processed. We recommend that, if possible, you have all of your materials submitted by November 1, a month earlier than the stated deadline.
For international applicants whose first language is not English, language proficiency scores on either the TOEFL or IELTS sent as soon as possible to the Admission Office. Admission to the graduate program requires a minimum TOEFL score of 80 (Internet-based test) or 550 (paper-based test) or on IELTS: An overall minimum band score of 6.5.
Graduate Application Checklist
To be considered complete, all items listed below must be submitted via the online application system by December 1st: Slate.
- Application
A completed University of Utah Common Online Graduate Admissions Application, including an affidavit of support for International Students. - Application Fee
Payment of application fee ($55 for domestic applicants; $65 for international applicants) via the online application system. - Transcripts
Transcripts must be uploaded via the online application system. To facilitate this process you may request your unofficial transcripts, print them out, and upload them into the online application system. If you are accepted into the program and choose to attend, you must then supply official transcripts mailed from your schools directly to the University of Utah Admissions Office before you are able to register for your second semester of graduate work.
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
ADMISSIONS OFFICE
201 S 1460 E RM 250S
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84112-9057
- Research Statement
- Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement
- Writing Sample
- Three Academic Letters of Recommendation
Note: The History Department no longer requires the GRE to apply.
Graduate Program Frequently Asked Questions
No, the History Department no longer requires the GRE.
The application deadline is December 1st to enroll the following fall semester.
Applicants interested in the Global Contexts MA will have to choose a track at the time of application.
Applicants should reach out to relevant faculty or the Director of Graduate Studies to determine which track is better suited to their goals.
To apply for Department support, prospective students must fill out the appropriate section of the online application. To receive departmental financial aid, students must be full time (9 credit hrs. per semester). No FAFSA is required for departmental support.
Although we do not gaurantee departmental financial support, for the past several years we have been able to support all applicants who have requested financial aid.
This is how the financial aid question will look on your application.
Access to the Tuition Benefit Program (TBP). This covers tuition.
Access to the Graduate Subsidized Health Insurance Program (GSHIP).
A stipend.
Prospective students can calculate their tuition by using the Tuition Estimator. Here is a video with instructions.
We recommend students take one or more graduate level courses as a non-degree seeking student. More information about applying to be a non-degree seeking student can be found here.
Taking a graduate course as a non-degree seeking student will most likely provide a writing sample and a letter of recommendation. Up to fifteen semester hours of credit earned as a non-matriculated graduate student, taken no more than three years prior to approval, can be applied toward a Master’s degree. Up to nine semester hours of nonmatriculated credit, taken no more than three years prior to approval, can be applied toward a doctoral degree.
Please see the Graduate School website for further information.
Yes, your research interests need to fit within one of the graduate fields of study.