About PhD Program,
The MATESOL degree is intended to prepare candidates to be professional leaders in the many roles that teachers play
classroom instructor, peer coordinator, teacher preparation, curriculum and materials developer, program administrator, etc. To this end, the curriculum is designed to provide candidates with an understanding of the structure of the English language, a familiarity with the dominant theories of language learning/teaching, insights into how language proficiency is best developed in different individuals, and practical approaches and experiences that are central to the development of candidates as teachers of English as an international language.
Illinois was ranked in 2018 as the 37th most prestigious university in the world (Times Higher Education World University Ranking) and as the 7th Best Value University in the US by Forbes. Illinois is the home of 24 Nobel and 28 Pulitzer Prize winners.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
an undergraduate major in linguistics, English, a foreign language, or education is generally recommended, though other majors are also acceptable. Applicants must present a grade point average of at least 3.0 (A = 4.0) for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. Two years of coursework in a foreign language or the equivalent are also required. TOEFL score of 103 or above is required for full-status admission; students with TOEFL scores below 103 may be considered for limited-status admission, please see the requirements page. GRE scores are optional. For further guidance on applying to the MATESL program, see MATESOL Information Page
The graduate admission process to the MATESL program and the PhD program in Linguistics is handled jointly by the Graduate College, the Department of Linguistics, and the SLCL Graduate Student Services office. Applications are accepted for fall admission only.
PhD Funding Coverage,
Nearly all of the UIUC MATESOL students are the beneficiaries of some form of financial aid for at least part of the time they spend working on their degree. Most degree candidates with native or native-like competence in English receive appointments as graduate assistants teaching English in the ESL Service Courses or in the Intensive English Institute for at least two academic years. In addition, there are a limited number of library and laboratory assistantships open to MATESL students; the assistantships offered to English language learners require proof of near-native English speaking ability. If you are an English language learner applicant for a teaching job in ESL, you must present a TOEFL Speaking Score (or an equivalent score in IELTS) of 26 (or greater) for full consideration.
The most common form of Financial Aid for the MATESOL program is in the form of a 33% Teaching Assistantship. This means that students with the TA position will teach one section of ESL per semester (approximately 3 hours of teaching per week), with additional hours devoted to lesson preparation, grading, office hours, meetings, etc. All Assistantships of at least 25% include a full waiver of the university tuition cost and almost all student fees. They also include a monthly salary.
There is a separate financial aid application process for each academic term. Fall and Summer applications are processed together, usually in March or April of each year. Spring applications are processed typically on October or November of the previous year. Please check back at this webpage from time to time, to see if new financial aid forms are posted for a forthcoming semester.
All newly admitted MATESL students are automatically considered for financial aid for their first semester of study. There is no separate financial aid application system as part of the admission application. After arrival, all MATESOL students must re-apply for financial aid each semester, regardless of any guarantee of longer-term awards (e.g., in the admission letter). This re-application allows MATESL students to indicate if they wish to teach a different class.
The Department welcomes applicants from other campus degree programs.
Application Requirement,
Academic statement of purpose
Personal statement
Resume or CV
Academic documents
Writing Sample
Letters of Recommendation
Standardized tests:
The GRE is not required for admission. Applicants who would like to submit the GRE score report (taken within the last five (5) years) should have it sent by ETS to institution code #1836, dept. #00. There is no minimum score requirement.
Application Deadline,
Jan 04, 2025
Application Fee,
The application fee $70 for domestic applicants, $90 for international
