Admission to the Ph.D. Program in French is determined by careful review of the applicants' prior academic
performance, writing sample, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and personal statement. Approximately 3-5
students are accepted into the Program each year.
Since admission to the graduate program is competitive, it is recommended that prospective applicants
carefully consider the following information:
Writing Sample:One of the most important components of an application is the writing sample. This
should be a critically oriented piece written in French that illustrates an applicant's ability to do
scholarly research and interpret literary texts. Only one writing sample should be submitted and it should not
exceed 20 pages.
GRE Scores: While there is no fixed cut-off for the GRE scores, a reasonable recommendation for
native English speakers is a minimum score of a 600 on the GRE Verbal Test. Analytical and Quantitative Test
Scores are given less weight.
Grades: A minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.50 in the last two years of undergraduate
study is recommended to be competitive.
Prospective International Applicants: Official records from overseas institutions should be sent
directly to the French Department. Documents that are not in English should be submitted with an authorized,
complete, and exact English translation. Records must be in duplicate and include all courses and indications
of units and grades. Official evidence of degree conferral must also be supplied.
Except for those who have completed 4 years of high school in the United States, applicants whose primary
language is not English are required to submit TOEFL scores for admission consideration. Both paper and
computer-based tests are available: a minimum score of 550 is required for the paper-based test; a score of 213
is required for the computer-based test. Applicants must ask ETS to forward scores directly to the UCI Office of
Graduate Studies.
All international and permanent resident applicants who are not citizens of countries where English is either
the primary or dominant language, and who expect to serve as a Teaching Assistant, must pass either the Test of
Spoken English (TSE) administered by the Educational Testing Service or the UCI Campus SPEAK examination
administered by the UCI Humanities Instructional Resources Center. A minimum score of 50 on either test is
required.
If admitted, foreign applicants will be required to certify that they possess sufficient funds to cover all
fees, transportation, and living expenses for the first year of their studies at UCI. A confidential form will
be sent upon admission to graduate study. The required verification must be provided before visa forms can be
issued.
On-Campus Housing: Applicants are encouraged to apply for housing at the time of application to the
university, since on-campus housing for single- and married-student housing is in high demand.
Prospective applicants should apply electronically. All supporting documents must be submitted in hardcopy
form to the department by the January 15th deadline.
Ph.D. Programs Application Checklist:
- Completed electronic application.
- Applicants may use a Visa or MasterCard to pay the $60.00 application fee on line or make a check or money
order payable to the UC Regents.
- Two copies of official transcripts from each undergraduate and graduate institution previously attended.
- Official GRE General Test scores.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- A paper or essay on a literary subject (submit in paper form only).
Requests for further information should be addressed to:
Department of French and Italian
School of Humanities
University of California
Irvine, CA 92697-2925
Telephone: (949) 824-6407
E-mail: frnchita@uci.edu
The online application is most convenient for your application process. Please apply at www.rgs.uci.edu/grad/prospective and click on Applying to UCI.
