How to Apply

When you apply to a graduate program it is necessary that we receive the following items before your application will be considered complete and forwarded for review, evaluation, and recommendation by the faculty of the program to which you are applying.

• Statement of purpose (in English) indicating your background, areas of academic interest and/or teaching experience, and why you are applying for that particular language program.
• Résumé (or brief Curriculum Vitae) of educational and professional activities.
• Writing sample written in the target language of the program for which you are applying (EALC applicants are required to submit a writing sample in English). Click also on the appropriate icon above to check program-specific requirements for the writing sample.
• Three (3) letters of recommendation. You should request these letters from persons in a position to comment on the quality of your academic work, academic record, to evaluate your potential for doing successful graduate work, and if you are applying for a teaching assistantship, address your qualifications to hold such a position.
• GRE scores. Verbal and Quantitative scores are required of all applicants, including international students, for admission to graduate studies as well as for teaching assistantships, scholarships or fellowships. For information about registering and taking the GRE, please visit their website. Average Verbal Reasoning scores for applicants we have accepted in the last five years have been around 155 on the new score scale. However, please note that the GRE score is one element of your application and the program views the entire file holistically in making a determination of admission.
  The GRE is waived for M.A. applications up to and including Fall 2026.
  Applicants for the French and Spanish Ph.D. programs may request a GRE waiver if one of the following criteria is fulfilled: 1. Successful completion of M.A. degree in relevant field with GPA 3.5 or higher. 2. Authorship or co-authorship of a peer-reviewed paper in relevant field.
• GPA of 3.0 (on a 4-point system) or higher as an upper division student.
• TOEFL scores (only for international students whose native language is not English: see paragraph below*).
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities which you have attended and/or from which you received a degree. An official hardcopy transcript should be sent by the issuing institution to: Office of Admissions (A2500 University Center, 282 Champions Way, Tallahassee FL 32306-2400). An unofficial copy should be uploaded as a supporting document on your online application.
  All non-US transcripts must be submitted for evaluation through the SpanTran pathway portal, or from another NACES approved evaluator. SpanTran has created a custom application for Florida State University that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. Florida State University recommends SpanTran as our preferred credential evaluation because it offers an easy, streamline the application process.

• All foreign nationals must be processed through FSU’s International Admissions Office and must apply at least six (6) months prior to the first day of classes of the semester they wish to attend.
• Students from abroad, when accepted, must apply for a U.S. visa as student. After admission, you will be contacted by a staff member of FSU's Center for Global Engagement who will take you through the procedures for visa application.
• Foreign nationals from non‑Anglophone countries and/or whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). There is a requirement of a minimum score of 80 on the internet-based test (IBTOEFL) or of 550 on the paper-based test.
• Please note: if you are a non-native speaker of English, in order to be eligible for employment, Florida State University requires you to have a minimum of 23 points on the IB TOEFL Speaking Section. If you score is below 23, or if you did not provide TOEFL scores for admission because you had equivalent experience verifying your English proficiency (such as a previous degree from a US university), you must take the SPEAK test (Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit) administered by FSU's Center for Intensive English Studies and score a minimum of 45 in order to be eligible for employment.