Information for Prospective Postgraduate Students

How Do I Apply?

Students in Ivor Crewe Building We are currently updating this page. If you cannot find the information you are looking for, please email: cgentry (non Essex users should add @essex.ac.uk).

Thank you for showing an interest in postgraduate studies in the Department of Language and Linguistics. All applications are dealt with centrally by Graduate Admissions. They are responsible for collating all the documentation associated with your application and send to the Department once the application is complete. Please note that we will only be able to consider your application once all documents are received.

To apply you should complete our Graduate Application Form, which can be obtained from (and should be returned to) our Graduate Admissions department or can be completed online at https://www.essex.ac.uk/pgapply/ you can find out more about the overall process here: How to apply to Essex.

Below is some information which you may find helpful as you consider submitting an application. If you cannot find an answer to your question, please use the enquiry email or telephone number below.

Deciding what to study
Entry Requirements
Language Requirement
Supporting Documents
General Enquiries

Entry Requirements:

Applicants for entry onto Postgraduate Taught programmes of study leading to the degree of MA/MRes normally need a good first degree (or equivalent). On some, previous knowledge of linguistics is useful, though not necessary.

Applicants for entry onto Postgraduate Research (PhD) degree should normally have a Masters degree or equivalent in the relevant area.

For more detailed information please look at the following page: http://www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics/prospective_students/pg_entry.aspx.

Language Requirement:

For students whose native language is not English, a command of English is a necessary requirement. Students whose first language is not English will be required to take a language test. Pre-sessional English tuition is available at the University for up to three months before the start of the first year’s study (you can find out more via the International Academy's webpage).

The usual minimum entry requirement for the Masters is either an IELTS score of 6.5 with 6.0 in the writing section or a TOEFL(ibt) score of 88+ or 570 (paper based). For Postgraduate Research we require IELT's 7.0 or equivalent.

We will only accept an English Language Certificate which has been taken up to a a maximum of two years prior to the first day of registration.

For a more detailed breakdown of information please look at the following page: http://www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics/prospective_students/pg_entry.aspx.
You might also be interested in the other opportunities for language study which the Department offers, (in addition to your prospective degree schemes): http://www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics/prospective_students/pg_language_study.aspx

Supporting Documents:

Postgraduate Taught (MA/MRes)
- 2 academic references on the headed paper of the institution (sealed, stamped and signed envelopes or sent directly from the referee as a scanned PDF using the institutional email account).
- Degree transcript and certificate (scanned PDF copies can be sent via email). Please note that minimum entry requirement is a BA grade of 2.1 (upper second class honours degree) or equivalent in the social sciences.
- English language certificate (if applicable).
- A Personal Statement (brief account of your career, especially if you are a teacher).
- Applicants for master of arts are not required to submit a sample of work nor the curriculum vitae, unless the applicant has been out of higher education for more than two years.

Postgraduate Research (PhD)
- Research Proposal Outline for the topic that you wish to work on (around 750 words). You can find out more information on how to write one via the following link: http://www.essex.ac.uk/linguistics/pg_research/proposal.aspx
- 2 academic references on the headed paper of the institution (sealed, stamped and signed envelopes or sent directly from the referee as a scanned PDF using the institutional email account)
- A Personal Statement (brief account of your career, especially if you are a teacher).
- English language certificate (if applicable).
- Degree transcript and certificate (scanned PDF copies can be sent via email).

Please note that you can send all supporting documents via email: pgquery (non Essex users should add @essex.ac.uk) or by post to Graduate Admissions, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester , Essex, CO4 3SQ, United Kingdom.

Other useful information available on the web includes information about course and tuition fees.

General enquiries:
If you have any general queries about graduate study in the Department of Language and Linguistics at Essex, please contact our Graduate Administrator (see below for contact details). She will either reply herself, or pass on your question to someone else that can answer your query.

Miss Catherine Gentry
Graduate Administrator
Department of Language and Linguistics,,
University of Essex,
Wivenhoe Park,
Colchester, Essex, CO4 3SQ.

E-mail: cgentry (non Essex users should add @essex.ac.uk)
Telephone: (+44) 01206 872199
Facsimile: (+44)01206 872198

When Should I Apply?

You can apply for any of our courses at any time during the year (there is no deadline) but

Taught MAs, MRes and PhDNR (Integrated) start ONLY in October each year. The courses totally by supervised research start at the start of any of the three terms of the year. There is no deadline for the receipt of applications but it can be difficult to obtain copies of transcripts, certificates and references at short notice. We therefore advise that you apply by 1st July, each year. Especially if you feel that you would have Visa implications.

Those interested in applying for UK Research Council (e.g. ESRC, AHRC), or University funding should ensure that their applications have arrived well before the deadlines (see Information about Graduate Funding for more details)

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