Ph.D. Admissions

• Ph.D. application deadline (for Fall 2026 matriculation):
  • November 18, 2025. CLOSED
• Please do not hesitate to let us know if you are experiencing any problems as you attempt to upload your application materials. If you have any questions, contact department staff at wgss@umd.edu. (The Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies does not consider applications for spring semester admission.)
• Enrollment deadline:
  • To accept or decline the offer, applicants must notify the Department and Graduate School by April 15, 2026.

Click here for access to the online application portal

As required by the Graduate School, all application materials are to be submitted electronically:

• Graduate application
• Statement of Purpose
  • Applicant’s motivations for pursuing a Ph.D. in women, gender, and sexuality studies
  • Specific intellectual interests in the field and the ways in which these interests are supported by the particular strengths of our faculty, areas of concentration (described in the major field examination section of the Ph.D. program) and course offerings.
  • Recommended length is 1000 words (about 3-4 pages double-spaced)
• Transcript(s)
  • Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended, including all undergraduate and graduate work
• Letters of Recommendation (3)
• CV/Resume
• TOEFL/IELTS (international graduate students)
  • Review the latest IBT TOEFL and IELTS requirements
• Writing Sample
  • One writing sample of approximately 10 double spaced pages in length is required. Writing samples should use a scholarly format with citations, and the citations page(s) do not count towards the 10 page sample limit.
  • Inclusion of a second writing sample is optional.
• Non-refundable application fee ($75) unless waived (Graduate School fee waiver information)

If you have any questions about the content of your application, please contact department staff at wgss@umd.edu. If you have questions about issues you experience in the process of submitting your application please contact gradappsupport@umd.edu.

The University of Maryland’s Graduate School accepts applications through Enrollment RX at gradapply.umd.edu. Before completing the application, applicants are asked to check the Admissions Requirements site for specific instructions.

Learn more about Graduate School Admissions to the University of Maryland

The electronic submission of application materials helps expedite the review of an application. Completed applications are reviewed by the Women’s Studies Graduate Admissions Committee. The recommendations of the committee are submitted to the dean of the Graduate School, who will make the final admission decision. Students seeking to complete graduate work at the University of Maryland for degree purposes must be formally admitted to the Graduate School by the dean. To ensure the integrity of the application process, the University of Maryland authenticates submitted materials through TurnItIn for Admissions.

The University of Maryland is dedicated to maintaining a vibrant international graduate student community. The office of International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) is a valuable resource of information and assistance for prospective and current international students.  International applicants are encouraged to explore the services they offer and contact them with related questions.

The University of Maryland Graduate School offers admission to international students based on academic information; it is not a guarantee of attendance. Admitted international students will then receive instructions about obtaining the appropriate visa to study at the University of Maryland, which will require submission of additional documents. Please see the Graduate Admissions Process for International applicants for more information.

Applicants who do not register for classes in the semester for which they are admitted will have their admissions terminated. Students must maintain a cumulative “B” average or better in graduate course work and must satisfy all additional women’s studies and Graduate School requirements. In order to remain in good standing, doctoral students must be advanced to candidacy within five years of entrance, after which another four-year period is permitted for completion of the remaining requirements. Students should consult the Graduate Catalog for additional information on Graduate School policies and regulations.

Can this degree be taken online?
No, the Doctoral program in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is an in-person program. Core courses in the program are taught in an in-person format and learning to teach in-person is one of the major skills this program is designed to develop in our students. 

What do I need to have a complete application?
You must electronically submit an application, statement of purpose and research interests, transcripts (official or unofficial) from any institutions of higher learning that you attended, three letters of recommendation, a CV or resume, and a writing sample of approximately 10 pages.

Can I apply for a fee waiver?
The Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies does not provide any fee waivers.
Applicants should visit the Graduate School Fee Waiver page to find out if you are eligible for the Big Ten Free App or any of the other fee waiver programs supported by the Graduate School. We acknowledge that at this time, most international students are not eligible for the fee waivers offered by the University or the Big Ten Alliance.  

Do I need to take the GRE?
No. We do not find the GRE to be a good predictor for success in our program and we do not require it. If you have taken the GRE in order to apply to other programs, you do not need to report your scores to us.

What is the deadline for submission?
We admit only once per year, in fall for the following fall semester.  The Fall 2026 cohort deadline was Tuesday November 18, 2025 at 11:59pm eastern standard time. Please try to upload your materials before the deadline so you can let us know if you are experiencing any problems. If you have issues with the application system itself you will need to contact gradappsupport@umd.edu.

I can have everything in by the deadline except [fill in the blank]. Will you review an incomplete application?
The Graduate Admissions Committee begins application review soon after the deadline. Please follow up with your recommendation writers one to two weeks before the deadlines if the letters have not been submitted yet. We do not guarantee late letters will be considered in the committee review. An application with zero letters of recommendation received by the deadline will not be reviewed by the committee.

Applicants should notify the department if their English proficiency scores will not arrive by the deadline. Applicants are advised to schedule tests dates where the scores will be received within less than 1 month from the application deadline.  

What role do volunteer activities and extracurricular work play in the admissions process?
Feminist activist and other service work are not requirements, but they may make an application more attractive.

Can I apply to the Ph.D. program if I am coming in with a bachelor’s degree?
We receive many more applications than slots available. We do consider and accept students with an undergraduate degree only. However, it is a good idea to apply to both stand-alone MA and Ph.D. programs to keep your options open. We have found that the students applying to our program who have already completed an MA present particularly strong applications. 

Can I apply to the Ph.D. program if I didn’t major in women, gender, and sexuality studies?
You do not need to have a degree in women, gender, and sexuality studies. Among the factors that we consider important are an applicant’s knowledge and familiarity with scholarship on gender, race, and sexuality, but this knowledge may have originated in other disciplines or outside academia.

Writing Sample

How long should the writing sample be?
Writing samples should be no more than 10 pages. A writing sample of this length allows the reviewers to better evaluate both analytic and theoretical skills. Please use a scholarly format with citations. The citations page(s) do not count towards the 10 page sample limit.

Does my writing sample have to be on a women, gender, and sexuality studies topic?
Yes, the writing sample can be on any topic related to gender, and should be a paper of which you are particularly proud.

I wrote this great paper that I really want to submit, but it is too short/long. Can I send it anyway?
If there is a piece that you feel represents your writing well, but it is too short, you can submit that as well as an additional sample that meets the length requirement. If your piece is longer than 10 pages, please select an excerpt that you feel represents your writing best.

Funding

What kind of funding is available?
There are several options for funding. Fellowships are available on a competitive basis. We also offer 9.5-month assistantships; these include a stipend and require 20 hours per week of work in the department. Most of our assistantships are for teaching positions, although new graduate students are not assigned teaching positions in their first year. Students may also apply to assistantships in other departments on campus during the program. For information on funding, including scholarships and student loans, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid.

International Students

Who has to provide English Language Proficiency Scores?
English Language Proficiency Requirements are set by The University of Maryland Graduate School, please refer to their page for detailed information. All international students are required to provide TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores if they do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution or from an English speaking country. Non-native speakers of English who have earned a degree from the United States, United Kingdom, English-speaking Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Commonwealth Caribbean are exempt from presenting scores. 

Is the TSE (Test of Spoken English) required for international students applying for a teaching assistantship?
Yes, unless you have a degree from a university in an English-speaking country (see above). However, since teaching assistantships are not assigned to first-year students, you will have an opportunity to take the TSE once you arrive on campus.

Where can I get more information about applying as an international student?
International applicants should address any questions to International Student and Scholar Services, 1126 H.J. Patterson Hall, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA (301-314-7740). 

Miscellaneous Information

Where can I find out more about the department and about faculty research interests?
Our website lists all of our core and affiliate faculty as well as their research interests and other information. You are welcome to follow us on social media or follow our news posts on the website to see what the department is doing and join events that are open to the public.

Can I use Interfolio to provide letters of recommendation?

The Graduate School does accept recommendations through Interfolio but it is not a requirement. Usually the recommenders are assigned an Interfolio email and the applicant would enter that email in their application. Interfolio can also email the letters directly to gradappsupport@umd.edu

What if I just want a master’s degree and not a Ph.D.?
We do not have a stand-alone master’s program, this means we only accept applications from students intending to complete a Ph.D. Doctoral students in the program may request conferral of a master’s degree upon successfully completing 32 credits of coursework and either producing a thesis with an oral exam or passing the portfolio review.

How do I decide between applying to a women, gender, and sexuality studies program with a focus on another discipline and applying to another discipline’s program to focus on gender?
With interdisciplinary programs like Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies, it can be hard to decide whether, for example, to pursue a WGSS degree with work in history or a history degree with work in women, gender, and sexuality studies. In many cases, the difference is not great. Some programs are harder to gain admission to than others, therefore we recommend applying to both and make the decision based on which schools accept you and what they have to offer.

How long will it take to complete my Ph.D.?
Only an estimate is possible since everyone’s program will differ, especially the amount of time for research and writing the dissertation. We estimate about 5-7 years and we generally offer 5 years of guaranteed funding with the expectation students will apply for awards and fellowships or other assistantships to fund themselves after the Department funding ends. 

What is the job market for Ph.D.’s in women, gender, and sexuality studies?
Nationwide, the placement record for women, gender, and sexuality studies PhD graduates is about 60%. We believe that the job market for our graduate students is strong even in the face of challenges to the field. In addition to academic careers, our students will also be able to take jobs at research and policy institutes, in the government, and at other non-profit advocacy and funding agencies. Historically our students have consistently found positions in the field across academia, non-profit, government, research institutions, and policy institutes.