1. A Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States or a comparable degree from a recognized institution of higher learning abroad
2. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (A=4.0), or comparable for an international applicant, for the last two years of undergraduate study
3. An excellent command of English and of at least one other language supported by the program
4. All other minimum admissions requirements of the Graduate College.

Click here for more information about admission requirements for international students.

We encourage you to apply as early as possible for fullest consideration. We review applications shortly after the following deadlines:

Preferred Application Deadline, including full consideration for competitive merit scholarships:  December 1.

Standard Application Deadline: March 1

After March 1, we may consider complete application files only if space permits. We cannot consider any applications that arrive after April 15. 

Tuition for the campus-based program is the standard "Graduate Base" tuition, set annually by the Office of the Registrar. Campus students pay the standard “Graduate Base” tuition plus campus fees. Online students pay tuition by credit hour (see the online tuition here under the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences).    

Most students take 8 hours of credit per semester, for 4 semesters.

A limited number of competitive recruitment scholarships are available to outstanding applicants. All completed applications are automatically considered for potential merit scholarship funding.

Full tuition waivers, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships are not available directly through the Program in Translation & Interpreting Studies. TIS graduate students may accept assistantships from other units if the appointment is under 25%. TIS students are not eligible for assistantship appointments of 25% or above. Applicants are encouraged to explore student loans and opportunities for funding through national government sources or private sources.

Please consult the Graduate College Funding and Employment website for further information on loans, grants, and student employment.

Request Additional Information

Our MA program may be completed either on campus or in a fully online format. Requirements and professors are identical for either modality. 

Click here for information about the MA degree requirements

For more information,  contact:

translation@illinois.edu

phone: 217-244-6508

Director, Translation & Interpreting Studies
4080 Foreign Languages Building, 707 South Mathews, Urbana, IL 61801 

If you need assistance with the application process, please contact SLCL Student Services: slclgradservices@illinois.edu.

The University of Illinois has a web-based application. On the Graduate College's
application website, you will find information, application instructions, and the link to the application itself.

Please select EITHER the application for the ONLINE program or the one for CAMPUS-BASED Program. 

In your online application packet, you will be asked to submit:

• Three letters of recommendation from referees who can provide information on your likelihood of success in our MA program. Referees may be current or former instructors or supervisors, or professional colleagues who are not in a reporting position to the applicant. Letters from friends,  neighbors, religious leaders from the applicant’s place of worship, etc. will be considered supplemental to the required three letters.
• Resume or CV;
• Transcripts (with English translations, if applicable) showing all undergraduate and graduate courses taken and grades received. Please consult the information here for information on minimum Grade Point Average required for admission. Transcripts received from foreign institutions should be accompanied by a Certificate of Degree or Diploma. *For the application purpose, an unofficial transcript will work.  
• A Statement of Purpose. This is a crucial component of your application. It is your chance to tell us about your background, your reasons for choosing this MA program, and your professional aspirations. It also provides examples of how you write in English and in one other language.   
• All applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit the score report of their TOEFL-iBT or IELTS as evidence of their English proficiency. Please consult the information here for details about minimum scores required for admission, and exemptions to the TOEFL-iBT requirement.

    • We will contact applicants who meet the minimum requirements for admission to schedule the last step of the application process, which is a short video conversation. During this conversation, you will meet two members of our faculty. We will converse with you both in English and in the other language in which you plan to work during your MA degree.  The conversation will last around 15 minutes, and will be recorded and included in your application file.