How to Apply for Admission 
and Financial Aid*

Please follow the instructions below.

1.  Please include the following to complete your application for admission to Comparative Literature.

a.  A copy of your undergraduate transcript (and, if you have undertaken previous graduate study, your graduate transcript).

b.  The on-line electronic application fee is paid by (check or money order payable to Penn State).  The following are the payment options for the electronic fee:

- By check or money order drawn on a U.S. Bank

- By credit card via online

- By credit card via postal mail

c.  Your GRE scores.  You may send a photocopied score report initially, but we will eventually need an official report.

d.  Your TOEFL score, if you are not a native speaker of English

2.  Prepare a cassette tape on which you have recorded a brief (three to five minute) statement discussing your academic background and your interest in Comparative Literature.  Record the tape in English and in each other language you speak.  The tape will be used to assess your suitability for a language-teaching assistantship, or your English fluency if you are not a native speaker of English.  (If you’ve studied ancient languages such as Latin, you need not include those languages on the tape.)

3.  Have three letters of recommendation sent to the Graduate Officer, Department of Comparative Literature, The Pennsylvania State University, 427 Burrowes Building, University Park, PA 16802.  These letters should be written by faculty members who are familiar with your academic work.  Your recommenders can write on their own stationery: there is no special form that they need to fill out. 

4.  Include a one to two page statement explaining your range of interests within Comparative Literature or your proposed focus.

5.  Send a sample of your written work--a term paper, seminar report, or a similar piece of writing that illustrates your best work to date.

6.   Where applicable send us a brief statement (one page or less) explaining any teaching, word processing, editing, tutoring, or other related academic working experience you have had.  Also, a letter from your supervisor would be useful.

*Not all students who are admitted for graduate study are offered Penn State financial aid.  We try to find financial support for as many students as possible, but some students must pay their own expenses if they wish to attend.  To conform to U.S. law, all students receiving Penn State financial aid must complete an I-9 form to verify their identity, their citizenship or visa status, and their eligibility to receive University funds.

If you are unable to obtain an assistantship or fellowship, there are other forms of financial aid for U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals.  You may request a free application for Federal Student Aid from Federal Student financial aid programs.  You may contact your state scholarship agency, or financial aid office for the application or write to Federal Student Aid Programs, P.O. Box 4001, Mt. Vernon, IL  62864-8601.  If you are not a U.S. citizen or U.S. National, and are ineligible for U.S. Federal funded financial aid, there may be agencies to which you can apply in your country of citizenship.

You are always free to send any further supplemental materials that you think will strengthen your case--and to get in touch with us if you have any questions about your applications process. Call the number below and ask for the graduate secretary, write to us, send us e-mail, or visit our website.  We will be happy to hear from you.  

Please mail all materials directly to:

Irene Grassi, Graduate Secretary
Department of Comparative Literature
427 Burrowes Building
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA  16802
 Phone 814-863-0589

You can also reach us via email: cmlit@psu.edu
Or by FAX:  814-863-8882