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 Slavic and East European Languages and Literatures.
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 $45 ($60 if you are sending
in a paper application - 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 Slavic East European Languages and Literatures.
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 Slavic and East European Languages and Literatures, The Pennsylvania State University, 311 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 Slavic and East European Languages and Literatures 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 Slavic and East European Languages and Literatures
311 Burrowes
Building
The
Pennsylvania State University
University
Park, PA 16802
Phone 814-865-5481
You can also reach us via
email:
psuslavic@psu.edu
Or by FAX:
814-863-8882
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