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Note to prospective students:
The applications portal for the Fall 2025 admissions cycle opens on September 10, 2024. The application deadline is December 1, 2024. The portal is available on the Northwestern University Graduate School website. Please read the FAQ section of the Rhetoric, Media, and Publics website for more information on the application requirements and process.
Fee Waiver Notice: There is a small number of fee waivers available for those who have completed a master’s degree. This will be distributed on a first come first serve basis. For more information on other application fee waiver options, please visit https://www.tgs.northwestern.edu/admission/application-procedures/application-requirements/fee.html

Supplemental Materials

The following supplemental materials must be submitted in addition to (in some cases, as part of) your online application. For details, see The Graduate School’s instructions.

  • Statement of Purpose (may not exceed two single-spaced pages)
  • Resume or CV
  • 2 or 3 letters of recommendation, submitted online
  • Unofficial transcripts from each university you have attended, i.e. scanned copies. To note: The Graduate School will request official transcripts should you be admitted and choose to enroll.
  • Writing Sample (preferably something academic, such as a term paper, honors thesis or something equivalent) limited to 15-20 pages or less
  • GRE scores are not required. You may submit them if you wish. Official GRE scores should be sent by ETS to institution code 1565, the NU Graduate School. ETS will not report GRE scores more than 5 years old.
  • If your native language is not English, you must certify your proficiency in the English language in one of the four following ways:
    1. Provide official transcripts verifying an undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year institution or equivalent, where the language of instruction is English.
    2. Provide official transcripts verifying a graduate degree from an accredited institution or equivalent, where the language of instruction is English.
    3. Score 100 total or higher and 26 or higher on the Speak section on the Internet Based TOEFL (IBT) and have ETS send your official scores to institution code 1565 (the NU Graduate School). The scores must be from a test taken no more than two years before the desired quarter of entry.
    4. Score 7 or higher on the IELTS and submit your scores electronically or as a hard copy (physical score reports should be mailed directly to the Communication Studies Department in the Frances Searle Building, 2240 Campus Drive). The scores must be from a test taken no more than two years before the desired quarter of entry.
  • You may request an application fee waiver in the online application portal. Please see The Graduate School’s information page about application fee waivers.
  • Please also see the The Graduate School’s page for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).