Admission Requirements
Applications to the Ph.D. program are accepted for the summer semester only. The application cycle for the summer 2026 semester is now closed; the summer 2027 application cycle will open by September 2026.
Admission to the Ph.D. in Information is highly competitive. The decision is made based on a holistic review of applicants’ academic merit, research and analytical mindset and skills, and potential match with the research expertise of iSchool faculty.
- History of Academic Excellence
- Completed Undergraduate Degree from a regionally or nationally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution with a minimum upper-division Grade Point Average of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale).
- Completed Graduate Degree from a regionally or nationally accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from an international institution, with a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale).
- NOTE: Applicants currently completing a graduate degree may be considered for admission if the graduate degree is completed before the start of the PhD degree program.
- “Good standing” status at the last institution attended
- Graduate Admissions Entrance Examination Scores (GRE, MAT, LSAT, or GMAT)
- NOTE: This requirement has been waived for all Ph.D. in Information applicants.
- English Language Proficiency Exam Scores (international applicants only)
- The departmental minimum scores are as follows:
- TOEFL iBT: Minimum Total Score of 100
- Minimum Writing Score of 24
- IELTS: Minimum Total Score of 7.0
- Minimum Writing Score of 6.5
NOTE: If you have earned a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree from a U.S. institution, the applicant may request that this requirement be waived.
Application Requirements
Applicants are required to submit the following credentials for the Ph.D. in Information to be reviewed by the Doctoral Admissions Committee.
- Current Resume/Curriculum Vitae
- School of Information Graduate Faculty Preference Form
- This form is available within the University Graduate Application and identifies three eligible faculty members with whom you would like to study as a First Year Advisor. Eligible faculty must be in your area of interest and can be selected from the following:
Christy Chatmon
Nancy Everhart
Melissa Gross
Zhe He
Chris Hinnant
Don Latham
Seul Lee
Mia Lustria
Marcia Mardis
Shuyuan Metcalfe
Min Sook Park
Subhasree Sengupta
Gretchen Stahlman
Besiki Stvilia
Margaret Sullivan
Qunfang Wu
- Statement of Purpose
- Write a personal statement of purpose that discusses your: reasons for pursuing a Ph.D. in Information, areas of research interest and potential research problems that you would like to investigate, and career objectives after earning a Ph.D. degree. Also, list three School of Information faculty with whom you would like to work with and explain why. A list of eligible faculty are listed above. The Statement of Purpose should be 2 – 3 pages, double-spaced, with 1-inch borders, and use 10–12-point sans serif font (e.g., Arial, Helvetica).
- Writing Sample
- Submit a substantive academic or professional writing sample preferably written in the past 5 years. The paper be substantive enough to demonstrate your writing, research, and critical thinking skills.
- Not to exceed 20 pages
- May be from previous coursework
- May be an excerpt of a research paper or thesis
- Must be submitted in English
- Letters of Recommendation
- Submit three letters of recommendation. At least one letter should be from instructors or professors who can attest to your potential to complete an advanced graduate degree successfully. One letter may be from a current or former employer who can attest to your work performance and potential for advanced graduate study.
- Format: Each letter should be on a formal company or institution letterhead and include the date and signature of the recommender. All letters should be uploaded to the online University application portal.
- Content: Each letter should address the following items if known:
- How long they have known the applicant and in what capacity
- Intellectual ability
- Oral and written communication skills
- Research and analytical skills
- Ability to work independently and with others
- Emotional maturity
- Potential for success in the profession
