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Brian Lamb School of Communication

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

Why Purdue
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FAQs
Application Process

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FAQs

All Applicants

International Applicants

All Applicants 

What criteria are used to evaluate graduate applications?

Our school evaluates each application to the graduate program using multiple criteria, including undergraduate/master’s grades,  letters of recommendation, fit with our faculty, and prior work/life experience. Median undergraduate GPA for admitted students is 3.7 (4-point scale). If you feel your overall application is a good fit for our program, we encourage you to apply. 

What kind of financial assistance is available?

Students rarely can afford to attend graduate school without financial assistance. We try to offer every student whom we admit to our graduate program a teaching assistantship, provided oral English proficiency has been demonstrated. The teaching assistantship waives tuition as well as most student fees and pays a monthly salary. We also nominate especially talented students for school and university fellowships. For more information about teaching assistantships and fellowship opportunities, look here.

Do I have to have a master’s degree to apply for the doctoral program?

A master’s degree in Communication or related field is required for admission into our PhD program. Some schools admit students with only an undergraduate degree into their PhD program. These students, however, often must overcome additional hurdles that end up slowing their degree completion. Students admitted into our doctoral program at Purdue can complete their coursework, preliminary exams, and dissertation research in four years. Students admitted straight into other doctoral programs that do not require a master’s degree often take at least five to six years to complete their PhD degree.

If I am accepted, can I transfer credit hours from another school to Purdue?

Students can transfer up to six hours from another school towards their MA or PhD degree with approval, but only if these hours were not used to obtain an earlier degree.

If I start out in non-degree seeking status, can I transfer the hours earned in that status to a regular degree-seeking program?

Twelve credit hours with a grade of B or better may transfer towards their MA or PhD degree with approval, presuming that they are admitted into our program and that the courses fit coherently into their eventual plan of study.

What is the deadline for applying to the graduate program?

We begin reviewing applications for each fall on October 15 of the previous year. Applications will not be considered until they are complete. Complete applications received by October 15 will receive full consideration. We will continue to review completed applications received through December 1 and until all new graduate student positions are filled. We encourage you to apply early!

If I apply to the graduate program in the spring for fall consideration, and am not admitted for the fall semester, do I have to pay the application fee again to apply for the next fall semester?

Yes, the application fee is only good for one academic year. The academic year runs fall, spring, and summer.

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International Applicants

What standardized tests do international applicants submit from Educational Testing Services (ETS)?

To be considered for admission into the graduate program, and to be considered for financial support as a teaching assistant, non-native English-speaking applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English, through taking an English proficiency exam. Scores must be documented by an official report sent directly from the testing agency and must be no more than two years old at the time the application credentials are reviewed by OGSPS. In addition to meeting the university-wide requirements for graduate students, applicants must also meet a higher requirement for the English-speaking section. Minimum scores for each test are given below.

Speaking Portion Minimum Score Requirements
TOEFL iBT (pre-2026) – 25
TOEFL iBT (2026 or later) – 5.0
IELTS – 7.5

The Lamb School does not accept Duolingo for our minimum speaking requirements.                                                       

Students whose speaking scores are at or above the cutoffs in the table below will be automatically certified as proficient enough to teach classes. Students with lower scores will be required to take Purdue’s Oral English Proficiency Test (OEPT) upon arrival. Most students who meet our minimum score requirements above should pass the test, but those who do not will be required to enroll in an English language course during their first semester.

Automatic Certification Cutoffs
TOEFL iBT (pre-2026) – 27
TOEFL iBT (2026 or later) – 5.5
IELTS – 8.0

Only official TOEFL scores received directly from ETS are acceptable. All TOEFL scores should be sent to us from ETS as follows: Institution Code 1631, Department Code 83

Note: The Lamb School does NOT waive English language requirements based on prior attendance at English-based educational institutions.

How old can my TOEFL be?                                                                                                                                                                                No more than two years old. The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Scholars (OGSPS) policy regarding the TOEFL is as follows: The score must be documented by an official report from ETS and must be no more than two years old at the time that application credentials are reviewed in the OGSPS. Report of TOEFL scores is valid only if received directly from ETS. Have scores sent to Institution Code 1631; Department Code 83.                                                                                                     

If the TOEFL score is more than two years old, the OGSPS may require that you retake the TOEFL.

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