Admissions and Funding
Application Information
Requirements
- Statement of Intent
- Curriculum Vitae
- A writing sample
- At least three letters of recommendation (preferably from university faculty)
- Official Transcripts
- GRE — Test results more than five years old will not be accepted. The subject test in Sociology is neither required nor recommended. Please note that the GRE will be required for Fall 2024 admission.
- TOEFL for non-native English Speakers
Timeline
The application deadline for Fall 2024 admission is December 1st, 2023.
We invite people in the beginning of March to interview with us, and offers of admission go out mid-late March. Last year we received 91 applications and admitted 13%.
Domestic residents will be invited to attend our Prospective Student Visit Day held in March. We interview international applicants over video conference. Students have until April 15 to accept admission to the program.
Financial and Professional Support
- Five years of guaranteed funding, so long as you are making satisfactory progress toward program goals.
- A $30,500 stipend, paid over 12 months. The stipend carries a service expectation of nine months of part-time work as a graduate assistant each year, at about 18 hours a week. In the summers we expect you to make progress on your own research and work toward program goals, while maintaining close contact with department activities.
- A full Notre Dame tuition scholarship during your time in the program.
- Full access to University Health Services — both physical and mental health services — as well as fully subsidized health insurance for services off-campus. Although the university only pays your premiums as a student, insurance for immediate family members is available at a reduced cost.
- Access to comprehensive professional development programs through the Graduate School and the Department of Sociology, including grant-writing support and an institutional affiliation with the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity.
- $1,500 of professional development funds for use within your first three years in the department. Additional department and university resources are available for research and conference travel and other professional development opportunities.
Fellowships
You may also be competitive for Notre Dame’s Select Fellowships that can raise your yearly stipend up to $34,875 to $39,875.
Students interested in learning to conduct research on educational practices, programs, and policies should apply for the Rev. James A. Burns Fellowship to be a part of the Program for Interdisciplinary Educational Research.