How to Apply to the MA in TESOL Program

Applicants who seek admission to the Master of Arts in TESOL need to meet the general IUP institutional requirements as well as the specific MA in TESOL program requirements.

1. IUP Institutional Requirements

To learn about graduate admissions at IUP in general, candidates to the MA in TESOL program should visit the Graduate Admissions website to access:

  • Application Information: Admission requirements and application instructions
  • Forms and Applications: Admissions application, international forms
  • Financial Information: Tuition and fees

For more general information about graduate applications to IUP, please call the IUP Admissions Office at 724-357-2222 or e-mail graduate-admissions@iup.edu.

2. MA TESOL Program Requirements

 In addition to meeting IUP's general graduate admissions requirements, candidates to the MA in TESOL program should be aware of the following:

  • Candidates are expected to have at least a 3.0 GPA  (B average), preferably in a relevant field of study such as TESOL, ESL, EFL, second/foreign language, linguistics, English, composition, literature, education, sociology, psychology, anthropology, or history.
  • Candidates with strong academic records but with backgrounds in other disciplines may be admitted conditionally pending completion of ENGL 526 ESL Methods and Materials.
  • Candidates are not required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), but may submit it to bolster their applications.
  • Candidates who are speakers of English as a second language are required to submit with their applications a minimum TOEFL score of 570 paper-based (PBT), or 88 internet-based (iBT), and a minimum TWE (Test of Written English) score of 4.5.

All applications to the MA TESOL program will be assessed according to the following admissions criteria:

  • Academic record and other evidence of academic ability
  • Quality of the personal statement of goals. You may include in it a rationale for selecting TESOL and the IUP MA in TESOL program, an explanation of the relevance of your academic and professional background to your graduate studies, and a statement of your academic and professional goals.
  • Disciplinary background
  • Letters of recommendation. These are reviewed for the evidence they provide about the applicant's academic, scholarly, teaching and other professional accomplishments and abilities, as well as for his/her general human, social, communication, and other related skills.
  • Teaching/professional experience
  • Language proficiency (only for speakers of English as a second language)

For more information about applications to the MA TESOL Program, please contact 724-357-2263, visit the MA TESOL program web page, or e-mail grad-eng@iup.edu.

3. MA TESOL Application Instructions

To apply to the MA TESOL Program, please submit the following materials to IUP Admissions:

  • Online Application: available at How to Apply to IUP Graduate Admissions
  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, even if a degree was not obtained from a particular institution
  • Signed, dated personal statement of academic and career goals
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • TOEFL score (only for speakers of English as a second language)
  • Nonrefundable $50 application fee

Create your IUP Admission Profile to submit your online application, request letters of recommendations, and upload additional materials. Send official transcripts and TOEFL scores to: 
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Admissions Office
Sutton Hall, Suite 120
1011 South Drive
Indiana, PA 15705

4. MA TESOL Application Deadlines

  • Application deadline-All application materials must be submitted by February 1.