Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the GRE General Test is required of all applicants, with one exception. Exceptions are made ONLY for applicants to the joint J.D.-M.A. program who are already enrolled in the Law School. In that case, LSAT scores may be substituted for GRE scores.
Please consult the Graduate Admissions website for additional information about the GRE requirement.
What is the minimum GRE score required for admission?
There is no minimum GRE score required for admission to the M.A. in Latin American Studies, though strong applications usually include strong GRE scores as well.
What is the minimum GPA required for admission?
There is no minimum grade point average required for admission to the M.A. in Latin American Studies, though strong applications usually include strong GPAs as well.
If you have completed an undergraduate or graduate/professional degree either at a U.S.-accredited institution or at a foreign institution in which the primary language of instruction was English, you do not need to take the TOEFL.
If your previous degree is from an institution outside the U.S. where the primary language of instruction was not English, you must take the TOEFL.
Please consult the Graduate Admissions website for additional information about the TOEFL requirement.
What is the minimum TOEFL score required for admission?
Evidence of adequate English proficiency must be submitted before enrollment is approved by Graduate Admissions. The minimum TOEFL scores required for admissions are:
Internet-based TOEFL: 100
Paper-based TOEFL: 600
What are the application requirements?
A complete application includes the following:
- Online application (accessed via the Grad Admissions website)
- Statement of purpose (submitted online)
- Three letters of recommendation (submitted online)
- Academic writing sample (10-15 pages double-spaced; submitted online)
- Resume or CV (submitted online)
- Official transcripts (2 official copies of each from all institutions attended must be mailed in. 1 unofficial copy of each must be scanned and submitted online.)
- Official GRE General Test scores (sent directly from ETS)
- Official TOEFL scores (if applicable; sent directly from ETS)
Note: current Stanford undergrads do NOT submit an online application. See below for Coterm application instructions.
It is stated that proficiency in Spanish or Portuguse is required for admission. What is the level of proficiency expected of applicants? Are all of the courses taught in English?
Students do not need to be native speakers but should have a proficient knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese so that they are fairly confident in being able to both converse and read in Spanish and/or Portuguese. All courses are taught in English (except for language courses), however, some content (readings, films, lectures) may be in Spanish or Portuguese on occasion (most often Spanish when this occurs).
The application requirements state that applicants must have "some experience studying, working, or otherwise living in Latin America or Iberia." How important is this criteria for consideration?
While there is no set standard for the type of connection a student has with Latin America or Iberia, consideration will be given for those students with a history of having worked, lived, and/or studied in Latin America or Iberia.
Where should I send supplementary materials?
Stanford is no longer accepting paper supplementary materials. Applicants are expected to upload scanned copies of all their materials, including unofficial copies of transcripts, to their online applications. Official hard copies of transcripts are also required, and should be mailed directly to
Graduate AdmissionsLatin American Studies
Stanford University
582 Alvarado Row
Stanford, CA 94305-8545
Current Stanford undergrads: your statement of purpose and letters of recommendation should be submitted along with the rest of your application packet.
I am a current Stanford undergrad and am interested in the M.A. in Latin American Studies. How should I apply?
DO NOT access the standard online application for Stanford graduate programs. Instead, you will submit a Coterm application in hard copy. Download the Procedures and Application Forms for Coterminal Students (pdf).
All supplementary materials listed under the application requirements above are also required for Coterm applicants (the only difference being that nothing will be submitted online). Completed application packets may be mailed or hand-delivered to the address listed above.
For more information and resources about Coterminal degree programs at Stanford, consult the Coterm section of the Stanford Undergrad Advising and Research website.
I have a paper that I’d like to submit as my writing sample, but I wrote it in Spanish (or Portuguese). Is this okay?
Yes, the Latin American Studies admissions committee accepts writing samples in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.
Can my letters of recommendation be written in Spanish or Portuguese?
Yes, the Latin American Studies admissions committee accepts letters of recommendation written in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.
I attended school where the primary language was not English. Do my transcripts need to be translated?
Yes, if an institution you attended issues transcripts in a language other than English, originals must be submitted along with official translations.
Please consult the Graduate Admissions website for more information about transcript requirements.
Is there a specific undergraduate degree required for admission?
Stanford Graduate Admissions requires that applicants have completed (or expect to complete before enrollment) a bachelor’s degree (or the foreign equivalent). The Center for Latin American Studies welcomes applicants with degrees in any discipline. Previously admitted students have entered with degrees in fields including but not limited to Environmental Studies, International Relations, Art, Spanish, Political Science, and Anthropology.
Please note that applicants with undergraduate degrees in Latin American Studies are generally not encouraged to apply, since the M.A. in Latin American Studies at Stanford is designed as an introduction to the discipline. Exceptions may occasionally be made for applicants to joint (J.D.-M.A.) or dual (M.D.-M.A. or M.B.A.-M.A.) degree programs.
Applicants are required to be proficient in Spanish or Portuguese and have some experience studying, working, or otherwise living in Latin America or Iberia prior to admission.
I already have a masters degree. Am I eligible to apply?
In general, applicants who have already completed an advanced degree are not encouraged to apply to the M.A. in Latin American Studies. However, the program may be appropriate for an applicant whose previous advanced degree is in a very different field, such as business, engineering, or fine art.
What courses can I take for the M.A. degree in Latin American Studies?
All students take the same three core courses: one each in Culture and Society; Environment, Ecology, and Sustainability; and Political Economy. Core courses may vary slightly from year to year but can be expected to be very similar (if not identical). Click here to see the Core Courses offered in the current school year.
Students must take three related courses, one in each of the three areas listed above, from an approved related course list. Course offerings vary somewhat from year to year but can be expected to be similar. Click here to see approved Related Courses offered in the current school year.
Beyond the core courses, related courses, and weekly guest-speaker seminar, students are free to choose elective courses from across the university’s offerings. Elective courses must be approved by Latin American Studies but need not be included on the official related course list. Students may opt to write a masters thesis in lieu of some or all of their elective course units.
What financial aid options are available? How do I apply for aid?
Most M.A. students in Latin American Studies receive some form of financial aid. Forms of aid vary from full fellowships to half-tuition scholarships to CAships (a non-teaching position assisting the Tinker Visiting Professors, providing a stipend and partial tuition offset). All applicants are considered for financial aid during the admissions review process. If you wish to be considered for financial aid, simply indicate this when prompted on the online application for graduate study.
U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, and permanent residents of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands are eligible to apply for a FLAS (Foreign Language and Area Studies) Fellowship. Please see the FLAS Fellowships page for information and application instructions (a separate application is required). Note that the FLAS fellowships are contingent upon funding from the US Department of Education.
I still have questions. Whom can I contact?
For general questions about Stanford graduate admissions, contact Graduate Admissions.
For further questions about the M.A. in Latin American Studies, please contact CLAS.
