How to Apply

Plan in advance to assemble your application

We invite applications from prospective PhD students with an interest in pursuing academic or non-academic careers in research and/or teaching. Applicants are not required to have a formal background in sociology but must demonstrate an ability to succeed in a sociology PhD program. Indiana University’s PhD program is rigorous and selective, providing students with the challenging coursework and intensive mentoring needed to develop into independent scholars.

We only admit students pursuing a PhD in Sociology. Students do earn a Master’s degree on the way to the PhD, but we do not offer a terminal master’s degree in sociology.

Applying to a PhD program requires gathering and preparing many materials, including letters of recommendation, GRE test scores, and transcripts. Please allow sufficient time to request letters, prepare documents, and take GRE and TOEFL exams.

Our application deadline is December 1.

Applications, including all supporting documentation, must be submitted online by December 1 at 11:59pm EST. Applicants are responsible for making sure application materials arrive on time and the application is complete. A Graduate Admissions Committee consisting of several faculty reviews all applications in December and January. Final decisions are typically made in late January or early February. Applicants are notified of admission decisions with a letter (sent via email) from the Director of Graduate Studies. Accepted students receive a five-year funding package that covers tuition, pays a stipend for living expenses, and provides health insurance.

Application materials

The following items are required to apply:

Application form
Application fee of $70
GRE general test scores
Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
Three letters of recommendation
Personal statement describing research interests and reasons for applying
Curriculum vitae (CV) or resume
Writing sample
TOEFL scores (if applicable)

Click on the “+” sign below for further details on any of these required items.

1. Application form and fee

All applicants must fill out an application form online. For technical assistance with applications call (617) 729-2866 or email graduate.indiana@liaisoncas.com. Live chat representatives are also available via the Help Center in the online application system. The $70 application fee is paid by credit card when the application form is submitted online.

2. Official transcripts

Official transcripts are expected from each U.S. college/university attended – even if a degree was not earned. These must be sent by the Registrar (or their agent).

Domestic transcripts may be sent electronically to socgrad@iu.edu or mailed to:

Saundra Daggy
Department of Sociology
Indiana University
1020 East Kirkwood Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47405

International transcripts may be mailed to:

Office of International Services
Indiana University
Ferguson International Center
330 North Eagleson Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47405

The Admissions Committee can use unofficial transcript documents from non-U.S. universities to evaluate admissions applications. You may upload these documents to your admissions application.

If you are admitted to our program, official transcript documents will be required. For information about the types of documents accepted and the country-specific requirements, please review the “Submit your supporting documents” section of the Office of International Services Application Process page.

3. GRE scores

Official GRE scores for the General Test are required and should not be more than five years old. (The Sociology Subject Test is not required.) Applicants should take the exam before October 1 so scores will arrive by the December 1 deadline. The codes are “1324” for Indiana University and “2102” for the Department of Sociology.

4. Three letters of recommendation

The online application form requests the names and contact information for three recommenders. The recommenders will receive electronic notifications that the request has been made, as well as instructions on how to submit their letter of recommendation. We do accept letters of recommendation via Interfolio, or letters emailed directly. Please use socgrad@iu.edu for Interfolio or directly emailed letters.

5. Personal Statement

Personal statements, also known as statements of purpose, describe applicants’ reasons for pursuing a PhD in sociology, their research interests and plans, and reasons for applying to Indiana’s program specifically. Applicants may also share personal, professional, or educational experiences that prepared them to succeed in graduate school. It is also permissible to address any deficiencies in test scores, grades, and/or preparation. The personal statement should be roughly 500 to 750 words in length.

6. Curriculum vitae (CV) or resume

A current CV or resume should list academic degrees, academic accomplishments, awards, scholarships, fellowships, professional experience, and research experience.

7. Writing sample

Writing samples demonstrate applicants’ ability to write, synthesize literature, and analyze data. It should be a sole-authored paper, written in English. Applicants typically submit papers they wrote for independent research projects or classes they completed while undergraduate or master’s students. While we have no length requirements, we recommend the paper be roughly 15 to 50 pages. Only one writing sample may be submitted.

8. TOEFL score

If your native language is not English and you do not hold a degree from an institution at which English is the language of instruction, you must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The test service (ETS) should report the TOEFL score directly to Indiana University Bloomington. Our department recommends a TOEFL IBTTO score of 100 or above. The Indiana University TOEFL code is “1324”. While we prefer the TOEFL score, we will accept an IELTS score of 7.5 or above. Scores for both the TOEFL and IELTS are valid for two years.

Frequently asked questions

If you are considering graduate school, you will have many questions. We’ve provided answers to some of them below.

Should I contact faculty before applying?

Substantive questions should be directed to the Director of Graduate Studies (socdgs@iu.edu). There is no need to contact other faculty before applying to our program, nor are there advantages to doing so. Admissions decisions are made collectively by the Graduate Admissions Committee, not by individual faculty. Students only choose advisors after they are well established in the program (after passing the qualifying exam). Further, all faculty in our department are open to advising students enrolled in our program.

Of course, contact with faculty is an important part of deciding on a graduate program after being admitted. Faculty will be in touch with admitted students by phone and meet over Zoom. Prospective students are also invited to a visit day in March where they will come to Bloomington to meet faculty and graduate students before deciding on a program.

What exams do I have to take to apply?

All applicants are required to submit official scores from the GRE General Test. The GRE Sociology Subject Test is not required.

Applicants whose native language is other than English and do not hold a degree from an institution at which English is the language of instruction must also submit TOEFL (or IELTS) scores.

What GPA and GRE scores are needed to be admitted to the program?

The Admissions Committee evaluates applications holistically and does not apply cutoffs to grades and GRE scores. Admission is restricted to students with strong academic records and potential, but those qualities can be demonstrated in multiple ways. For instance, chances of admission are better for applicants with higher undergraduate GPAs, but we admit students with lower GPAs if they earned high grades in a relevant master’s program or have strong GRE scores. We also understand that applicants’ academic trajectories change over time and can be affected by circumstances beyond their control.

What are the institution and department codes for GRE and TOEFL reporting?

The institution code for Indiana University is 1324; the department code for the Sociology department is 2102.

Can I use Interfolio to upload my letters of recommendation?

Yes, we will accept letters of recommendation via Interfolio. Please send letters to socgrad@iu.edu.

How do I apply for a waiver of the admissions application fee?

The Department of Sociology cannot waive application fees for any reason. The Indiana University Bloomington Graduate School provides some waivers. Check their website to see if you qualify: https://graduate.indiana.edu/apply/how-to-apply/fee-waivers.html.

How many applicants are admitted?

We typically receive around 150 applications and enroll a cohort of around 10 students.

Have additional questions?

For further administrative questions about how to apply, such as required documents and deadlines, please contact:

Saundra Daggy
socgrad@iu.edu
812-855-2924
Graduate Administrative Assistant

For substantive questions about our program, such as whether our program is the best fit for you, please contact:

Professor Keera Allendorf
socdgs@iu.edu
812-855-1540
Director of Graduate Studies

For technical problems with the online application system, please contact:
Indiana University CAS Customer Service
Log into your application and contact via Chat.
graduate.indiana@liaisoncas.com
617-729-2866

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How to Apply

Plan in advance to assemble your application

Our application deadline is December 1.

Application materials

Frequently asked questions

Have additional questions?

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