For Fall 2027 admission, the application deadline is January 1, 2027. 

Please review the Graduate Admission website for requirements and other information. Applications must be submitted online through the USC Graduate School Admissions portal. Please note that you do not have to complete your application in one sitting; it will not be complete until you click the “submit” button.

If you have questions about the application process or experience difficulties with the online portal, please contact Brian Eckert (Staff Graduate Advisor), brianeck@usc.edu. Be aware that USC administration takes a Winter Break from approximately December 25-January 1, so email responsiveness will be heavily affected during this time; please plan accordingly.

If you have further questions about USC’s graduate program in Classics, please email Professor Stefano Rebeggiani (Director of Graduate Studies), rebeggia@usc.edu. You may also email any department member, as listed in the Faculty section of our website, with whom you might like to study in order to talk more about the program and their work.

Application Elements

Applications to the Classics PhD program must include the elements listed below.

  • There is no “right” approach to structuring your CV for graduate school. However, it is a good idea to take some time to identify the skills and achievements you would like to highlight for your application to the Classics PhD.

  • You must upload copies of your transcripts for each of your previous academic institutions (colleges or universities) via the Graduate Application website.

    In addition, you must have official copies sent to USC directly from your institution(s) of study. You can find addresses for mailing or sending e-transcripts here. The Graduate School requires official transcripts in order to process your enrollment.

  • Please indicate the number of years you have studied Latin, Greek, and any other ancient and/or modern languages. Graduate study in classics requires reading knowledge of Latin and Greek. While there is no strict rule, in order to make timely progress in the program, we generally expect at least three years’ coursework in Latin or Greek and two in the other at the time of application.

  • Your statement of purpose should explain both why you wish to pursue graduate study in classics and, more specifically, why you wish to do so at USC. It should outline your areas of research interest, the relevant areas of experience and training that inform your work, and your professional ambitions. We admit a small number of students each year in order to offer them full financial support; we therefore seek to find individuals whose interests best suit our program.

  • Please submit a research paper, written in English, of approximately 20 to 25 double-spaced pages in length. If you are excerpting material from a longer paper, such as an honors or master’s thesis, please include a brief abstract of the project as a whole in order to situate the submitted paper within that larger work. The paper you submit with your application should demonstrate your analysis of ancient primary sources (textual and/or material, as relevant) as well as your originality of thought and skills as a writer. Send an essay you are proud of.

  • We request that you provide three (3) letters of recommendation from faculty at your current or past institution(s).

  • ​USC does not require the GRE.

    Non-native speakers of English should review USC’s English language proficiency policy to determine whether or not they need to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. Scores will only be considered if they are received directly from TOEFL or IELTS to USC’s institutional testing code 4852.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • We admit only as many students as we can fully fund. The number varies from year to year but is generally on the order of 2-4 incoming students per year.

  • We support everyone whom we admit with a five-year package that combines fellowship support and teaching assistantships, as long as the student continues in good standing. These packages generally combine three years of fellowship with two years of teaching. The annual financial package consists of a competitive stipend, 12 units per semester of tuition remission, and year-round health insurance.

    Students beyond their fifth year may also be eligible for further support in the form of internal or external fellowships or TAships.

    Additional travel and research support during the academic year and over the summer (e.g. for conferences, on-site workshops, excavations, and other types of research and professional advancement) is available by application from the department and/or university.

  • The Office of Graduate Admissions provides information on requesting an application fee waiver here.

    Make sure to submit your fee waiver request BEFORE you submit your application. Approval of fee waivers can take approximately 3 to 4 business days, so make sure to plan accordingly and submit your request in time to meet the application deadline. The Office of Graduate Admissions takes a  , so it is strongly suggested you get your request in by December 18 at the latest.

  • The faculty evaluates applications in January and early February and will contact applicants as soon as a decision on their case is made. Because we only admit students for whom we have a full funding package, the admissions committee maintains a list of alternates, and the final roster for the year is not closed until mid-April. Please contact the Director of Graduate Studies with any questions about the status of your application.

  • Please review additional information on the Graduate Admission website, found here.