FAQ
Admissions Eligibility
Yes. Students admitted to the MTS program without a master’s degree (or with a master’s degree in an unrelated discipline) complete their MA as part of their preparation for the doctorate.
Our admissions committee evaluates applications in terms of an applicant’s scholarly potential, record of accomplishments and skills suitable to the proposed program of study, and alignment of research interests with those of prospective faculty mentors. The Media, Technology, and Society program, like many doctoral programs, relies heavily on mentorship and apprenticeship pedagogy. As such, we seek to identify potential students whose interests fit well with what current faculty teach, study, and know. Students should investigate faculty research and indicate why they believe they would be a good fit in the program in their academic statement.
This has varied from year to year. Admission statistics are available from The Graduate School.
There is no minimum GPA or GRE score required for admission to MTS. Admissions decisions are based upon a holistic assessment of the entire application.
Average GPA and GRE scores of admitted students vary slightly from year to year. See The Graduate School’s website for more on these scores.
Students who graduate from our program generally go on to hold academic jobs. About a quarter of our students go into professional research jobs in think tanks, research firms, and internet companies. For more information on program statistics see The Graduate School’s website.
We receive hundreds of requests, so regrettably we cannot individually assess an applicant’s chances. If you feel strongly about your qualifications, we encourage you to apply.
Program Structure
No. We only admit students who can attend full-time.
No. We only admit students who can attend full-time.
No. Because we admit graduate students as a cohort, students can only begin their studies in the fall term.
Take a look at our program handbook.
Applying
Applications will open September 15, 2026. Our deadline for applications is December 1, 2026. We only admit fall quarter cohorts.
The university uses an online application system. You may access the online system through The Graduate School’s website. In that system, you will be required to enter an academic statement, a personal statement, the names of faculty with whom you would like to study, your transcripts, your writing sample, your TOEFL/IELTS/MET scores (if applicable), and the information for two to three recommenders who will upload letters of recommendation. Please see the application requirements. You may also submit a cluster statement if applicable. You may optionally submit your GRE scores.
Yes.
No. Because of duplicating and mailing costs, we no longer provide paper copies of information.
No. The Graduate School at Northwestern University only accepts online applications.
The institution code for Northwestern University is 1565 for both exams. No department code is needed for the GRE. For the TOEFL, use 99 (“department not listed”). Please note that official GRE scores are optional.
The Graduate School manages the application process and invites fee waiver requests. Some prospective students may also be eligible for the FreeApp program offered through the Big Ten Academic Alliance (see the link for details and deadlines).
Miscellaneous
Selected applicants who are being considered for admission to the MTS program are invited to visit campus in late February or early March.
You can direct all questions about the graduate program to the program email account mts@northwestern.edu.
International Applicants
Yes with one exception: if the applicant holds a BA or MA from an institution that instructs primarily in English. For more on this requirement, see The Graduate School’s website.
You must first be offered admission by the University before any visa processing work can begin. Please read details on the Northwestern University International Office page.
Yes. All students who matriculate in the MTS program receive guaranteed funding support. Enrolled students must meet the English proficiency requirements set by The Graduate School (TGS) as a condition of receiving funding through assistantships. Please see the TGS proficiency requirementsfor more information.
Funding
All MTS students receive five years of funding. Please see the TGS pages on graduate student funding for additional information about stipends, tax implications, and more.
There is no separate financial aid application. All students are offered funding that includes support for the full amount of tuition as well as a stipend and health insurance for 5 years.
Yes. Details are in our program handbook.