Admission to the program
Prospective students are admitted to the graduate program in linguistics via a selection process that is conducted twice a year, in March and August.
The selection process occurs in four phases:
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Phase 1: Foreign Language Proficiency Test
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All applicants must undergo a foreign language proficiency examination, in accordance with the requirements of the indicated research area. To this end, they should contact the Faculty's Language Center (http://www.clinguas.fflch.usp.br), where they can register and obtain information about the schedule and other details regarding the examinations.
Foreign applicants whose native language is the same as that required by the research area (English, French, as the case may be) are automatically exempt from presenting proficiency in that language, but must state this condition in the application form.
Applicants whose native language is not Portuguese must demonstrate proficiency in that language – either by obtaining the advanced level of CELPEBRAS (Certificate of Proficiency in Portuguese for Foreigners), or by another certificate of Portuguese knowledge (for example, a Bachelor's degree in Portuguese) issued by an institution recognized by the Program.
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Phase 2: Written Examination in Linguistics
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This phase consists of a written essay examination comprising questions on general linguistics, developed by a committee of faculty members from the Program.
Foreign candidates may choose to answer the examination in English or French, although the questions will always be presented in Portuguese.
Examiners assess the conceptual accuracy of the responses, the demonstrated mastery of the developed topic, and the quality of academic writing. The minimum passing grade is 6.0 for general applicants and 5.0 for those who opt to apply via Quotas.
The following basic bibliography is recommended:
- FIORIN, J. L. (Org.) . Introdução à Linguística I. Objetos teóricos. 6/2. ed. São Paulo: Contexto, 2012.
- FIORIN, J. L. (Org.) . Introdução à Linguística II. Princípios de análise. 5/1. ed. São Paulo: Contexto, 2012.
- FIORIN, J. L. (Org.) . Linguística? Que é isso?. 1. ed. São Paulo: Contexto, 2013.
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Phase 3: Research Project Evaluation
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Candidates who pass the written examination in linguistics must present the research project they intend to develop during their graduate studies. The project can be written in Portuguese, English or French.
The project will be evaluated by a committee of three faculty members from the Program.
The evaluation of the project will be based on its academic merit and its alignment with the Program's research areas and projects. The text should be between ten and fifteen pages (1.5 spacing) and include the following specific requirements:
- The research topic and objectives must be clearly delineated;
- The theoretical assumptions underpinning the research must be described;
- The methodology must be established;
- A synthesis of the fundamental bibliography must be presented;
- An initial work plan and timeline for the project's execution must be proposed.
The minimum passing grade for the project is 6.0 for general applicants and 5.0 for those who opt to apply via Quotas.
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Phase 4: Oral Defense of the Research Project
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Candidates will be questioned by the same committee from the previous phase regarding their research project.
The committee expects the candidate to have a general command of the topic proposed in their project and to be able to develop an argument that supports its relevance and feasibility.
The minimum passing grade is 6.0 for general applicants and 5.0 for optants.
The final classification of approved candidates will be established according to the average of the grades obtained in phases 3 (project evaluation) and 4 (oral defense).
Quotas and affirmative actions: the Program allocates 55% of its vacancies to self-declared Black, Brown, and Indigenous (PPIs) candidates, people with disabilities (PCDs), and transgender individuals.
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Documents Required for Application
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Candidates must, in the application form, indicate the research area ('research line') to which they are applying.
Documents Required for Application:
- Online Application Form
- Undergraduate Academic Transcript
- Proof of Undergraduate Degree (Copy of diploma or certificate of completion of Higher Education)
- Copy of Identity Card
[*In the case of foreign students, attach a copy of the passport pages containing identity information and document validity. If the candidate is approved, it is mandatory to present, during the enrollment period, the National Registry of Foreigners (RNE) with a valid date or present the document request protocol.] - CPF (Brazilian Individual Taxpayer Registry)
- Proof of Payment of the Application Fee
- Lattes Curriculum Vitae
- Self-Declaration Form
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Online forms for application
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Formulário de requerimento de inscrição (05/03-21/03)
Geração do boleto para requerimento de inscrição na Pós-Graduação
Critérios para pedido de Isenção de taxa - enviar o pedido, junto com o comprovante, para pgling@usp.br até 20/03.
Termo de compromisso - Mestrado
Information on funding:
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Scholarships
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The evaluation for scholarship allocation within the Graduate Program in Linguistics is conducted semi-annually, shortly after the release of the final results of the program's admission process. It is carried out by a committee composed of members of the Graduate Program Coordinating Committee (CCP), along with student representation.
Scholarships are provided by federal agencies (CAPES and CNPq) to Graduate Programs. Their number varies according to several factors, such as agency offerings, the program's internal policy, and the number of current scholarship holders completing their final projects.
In the scholarship allocation process, the examining committee must:
- Evaluate projects and candidates based on the provided documentation;
- Interview candidates individually to assess their understanding of the proposed work's feasibility conditions and their engagement with academic tasks;
- Approve or reject scholarship applications. Rejections occur in cases where the final average is below 60% of the maximum score;
- Rank approved applications, so that top-ranked candidates are granted scholarships more quickly, while others remain on a waiting list until a scholarship becomes available.
In case of doubts, contact the Program coordinator.