Documents required for admission to Humanities courses in US

Every university application needs to be supplemented with the required documents to establish you as a genuine applicant. The requirements may differ from college to college, as the application process and requirements are different. You will have to check with the colleges’ website about the requirements. Here is a generic list of documents that most colleges ask for in the US.

The only difference between humanities and other courses is that you will be required to present your work portfolio for admission. Since these are courses based on your skills and inherent talent, you need to showcase your previous works and projects.

The application process for US colleges is entirely online. All of the required materials have to be submitted electronically through the online application form. All the colleges no longer accept documents sent on paper.

All humanities programs require the following materials -

• 15-20 page writing sample (except for Music, Master of Arts Program, Visual Arts in the Humanities courses)
• Statement of purpose (except for Visual Arts courses)
• Letters of recommendation
• Transcripts/Documents for all previous degrees and coursework
• GRE test scores (optional)
• Application fee
• TOEFL or IELTS test scores to meet the English language proficiency requirement for international students

It is recommended that you request transcripts/documents earlier to ensure that your application is completed by the deadline. You need to give recommenders sufficient time to write reference letters. Applications are evaluated on the basis of documents and scores submitted by the deadline. Late applications may or may not be considered - as long as places are available in the concerned program. Financial aid and scholarships are usually not available for late applicants, so you will have to be careful about applying on time.

As mentioned before, all documents should be submitted through the online application. It is recommended that you submit your scanned copies in PDF format as it is considered to be the most reliable format by colleges. The application system also accepts MS Word documents, OpenDocument files, and a few other formats.