Key takeaways
Understanding the role of foreign language skills in graduate school admissions can significantly enhance your application. While not always a requirement, language proficiency can strengthen your candidacy, especially in programs focused on international relations, literature, and global health. This article outlines the importance of language skills, common requirements, and strategies for improvement as you prepare for grad school in 2025-2026.
- Programs like International Relations and Comparative Literature often value language skills, with some requiring reading knowledge of a second language (source: UC Davis).
- Demonstrating language experience, even at a basic level, can make your application stand out, particularly if you can connect it to your academic goals.
- A TOEFL score above 90 or an IELTS score of 7.0 is commonly required for non-native English speakers applying to U.S. grad schools (source: article).
- Start learning a second language now and focus on academic language acquisition to prepare for research and enhance your thesis opportunities.
Contents
- 1 How Does Knowledge of a Foreign Language Impact Grad School Admission?
- 2 What Language Requirements Are Common for Grad School Applicants?
- 3 How Can Learning a Foreign Language Benefit Your Academic Journey?
- 4 What Are the Best Strategies for Improving Language Skills?
- 5 What Are the Potential Challenges of Meeting Language Requirements?
Knowing a second language isn’t just a resume boost—it can shape your grad school journey from application to research. Some programs list language requirements explicitly, while others view multilingualism as a major plus. Here’s what you need to know if you’re applying to grad school in 2025-2026.
How Does Knowledge of a Foreign Language Impact Grad School Admission?
“At least in the past, it was common for graduate programs to require some knowledge of a foreign language in order to graduate”
You don’t usually need to know a foreign language to get into grad school, but it can really help. For programs like international relations, public policy, literature, history, or global health, language skills can make your application stronger.
Admissions teams look for people who are ready to do research, work in the field, or join global projects. If you speak another language—even just a little—it shows you can adapt and connect with others.
At UC Davis, for example, programs like International Agricultural Development and Comparative Literature value language skills. Some PhD programs even require reading knowledge of a second language. Others may offer funding if you’re doing research abroad using your language skills.
Even if the program isn’t focused on global topics, knowing another language helps—especially if you can explain how it connects to your goals. For example, if you worked with Spanish-speaking communities during college, that’s something admissions teams will notice.
What Language Requirements Are Common for Grad School Applicants?
If you’re applying to a U.S. grad school and English isn’t your first language, you’ll likely need to show proof of English skills. Most schools accept TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test scores. A TOEFL score above 90 or an IELTS score of 7.0 is common. Some schools don’t require a test if your undergrad was in English.
If you’re a U.S. applicant, language requirements are rare—unless your program focuses on global studies, literature, theology, or similar fields. Some PhD programs in the humanities may ask for reading knowledge of one or two foreign languages. These are usually tested during your first years—not during the application.
Even if it’s not required, language experience can make your application stronger. In programs with fieldwork or global topics, even basic language skills can help you stand out.
What Types of Programs Require Knowledge of Another Language?
Here are the types of programs where knowledge of another language is often expected or required:
- Comparative Literature and World Languages
- History and Art History
- Theology and Religious Studies
- Anthropology and Archaeology
- International Relations, Global Affairs, and Diplomacy
- Area Studies (Latin American Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, East Asian Studies, etc.)
- Library Science and Archival Studies
Are There Specific Language Skills Needed for Certain Fields?
Yes, in many fields, it’s not just about knowing a language—it’s about using it for research. Some programs want you to read old texts, do interviews, or write detailed reports in another language. Here’s how different fields use language skills:
- History and Religious Studies: You may need to read sources in French, German, Latin, or Arabic. Some programs require passing a translation test before major exams.
- Public Health and Social Work: Speaking Spanish, Mandarin, or another community language can help with interviews and fieldwork. Bilingual students may get priority for funding.
- International Affairs and Diplomacy: Schools like Georgetown SFS or Johns Hopkins SAIS require strong language skills before graduation. You’ll need to read, write, and speak the language well.
- Anthropology and Ethnography: If you’re doing fieldwork abroad, you’ll need to speak the local language to connect with people and gather data. Some students take full language courses before starting.
- Literature and Comparative Studies: You’ll need to read and analyze texts in another language, often at a very high level.
- Linguistics: Some tracks focus on how languages work. Field linguists may study rare or endangered languages directly.
How Do Language Requirements Vary Between Undergraduate and Graduate Programs?
Here’s how they typically differ:
| Element | Description |
| Purpose of Study | Undergraduate: Language requirements are part of general education. The goal is to build cultural literacy and basic communication skills, often through two to four semesters of study.
Graduate: Language is a research tool. You’re expected to use it for reading academic sources, collecting data, or engaging with scholarly work in its original form. |
| Level of Proficiency | Undergraduate: Most schools require basic or intermediate proficiency—think second-year Spanish or French. You’re tested through classwork and exams.
Graduate: The bar is higher. Some programs expect you to pass a language exam proving reading competence, often without the structure of formal classes. |
| Timing | Undergraduate: Typically fulfilled during your first two years and required for graduation.
Graduate: Requirements vary widely. Some programs have no language requirement; others require one or more languages by the time you advance to candidacy or start your dissertation. |
| Flexibility | Undergraduate: You can usually choose from multiple language options—whatever fits your schedule or interests.
Graduate: The language(s) are often prescribed based on your field. For example, a medievalist may need Latin; a political science student focusing on the EU may need French or German. |
| Support Systems | Undergraduate: Language courses are structured and graded. Support includes tutoring, study groups, and beginner-level instruction.
Graduate: Less structured. You may be expected to self-study or test out of the requirement with little formal instruction offered. |
How Can Learning a Foreign Language Benefit Your Academic Journey?
There’s more to language learning than checking a box:
- Access foreign-language articles, and archives
- Cultural understanding
- Option to collaborate with global faculty or attend conferences abroad
- Some grants (like DAAD or Fulbright) require language skills
Grad students who speak another language often report stronger thesis opportunities and more competitive job placements after graduation.
What Are the Best Strategies for Improving Language Skills?
“Primary focus: literally as much comprehensible input in the language as I can handle. Constantly watching/listening to/reading movies, audiobooks, TV shows, books, YouTube videos, podcasts, crosstalk etc etc etc. to make more input comprehensible: Anki cards every morning”
If you’re starting late or refreshing old skills, focus on academic language acquisition—not just conversational fluency:
- Enroll in an intensive university course or online grad-level language class
- Use lessons from Legacy Online School
- Use resources like Duolingo or Anki decks for vocab drills
- Work with a language tutor who knows academic registers
- Practice reading scholarly texts in your target language
- Consider summer immersion programs or research abroad
What Are the Potential Challenges of Meeting Language Requirements?
Not every student has had the chance to study a second language, and not every school offers easy access to language instruction. Challenges include:
- Time constraints before exams or qualifying milestones
- Lack of support from faculty or available resources
- Test anxiety with translation or reading assessments
- Balancing language learning with research deadlines
Still, many programs offer prep courses or waive requirements based on your research scope.
Are There Alternatives for Applicants with Limited Language Skills?
Yes—especially if you’re applying to programs where language isn’t central to your field. Some alternatives include:
- Petitioning for a substitution (e.g., statistics instead of a language exam)
- Submitting proof of language exposure through work or travel
- Taking language courses during your first year of grad school
- Choosing programs that offer in-house translation support or allow English-only research
Pro tip: In your statement of purpose, acknowledge your gap and show your plan to bridge it. That often matters more than fluency at the start.
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Top Tips from Our Expert
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Alyssa Mendoza, AP Coordinator and College Prep Specialist
Sources: Council of Graduate Schools, Modern Language Association, Reddit
