MARSLAC Frequently Asked Questions

Most students in the program are full time students that complete the program in two semesters. Students may opt to pursue the degree part time (typically over 3 to 4 semesters). If you are interested in pursuing the degree as a part time student, please consult with ILAS staff before submitting an application. 

There is no minimum grade point average required for admission to the MARSLAC program. GPA is an important factor in admissions decisions and candidates with a higher GPA are more competitive; However, admissions decisions involve a consideration of various factors, including transcripts, personal statements, letters of reference, writing samples, and etc.

We expect applicants to have completed a bachelor’s degree (or the foreign equivalent). ILAS welcomes applicants with degrees in any discipline. Previously admitted students have had degrees in a wide range of fields, including but not limited to History, Political Science, International Relations, Sociology, Anthropology, Law, Spanish, Portuguese, Environmental Studies, Urban Studies, Art, and Music.

Transcripts should be officially translated to English.

Applicants are required to be proficient in Spanish or Portuguese, with intermediate or advanced skills in these languages. Students do not need to be native speakers but should have a proficient knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese so that they are fairly confident in being able to both converse and read in Spanish and/or Portuguese. Although not a requirement, applicants commonly have some experience studying, working, or otherwise living in Latin America or Iberia prior to admission. Most graduate courses for the program are taught in English, however, some language through content courses may be in Spanish or Portuguese.

The Graduate School offers admission with the expectation that students will matriculate in the semester specified during the application process. If extraordinary circumstances will prevent you from matriculating, you may submit a request to defer your enrollment for up to one calendar year. Deferral requests are not automatically granted: They must be evaluated and approved by the department and by the GSAS Office of Admissions. For more detailed information concerning GSAS Deferral policies, please visit GSAS Deferrals webpage.

Yes, we accept up to four letters. Please note, however, that to be eligible for admission at GSAS, at least TWO letters must be submitted by academic recommenders.

Yes, the admissions committee accepts letters of recommendation written in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.

Your statement of purpose should provide information about your academic, professional, and personal background that connects to your interest in pursuing an MA degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies in general, and to pursuing such a degree at Columbia University’s Institute of Latin American Studies. We encourage applicants to include a summary of the potential thesis project they would like to develop. We also encourage students to discuss their longer term academic or professional goals and how they envision an MA degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from Columbia as supporting these career aspirations.  

The writing sample should be written in English. If you studied at an undergraduate institution where English was not the main language and you do not have an academic essay in English to submit, please get in touch with ILAS staff.  We may be able to permit an essay in Spanish or Portuguese in exceptional cases.

ILAS provides several graduate fellowships. All applicants are considered for ILAS partial tuition fellowships. In addition to ILAS fellowships, U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply for a FLAS (Foreign Language and Area Studies) Fellowship. MARSLAC FLAS awardees receive full tuition Fellowships as well as a $18,000 stipend for full time study for two semesters.  We strongly encourage all eligible applicants to apply for FLAS. A separate application is required. Please see for additional information regarding the FLAS Fellowships and other opportunities.

All requests for fee waivers must be submitted through the online application. See the Application Fee Waivers page for specific instructions.

Please note:

• Submission of a fee waiver request form does not guarantee that your application fee will be waived. You will be notified via email when your request has been reviewed.

• If you have previously requested and received two fee waivers for prior applications to GSAS, you may be ineligible to request an additional fee waiver for a new application. Each applicant may have only two approved application fee waiver requests.

Submitting GRE general test scores is optional and no longer a requirement. 

If you believe your GRE score will supplement your application, you may choose to include it. High scores on the GRE can enhance an application and we encourage you to submit them if you have taken them and performed well. However, your application will not be adversely affected by opting not to submit a GRE score.

For those that opt to take and submit GRE scores, there is no minimum score requirement. Academic excellence is expected of all applicants to GSAS.

GRE scores are valid for five years after the test date.

If you have completed an undergraduate or graduate/professional degree either at a U.S.-accredited institution or at a foreign institution in which the primary language of instruction was English, you do not need to take the TOEFL.If your previous degree is from an institution outside the U.S. where the primary language of instruction was not English, you must take the TOEFL.Please consult the Graduate Admissions website for additional information about the TOEFL requirement.

Yes, you may substitute the IELTS or Columbia’s English Certification Test (ECT). Click here for details.

You must contact the IELTS test center where the test was taken to request that your official electronic test results be sent to GSAS (the E-Delivery account name is "Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences", an institution code is NOT required).

The Graduate School requires the following minimum scores:

• 600 on the TOEFL paper-and-pencil test
• 100 on the TOEFL internet-based test
• 7.5 on IELTS

You may use the results of tests taken on various dates to achieve the minimum score requirement.  TOEFL(iBT) now offers a “MyBest” scores reporting option.

TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years after the test date.