Applicants are required to hold, at minimum, an undergraduate degree from an accredited university or college. Applicants are generally expected to have significant language preparation before application (at least three years' competency for those interested in an East Asian literature). Prior work in literature, culture, religious studies, or the intellectual history of an Asian area is desirable. All applicants are required to submit GRE general test scores and a writing sample.

all Graduate School Requirements, including the TOEFL Exam or IELTS Academic Exam for non-native English applicants
three recommendations
GRE general test
three years of study in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Vietnamese language
academic writing sample (approximately 25 pages)
TOEFL minimum score of 600 paper-based or 250 computer-based
IELTS 7, TOEFL 77
The Field of Asian Literature, Religion, and Culture is designed primarily for students who wish to obtain a Ph.D. degree. Students entering with only a B.A. degree (or with an M.A. degree in another field) earn their M.A. degree in Asian Literature, Religion, and Culture in the course of working towards the Ph.D. degree. An M.A. thesis in Asian Literature, Religion, and Culture is required before proceeding to the Ph.D. degree. Highly qualified students wishing to work only toward an M.A. degree are sometimes accepted, but Cornell funding for such students is rare.

Applications should have a good reading and speaking knowledge (a minimum of three years of course work) of an Asian language relevant for proposed specialization. Prior work in literature, religious studies, or cultural history is desirable. Applicants with less language training might consider entering the M.A. program in Asian Studies at Cornell, and then applying to Asian Literature, Religion, and Culture for the Ph.D. degree after the M.A. program has been completed.

Students whose B.A. degree is from an institution where English is not the language of instruction should obtain an M.A. degree from an English-speaking university before applying for a degree in Asian Literature, Religion, and Culture. Students may apply for an M.A. degree in Asian Studies or in a literature field at Cornell, as well as programs at other English-speaking universities.