The Texas McCombs Master of Science Programs offer rolling admission each year with four deadline options. Each admissions committee holistically reviews applications to each program. Applicants have the opportunity to apply to more than one MS program for a single application fee. You will be able to indicate your interest in multiple programs within any of the Master of Science Programs applications.

An eligible and complete application consists of the following: 

• Online Application 
• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a comparable degree from a foreign academic institution 
• GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or a comparable GPA in upper-division work and in any graduate work already completed 
• Transcripts (converted to a PDF) of all higher education institutions you have attended. This is sufficient for our admissions committee to review your application. 
  • Once you submit your application and pay your application fee, you will have to send official transcripts to the Office of Graduate Admissions. You can find more information here.
• Official Test Scores (GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS)  
  • GMAT and GRE test scores are now optional for the Texas McCombs Master of Science Programs. Applicants will not be disadvantaged in the admissions profess if they do not submit test scores, and applicants who feel that their test scores reflect their potential for success in graduate school may submit scores for consideration. 
  • International students must submit TOEFL or IELTS score report 
    • International applicants who are from a qualifying country are exempt from this requirement 
• Application Fee ($65 domestic; $90 international) 
• Written & Video Essay
• Two Letters of Recommendation
• Resume (PDF)
• Program-specific prerequisites

If the admissions committee requires further information about a candidate, an interview may be required. 

More details about each requirement can be found below in the Prepare Your Application & All Requirements section.

While the McCombs MS Programs do not require work experience, we have found that a combination of high-quality experiential learning and work experiences has led to the best student outcomes. Each student will bring a unique collection of experiences and we will evaluate each case independently as part of our holistic review process.

Students admitted to the MSF program will be required to complete an online Excel and Accounting bootcamp prior to the start of the program. The bootcamps are self-paced and are not graded.

View the MSF curriculum here

We are unable to provide prescreening of profiles or determine anyone’s likelihood of being admitted before receiving their complete application and reviewing it relative to the applicant pool.

We are looking for overall exceptional applications, including high grades, strong professional development, test scores (if submitted), and communication skills.

We consider a wide variety of factors, including but not limited to, previous relevant experience, leadership, extracurricular activities, demonstrated communication skills, and strong quantitative skills, in addition to grade point average and test scores. Key criteria being evaluated by the admissions committee includes your academic aptitude, interview (if granted), test scores (if submitted), and personal characteristics.

1. Online Application

a. Complete the online application by the submission deadline for the round you choose to apply.

b. You cannot access our application from the ApplyTexas site. You must go to our website and click on the orange “Apply Now” button. If you are a first-time user, please create an account/EID.

2. Transcripts

a. When filling out your application, you must upload transcripts (converted to a PDF) of all higher education institutions you have attended. This is sufficient for our admissions committee to review your application.

Once you submit your application and pay your application fee, you will have to send official transcripts to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

You can find more information from the Office of Graduate Admissions here. 

3. Official Test Scores

a. GRE or GMAT (optional)

Beginning with the 2023-24 admissions cycle, we are pleased to announce that GMAT and GRE test scores are now optional for the Texas McCombs Master of Science Programs! Applicants will not be disadvantaged in the admissions profess if they do not submit test scores, and applicants who feel that their test scores reflect their potential for success in graduate school may submit scores for consideration.

If you opt to submit GMAT, GMAT Focus or GRE scores, you will need to provide your test scores in order to submit your application. While the official score report may reach the Office of Graduate Admissions after we have received your application, you will not be able to submit unless you have entered your scores and at least uploaded an unofficial score report. Read more about tests now being optional on our blog.

If you opt to submit test scores...

i. Test scores must be received before the round deadline. On the application, you will upload a PDF of your score report. Self-reported scores are considered unofficial but will be used to review your application. You must send your official test scores to our Office of Graduate Admissions. Please be aware that it will take 4-6 weeks for your official scores to get to the Office of Graduate Admissions. You can monitor your requirements after you apply on the MyStatus Page.

Scores sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions must be sent to the University by the testing agency (self-reported scores are not accepted by the Office of Graduate Admissions). The Educational Testing Service (ETS) institution code for UT Austin is 6882. There is no institutional code for the IELTS examination. To fulfill the requirement with scores from the IELTS, please use the IELTS electronic score delivery service to send your scores to the “University of Texas at Austin” account.

b. TOEFL or IELTS (English Proficiency)

i. International students applying to UT Austin must submit either an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score report demonstrating an adequate knowledge of English. The Institutional TOEFL (ITP) and the IELTS General Training are not accepted. International applicants who are from a qualifying country are exempt from this requirement. Additionally, applicants are exempt from the requirement if they possess a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution or a qualifying country. The requirement is not waived for applicants who have earned a master’s—but not a bachelor’s—degree from a similar institution. You can contact the Office of Graduate Admissions directly and inquire about your specific situation: intladm@austin.utexas.edu. There is no institutional code for the IELTS examination. To fulfill the requirement with scores from the IELTS, please use the IELTS electronic score delivery service to send your scores to the “University of Texas at Austin” account.

Test scores must be received and fully processed no more than two weeks after the round deadline.

4. Application Fee

i. The application fee is $65 for domestic applicants and $90 for international applicants. After you submit your application and get access to MyStatus, you may pay your application fee online through UT Austin’s What I Owe page (UT EID and password required). After submitting your payment, you may return to your MyStatus page and refresh it to immediately confirm that your payment was received.* 

*The Office of Graduate Admissions receives many applications per day, and it takes 3-5 days after submission for them to receive your application and apply an application fee to your account. The application fee does not need to be paid by the application submission deadline. If your application is submitted by the deadline at 11:59 p.m. CST, your application will be considered on time by the admissions committee and without delay. However, a decision cannot be rendered until your fee is paid. Please frequently check your MyStatus page to pay your fee.

MS Programs does not manage fee waivers or eligibility; that is through our Office of Graduate Admissions. If you can’t afford the application fee and are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident pursuing your first graduate degree, you may be eligible for a fee waiver (not available for the MBA or MPA programs). Fee waivers are not available for international citizens. If you are eligible for a waiver, do not pay the application fee when prompted. Instead, submit your application and indicate you will pay later. More information can be found here.

5. Essays 

a. All written essays must be submitted with your application by the deadline. You cannot edit your essays after your                     application has been submitted. You will receive an email invitation to complete your video assessment shortly after paying your application fee – your application will not be considered complete without the video assessment. 

b. MSF Essay Prompts

i. Required

(1) Written Essay

(a) How have your personal, academic, and professional experiences led you to pursue a MSF at this time? Please discuss both your short- and long-term career goals, including your vision of your post-graduation employment, and describe how MSF will help you meet those goals (maximum 500 words).

(2) Video Assessment

For the 2023-24 admission cycle, we will be introducing a dynamic video assessment component to the application. All applicants will have a chance to complete the video assessment and share with us in their own voice. Through the video assessment, the admissions committee will have a chance to experience the “real” you, beyond a resume, test scores, and transcripts. This assessment will allow us to reduce bias in the admissions process by providing all applicants with a structured and consistent assessment experience.

The Kira platform is fully accessible in accordance with WCAG 2.0 AA standards, giving all applicants an equal opportunity to impress. If you’d like to request additional accommodations, please contact us. 

All applicants will be required to complete the video assessment shortly after submitting their application and paying their application fee. Applicants have 7 days to complete the assessment after receiving the invitation. The assessment should take roughly 30 minutes to complete.

You can learn more about the assessment on our blog.

ii. Optional

(1) If your standardized test scores are low or if you have not had coursework that demonstrates quantitative and analytic proficiency, please tell us how you plan to prepare yourself for the quantitative rigor of the MSF curriculum (maximum 250 words).

(2) Please provide any additional information to the admissions committee that will be beneficial to the committee in considering your application. Please include information that you believe is important and/or will address any areas of concern the committee might have (maximum 250 words).

6. Letters of Recommendation

a. MSF Letters of Recommendation

i. The most effective letters will describe the applicant's quantitative skills and intellectual ability.

ii. The MSF program requires two letters of recommendation in total. We highly recommend that one of the two letters comes as an academic reference.

b. Helpful Tips

i. When you are filling out your application, you will input your recommenders' names and emails. You do not upload the letters yourself. Letters of recommendation are uploaded and received directly from the recommender via a secure portal, after your request. If you are applying to two MS Programs, you will have to request letters of recommendation for EACH program, even if you have the same recommender. Please be aware these letters should reflect your interest in the specific program you are applying to.  

ii. We cannot review your application if you are missing letters of recommendation. Once your letters of recommendation are received, you will receive an automated email. If your recommender has not received your request, have them check their spam folder. You can also go to your application and choose ‘Manage Recommenders’ and send a reminder email.

iii. Letters of recommendation are due two weeks after the posted round deadline. If your letters of recommendation are not in two weeks after the posted deadline, your application may be withdrawn.

7. Resume

a. You must upload a PDF copy of your resume to your application.

Applications are due by the deadline for the round you choose to apply. Applications are due no later than 11:59 p.m. CST on the day of the submission deadline. Read the Application Instructions carefully and complete each application section as directed. It is very important that all information is complete and accurate for your application to be reviewed. Tip: Don't forget to self-report your test scores and have them sent to UT Austin.

Application issues? You will need to submit a ticket to our Help Center. Please log in to your application and you will see ‘Help Center’ in the top banner.

Forgot your EID or password? Go here to reset it.

First-time user? Create an account at this link.

Not all applicants will require an interview for admissions. Interviews will be conducted as a virtual interview.

You will receive an invitation directly from the program if you are selected for an interview. Interview invitations are sent in batches depending on when your application is reviewed. If your peers have received an interview invitation and you have not, please note that the program will contact you if an interview is needed.

Decisions

The application review process can take up to 6-8 weeks depending on the volume of applications we receive. Decisions are typically released 6-8 weeks after the posted application round deadline.

Waitlist

The McCombs MS Programs receive many applications from highly qualified applicants throughout the year, therefore, some applicants are placed on our waitlist. The waitlist is not a final decision.

Waitlisted applicants are not guaranteed to receive an updated admissions decision until the end of the application cycle. We do not have a numbered waitlist as our admissions process is a holistic review. Our admissions committee believes you are a good candidate for the program but doesn’t award all its admissions offers after the first deadline.

The admissions committee periodically reviews candidates currently on the waitlist on a rolling basis, but we are not able to offer a concrete timeline of when you will hear your final decision. Should the admissions committee require additional information, they will reach out to the applicant directly.

1. Are GMAT and GRE scores optional?

Yes! GMAT and GRE test scores are now optional for the Texas McCombs Master of Science Programs. Applicants will not be disadvantaged in the admissions profess if they do not submit test scores, and applicants who feel that their test scores reflect their potential for success in graduate school may submit scores for consideration.

2. What are the Codes for GRE/GMAT/TOEFL/IELTS? 

The Educational Testing Service institution code for the GRE and TOEFL is 6882.

The institutional code for the GMAT:

MSM: 396-44-93

MSF: 396-44-78

MSBA: 396-44-73

MSITM: 396-44-30

To fulfill the requirement with scores from the IELTS, have an official paper score report sent to the Graduate and International Admissions Center.

3. Do you prefer taking one test over the other? 

No, we do not have a preferred test. We accept both the GRE and the GMAT.

International students applying to UT Austin must submit either an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score report demonstrating an adequate knowledge of English. The Institutional TOEFL (ITP) and the IELTS General Training are not accepted. International applicants who are from a qualifying country are exempt from this requirement. Additionally, applicants are exempt from the requirement if they possess a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution or a qualifying country. The requirement is not waived for applicants who have earned a master’s—but not a bachelor’s—degree from a similar institution. You can contact the Office of Graduate Admissions directly and inquire about your specific situation: intladm@austin.utexas.edu.

The final international deadline will be our round 2 deadline. All international applications are due by that round. Due to a high volume of applications, we cannot accept applications after the final deadline. Additionally, to ensure our application process is fair and impartial, we do not provide any deadline extensions.

The MS Bridge Program offers UT Austin juniors the opportunity to start MS graduate courses during their undergraduate program.

The application cycle and deadlines will follow the same deadlines as our traditional application cycle.

Benefits:

• Two Pathways
  • Pathway 1
    • Take MS coursework the summer in between your junior and senior year
    • Internship the following summer after you graduate from undergrad
  • Pathways 2
    • Internship the summer in between your junior and senior year
    • Take MS coursework the following summer after you graduate from undergrad
• Pathway 1 students will gain access to McCombs Career Services after successful completion of summer coursework between their junior and senior year.

Learn more here.