Graduate Program Admissions FAQs
General Questions
When is the application deadline?
- The Fall Application Deadline for all materials for the MSIS program is January 15 at 11:59pm (CT).
- The Fall Application Deadline for all materials for the PhD program is December 1 at 11:59pm (CT).
- The Application Deadline for the Stackable School Librarian Certificate Program is February 15 at 11:59pm (CT).
- READ CAREFULLY: all pieces of your application (three letters of recommendation, transcripts, statement of purpose, resume, TOFEL/IELTS scores, if applicable) are due by the program deadline listed above. Do notwait until the last minute to submit your materials. Note that transcript review is done by the Office of Graduate Admissions and may not be immediately available for committee reviewe – plan ahead to account for potential processing delays. For equity purposes, we do not make exceptions to our hard deadline. ONLY COMPLETE FILES WILL BE REVIEWED. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check their MyStatus page to ensure your application is complete. Only complete files are eligible fore review.
When do applications open? Are application fee waivers available?
- Applications for Fall 2024 will be available starting in August or September, for entry in Fall 2025. NOTE: We do not offer Spring or Summer admission.
- The School of Information does not offer application fee waivers. Please review the UT Austin Office of Graduate Admissions (OGA) website for information about requesting a waiver through their office. (Under Step 2; Pay the fee)
Do I need to submit GRE scores with my application?
The GRE is optional for MSIS, dual degree, and PhD applicants. If you would like to submit GRE scores to augment your application, you will want to review the UT Austin Office of Graduate Admissions (OGA) website for information about submitting official scores and submission code (6882). OGA contact information may be found HERE. When contacting departments with questions, always include your UT EID.
Is funding/financial support available? How much is tuition?
- All newly admitted students are automatically considered for awards/funding.
- Financial support in the form of TA/GRA/AI appointments is limited. Priority is given to PhD students.
- Students who are awarded funding will be notified by email.
- Tuition information is available HERE.
Specific Application Questions
What do I need to submit with my application?
All pieces of your application – All three letters of recommendation, transcript(s), statement of purpose, resume, and TOFEL/IELTS scores (if applicable) – must be received by the deadline. Please see the above questions for deadline information. Transcripts submitted close to the deadline may experience processing delays. Do not wait until the last minute to submit transcripts and/or test socres.
How are my letters of recommendation submitted?
After you submit your Slate application, your recommenders will be notified and sent a link with directions to submit your recommendation letters. As a reminder, letters must be received by the deadline for your file to be complete and eligible for review. Please give your recommender plenty of lead time to compose and submit your letters by the deadline.
You may switch out your recommenders and/or resend the link via MyStatus. We encourage you to communicate with your recommenders to check their junk email if they do not see the Slate communication. Our department does not accept letters of recommendation directly via email; they must be submitted through the MyStatus Platform.
If you need technical assistance, please contact the UT Austin Office of Graduate Admissions (OGA). Contact information may be found HERE. When contacting departments with questions, always include your UT EID.
How do I check my application status?
You will have access to your MyStatus page within 24-48 hours of submitting your application. Detailed information about MyStatus is available on the OGA website. Remember, it is the applicant’s responsibility to check MyStatus to ensure your application is complete.
Where do I submit my transcripts?
Transcripts are sent to and vetted by the Office of Graduate Admissions. Do not wait until the last minute to submit your transcriptsm, this could create a processing delay. Do not send your transcripts to the iSchool. Detailed information about electronic transcript submission is available on the OGA website.
When will I hear receive a decision about my application?
Applicants are typically notified sometime in March or April, dependent on the review committee timeline.
International Applicants
Is the MSIS program a STEM program?
Yes, the MSIS degree is a DHS designated STEM program eligible for STEM OPT.
What tests are required for international applicants?
The Graduate School requires TOEFL or ITELTS scores for international applicants where English is not the first language or for International Applicants who did not attend a 4-year Bachelor program in the States. There are several countries for whom this requirement has been waived. Please see here for more information. If you have specific questions not addressed on the OGA website, please email the UT Austin Office of Graduate Admissions directly.
Who can I contact with questions about Visas?
For Visa issues or concerns, please contact Texas Global, the International Student and Scholar Service(ISSS) department HERE.
Who can I contact for additional information?
If you are an International Applicant with additional questions not addressed here, feel free to email intladm@austin.utexas.edu. Please be sure to include your official name and UT EID.
MSIS Program
How long does it take to complete the MSIS program?
The MSIS program is typically a two-year, full-time, in-person program. Full-time enrollment is nine semester hours. Part time status may lengthen the time to degree. For more information about the program you may want to also review our current student handbook, available on our website, HERE.
Who can I talk to about course advising?
It is not necessary to reach out to advisors prior to submitting your application. If you have questions regarding course selections, please email graduateadmit@ischool.utexas.edu
What master's courses are offered?
To learn more about the program structure, visit our website HERE. Information about our current course offerings is available HERE. Note that offerings are subject to change by semester.
MSIS Degree Program
Learn the tools to study, manage, and innovate the information systems around us.
PhD Degree Program
A research-intensive program to pursue answers to important problems in information.