General Admissions Procedures
Application Deadline
The application deadline for fall admission is January 15th. All application materials below must be received by the deadline. Spring admission is not available.
Admission to the School of Information MSIS Program requires:
- Meeting the MSIS Program Requirements
- Admission to the University of Texas Graduate School - Complete Graduate Admissions Application (Slate)
- Admission to the University of Texas School of Information - Submit additional iSchool required materials (MyStatus)
GRE Scores: The School of Information will not require GRE scores as part of the application for the MSIS, dual degree, or PhD programs. Submission of GRE scores is optional for applicants who would like to provide the Admissions Committee additional information about their potential for success in the program. Scores must be send from Educational Testing Service (ETS) to The Office of Graduate Admissions (OGA) using the codes for The University of Texas at Austin (GRE Code: 6882)
Dual Degree Programs
Students seeking admission to one of our dual degree programs must identify their interest by selecting the specific dual degree program code on Slate. These are listed in a separate "Dual Degree Programs" section at the bottom of the list of majors. If you intend to pursue a dual degree and the two programs have different application deadlines, you must submit the application and all supporting materials by the earlier deadline date.
To enter a dual degree program the student must first be accepted by each program before admission can be granted to the dual degree program.
Master's Student Funding
New students are considered for iSchool scholarships automatically with their application. Additional funding is available through the Graduate School: Graduate Student Funding
Admission to the University of Texas Graduate School (Slate)
Admission to the iSchool is competitive and requires applicants to complete the UT Graduate School's application for admission. The application can be found at(website link tbd). For further information, please refer to the Graduate School’s Admissions page. Please allow plenty of time to process your application.
Materials required by the Graduate School:
- Office of Graduate Admissions (OGA) application for admission and admission fee: The application is available in August.
-
Bachelor's Degree The completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in the United States or proof of equivalent education at a foreign institution.
- Grade Point Average (GPA): A GPA of 3.0 or higher in all junior-and senior-level upper division and graduate level-coursework attempted or completed.
- One official transcript from each college or university attended: Submit electronic copies of your official transcripts according to the OGA website. Please avoid mailing paper copies to ensure a quicker processing of your application.
- TOEFL or IELTS scores (international students only) International students must submit official test results from either the TOEFL or IELTS exams, according to the guidelines provided by OGA.
MSIS Program Requirements
Successful applicants will also need to submit the following specific iSchool requirements:
- Statement of Purpose: Once your application is submitted, electronically upload a clear and thoughtfully written statement of purpose describing areas of interest, background and experience, and career objectives (see prompt below).
- Three letters of recommendation: You will be asked to submit the names and contact information of three recommenders at the time of your online application. After submitting the application, each recommender will receive an email with directions for submitting through the online submission portal. Strong letters of recommendation will be able to discuss the applicant's academic abilities.
- Resume/CV: You will be required to submit a CV (curriculum vitae) or professional resume in support of your application for admission.
- Short Answer Questions (see below)
Statement of Purpose
The Statement of Purpose is a key document in your master’s application. Please address each of the following items in your statement:
- Areas of Interest: Discuss the areas of interest that you wish to study in the MSIS program as well as identify any significant issues or problems within those areas that you would like to explore or address during your studies.
- Background & Experience: Describe how your academic background and work experiences have prepared you for graduate studies in the field of information studies and why you wish to study specifically at the UT Austin iSchool.
- Career Objective(s): Discuss your long-term career goals and how you anticipate the completion of your MSIS degree will advance your career.
Please limit your statement of purpose to 1,000 words.
Please upload your Statement of Purpose as a PDF to MyStatus after your online graduate application is submitted.
Short Answer Questions - Within Slate Application
The following questions will be asked as part of the application.
We would like to learn more about you, your interest in our program, and your career goals. All applicants must answer the following three questions.
Question 1: Please address any information that you believe your application would be incomplete without and that sheds more light on your unique potential to succeed in the Master of Science Information Studies program and contribute to the university community and the field or profession.
Please limit your responses to 200 - 300 words
Question 2: The core values of the iSchool are a people-first perspective, information serving humanity, technology for social good, and an interdisciplinary approach. How do your career goals relate to these values?
Please limit your responses to 200 - 300 words
Question 3: Think of yourself in five years. What kind of job would you like to have? Feel free to create a job title if you like. Why is this program your preferred option to pursue?
Please limit your responses to 200 - 300 words
