The Texas McCombs Master of Science Program offers 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 Master of Science Program for a single application fee. You will be able to indicate your interest in multiple programs within any of the Master of Science Program applications.

Qualified applicants should meet the following criteria:

1. A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a comparable degree from a foreign academic institution
2. Mathematical aptitude and demonstrated ability to handle quantitative material
3. Strong communication skills
4. A completed application consisting of the following:
   1. Official transcripts uploaded in PDF format
   2. Personal essays. A video essay component is required by each admissions committee
   3. Letters of recommendation
   4. Resume
5. Professional experience

Please also see Program Prerequisites in the next section for additional requirements. 

All sections within the online application must be filled to entirety. Additionally, if the admissions committee requires further information about a candidate, an interview may be required.

For the MSBA program, the following additional requirements should be met:

• An undergraduate degree from an accredited institution with exposure to quantitative coursework related to at least 1 semester of Calculus and 1 semester of Statistics is required.
• University coursework or professional experience in computer programming is required; knowledge of C,C++, Python, or Java (with focus on object-oriented programming and data structures) is preferred. Those admitted to the program are strongly encouraged to learn Python prior to beginning the program.
• Coursework in Linear Algebra is strongly recommended.
• Two required letters of recommendation, 1 should come from faculty
• Required video essay

If you are interested in taking classes at UT to help prepare for the program, you could consider CS 303 or 313, CS 327 – elements of databases, M340L – linear algebra and a calculus-based stats class.

View the MSBA curriculum here.

Written Essays

Why is the Texas McCombs MS Business Analytics the next logical step for you? How do you hope to develop, both personally and professionally, during this one-year program? Required - 500 words maximum

Imagine that you are in a job interview. The interviewer asks you to describe a time that you have had to solve a problem, and what the results were. How would you answer? Required - 500 words maximum

Video Essay

Imagine that you are at a job interview after completing the MS Business Analytics. Give a one- to two-minute argument for why you are the best person to hire. Begin with a description of the job that you are applying for and then use your undergraduate training, your MS Business Analytics experience, and any relevant work experience you have to justify your hiring.

The committee will evaluate your application relative to the entire applicant pool in a holistic manner. We consider a wide variety of factors, including but not limited to, professional experience, leadership and extracurricular activities, demonstrated communication skills, strong quantitative skills, in addition to grade point average and test scores.

Key criteria being evaluated by the admissions committee includes your professional experience, academic aptitude, interview (if granted), test scores, and personal characteristics.

At McCombs, we understand that applicants are experiencing hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that these challenges may be affecting your ability to take the required GRE/GMAT test. Due to the unprecedent circumstances, we are providing applicants who are directly impacted by COVID-19 with the opportunity to petition for a GRE/GMAT test waiver.

If you are still able to take an exam, we strongly encourage you to do so. Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) and Educational Testing Service (ETS) have introduced remote testing options for the GRE and GMAT exams.

If you are unable to take the GRE or GMAT exam due to challenges or barriers related to COVID-19, please review the waiver eligibility and fill out the waiver form below. Please note a UT EID is required to submit the waiver form. If you don't have a UT EID, create one here.

Fill out the waiver form

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

Returning Users

Returning users can log in with your UT EID (example: abc123) 

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

First-Time Users

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

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 in order for your application to be reviewed. Tip: Don't forget to self-report your test scores and have them sent to UT Austin!

Submit your application once all sections are complete. You can review your GIAC MyStatus checklist to ensure all items have been received by the program. Pay the application fee within two business days after you submit your application. You will need to upload your official transcripts again to UT GIAC at this link.

More Information

Click here for a FAQ from GIAC.

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

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. It is not necessary to contact the program inquiring about an interview invitation. This could further delay the review process on your application.​

Decisions

Once the admissions committee has reviewed applications and interviewed selected applicants, we will begin sending decisions to candidates. You should receive an email from the program regarding your decision status.

Decisions are typically sent 6-8 weeks after the posted application deadlines. The admissions team is working as quickly as possible to report decisions in a timely manner. If you send an inquiry to the program during peak times, please allow up to three days for a response.

Waitlist

The Texas 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.

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. This is due to the uncertain and often unpredictable nature of the admissions process, and we are not able to predict the movement of the incoming class. Should the admissions committee require additional information, they will reach out to the applicant directly.

Provide an official transcript from every senior college you have attended. Even if courses taken at one institution are recorded on another college's transcript, transcripts must be submitted from the institution at which the courses were taken. Failure to list all colleges on the application and provide those transcripts will be considered an intentional omission and may lead to the cancellation of your application for admission or withdrawal of your offer of admission.

If your transcripts are in a foreign language, they must be translated into English.

Scan and upload these to your McCombs Application online. After you submit your application, pay your application fee. This will be available two business days after you submit your application. Scan and upload transcripts to the Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC). Yes, you will need to upload your transcript twice. Once via the McCombs online application and once to UT GIAC after you pay the application fee.

Degree

All applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a comparable degree from a foreign academic institution. Put your official transcripts in safe-keeping. If you’re offered admission and intend to enroll, you will send your official transcripts to GIAC.

GPA

A minimum grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) is required. For applicants from an international institution, a comparable GPA will be calculated by UT GIAC. Your GPA is calculated using grades from upper-division course work—junior- and senior-level courses—and in any graduate-level classes. If your GPA does not meet the minimum requirement—or if you feel that your GPA is not a valid indicator of your ability—you have an option to address this in the Optional Essay section of the application. GIAC staff will determine GPA equivalencies for international applicants.

You will not be able to pay the application fee for approximately two business days after you press the submit button on your application. Your application is considered “on time” if submitted by the deadline, regardless if the fee is paid on that date. However, your application will not be evaluated if you do not pay the fee once it’s due.

The fee is $65 for domestic applicants and $90 for international applicants. Credit card and electronic checks accepted.

Fee Waivers

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. If you intend to seek a waiver, do not pay the application fee when prompted. Instead, submit your application and indicate you will pay later. Demonstrate your need for an application fee waiver by providing a copy of:

• A waiver granted by GRE or GMAT; or
• If you are currently enrolled, your financial aid awards for the previous two semesters showing the source(s) of your funding; or
• If you are not currently enrolled, your tax returns for the last two years.

Wait until you receive the email with a link to your MyStatus page, redact your Social Security number from the documentation, then email it to Shannon Neuse. Make sure you include your UT EID in the email; without this information, your request cannot be processed. Please note that it will take 24 to 48 hours from when you submit the application before you receive the status check email – do not send your request prior to receiving that email. You will be unable to upload any documents to MyStatus until your fee is waived or paid.

The most effective letters will describe the applicant's quantitative skills and intellectual ability. The MSBA program requires two letters and one academic reference.

Recommendation letters must be submitted by the application deadline to be considered a complete application. Letters of recommendation are received directly from the recommender via a secure portal. While completing your application, you will be able to send your recommender an invitation to access this secure portal to submit their recommendation. Once your letter of recommendation is received, you will receive an automated email. *The admissions committee highly recommends this number of academic references. Professional references will also be considered.

Helpful Hints

• Complete this part of your application first. This will launch email notifications to your recommenders and allow them to get started on the form while you're working on the other components of your application.
• Contact your recommenders ASAP to let them know they should receive an email as soon as you save the section. Sometimes these emails end up in a junk folder since they come from a Texas MS email address.
• Monitor the status of your recommendations on your McCombs application status page to ensure they're completed within a reasonable amount of time and by the deadline. You can resend notifications from within the application as needed.

As long as you’ve taken the test and made the request to have your official scores sent to UT Austin by the round deadline, your application will be considered “on time.”

During the admissions process, we sync what you reported in the application with what’s received by UT Austin. It can take several weeks for your official score to be received by the university. Once the item is received you will see that update on the MyStatus page.

We cannot reverse “deny” decisions, so you should submit your strongest possible application. Please do not submit the application with the intent to send updated test scores. If you’re applying to multiple programs at McCombs, you don’t need to send separate scores to each program. UT Austin has a central repository for official scores that all departments can access.

The university generally receives scores four to six weeks after a test is taken. If you are sending scores from a prior test, the scores must still be valid at the time of application to the program (within the last five years for the GRE or GMAT).

There are many resources for GRE Prep and GMAT Prep.

Please visit your program’s page to read more about requirements for admission as this can vary by program.

GRE/GMAT Waiver

We understand that preparing for and taking a GRE/GMAT may be a barrier to applying for some working professionals. In some cases, your previous work experience or academic achievement provided in your application may be sufficient for the admissions committee to evaluate your preparedness for the program. With this in mind, we are offering a GRE/GMAT waiver option for applications to the MSBA-WP program.

Eligibility

Waiver eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis, as part of a holistic look your application. However, there are a few criteria which may indicate you are more eligible for a waiver. 

• Applicants with academic backgrounds in business, engineering, math or a similar field 
• Applicants with work experience in at least one of the following: Writing code, manipulating large data sets, organizing data, or using coding algorithms to solve problems

Submitting the Waiver 

The waiver will be submitted prior to submitting your application. You will submit the waiver from the "Test Scores" section of the application, and will need to get an approval or denial prior to submitting the application. Submission does not guarantee that you will be granted a test waiver by the admissions committee. In the case that your petition is denied, you will be required to enter test score info prior to submitting.

GMAT/GRE FAQ

What are the Codes for GRE/GMAT?

The Educational Testing Service institution code for the GRE is 6882. The institutional code for the GMAT for MSBA is: 396-44-73.

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.

What’s your minimum acceptable test score? What test scores do I need in order to secure admission?

We do not admit/deny solely based on test scores since we are looking for overall exceptional applications, including high grades, strong professional development, high test scores and communication skills. Our faculty committee is concerned when GRE/GMAT scores are below 60th percentile for MSBA.