Your spouse/significant other information

What to do?

Believe it or not, it is equally hard or harder for your spouse/significant other to get used to the MBA program life. We would like to address this very important issue through a testimonial of a current international MBA student spouse. We suggest that you share this information with your spouse/significant other.

“The first semester is the toughest, specially for internationals, because you are not only dealing with a hard MBA program, but with a different language and culture. At the beginning, your spouse time will be almost completely consumed by the activities in the program, but it pays to be patient. Believe it or not, you are his/her support. There will come the time when he/she will begin to feel more confident and his/her time for you will be stretched out again. 

However, don’t just sit there until this happens. There are many things you can do to even enjoy and make the best of this period.

First of all, you can do several things to increase your time together without interfering with his/her studies, such as: exercise together, help him/her to take a short break now and then (be gentle), study the possibility of having an internet connection and a quiet place for him/her to study at home.

And of course you must do a lot of things for you! It’s a good idea to become involved with the different MBA student’s organizations, and get to know people that have your same interests, hobbies, nationalities/language, etc. Check out the university web site: www.bus.utexas.edu and http://mba.mccombs.utexas.edu/students/studentorgs/
I specially encourage you to contact the Student and Significant Other Network: www.bus.utexas.edu/students/SAS/. It feels good to know that you’re not alone! They organize a lot of activities in which you can get involved with other MBA’s spouses/significant others and also with their children.

Depending on your budget and your family time requirements, you can also consider the idea of studying yourself. You can find a wide range of options, such as free English classes at most churches, good and cheap Informal Classes at UT or even advanced studies in any of the universities in the area. For details continue reading this page!

Finally, whenever things turn to be harder than you thought you could bear (such as during midterms) remember that it will last for a definite period (2 years) and that any sacrifice has a very clear objective that will result in benefits for both of you and your children as well”

Dulce Campins de Arriaga

Spouse of Raúl Arriaga MBA'02

Do you want to study?

There are plenty of institutions in Austin to study, here are just a few options you might consider:
If your spouse wishes to improve his/her English there are several English courses in Austin. We cannot endorse any of these courses; however these are the ones that people take most often:

- UT’s English Program http://www.utexas.edu/student/esl/

- House of Tutors – close to UT at 24th street www.houseoftutors.com
- Dexter – also close to UT at 24th, a little but further from House of Tutors

You should ask other international students for more information on these courses and other English courses.

Your spouse may also take some extension courses in the evening. All she/he must have is a Bachelor’s diploma or equivalent. Theses courses are great for improving your English and creating a network in Austin, as most people at these courses are from here. For more information and for course availability: http://www.utexas.edu/cee/uex/

If your spouse wants to further enhance his/her education, it is possible to apply for any graduate course at UT, so be sure to bring:
· Your spouse’s diploma and its certified translation (more than one)
· Your spouse’s transcript and its translation (more than one)
· It would also be wise to bring recommendation letters.

Your spouse will also have to take the TOEFL and/or the GRE, so he/she might start preparing for it. It is always possible to buy books in Austin or even to attend classes at Kaplan or Princeton review, however these classes are expensive.

If your spouse is a LAWYER, UT has a one-year program for international lawyers called the LLM. All that your spouse needs is the TOEFL and recommendation letters. UT Law is ranked as a top program in the U.S. For more information visit the Law school’s website for this program (only for international students): http://www.utexas.edu/law/acadprogs/llm/ (IMPORTANT: This is not Law School. You will not have a license to practice in the U.S.)

Last but not least, it is always possible for your spouse to apply for any graduate program at UT. There are many options available and you are encouraged to visit all departments and talk to advisors in each department to learn about requirements and specializations offered. For more information on graduate programs: http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/degree_programs/

A final word: your spouse does not need a new Visa for studying at any place at UT. The F2 visa is enough.