5-Year MIA (3+2) Pathway

Apply by submitting a Fall 2027: 3+2 MIA Internal Application. There is no application fee.

The application will ask you to provide your information, answer program-specific questions, and upload your supporting materials (resume, personal statement, 3+2 course planner, and GRE/GMAT test scores if desired).

We advise 3+2 MIA applicants to have their supporting materials ready to upload before filling out and submitting the application.

Two recommendations (consisting of a Recommendation Form and letter) are required and must be emailed directly from your recommender to the Bush School’s Graduate Admissions Office by the application deadline. Applicants should discuss the program and recommendation requirements with their recommender well in advance of the application deadline. Applications with fewer than two recommendations will NOT be reviewed or considered for admission.

Recommendations can be from:

• (strongly encouraged) a higher education academic reference, particularly from a course instructor who can attest to an applicant’s capability to pursue graduate school.
• a professional reference as needed, particularly for those who worked before or during their undergrad degree. A professional reference should speak to the applicant’s leadership, character, public service, military or work experience, but should also provide specific anecdotes as to why the applicant is prepared for graduate school.

Instructions for applicant:

1. As soon as the applicant has finalized who their two recommenders will be, the applicant should fill out the top portion of the Recommendation Form with their information.
2. Applicant emails Recommendation Form to their recommenders with instructions and should communicate a deadline (preferably two weeks prior to application deadline) for their recommender to:
   • Write a letter of recommendation (preferably on official letterhead).
   • Fill out the bottom portion of the recommendation form (evaluation section).
   • Email the completed recommendation form and letter to the Bush School Graduate Admissions Office at bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu. Recommendations emailed from an applicant are not accepted; recommendations must be emailed directly from the recommender.
3. As needed, applicant sends reminders to their recommenders as deadline approaches.

The Bush School Admissions Office will send the applicant an email notification each time a recommendation has been received on their behalf. However, it is the applicant’s responsibility to follow up with any recommenders to ensure they submit their recommendation by the application deadline.

Instructions for recommender:

1. Fill out bottom portion of the Recommendation Form sent from the applicant.
2. Write a letter of recommendation for the applicant on official letterhead (if possible).
3. Email completed Recommendation Form and letter to the Bush School Graduate Admissions at bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu. If you do not receive a confirmation email within 1-2 business days, please follow up.

Upload a current résumé (max of two pages) that includes activities after high school to the 3+2 MIA Internal Application.

A Résumé Template is available for reference, containing the information/sections to include in your résumé. The formatting/order of contents in your résumé do not have to match the template. However, make sure the content listed in the template is found somewhere on your résumé.

Upload a personal statement answering the following prompt to the 3+2 MIA Internal Application. Statements should be typed in 11 pt font, spaced 1.5″, and include the applicant’s name, the title “Personal Statement,” and a page number on each page.

Prompt: In 1,000 words or less, please address the following topics in your personal statement:

• What inspired or influenced you to pursue a career in international affairs (include relevant people, places, travel, courses, internships, and/or events),
• Your personal and professional goals within international affairs,
• What value you bring to the program (include meaningful experiences, education, and/or jobs you have had), and
• How an education from the Bush School will help you to achieve your goals.

Students do not need to submit or upload their Texas A&M transcript. The Bush School’s Graduate Admissions Office will download a copy of the student’s transcript at the time they submit their application, after final fall grades are posted, and again in early August to ensure the student successfully completed all of their undergrad course requirements and met the minimum GPA requirement prior to the fall semester of entry into the MIA.

GRE or GMAT test scores are not required to apply to the 3+2 MIA degree program. However, scores are accepted for anyone who feels their scores can strengthen their application, offset concerns such as lack of experience in the field, or if their grades/experiences do not reflect their current abilities.

When considering whether to submit scores for your application, know that our average GRE score is a 310 for those applying to the MIA degree. We prefer the GRE over GMAT. Any score of 300 or above can help strengthen an application.

Scores must be within five years of the date the application is submitted.

Applicants who decide to submit test scores should upload a copy of their Test Score Report to the 3+2 MIA Internal Application.

Official scores are not needed but can be sent to Texas A&M University using GRE Code 6003 or GMAT Code 7B7-K9-57.

It is imperative for a student to meet with their undergraduate advisor as soon as they become interested in pursuing the 3+2 program. We recommend students start filling out a 3+2 Course Planner as early as possible in their undergraduate career to ensure they remain on track to fulfill all requirements (except for the 15-18 credit hours that double count) prior to the fall semester in which they would enter the 3+2 program, if admitted.

To apply to the 3+2 MIA degree program, the student and advisor must fill out and sign the appropriate 3+2 Course Planner confirming the UG course requirements the student has successfully completed as well as the UG course requirements they still need to complete prior to the fall semester of entry into the MIA program, if the student is admitted. The course planner ensures the student, their UG advisor, MIA Admissions, and the MIA department are aware of any and all requirements the student must complete to fulfill the requirements of both degrees.

Download the 3+2 MIA Course Planner for your undergrad major.

Upload the completed and signed 3+2 Course Planner to the 3+2 MIA Internal Application. Applications submitted without a completed (and signed) Course Planner are considered incomplete. Incomplete applications are not considered or reviewed for admission.