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Application Requirements

Master of International Affairs 5-year (3+2) Degrees

BA International Affairs - MIA or BA/BS Economics - MIA

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The Master of International Affairs (MIA) offered through The Bush School at Texas A&M University in College Station, TX, admits current Texas A&M undergraduate students majoring Economics or International Affairs (in the International Social Processes, International Development & Economic Policy, or International Politics, Security, & Diplomacy focus areas) into the MIA portion of the 3+2 (or 5-Year) MIA degree program once per year, for fall entry only.

Applications for the following fall are open from August to mid-January with two rounds of admissions decisions. Please refer to the fall 2026 admissions deadline and timeline for each round below. The application for fall 2026 entry will open mid-August 2025 with deadlines as follows.

ROUND ONE
Early Decision & Priority Funding Consideration

Application Deadline:
December 15, 2025

Supporting Materials Due:*
December 15, 2025

Decisions & Offers Released:
Early February 2026

Admitted Student Day:
Friday, February 27, 2026
(some activities on Feb 28)

Offer Response Deadline:
April 15, 2026

ROUND TWO
Final Round for 3+2 Apps

Application Deadline:
January 15, 2026

Supporting Materials Due:*
January 15, 2026

Decisions & Offer Released:
Mid-February 2026

Admitted Student Day:
Friday, February 27, 2026
(some activities on Feb 28)

Offer Response Deadline:
April 15, 2026

* Supporting materials are all required documents including the application, resume, personal statement, two recommendations, 3+2 MIA Course Planner, and GRE/GMAT test scores (if desired).

An application and all materials (including recommendations) must be received by the Bush School’s Graduate Admissions office by 11:59 PM (Central Time) on the day of the application deadline listed above to be considered for the corresponding round of admissions. Applications submitted but missing on ore more supporting materials are incomplete and will not be considered until complete for the next round of admissions. Incomplete applications after the final round will be withdrawn.

REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY

Current Texas A&M University (College Station, TX) undergraduate students may apply for admission into the 3+2 MIA program during the fall of their junior year (or in the fall when they are classified as a U3) as long as the student:

  • is majoring in one of the following at the time of their application, and
    • Economics
    • International Affairs specifically in the focus areas:
      • International Social Processes
      • International Development & Economic Policy, or
      • International Politics, Security, & Diplomacy
  • has worked with their undergrad advisor to map out undergrad courses the student must complete prior to and after entry into the 3+2 program (if admitted), and
  • is on track to successfully complete 102 credit hours of their undergrad course requirements completed by the start of the fall semester of entry into the MIA, and
  • has (or will have) a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.25 for ECON majors or 3.5 for B.A. INTA majors by the fall semester of entry into the MIA, and
  • has (or will have) completed their required study abroad trip prior to the start of the fall semester of entry into the MIA, (only applicable to B.A. INTA majors), and
  • is in good academic standing with their undergrad department, and
  • is not expected to graduate or complete their undergrad degree before the fall semester of entry into the MIA, and
  • understands that failure to satisfy ALL of these requirements prior to the fall semester of entry into the MIA will result in admission (if offered) into the 3+2 program being rescinded.

*For example: A Texas A&M Undergrad student majoring in Economics who is expected to graduate from their undergrad degree in May 2024 is ineligible to apply for fall 2024 admission into the 3+2 program. The student would need to apply to the 2-year MIA degree instead.

ADMISSIONS PROCESS

An application and all materials (including recommendations) must be received by the Bush School’s Graduate Admissions office by 11:59 PM (Central Time) on the day of the application deadline listed above to be considered for the corresponding round of admissions. Applications submitted but missing one or more supporting materials are incomplete and will not be considered until complete for the next round of admissions. Incomplete applications after the final round will be withdrawn.

Those admitted in Round One or Two are encouraged to attend the Bush School’s MIA Admitted Student Day scheduled for Friday, February 27. Students will tour the school, meet with faculty, talk to current and former students, and more. A few events will be held in conjunction with Texas A&M’s Aggieland Saturday on Saturday, February 28, for those who would like to attend. We encourage all admitted students to attend to see if The Bush School is the right for you!

Admitted students have until April 15 to accept or decline their admission and funding offer. Funding for those that fail to reply by the response deadline will be rescinded at midnight on April 15.

The transcript of students admitted into the 3+2 program will be checked after spring and summer grades are posted to ensure the student successfully completes all of their undergraduate coursework as indicated on their course planner and still meets the minimum GPA requirement to enroll in the program.

HOW TO APPLY

Current Texas A&M undergraduate students who meet the requirements listed above may apply by submitting all of the following materials by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will NOT be reviewed or considered for admission. To help you stay on track of your application, we’ve created a step-by-step guide and checklist in PDF format for you to use: Fall 2026: 5-Year MIA Application Checklist & Instructions.

To avoid confusion or delay in processing an application, please use the same spelling and name on all correspondence. Notify the Bush School Admissions Office immediately of any changes to your name.

3+2 Internal Application

Apply by submitting a Fall 2026: 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.

Recommendations

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 for the recommender (see below) and should communicate a deadline (preferably two weeks prior to application deadline) for their recommender to complete the following steps.

      • 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.

      • 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). See above for things we are looking for.
    3. Email completed Recommendation Form and letter to Ashlee Treadway in 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.

Résumé

Upload a current résumé (max of two pages) that includes activities after high school to the Fall 2026: 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.

Personal Statement

Upload a personal statement answering the following prompt to the Fall 2026: 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.

Transcripts

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/GMAT Test Scores

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 their Fall 2026: 3+2 MIA Internal Application. Official scores are not needed but can be sent to Texas A&M University using the following codes. (GRE Code: 6003 / GMAT Code: 7B7-K9-57)

5-Year MIA Course Planner

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.

Click here to find and download the 3+2 MIA Course Planner for your undergrad major.

Upload the completed and signed 3+2 Course Planner to the Fall 2025: 3+2 MIA Internal Application.Applications submitted without a completed (and signed) Course Planner are considered incomplete. Incomplete applications are not considered or review for admission.

AFTER SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATON

Please allow us 7-10 business days to process your application once submitted, sometimes longer during peak times (mid-December through mid-January).

Once we have finished processing your application, we (Bush School Graduate Admissions) will email you at the email address you entered on your application with the official status of your application (Incomplete or Complete).

  • If incomplete, it is your responsibility to submit the missing material(s) by the application deadline.
  • If complete, sit tight and wait for an email containing your admissions decision (and Bush School funding offer, if admitted).

If offered admission, your offer letter from The Bush School will include the Bush School Scholarship you’ve been awarded.

Those admitted in Round One or Two are encouraged to attend the Bush School’s MIA Admitted Student Day scheduled for Friday, February 27. A few events will be held on Saturday, February 28, for those that would like to attend. During the Admitted Student Day, students will tour the school, meet with faculty, talk to current and former students, and more. We encourage all admitted students to attend to see if The Bush School is the right for you!

CONTACT INFORMATION: BUSH SCHOOL GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Questions about undergraduate course or degree requirements in preparation for applying to the 3+2 MIA program should be directed to the student’s undergraduate advisor.

Questions about applying to the 3+2 MIA degree should be directed to the Bush School Graduate Admissions Office:

Ashlee Treadway or Kathryn Meyer
Phone: 979-862-3476
Email: bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu