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Application Instructions

Master of International Affairs

Admissions Info - Master of International Affairs

The Bush School Admissions Office works with the Office of Graduate Admissions at Texas A&M to process all MIA applications. You apply through the UniCAS application system, upload your supporting documents, and check the system and your emails for updates. Application requirements and steps are outlined below, but you can also reference Texas A&M’s Office of Admissions website for general overview information.

To avoid any confusion or delay in processing your application, please use the same spelling and name order on all correspondence. Also, please notify the Bush School of any change in address or name.

To help you manage the process, the Bush School has created the following application instructions and checklists in PDF format for you to reference as you start to apply. The checklist is available on the last page of the documents below:

Overview of the Application Process

Please read the application instructions listed below and submit by one of our deadlines:

  • Priority Funding Deadline =  December 15, 2020
  • Final Application Deadline* =  January 15, 2021
    *Should the need arise and if space allows, we might extend the deadline to consider late applicants.

To complete the application, applicants must submit the following items:  

  1. Application
  2. Application Fee
  3. Resume
  4. Statement of Purpose
  5. International Experience Essay
  6. Letters of Recommendation with Evaluation
  7. Transcripts
  8. GRE/GMAT Scores (optional if GPA above 3.2)
  9. Proof of English Proficiency (for applicants from non-English speaking countries)

You will receive an email from the Office of Admissions at Texas A&M within 24-72 hours after submitting your online application (anything after 6 p.m. rolls to the next weekday upload). The email includes your Universal Identification Number (UIN); include the UIN on all your documents and use it to claim your NetID.

Your NetID is required to log into the UniCAS Application Portal. This portal is your hub for all things related to your application. You can view documents that have been uploaded (application, letters, test scores, transcripts) and check the status of your application.

Keep in mind that the Bush School is the final evaluator of complete files. Even if the UniCAS Portal says your file is complete, it may not be, as the system only checks for some of the required items. Bush School Admissions will provide you an official email notice of a complete file. Look for our email updates and please be patient with us as we process incoming applications.

Application

Submit your application to the Bush School’s MIA program for fall 2021 admission through the online UniCAS application portal by creating an account and then selecting the following program:

  • Fall 2021 Master of International Affairs

Applicants will be required to upload their resume and statement of purpose to their application in UniCAS in addition to entering the contact information for at least 3 recommenders. Applicants can also upload copies of GRE/GMAT or English Proficiency scores to their application in UniCAS. However, official scores must be sent to Texas A&M. See instructions below.

Attention current TAMU graduate students: If you are currently completing a graduate degree at Texas A&M and wish to pursue another, you should submit a Letter of Intent form instead of this application to bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu.

Application Fee

A nonrefundable application fee of $89 for domestic applicants* / $114 for international applicants is required to submit your Fall 2021 application (and thereafter). 

*Texas A&M 3+2 or continuing grad student applicants do not pay application fees since they use an internal application outside of UniCAS. 

App Fee Waivers:

Service Organization Members or Alumni: The Bush School has written agreements with several groups whereby the Bush School will pay the fee for their members or alumni: AmeriCorps; Teach For America; City Year; Peace Corps; and PPIA. We do not waive for any other reason.

  • Applicants from one of these service organizations must email bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu with a confirmation sheet of service to verify your time.
  • We will review and, if approved, provide you with a coupon code to use for your application fee when submitting your application.
    **DO NOT** pay your application fee without a coupon code. Your payment cannot be refunded once submitted.

McNair Scholars: Texas A&M will pay the application fee for McNair Scholars. For next steps, visit Office of Admissions.

Need-based and International Waiver Requests: Texas A&M will consider fee waivers for low-income domestic applicants in exceptional cases, but they do not waive application fees for international applicants.  To find out more, visit Office of Admissions.

Professional Résumé

Provide a current résumé (up to two pages max) that includes activities after high school. A Résumé Template is available for reference, but should include the following sections:

  • Name and Contact Information
  • Education
    • Undergraduate Institution; include month/year completed (or to complete)
    • Degree earned, with major(s), minor(s)
    • Current overall GPA on a 4.0 scale (you can also add a last 60 hour or major GPA)
    • List additional undergraduate or graduate degrees and certificates, as necessary
    • Optional
      • Relevant/highlighted courses you’d like to list
      • Academic honors and awards
  • Relevant Work/Internship Experience
    • List work or internship experiences related to public service, to include government, nonprofits, educational institutions, military service, etc.
  • International Experience
    • Include study abroad, missions trips, travel, living overseas, and dates completed
  • Leadership, Service, Organizational Memberships, and Honors
    • List your involvement in any related activities that you want to highlight. Indicate the organization, position/role you assumed, the duration/dates involved, and the time involved per week/month/semester
  • Skills and Certifications (Language required)
    • Language: List the language and your current speaking level (include beginning, intermediate, advanced, fluent). Optional for reading, writing levels.
    • Computer: List relevant software by name.
    • Clearance: List any you want to highlight.
  • Other (optional)

Statement of Purpose

In 750 words or less, tell us about the experiences that have influenced your professional and personal goals. This could include people, events, or places that have affected or inspired you (family/ faculty/ interactions/ internships/ courses/ travel/ etc). Essentially, we are looking for where you come from, what you’ve done that impacted your development, and where you want to be for a possible career. 

Your essay should be typed in 11 pt font and spaced 1.5-2”. Include your name on each page.

International Experience Essay

In 750 words or less, tell us about the experiences that have influenced your interest in international affairs. We recognize that your experiences and opportunities may vary substantially from others, but we are looking for aspects of study abroad, living abroad, influential courses or readings, language interests, international news or events, cultural interactions, and more. It’s okay to have some repetition between this essay and your statement of purpose.   

Your essay should be typed in 11 pt font and spaced 1.5-2”. Include your name on each page.

Letters of Recommendation & Evaluation

Three recommendations are required. It is strongly recommended that two be from someone familiar with your academic work (typically faculty and advisors) while another can speak to your potential leadership, public service, or work experience (typically supervisors, mentors, associates).

When you apply through UniCAS, you will be required to enter the contact information for at least three recommenders. Your recommendations do not have to be complete before submitting your application; you simply have to enter the contact information for the three recommenders before you can submit.

Once you have saved your application, an email request will automatically be sent to your recommender on your behalf, asking him/her for two tasks:

  1. Submit a letter of recommendation (preferably written on official letterhead) and
  2. Fill out a brief evaluation of you through the UniCAS Letters by Liaison Portal.
    • Please advise your recommenders to look for this email in their inbox, as well as their spam or junk-mail folder, as emails are occasionally filtered out.

You can log into UniCAS daily to monitor the submission of your recommendations and, as necessary, to send reminders.

If a recommender is unable to submit his/her recommendation via the UniCAS Letters by Liaison Portal, he/she can submit the letter and evaluation is these ways:

  • Emailed: Sent to bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu by your recommender
    • Letters should be written on official letterhead and scanned as a pdf. It should be accompanied by the Bush School Recommendation Form, which the recommender fills out, signs, and scans with the letter. Both are then emailed to the Bush School.
  • Hard copy: Mailed or dropped off to the Bush School Admissions Office (address below)
    • Letters should be written on official letterhead and accompanied by the Bush School Recommendation Form, which the recommender fills out, signs, places in an envelope with his/her signature across the seal, and delivers to our office.

Transcripts

Submit transcripts from all colleges attended (except for US community or junior colleges). This includes transcripts for study abroad or transfer course work. Also required is an official statement indicating the degree or diploma earned and the date awarded for each degree you completed. Below is a brief overview of the transcript requirements, but you can also refer to Texas A&M’s Office of Admissions website for further details.

Texas A&M University Current or Former Students: Do not submit an official transcript from Texas A&M University; we will download your transcript for you.

**IMPORTANT**
Unofficial transcripts can be used to review your application for admission. However, if admitted, you cannot register for classes until official transcripts and diploma sheets are received by Texas A&M’s Office of Admissions.Registration for courses opens soon after admission letters are released, so admitted students are responsible for submitting their official transcripts as soon as possible. Registration holds for missing official transcripts will not be removed until official transcripts are on file. 

Transcripts submission:

  • Unofficial: Required at time of application. Submit transcripts from all colleges or universities attended (excluding US community colleges). Copies of official transcripts can be uploaded into UniCAS when submitting your application, but are considered unofficial.
  • Official: Required if admitted. Official transcripts must be processed before an admitted student will be allowed to register for classes.  They must be sent directly from the Registrar’s Office at your college to Texas A&M’s Office of Admissions in either of the following ways:
    **DO NOT submit official transcripts to the Bush School via email or mail; we cannot process them.**
    • Electronically through SPEEDE, eSCRIPT-SAFE, or National Clearing House. Transcripts submitted through any other vendor, such as PARCHMENT, are not accepted. 
    • Mailed to Texas A&M Office of Admissions at the address below in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s signature or stamp across the seal:
      • (U.S. Postal Service)
        Graduate Admissions Processing
        Office of Admissions
        Texas A&M University
        P.O. Box 40001
        College Station, TX 77842-4001
      • (Overnight or Hand Delivery)
        Graduate Admissions Processing
        Texas A&M University
        General Services Complex
        750 Agronomy Road, Suite 1601
        0200 TAMUCollege Station, TX 77843-0200

Transcripts from a University/College outside of the United States:
Transcripts must be signed by the registrar, controller of examinations, or president of the university issuing the document. If your institution does not issue a transcript in English, you must submit the native language transcript with an official English translation.

Official translations are prepared by a recognized translation service and include all original seals and/or signatures. Translations sent directly from the institution attended or from a recognized translator are considered official. Consolidated and provisional mark-sheets are not considered official.

Please ask the registrar to send individual mark-sheets that list grades earned in each term. Photocopies or other duplications such as notarized copies and faxes are not considered official.

Refer to Texas A&M’s International Graduate Admissions website for more details.

GRE/GMAT Test Scores

The Bush School has modified its GRE/GMAT testing requirements for the MIA as of summer 2019, as noted below. However, we continue to accept scores for anyone who feels they can complement a strong file or can offset concerns like a low GPA or lack of experience in the field. We recommend scores be at or above our stated averages if possible (in 2020, MIA was 308).

  • Optional if you have an overall GPA of 3.2 or better (we do not round up).           
  • REQUIRED for an overall GPA below 3.2(or if your grades/experiences do not reflect your current abilities).

Test scores (GRE preferred over GMAT) should be sent directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to Texas A&M University and be from a test date within five years of the date the UniCAS application is submitted.

GRE Code: 6003
GMAT Code: 7B7-K9-03

Proof of English Proficiency

(for applicants from non-English speaking countries)

Texas A&M University requires that applicants from non-English speaking countries submit proof of English proficiency in one of several ways:

  • Score at least 146 on the GRE verbal section (or 22 on GMAT verbal)
  • Earn a TOEFL score of at least 80 ibt or 550 pbt; the Bush School prefers a 100 ibt or 600 pbt
  • Score a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 overall band; the Bush School prefers a 7.0 band
  • Complete all years of a bachelor’s degree or higher at an accredited university in the US

You can find further clarification, and a list of countries that are exempt from the English proficiency requirements, on Texas A&M’s International Graduate Admissions website.

TOEFL scores should be sent directly from the testing service to Texas A&M University (Code 6003).

To report IELTS scores: Texas A&M University only accepts scores submitted electronically by the IELTS Test Center. No paper Test Report Forms will be accepted. An institutional code is not required. Please contact the test center where you took the IELTS test and request that your test scores be sent electronically using the IELTS system to the address below:

International Admissions Processing
Texas A&M University
P.O. Box 40002
College Station, TX 77842-4002
Email: admissions@tamu.edu

If you mail any items to Graduate Admissions Processing at Texas A&M (as listed above) or the Bush School, please do not staple items or include items in folders or cover sheets; leave sheets and sealed documents loose in your packet.

For any items mailed directly to the Bush School, please use this address:
Bush School Admissions
Texas A&M University
2023 Allen Building / 4220 TAMU
College Station, Texas 77843-4220
USA

All documents on this page are in PDF format. To view the files you must have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.