Application Requirements

Start your application in GradCAS at any time! You may return to upload additional materials or update information prior to submitting your application. Just make sure you submit your application and all materials prior to 11:59 PM (Central Time) on the application deadline.

1. Create an account in the 2025 Texas A&M University GraduateCAS (GradCAS) system.
2. Click the ‘Add Program’ menu option and add the ‘Fall 2025 Master of Public Service & Administration’ program to your application.

   **TIP** Consult with your recommenders early in the application process and add their contact information to your application in GradCAS as soon as possible, even before filling out the rest of your application. This allows your recommenders to start working on their recommendation while you work on filling out the application. Skip to ‘Recommendations’ section below for instructions.

3. Fill out all required fields and upload all required documents in your application.
4. Pay the application fee and submit by the deadline.

To submit the application, applicants must pay a non-refundable application fee via credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover):

• $89 for domestic applicants*
• $114 for international applicants

Bush School Application Fee Waivers*

We cannot waive the application fee for any applicant. However, we do have written agreements with several organizations whereby the Bush School will pay the application fee for the following:

• Americorps, Teach for America, City Year, and/or Peace Corps Volunteers:
  If you served in one of these organizations for 9 months or more, email a copy of your service letter (or a document listing your dates of service) to bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu BEFORE submitting your application. We will verify your service, pay the application fee for you, and reply with further instructions for you to submit your application. **DO NOT** pay the application fee. Refunds cannot be given once payment is made.
• PPIA Junior Summer Institute Participants:
  If you participated in the Public Policy International Affairs Junior Summer Institute (JSI), email a copy of your transcript to bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu BEFORE submitting your application. We will pay the application fee for you and reply with further instructions for you to submit your application. **DO NOT** pay the application fee. Refunds cannot be given once payment is made.
• Pickering, Rangel, or Payne Fellowship Finalists or Recipients:
  If you are a finalist or recipient of the Pickering, Rangel, or Payne Fellowship, email bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu when you are ready to submit your application with your GradCAS Application ID, the name of the fellowship and whether you are a finalist or recipient of the fellowship. We will verify your status, pay the application fee for you, and reply with further instructions for you to submit your application. **DO NOT** pay the application fee. Refunds cannot be given once payment is made.

Texas A&M Application Waivers:*

• Veterans and Active-Duty U.S. Military: Texas A&M will pay the application fee for veterans or active-duty U.S. military members. Send a copy of your DD214, showing proof of your military service, to Delayne Nichols d-nichols@tamu.edu BEFORE submitting your application.
• McNair Scholars: Texas A&M partners with the McNair Scholars program to pay the application fee for applicants to various programs across campus. Scholars must submit a letter from their McNair Program Director verifying their status as a McNair Scholar in good standing to Delayne Nichols d-nichols@tamu.edu Include the program and term you are applying to. Visit the 2025 Texas A&M Graduate Admissions website for details.
• Pell Grant Recipients or Low Income Applicants: Submit an awards letter from your current school’s financial aid office showing the award of a Pell Grant or your Student Aid Report (SAR) from a current FAFSA showing financial need to Delayne Nichols d-nichols@tamu.edu in the Texas A&M Office of Graduate Admissions. Visit the 2025 Texas A&M Graduate Admissions website for details.

Exceptional Financial Hardship?
The Bush School has a very limited number of application fees we can pay for domestic applicants with an exceptional financial hardship. We are unable to pay application fees for international applicants.

• If you are a U.S. applicant experiencing an exceptional financial hardship:
  Email bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu with your resume and an essay of 300 words or less explaining your hardship and need for an application fee waiver. Hardships may be due to your family receiving public assistance, experiencing a recent family tragedy, or other financial limitation. We will review your request and if approved, pay the application fee for you and reply to your request with further instructions on how to submit your application.**DO NOT** pay the application fee. Refunds cannot be given once payment is made.
• International Applicants: Texas A&M nor The Bush School waives or pays the application fees for international applicants.

Two recommendations (consisting of a letter and brief evaluation) are required and collected via your application in GradCAS. Both recommendations must be received by the application deadline so choose your recommenders early in the application process! Applications are “incomplete” if they are submitted with fewer than two recommendations and will NOT be considered for admission.

Recommendations can be from:

• (preferred) 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 graduated several years prior to applying. Professional references can speak to the applicant’s leadership; character; public service, military, or work experience, but should provide specific anecdotes as to why the applicant is qualified for graduate school.

As soon as you have consulted your recommenders, add their contact information to your application in GradCAS! This allows your recommenders to start working on their recommendation while you continue filling out the application. To add a recommender, you will first need to add the ‘Fall 2025 Master of Public Service & Administration’ Then, access the Program Materials quadrant → Recommendations tab.

Please enter the preferred email address of your recommenders and advise them to monitor that email, including junk and spam folders, for a recommendation request sent from support@tamu.myliaison.com

Click for instructions on requesting, monitoring, and resending a recommendation request in GradCAS.

Upload a current résumé (two pages maximum) containing activities after high school to the Supporting Information quadrant → Documents section of your application in GradCAS. 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 your personal statement to the Program Materials quadrant → Documents tab of your application in GradCAS. Statements should answer the following prompt, 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 750 words or less, please address the following topics in your personal statement:

• Your personal and professional goals for your intended career,
• What (including the people, places, or events) inspired you to pursue a career in public service,
• How obtaining the MPSA from the Bush School will help you achieve your goals, and
• Include your public service experience and what value you bring to the program.

Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree or are expected to earn a bachelor’s degree by the time they enroll in the program. Applicants with a degree from a university outside of the United States must have earned a degree equivalent to a 4-year bachelor’s degree in the United States. Visit the Texas A&M International Graduate Admissions website for a list of recognized Bachelor’s Degree equivalencies.

UPLOAD COPIES OF TRANSCRIPTS TO GRADCAS APPLICATION

In the Academic History quadrant → Colleges Attended section of your GradCAS application:

• Add the names of every college or university you’ve attended.
• Then, upload a copy of your transcript for only the 4-year colleges you’ve attended by clicking on the ‘Upload Transcript’ link under the name of the corresponding college.

• TEXAS A&M CURRENT/FORMER STUDENTS: Upload your unofficial TAMU transcript to GradCAS.

• INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE(S): For each international college, upload a file containing a copy of your transcript and degree certificate in its native language, as well as an English translation for both (if applicable).
• If you attended a college in CHINA, please be aware that if admitted, you will be required to submit transcripts and degrees verified by the Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD) to Texas A&M admissions@tamu.edu via Parchment.

Transcript requirements:

• Copies of your degree evaluation/audit will not be accepted. Copies of your transcript are required.
• Official transcripts are NOT needed to apply.
• Official transcripts from all 4-year colleges attended must be submitted upon admission to register for courses.
• For each college where a degree was earned, the corresponding transcript must indicate the name of the degree and date it was awarded.
• If a degree is in progress, courses and grades through the most recent semester at the time of your application must be included on your transcript.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS AFTER ADMISSION:
If you are offered admission and you accept*, immediately request official transcripts from all 4-year colleges you’ve attended be sent to Texas A&M University (NOT THE BUSH SCHOOL). Registration hold(s) will be placed on your account for an official transcript from every 4-year college you attended. A hold will not be removed until an official transcript is received and processed for that college. Registration for the fall semester opens in late March, early April (soon after admissions offers are sent).

• *Texas A&M (College Station, Galveston, or Qatar) Current/Former Students: DO NOT submit official Texas A&M transcripts, or any other transcript you previously submitted to Texas A&M, as we already have those on file.
• * International Transcripts: Submit your official transcript (not a mark sheet) and degree certificate in its native language as well as an official English translation for both (if applicable) to Texas A&M Graduate Admissions.

• If you attended a college in CHINA, you are also required to submit transcripts and degrees verified by the Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD) to Texas A&M admissions@tamu.edu via Parchment.

For a transcript to be considered official, the transcript must be sent directly from the college issuing the transcript to Texas A&M’s Office of Graduate Admissions (NOT the Bush School). Transcripts you uploaded to your application are NOT considered official. It will take the Texas A&M Admissions Office at least 7-10 business days to process an official transcript once received. Official transcripts can be submitted in one of two ways:

• ELECTRONICALLY(preferred – fastest!) Transcripts submitted electronically can be received and processed much faster! Texas A&M will accept transcripts sent electronically via an online delivery system such as SPEEDE, eSCRIPT-SAFE, PARCHMENT, or National Student Clearinghouse. Request your transcript be sent to admissions@tamu.edu via one of these methods. Institutions outside of the USA can send official transcripts to admissions@tamu.edu

• MAILED to one of the addresses listed below in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s stamp or signature across the seal. Do not staple items or include items in folders or cover sheets.

Postal Service – US/Domestic Transcripts
Graduate Admissions Processing | Office of Admissions | Texas A&M University | P.O. Box 4001 | College Station, TX 77842-4001

Postal Service – International Transcripts
International Admissions Processing | Texas A&M University | P.O. Box 4002 | College Station, TX 77842-4002

Overnight or Hand Delivery – All Transcripts
Admissions Processing | Texas A&M University | General Services Complex | 750 Agronomy Road, Suite 1601 | 0200 TAMU | College Station, TX 77843-0200

Visit the Texas A&M Graduate Admissions website for additional information. .

GRE or GMAT test scores are not required to apply. However, scores are:

• Strongly encouraged for those with a cumulative GPA below a 3.2. We use the cumulative GPA (out of 4.0) as listed on the transcript issuing the degree (bachelor, master, PhD).

• Encouraged and accepted for anyone who feels their scores can complement a strong file or offset concerns such as a low GPA, lack of experience in the field, or if their grades/experiences do not reflect 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 MPSA degree. Any score of 300 or above can help strengthen an application. Test scores must be within five years of the submission date of your application.

If you choose to submit GRE or GMAT test scores, upload a copy of your Test Score Report to the Program Materials quadrant → Documents tab of your application in GradCAS.

**OFFICIAL GRE/GMAT test scores are only needed after admission for international applicants who wish to provide proof of English language proficiency via their GRE or GMAT verbal score. See below for additional information.

(for citizens from non-English speaking countries, if required)

Proof of English language proficiency is required for most international applicants. Visit the Texas A&M International Graduate Admissions website for a list of countries whose citizens are exempt from submitting proof of English language proficiency.

If your country of citizenship is not listed/exempt, you must submit proof of English proficiency in one of the following ways via your application at the time you apply (also listed on the International Application Requirements website):

• Complete all 4 years of a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited university located in the United States.

• GRE Verbal Score of at least a 146 from a test date within five years of applying. Upload a copy of your test score report to your application via the Program Materials quadrant → Documents tab. If admitted, you will need to request your official GRE scores be sent to Texas A&M University using GRE school code 6003.

• GMAT Verbal Score of at least a 22 from a test date within five years of applying. Upload a copy of your test score report to your application via the Program Materials quadrant → Documents tab. If admitted, you will need to request your official GMAT scores be sent to Texas A&M University using GMAT school code 7B7-K9-57.

• TOEFL Score of at least 80 i-BT from a test date within two years of applying. We prefer a score of at least 100 i-BT. Upload a copy of your test score report to your application via the Program Materials quadrant → Documents tab. If admitted, you will need to request your official TOEFL scores be sent to Texas A&M University using school code 6003.

• IELTS Academic Overall Band Score of at least 6.0 from a test date within two years of applying. We prefer an overall band score of at least a 7.0. Upload a copy of your test score report to your application via the Program Materials quadrant → Documents tab. If admitted, you will need to request your official IELTS scores be sent to Texas A&M University (College Station) at the address below:

  Internal Admissions Processing
  Texas A&M University
  PO Box 40002
  College Station, TX 77842-4002
  admissions@tamu.edu
  

Applicants are advised to schedule a test date of at least two months in advance of the application deadline to ensure test scores are received by the application deadline. Test scores can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks to come in. Applications submitted without proof of English proficiency (if required) are considered incomplete and will not be considered.