Application Instructions

Master of Public Service & Administration

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The Bush School Admissions Office works with the Office of Graduate Admissions at Texas A&M University to process all applications for the on-campus Master of Public Service & Administration (MPSA).

For application instructions and a checklist in PDF format, click the links below:

• Fall 2023 MPSA Application Instructions
• Fall 2023 MPSA Application Checklist

Continuing Texas A&M Graduate Students: If an applicant is currently completing a graduate degree at Texas A&M and wishes to pursue another, they should email a completed Letter of Intent form (instead of an application in GradCAS), along with all supporting materials, to bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu.

TEXAS A&M 3+2 APPLICANTS: Do NOT submit an application in GradCAS. Refer to the 3+2 application process.

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Application Deadlines

We admit students into the MPSA program once per year, for fall entry only. Applications and all supporting materials (including recommendations) must be submitted/received by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will NOT be reviewed or considered for admission.

The application for Fall 2023 entry will open in early August with application deadlines as follows:

• Priority Funding Application Deadline – December 15, 2022
  Applicants are strongly advised to submit all supporting documents and their application by the priority deadline to ensure their file is confirmed to be complete in time to be considered for all available Bush School funding.

• International Application Deadline* – February 15, 2023
• Domestic Application Deadline* – April 15, 2023
  Applications received after the priority funding deadline, but on or before the final application deadline, will still receive a competitive Bush School Scholarship. However, nomination-based opportunities may no longer be available.
  
  Additionally, the closer we are to the final deadline date, the busier the Bush School Admissions Office gets. Applicants may experience longer response times, which can be frustrating. We value an applicant’s time and want to ensure all documents are accounted for, questions can be answered, and issues can be dealt with before the submission window closes. Aim for the priority deadline if possible. 

*Should the need arise and if space allows, we might extend the deadline to consider late applicants. However, this will not be determined until on or after the final application deadline.

The Bush School Admissions Office makes the final determination of when an application is complete. Even if the GradCAS portal says an application is complete, it may not be, as the system only checks for some of the required items. Look for email updates from the Bush School Admissions Office who will email applicants using the email address entered on their application to let htem know any any missing items or if their application is complete. Please be patient and allow us at least 7-10 business days to process a submitted application and all support materials.

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Overview of the Application Process

Applicants apply to the program by uploading all support materials and submitting an application through the GradCAS application system. The exception to this is any continuing graduate student at Texas A&M who instead submits a Letter of Intent to move from another grad program to the MPSA (and TAMU 3+2 year applicants; see above).

Applicants are required to submit the following materials to complete their application by the application deadline. Incomplete applications will NOT be reviewed or considered for admission.

1. Application – Opening in early August!
2. Application Fee
3. Resume
4. Personal Statement
5. Recommendations (3)
6. Transcripts
7. GRE/GMAT Scores (optional)
8. Proof of English Proficiency (for applicants from non-English speaking countries)

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

For a detailed timeline of the admissions process, visit our Admissions Timeline page. To summarize:

• Late January – Completed applications are reviewed by the MPSA Admissions Committee to determine who will be invited to interview during the next step in the admissions process.
• End of January through early February – App status updates and interview invitations are sent via email.
• February – Interviews conducted.
• February 17-18 – Those invited to interview are also encouraged/invited to attend the Bush School MPSA Campus Visit Weekend.
• Early March – The Admissions and Scholarship Committees meet to make final admissions and scholarship decisions.
• By March 15 – Admissions decisions and scholarship offers are emailed to applicants.
• Rolling admissions decisions for late applicants.
• April 15 – Deadline to accept or decline offer.

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Application (opening in early August for fall 2023 entry)

Unless an applicant is a continuing Texas A&M graduate student (or TAMU 3+2 applicant), submission of an application and all supporting documents through GradCAS is required as follows.

• Create an account in GradCAS.
• Complete all required fields in the first three quadrants (Personal Information, Academic History, and Supporting Information).
• In the fourth quadrant called “Program Materials”, you will select the Fall 2023 Master of Public Service & Administration program by either clicking on the Program Materials quadrant or the Add Program tab.
  • Look or search for the following program: Fall 2023 Master of Public Service & Administration
  • Click the + sign next to the application
• Click on the ‘My Application’ tab, then the ‘Program Materials’ quadrant.
• Complete all required fields on each of the tabs in the ‘Program Materials’ quadrant (Questions, Documents, and Recommendations).
• Submit your application by clicking the ‘‘Submit Application’’ tab at the top of the page and paying the required application fee. See section below.
  

Continuing Texas A&M Graduate Students: If an applicant is currently completing a graduate degree at Texas A&M and wishes to pursue another, he/she should email a completed Letter of Intent form (instead of an application in GradCAS), along with all supporting materials, to bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu.

Texas A&M 3+2 Applicants: Do NOT submit an application in GradCAS. Please refer to the 3+2 application instructions located here.

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Application Fee

Applicants must pay a nonrefundable fee to submit their application in GradCAS. Application fee costs:

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

*Applications received outside of GradCAS for continuing TAMU Graduate Students and TAMU 3+2 Applicants do not incur an application fee. See above. 

Application Fee Waivers:

Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) App Fee Waivers: The Bush School has written agreements with several service organizations whereby the Bush School will pay the application fee for members, alumni, or participants of one of the following groups:

• Service Organizations Members/Alumni: If you are a member of one of these organizations, email bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu with a copy of your service letter or a document indicating the dates of your service. 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.
  • AmeriCorps
  • Teach For America
  • City Year
  • Peace Corps

• PPIA Junior Summer Institute Participants: If you participated in the Public Policy International Affairs Junior Summer Institute (JSI), email bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu with a copy of your transcript. 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.

• Fellowship Recipients: If you are a finalist or recipient of the Pickering, Rangel, or Payne Fellowships, email bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu with your GradCAS Application ID, name, fellowship, and status. 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.

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 provide a letter from their McNair Program Director verifying their status as a McNair Scholar in good standing to receive the fee waiver. For next steps, visit or contact Texas A&M Office of Admissions.

Need-based App Fee Waiver Requests: Texas A&M and the Bush School have a limited number of app fee waivers available to help those with an exceptional financial hardship.

• 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 d-nichols@tamu.edu in the Texas A&M Office of Graduate Admissions. Visit the Texas A&M Graduate Admissions website for details.
• Exceptional Financial Hardship for Domestic Applicants: To be considered one of our limited application fee waivers available due to financial hardship or extenuating circumstance:
  • Domestic Applicants: Email bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu with your resume and an essay of 300 words or less detailing your situation and need for an application fee waiver. This could include if your family received public assistance, recent family tragedy, or other financial limitation. We will review your request and if approved, pay the application fee for you. We will reply to your request with further instruction for you to submit your application. *DO NOT** pay the application fee until receive a decision from us. 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.

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Resume

In the Supporting Information quadrant ➡ Documents section of GradCAS*, upload a current résumé (up to two pages max) that includes activities after high school. A Résumé Template is available for reference:

• Name and Contact Information
• Education
  • Undergraduate Institution; include month/year completed (or to complete)
  • Degree earned, with major(s), minor(s)
  • Cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale (if it helps, consider adding a last 60 hour or major GPA)
  • List all bachelor/master/PhD degrees and certificates you will complete or are in-progress to complete
  • Academic honors and awards
• Work/Internship Experience
  • List all professional work or internship experiences (full-time, part-time, and internships)
  • Include military services and duties
• International Experience (if applicable)
• Related/Highlighted Coursework(optional)
• Applied Class Projects/Activities(optional)
• Skills and Certifications (optional)
  • Language: List the language and current speaking level (beginner, intermediate, advanced, fluent). Optional for reading, writing levels
  • Computer: List relevant software by name
  • Security Clearance: Highlight any relevant clearances
• Leadership, Service, Organizations, and Honors
  • Indicate the organization, position/role assumed, the duration/dates involved, and the time involved per week/month/semester

*Continuing Texas A&M Graduate Students: Email the résumé to bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu.

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Personal Statement

In an effort learn more about an applicant, applicants are asked to write a personal statement addressing the following prompt. Statements should be typed in 11pt font, spaced 1.5″, and include the applicant’s name, the title “Personal Statement,” and a page number on each page. Upload to the Program Materials quadrant ➡ Documents tab in GradCAS*.

• 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. 

*Continuing Texas A&M Graduate Students: Email the personal statement to bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu.

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Recommendations (3)

Three recommendations (consisting of a letter and brief evaluation) are required and must be received by the application deadline, preferably the priority application deadline, but no later than the final application deadline. Applications with fewer than three recommendations will NOT be reviewed 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.

Once you choose your recommenders, be sure to inform them of the process and that they will be completing their recommendation electronically*. We recommend you ask for their preferred email address and advise them to monitor that email inbox for your recommendation request (which will come from tamusupport@liaisoncas.com), including any junk or spam folder.

To request a recommendation in GradCAS:
Navigate to the Program Materials quadrant ➡ Recommendations tab. Click on the “+Request Letter of Reference and Likert Scale Recommendation” hyperlink. Complete the following fields:

• Name and email of your recommender
• Personal message/note: Enter anything you feel is necessary for the recommender to know. The note you enter will display in the body of the email sent to the recommender.
• Due Date: Enter a due date of at least one week prior to the application deadline; this deadline will display in the email sent to your recommender.
• Waiver of Recommendation:
  • Selecting ‘Yes’ lets the recommender know you will not ask them for a copy of their recommendation.
  • Selecting ‘No’ lets the recommender know you may ask them to send you a copy of their recommendation at any time. This does NOT give you access to their recommendation in GradCAS. It simply means you’ve let your recommender know you might ask them for a copy.
• Permission to Contact Recommender: Checking this box gives the system permission to send an automated email to your recommender with instructions for submitting their recommendation. This does not mean the Bush School will email your recommender instructions. You are responsible for ensuring your recommender submits their recommendation by the deadline.

• Permission for Schools to Contact Recommender: Check that you give permission for us to contact your recommender to verify any information and/or ask for further clarification on their recommendation, if needed.

Press the ‘Save This Recommendation Request’ button, which will send an automated email with instructions to your recommender. You can submit your application before or after all of your recommendations are received. However, an application must be submitted and all recommendations must be received by the application deadline.

• To monitor the status of your recommendations: Log back into your application and navigate to the Program Materials quadrant ➡ Recommendations tab. Recommendations will be in one of the following statuses:
  • Requested: An email was sent to the recommender, but he/she has not accepted or declined the request for a recommendation.
  • Accepted: The recommender has accepted the request for a recommendation and may have even started their recommendation, but they have not submitted it quite yet.
  • Completed: Recommendation has been submitted. A completed date should be listed.

• To resend a recommendation request: Log back into your application and navigate to the Program Materials quadrant ➡ Recommendations tab. Press the ‘Edit’ icon’ next to the recommender, make any sort of change to the record (such as adding a note) and press the ‘Resend Recommendation Request’ button.

*Continuing TAMU Grad Students: Fill out the top portion of the Recommendation Form. Send to your recommender with instructions for them to fill out the rest of the form, write your letter of recommendation, and send both to the Bush School Admissions Office (bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu) by the application deadline.  Recommenders must submit to Bush School Admissions directly; recommendations emailed by the applicant are not accepted.

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Transcripts

COPIES OF OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED TO APPLY
Copies of official transcripts from all 4-year colleges attended is required to apply and must be uploaded to the applicant’s GradCAS application via the Academic History quadrant ➡ Colleges Attended section. While the application will prompt you to enter every college you’ve attended, you only need to upload a copy of the official transcript for the 4-year colleges you attended.

• Texas A&M Current or Former Students: Please upload a copy of your the Texas A&M transcript to GradCAS.

• International (non-US) Transcripts: Applicants with a degree from a university from outside of the United States must have 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 Bachelor’s Degree equivalencies.

For each 4-year college attended, please gather the following documents, save into one file (per college), and upload to the application.

• a copy of your transcript containing all courses completed and grades earned
• a copy of your diploma (or degree certificate) if a degree was awarded
• an English translation for both the transcript and diploma (or degree certificate)

Please note:

• Transcripts from junior or community colleges are not needed.
• For each degree earned, the corresponding transcript must be noted with the degree earned and the date the degree was awarded.
• A copy of an official transcript containing courses that were taken at a 4-year college and transferred into another college are required, even if the courses are listed on the transcript of the college the courses were transferred to.
• Transcripts uploaded to the application are considered “unofficial”, but will be used to review an application for admission.

OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED UPON ADMISSION TO ENROLL 
Upon admission, students are required to submit official transcripts from all 4-year colleges attended before they are allowed to enroll in courses. A registration hold is placed on the student’s account until officials are received and processed by the Texas A&M Graduate Admissions Office. Registration typically opens in mid-April, so it is imperative for an admitted student to request official transcripts be sent immediately upon admission. Official transcripts can take up to 10 business days to be received and processed.

• Texas A&M (College Station, Galveston, or Qatar) Current or Former Students: DO NOT submit official Texas A&M transcripts, or any other transcript you previously submitted to Texas A&M, as we still have those on file.
  
  
• International Transcripts: Applicants must submit their official transcript and diploma (or degree certificate) in its native language as well as an official English translation for both. They are to be signed by the registrar, controller of examinations, or president of the university issuing the document. 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 with the grades earned in each term. Photocopies or other duplications such as notarized copies and faxes are not official.

Instructions for submitting official transcripts:
For transcripts to be considered official, they must be submitted directly from the university to Texas A&M’s Office of Graduate Admissions (NOT the Bush School) in one of the following ways:

• (PREFERRED) Electronically via SPEEDE, eSCRIPT-SAFE, PARCHMENT, or National Student Clearing House to admissions@tamu.edu. This method is the fastest.
  
  

• Mailed to Texas A&M Graduate Admissions Processing (see address below) in a sealed envelope with the registrar’s signature or stamp across the seal. Please do not staple items or include items in folders or cover sheets; leave sheets and sealed documents

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GRE/GMAT Scores (optional)

The MPSA does NOT require applicants to submit GRE scores, but many still do for reasons stated below. We use the cumulative GPA (out of 4.0) as listed on the transcript issuing the degree (bachelor, master, PhD). Applicants weighing the decision to submit scores should consider their testing ability, time to study, and whether scores will help or hinder their application (our average GRE score is a 304).

• Optional for those with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or better.
• Strongly encouraged for those with a cumulative GPA below 3.2 OR if grades/experience do not reflect current abilities.
• Encouraged for those who feel scores can complement a strong file or offset concerns such as a low GPA or lack of experience in the field.

To be valid, scores must be within five years of the date the GradCAS application is submitted. We prefer the GRE test scores over GMAT.

If you would like to submit test scores to be considered when reviewing your application for admission, upload an unofficial Test Score Report to the Program Materials quadrant➡ Documents tab of your application in GradCAS.

Official scores are only needed for international applicants who wish to provide Proof of English Proficiency via their GRE/GMAT score. Official test scores should be sent directly from the Education Testing Service (ETS) to Texas A&M University and must be within five years of the date the GradCAS application is submitted.
(GRE Code: 6003 / GMAT Code: 7B7-K9-57)

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Proof of English Proficiency

(for citizens from non-English speaking countries)

Official English language proficiency (ELP) test scores are required for most international applicants. Citizens of certain English speaking countries are exempt from this requirement. Refer to the list on the Texas A&M International Graduate Admissions website.

If an applicant’s country is not on the exempted list, they must submit test scores that meet the minimum ELP requirement or meet the Alternative Verification criteria. Acceptable options:

• Score at least 146 on the GRE verbal section (or 22 on GMAT verbal) from a test date within five years of applying.
• Earn a TOEFL score of at least 80 i-BT from a test date within two years of applying; the Bush School prefers a 100+ i-BT. MyBest TOEFL Scores are not accepted.
• Score an IELTS Academic test score of 6.0 or higher overall band from a test date within two years of applying; the Bush School prefers an overall band score of at least 7.0.
• Alternative Verification: Complete all 4 years of a bachelor’s degree or higher (masters is typically two years) at an accredited university located in the United States.

Applicants are advised to test at least two months before the application deadline. Test scores can take anywhere from two to six weeks to be processed, depending on the test. Scores must be received by the application deadline (preferably the priority deadline, but no later than the final deadline). Applications missing the required proof of English proficiency will not be reviewed or considered for admission.

To report test scores: 

• GRE: Use code 6003
• GMAT: Use code 7B7-K9-57
• TOEFL Scores should be sent directly from the testing service to Texas A&M University (Code 6003).
• IELTS Scores should be submitted electronically from the IELTS test center to Texas A&M University (College Station and Galveston); no paper Test Report Forms accepted. An institution code is NOT required. Instead, use the address listed below.

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Contact Information: Bush School Admissions

Questions about the application or application process for the on-campus Master of Public Service & Administration should be directed to Ashlee Treadway or Kathryn Meyer in the Bush School Admissions Office:

Phone: 979-862-3476
Email: bushschoolapplications@tamu.edu

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.