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Graduate Application Requirements – International Applications

International Applications Graduate Students

International Graduate Applicants

We are excited you are considering The Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University for your graduate education! Below you will find additional requirements to apply to one of our graduate programs, financial aid opportunities and resources available to you if admitted, and answers to some of our frequently asked questions from other international applicants. Click on the links below to jump to the corresponding section.

Applying
Upon Admission
Financial Aid & Funding
Visa

APPLYING

If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have not applied for permanent residency, you are considered an international applicant in our admissions process and will need to submit the following items at the time of your application (in addition to the rest of the required application materials) to be considered for admission.

  • Proof of English Proficiency
    Citizens from non-English speaking countries are required to submit proof of English proficiency at the time they apply to be considered for admission. If you are a citizen of one of the countries listed on the Texas A&M International Graduate Admissions website (look for Proof of English Proficiency section), you are exempt from providing Proof of English Proficiency. If your country of citizenship is not exempt, you must submit proof of English proficiency in one of the following acceptable ways:

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

    • GRE verbal score of at least 146 (or 22 on GMAT verbal) from a test date within five years of applying.
      Upload a copy of your GRE test score report to the Program Materials portion of your application and submit official scores to Texas A&M University using GRE school code 6003 (7B7-K9-57 for GMAT).
    • 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. Upload a copy of your TOEFL test score report to the Program Materials portion of your application and submit official scores to Texas A&M University using school code 6003.
    • GRE verbal score of at least 146 (or 22 on GMAT verbal) from a test date within five years of applying.
      Upload a copy of your GRE test score report to the Program Materials portion of your application and submit official scores to Texas A&M University using GRE school code 6003 (7B7-K9-57 for GMAT).
    • IELTS Academic overall band score of at least 6.0 from a test date within two years of applying.
      The Bush School prefers an overall band score of at least 7.0. Upload a copy of your IELTS test score report to the Program Materials portion of your application. Official scores must be submitted electronically from the IELTS test center 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
    • Complete all 4 years of a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited university located in the United States. Transcript will be used for verification.
  • International Academic Records:
    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 Bachelor’s Degree equivalencies.

    For each 4-year college you attended outside of the United States, you will be asked to upload the following academic documents to your application when applying:
    • a copy of your transcript (NOT a mark sheet) containing all of the courses you completed along with the grades earned
    • a copy of your diploma (or degree certificate) if degree has been awarded at the time of your application
    • an English translation for both the transcript and diploma (or degree certificate)


      Academic Records from China:
      Students with academic records from China: If you are admitted and plan to register for classes, you will need to provide transcripts and degrees verified by the Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD) prior to registration. These verification reports should be issued in English and sent to admissions@tamu.edu. You will not find Texas A&M University in the CSSD Portal (Parchment), so you must request that your verification report be sent to admissions@tamu.edu. Please do not send to Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi as this is a different institution. 

Prior to uploading, combine all documentation above for one 4-year college you attended and upload to your application. Repeat for every 4-year college you attended.

Official academic records are only needed upon admission.

UPON ADMISSION

  • Accepting the Offer: Once an international applicant receives an offer of admission, the applicant must accept or decline their offer by the deadline stated in the offer letter sent by the Bush School Admissions Office. Offers are rescinded if a response is not received by the deadline. Instructions to accept or decline their offer are also included in their offer letter.

  • Submit Official Academic Records
    For each 4-year college you attended outside of the United States, you will need to request the college submit the following official documents directly from their office to Texas A&M Admissions (not Bush School):
    • A transcript (NOT a mark sheet) containing all of the courses you completed along with the grades earned in its native language. 
    • A diploma (or degree certificate) listing the degree awarded and the date the degree was awarded.
    • An English translation for both the transcript and diploma (or degree certificate) is needed if your original documents are in another language. Translations sent directly from the institution attended or from a recognized translator are considered official.

      Each document is to be signed by the registrar, controller of examinations, or president of the university issuing the document. 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. Documents sent via email are not official.

      How to submit official documents:
      • Electronically via an online delivery system such as SPEEDE, eSCRIPT-SAFE, PARCHMENT, or National Student Clearinghouse to admissions@tamu.edu. This method is preferred as it is often the quickest.
        • Emailed transcripts from your university to Texas A&M Admissions Office NOT through one of the secured delivery services listed above are not considered official.
        • Mailed to Texas A&M Graduate Admissions Processing (see address 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; leave sheets and sealed documents loose.
          • Postal Service
            International Admissions Processing
            Texas A&M University
            PO Box 40002
            College Station, TX 77842-4002
          • Overnight or Hand Delivery
            Admissions Processing
            Texas A&M University
            750 Agronomy Road, Suite 1601
            0200 TAMU
            College Station, TX 77843-0200
            (979) 845-1060
  • Submit Official English Proficiency Test Scores
    If you are submitting GRE, GMAT, IELTS, or TOEFL test scores as your proof of English proficiency AND you did not submit your official test scores to Texas A&M University at the time you applied/took the test, then request your official test scores be sent now.
    • GRE school code 6003
    • GMAT school code 7B7-K9-57 for GMAT
    • TOEFL school code 6003
    • IELTS: Submitted electronically from the IELTS test center 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
  • Gather Financial Documentation for Visa
    The United States government requires international students to demonstrate they have sufficient funding for their first year of graduate studies to be eligible for an F-1 visa or an entire year for a J-1 visa. Start gathering the documentation you will need now. Visit the International Student & Scholar Services website for detailed information on the documentation you need.

FINANCIAL AID/FUNDING

Financial aid resources are limited for international students. We do not offer any full-ride scholarship opportunities for international students. You must have outside funding and/or financial support to afford a graduate education here at The Bush School.

We award competitive, merit-based scholarships to every MPSA and MIA admitted student who enrolls full-time. With this scholarship, international students are granted non-resident tuition waivers allowing them to pay in-state tuition rates. The scholarship amount you are awarded is determined by the competitiveness of your application with the rest of the applicant pool. Financial need is NOT a factor in awarding scholarships (or when making admissions decisions).

Many international students have earned top scholarship awards of $10,000-$15,000 per year, but most receive a scholarship between $1,000 to $5,000 per year which covers some (but not all) of tuition and required fees. This also means that living costs are the responsibility of the student to cover.

Graduate assistantships are not offered to students in their first year. You can apply for graduate assistantships in your second year.

International students seeking additional financial support can refer to the following websites for helpful guidance and opportunities:

APPLY FOR VISA

The International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) office at Texas A&M University supports incoming, current, and former international students as they navigate the U.S. immigration system. ISSS will be your point of contact for all questions and issues that may arise regarding your visa. The Admissions department nor your program will be able to assist you with your immigration requirements. You must work with ISSS to ensure you arrive before the start of the semester. Below are links to help you get started with your visa: