Application and Admission Information

Application to the Department of Asian Studies includes application to the Graduate School at The University of Texas at Austin.

The Department of Asian Studies admits students for the fall semester only.

All elements of an application are taken into consideration when evaluating a student's application for admission.  Considerable weight is given to the statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and writing samples.  Applicants whose files were complete by the application deadline (both departmental requirements and Graduate and International Admissions Center requirements) will receive notification of admissions decisions, usually around the beginning of March.

The application deadline for fall 2011 has passed. Late applications will not be considered.

Questions?  Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Fall 2012 Admissions

The application deadline for Fall 2012 admissions is December 15, 2011. The online application opened on September 1.  All required application materials must be received by the December 15 deadline.  Please allow suffienct time for application and fee processing, and for uploading required documents.  Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application Instructions

Step One: Select Your Major and Degree Sought

The Department of Asian Studies offers dual degrees in association with the LBJ School of Public Affairs and the McCombs School of Business Administration. Students enrolled in a dual degree Masters program work on both degrees simultaneously.  Be sure to use the correct major code on your application.

• The Masters and PhD in Asian Cultures and Languages is designed for students who intend to complete a PhD and pursue a career in research or teaching at a university. Students accepted for the MA in Asian Cultures and Languages continue on to complete the PhD degree.  We do not offer a terminal Masters degree in Asian Cultures and Languages.  The major code for the Masters/PhD in Asian Cultures and Languages is 612400.
• The Masters in Asian Studies is designed for students who wish to receive a Masters degree and pursue a career in business, non-profit, NGO, or governmental work, or to pursue a PhD in another, or related, field.  The major code for the Masters in Asian Studies is 612100.
• The Department of Asian Studies has three dual degree Masters programs: two with the LBJ School of Public Affairs and one with the McCombs School of Business.  Please select the appropriate dual degree major code when applying for a dual degree. Application to each program separately is not the same as applying for a dual degree.

Dual degrees:

• Masters in Asian Studies/Public Affairs: major code 612300.
• Masters in Asian Studies/Global Policy Studies: major code 647340
• Masters in Asian Studies/Business Administration: major code 612200 

Please consult with the graduate coordinator if you have any questions regarding which major to choose.

Step Two: Apply for Graduate Admission to the University of Texas at Austin

and, simultaneously,

Step Three: Apply to the Department of Asian Studies or to a Dual Degree Program

Please review the Requirements for Graduate Admissions.  For the University application, requirements, deadlines, and instructions, please consult the Before You Apply page.  Submit the ApplyTexas application, and pay the application fee -- please allow 7-10 days for processing.  After the application and fee has been processed, you may upload any and all remaining documents to the MyStatus page, including transcripts.  Some institutions will be able to send electronic transcripts to UT.  Before uploading a transcript, please read these instructions.  Materials sent to the Department of Asian Studies will be forwarded to GIAC and may delay the completion of your application.  Please do not submit both electronic and paper copies.

A summary of the application process can be found here.  You will need:

• Official GRE scores, no more than five years old.
• Transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.  Electronic transcripts from your previous institutions, or transcripts uploaded to the MyStatus page are acceptable.  No paper transcripts, please, during the application process. Students who are admitted to The University of Texas at Austin are required to send official (paper) transcripts to the Graduate and International Admissions office before they will be permitted to register for classes in the Fall semester.
• Three letters of recommendation, preferably from tenured or tenure-track faculty members.  Please include an email address for recommenders in the relevant section of your application.  Recommenders are notified via email to submit a letter of recommendation.  It is suggested that you speak to potential recommenders ahead of time so they know to look for this email notification from the University.
• International applicants must also submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.  International applicants should also consult the complete a Certification of Financial Responsibility Form.  This certification is not required for the application process, but it is necessary for the preparation of immigration documents for the University.  The Certification Form is avaiable from the International Office.  Please consult the New Students page for additional information.

The following items are required by the Department of Asian Studies in order to be considered for admission to the graduate program.  Log in to the MyStatus page to see what has been received and what is still needed.  Please do not send paper copies unless paper copies are requested.

• Supplemental Information Form for the ANS and ACL Graduate Programs (available as PDF file dowload as part of the ApplyTexas application).  If you do not see that the supplemental information was received when you check your MyStatus page, please upload the PDF file that you completed with the ApplyTexas form.
  
• Statement of Purpose - A Statement of Purpose describes the applicant's research interests and explains why the applicant wishes to study at UT.  You may submit a Statement of Purpose as part of the ApplyTexas application (TIP: type directly into the text field, do not double-space) -- OR -- You may submit a Statement of Purpose as a separate document (no more than two pages, double-spaced) by uploading it to the My Status page.   See Guidelines for Writing a Statement of Purpose.  Applicants are encouraged to: identify faculty with whom they might work; read some of their work and; contact them directly.  
• Two Writing Samples
  Samples of the applicant's academic work. Each should be 5-15 pages in length. One longer (20+pp) sample is also acceptable. Research papers are preferred but not required; writing samples do not have to be on Asia-related topics.
• A CV or resume

Applying to dual degree Masters programs

To be considered for admission to a dual degree program, applicants must submit all required materials to both graduate programs and the University's Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC). Please refer to the LBJ School and the McCombs School of Business for information about their degrees and application requirements. IMPORTANT:  You may submit one Statement of Purpose for both programs.  If you wish to submit a separate Statement of Purpose for each program, please contact the Admissions office directly for assistance, or upload the 2nd Statement under 'other documents'.  All deadlines remain in effect.

• LBJ School of Public Affairs
  • Asian Studies/Public Affairs
  • Asian Studies/Global Policy Studies
• McCombs School of Business Administration

Campus visits are encouraged!

Students who are interested in or have applied to the Department of Asian Studies graduate program are encouraged to visit UT.  Please contact the Graduate Coordinator at dasgrads@austin.utexas.edu for further information or to set up an appointment.  Tours of the UT campus may be arranged through the University Visitor Center.