Are you a U.S. applicant with questions about our traditional MPA admissions process? The MPA admissions team put together a list of frequently asked questions. Find application answers and tips below!
When are U.S. admissions applications reviewed for a decision?
The MPA program has two U.S. application deadlines for fall 2025:
- November 1, 2024 – early deadline
- May 6, 2025 – final deadline
The MPA admissions committee reviews completed U.S. applications on a continuous, “rolling” basis between these deadlines. You may apply anytime during the admissions cycle, although we encourage you to apply earlier in the admissions cycle for scholarship consideration, as less funding is available later in the cycle.
When will I receive an admissions decision?
Decisions for U.S. applications are released after November 1 and approximately six weeks after application completion.
What if all my application materials aren’t ready by the November1 early deadline?
Although we encourage you to apply earlier in the admissions cycle when possible, if you need additional time to prepare your application materials (to wait for fall grades or study for the GMAT or GRE, for example), be sure to take your time and submit the strongest application possible.
Are GMAT or GRE scores required?
Submitting GMAT or GRE scores is completely optional. Please review this admissions blog post for additional details. If you report GMAT or GRE test scores or a future test date in the admissions application, we will hold on a decision until the official test scores are received from the testing agency. Please notify the MPA admissions team if your testing plans change after you submit your application.
Should I submit my transcript by November 1 or wait for my fall grades to post?
If you’re aiming for the November 1 deadline, we typically recommend submitting a transcript without fall grades. We will reach out if we need your fall grades before making a decision. That said, you might wait and submit your transcript with your fall grades if:
- You’re a non-accounting major taking any of the pre-enrollment courses in the fall.
- You’re an accounting major enrolled in several upper-level accounting classes in the fall.
- Your upper-level GPA will be improved substantially with your fall grades.
When are departmental scholarships awarded?
We award departmental scholarships throughout the admissions cycle, although fewer scholarships are available towards the end of the cycle. Therefore, it is to your advantage to apply as early as possible.
What if I get an offer from another university, but I’m waiting to hear from UT?
If you receive an offer from another university and need to respond before you receive our decision, send us the name of the university and the admission response deadline. Although we cannot guarantee an earlier admission decision, we will do our best to accommodate your request.
Any questions we missed?
If you have still have questions regarding our admissions process, please contact us! We’re happy to help.
