MASTER OF SCIENCE
IN DATA SCIENCE
Fall 2024 Application Guide
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Table of Contents
Application at a Glance 3
Application Checklist 3
Important Dates 3
Fall Application 3
Spring Application 3
Eligibility Requirements 4
Bachelor’s Degree 4
GPA 4
Preferred Qualifications 4
Relevant Education 4
Relevant Background 4
Step 1 5
Apply to the Graduate School at The University of Texas at Austin 5
Step 2 6
Pay the Application Fee 6
Step 3 7
Upload Remaining Application Items to your MyStatus Portal 7
Program Requirements 7
Optional Program Items 8
Office of Graduate Admissions (OGA) Requirements 9
Step 4 10
Send Test Scores 10
Step 5 11
Review Your Status 11
Important Dates 11
Fall Application 11
Spring Application 11
After You Submit 11
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Application at a Glance
We’re thrilled you are considering applying to one of our master’s programs! We have created
this printable application guide to help you navigate through what may seem like a daunting
process.
Application Checklist Important Dates
Apply to the Graduate School at Fall Application
The University of Texas at Austin. Application Opens December 15
Pay the Application Fee. Priority Deadline April 1
Upload remaining application items Final Deadline May 1
on MyStatus portal.
Quest Assessment Decisions Released Late-January to
Mid-June
Mathematics and
Programming Preparation Spring Application
Form
Statement of Purpose Application Opens June 1
CV/Resume Priority Deadline August 15
Letters of Recommendation
(optional) Final Deadline September 15
Transcripts Decision Released Late-July to
Mid-November
Send Test Scores.
TOEFL/IELTS (if applicable)
GRE (optional)
Review Your Status.
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Eligibility Requirements
Bachelor’s Degree
A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a
comparable degree from a foreign academic institution.
GPA
A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Preferred Qualifications
Relevant Education
A bachelor’s degree in statistics, computer science, computer engineering, mathematics,
electrical engineering or similar from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or
a comparable degree from a foreign academic institution. Applicants who do not hold a
degree in the degrees mentioned will have a bachelor’s degree from a in an unrelated field,
would like to build their technical competency and receive rigorous training in the field of data
science, will have a passion for data science, and be able to show their functional use of the
topic through work experience.
Relevant Background
Applicants should have an extensive background in statistics, computer science or related
sciences. Level of knowledge will be assessed by review of a student’s coursework and/or
professional experience.
The Admissions Committee recommends that applicants who do not have a bachelor’s
degree in statistics, computer science or related sciences have prior coursework or
experience equivalent to the courses at this link.
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Step 1
Apply to the Graduate School at The University of Texas at Austin
Applications are submitted electronically through ApplyTexas.
1. Create an account or log-in if you already have one.
2. Select Start/Edit Profile under “Edit your ApplyTexas Profile”.
3. Select Start/Edit Application under “Apply to a few schools”.
4. Select “Start a New Application”.
5. Select “Four-year College/University and Graduate Schools”.
a. If this does not appear, and you are eligible for graduate studies at UT Austin,
contact OGA to enquire about your eligibility.
6. Select “University of Texas at Austin (Austin)” as the target university.
7. Select the Graduate option in the “Type of Application”.
8. Select the available semester of entry.
9. Scroll down to Natural Sciences and select a CDSO program. For example, the MSDS
major will appear as “Data Science (MS in Data Science Online Program)”.
10. Continue on with the application.
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Step 2
Pay the Application Fee
1. The application fee is required in order to upload application materials. A preview of your
application fee is provided at the end of step 1.7 above.
2. You may by-pass this step on ApplyTexas and instead choose to pay the university
directly through your MyStatus portal. In this case, the image below demonstrates how
your MyStatus portal will appear.
3. Within 2-3 days of the submission of your ApplyTexas and application fee payment you
will be able to upload applicable required materials to your MyStatus portal.
Applicants to multiple CDSO programs will be required to complete applications for
each but will only have to pay the fee once as long as the applications are for the same
semester. In additional ApplyTexas applications, select the option to pay the university
directly. Once any additional applications are visible on your MyStatus portal, the
application fee should appear as paid.
Applicants admitted to multiple programs must choose and accept admission to one
program before enrolling. Although the MyStatus interface allows it, students cannot be
enrolled in more than one graduate program at a time. Applicants who accept admission to
multiple programs in MyStatus will be automatically enrolled in the first program for which
they accepted admission.
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Step 3
Upload Remaining Application Items to your MyStatus Portal
After paying the application fee on ApplyTexas, you will see your version of the following on your
MyStatus portal. Review the instructions below for program and OGA requirements as listed on
your portal. Do not email or mail application items. Sending paper copies of documents will
significantly delay the processing of your application.
Program Requirements
Mathematics and Programming Preparedness Form: Download the form from the Questions
Specific to University of Texas at Austin section of ApplyTexas or our website and follow the
instructions at the top. Upload as “Math Prep Form” through your MyStatus Document Upload
System. If the option to upload as “Math Prep form” does not appear, contact OGA.
Quest Assessment: The MSDS Quest Assessment is part of a holistic admissions process to
assess your readiness to complete the MSDS program. Your Quest score alone is not
determinative of admission in the MSDS program, which will also consider your prior grades,
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work experience, your statement of purpose, and Math Prep form. These questions assess
your knowledge of core topics covered in undergraduate-level linear algebra, multivariable
calculus, programming, and introductory statistics courses. There is no minimum score
required for admission to the MSDS program, nor is an offer of admission guaranteed for
applicants who score above any particular threshold. The MSDS Assessment is to be
completed in a single 60-minute session and open-book (you can use any book, hardcopy or
electronic) and open-notes (e.g., lecture notes). You may use paper, a pencil, and a calculator
(including R or any other statistics program on a computer). Your work on this assessment
should be your own, with no help from anyone else.
To take the assessment, follow the instructions below:
● Once you receive your UT EID use your credentials to pay the MSDS Quest
Assessment through UT Austin’s TXShop.
● Be sure to enter 1 for the Quantity, add to your cart, and use the same information
entered on your ApplyTexas profile in the Billing Address section.
● After selecting Continue with Credit you will be asked if you are tax exempt– please
select “no” as the assessment does not have a sales tax.
● Proceed through the University of Texas at Austin Credit Card System payment
process.
● After you pay, you will receive a receipt page with a link to access and complete the
MSDS Assessment. Do not go to the Quest site and log in. Only use the link provided
on the receipt. If you have trouble accessing the assessment, please contact Quest
with your UT EID at quest@[Link].
Statement of Purpose: In two double-spaced pages, describe the events/experiences that
prepared you for this program, your academic and professional interests, your reasons for
pursuing graduate study, and your goals related to this program. Use 1-inch margins and 12 pt
font. Upload this item through your MyStatus Document Upload System.
CV/Resume: Outline your educational and work history, relevant publications, research, and
patents. At the end of your CV/Resume, include a brief description of how you meet the
prerequisite courses (e.g. list specific courses with grades achieved or proof of completion).
Upload the item through your MyStatus Document Upload System.
If you have previously submitted an application to UT Austin (undergraduate or
graduate), the MyStatus interface will use your previous materials to complete your MSDS
application. Please do not do this. Even if you've submitted similar program materials for a
previous application, be sure to retake Quest and resubmit the other program materials for
this application cycle, as well. Your application must include ALL required application
materials for MSDS as listed in this guide. If your MSDS application does not include all
required materials with an upload date within this cycle, it will be categorized as
incomplete, and will not be considered.
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Optional Program Items
Opting out of submitting optional materials does not adversely impact your application.
Letters of Recommendation: You should request and manage your recommendation letters
through your MyStatus portal. Recommenders can be supervisors or academic references. Do
not exceed three recommendations.
GRE General Score: If you feel that it would strengthen your application, you may take the
GRE and send official scores. Please see the “Is the GRE required?” and “Is there a certain
score needed on the GRE to be admitted?” questions of our FAQ for further information.
Office of Graduate Admissions (OGA) Requirements
Items not listed under the Program Requirements section are OGA required items and
questions must be directed to OGA. These may include (but are not limited to):
Transcript(s): Review the ‘Submit Transcripts’ section of the Graduate Admission page for
instructions. Note: The verification of transcripts usually takes 2-3 business days. Sending
paper copies of documents will significantly delay the processing of your application.
An official TOEFL/IELTS score: Visit How to Apply: International Students for information on
exemptions.
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Step 4
Send Test Scores
1. An official TOEFL/IELTS score: International applicants must provide a score which
must be sent electronically to UT Austin. Departmental codes are not needed and
emailed or uploaded scans of results to MyStatus are not accepted. It may take up to 4-6
weeks for your scores to be received. Plan accordingly to ensure your results are in the
university system no later than our final deadline. Visit How to Apply: International
Students for information on exemptions and how to submit scores.
2. GRE General Score (optional): Send official scores through ETS using UT Austin’s
code 6882. There is no departmental code and we do not accept self-reported (emailed
or uploaded) scores.
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Step 5
Review Your Status
Visit your MyStatus portal to confirm that you do not have any items remaining on the “To Do
(required)” section of your MyStatus portal. While items may be processed by OGA after the
deadline, your application will not be considered for review if your application status shows
incomplete by the final deadline. It is solely the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that
there are no pending items on their MyStatus portal.
If you see an item listed on your MyStatus portal as required that is not on the Program
Requirements list, refer to this site and then contact OGA with your UT EID immediately.
Important Dates
Fall Application Spring Application
Application Opens December 15 Application Opens June 1
Priority Deadline April 1 Priority Deadline August 15
Final Deadline May 1 Final Deadline September 15
Decisions Released Late-January to Decisions Released Late-July to
Mid-June Mid-November
Applying is a multi-step process. To ensure all items are turned in by the deadline, applicants
must complete the ApplyTexas portion of their application at least one week prior to the
deadlines above. Applications not completed by the final deadline will not be considered.
After You Submit
Generally, the earlier you apply, the sooner you will receive an admission decision. However, the
admissions process is not linear and the priority deadline is in place to provide applicants with
additional time to complete their application by the final deadline—especially in the case that an
issue arises (for example, a transcript is declined or test scores are taking longer to arrive) with
your application items. For this reason, you may not hear back until the very end but rest
assured this will allow you enough time to enroll if admitted.