Admissions

U.S. Student Application Instructions

All applications and required materials are submitted online. Please do not send hard copies of required application materials, including letters of recommendation, directly to CREEES as this may delay completion of your application. We are unable to return original copies of documents sent to the department.

Visit the Graduate and International Admissions Center website and complete the following steps on or before the application deadline:

Step 1 - ApplyTexas Application

COMPLETE and SUBMIT the ApplyTexas Application (open as of September 1). Select the correct major code and department code (at right) for your area of interest. Within one-to-two days you will be sent an e-mail containing your UT EID and password. This UT EID is your unique identifier at UT Austin and you will use your EID to upload additional materials and check the status of your application.

Step 2 - Pay Application Fee

PAY your on-line application fee ($65 for U.S. applicants) per the instructions in the online application. Refer to GIAC's How To page for information on paying the application fee.

Step 3 - Submit College Transcripts

SUBMIT official college transcripts to the Office of Graduate and International Admissions (GIAC) electronically. Before uploading a transcript you must read these instructions. To expedite the process first check with your University Records Office to verify if transcripts can be sent electronically via the SPEEDE server. This is the most efficient and most timely method. If your institution is unable to provide an electronic transcript via the SPEEDE server, then please follow the remaining steps:

1. OBTAIN an official transcript from your institution.
2. SCAN and SAVE as a .pdf document.
3. UPLOAD your official transcript in .pdf format through your Application Status Check (aka the "MyStatus" page). 

NOTE: All currently enrolled and former UT Austin students will pay an additional $10 application fee to have their transcripts submitted electronically from the UT Austin Records Office to the Office of Graduate and International Admissions.

Refer to GIAC's How To page for information on uploading transcripts. After you have submitted your application you will receive an email that contains a link to the Status Check Web site where you will be able to upload your transcript. The uploaded transcript(s) is considered to be unofficial but will be used to process your application for admission. Please DO NOT mail official transcripts or paper copies of your transcripts before you are offered admission. Sending paper copies of documents you have uploaded will significantly delay the processing of your application.

Other information on transcripts:

• Junior/Community college transcripts are NOT required.
• Paper copies of your official transcripts will ONLY be required upon successful admission to The University of Texas. You will be required to submit official transcripts BEFORE you are allowed to enroll. Official transcripts are those that bear the facsimile signature of the registrar and seal of the issuing institution. The official transcript will be compared to the document you uploaded. Any alterations or omission of information on the transcripts submitted to The University of Texas at Austin could be grounds for cancellation of your application and/or the withdrawal of the offer of admission.
• If you are applying to a dual degree with the UT Law School, you must complete both applications (meaning electronically send/upload the official copy into your GIAC application AND send your transcripts into LSAC according to their instructions).
• If documents are written in a language other than English, complete and official English translations to date must be uploaded together with the original language records. Each transcript (mark sheet) should contain a complete record of studies at the institution from which it is issued (i.e., the subjects taken and grades [marks] earned in each subject.) Please do not upload your college or university syllabi with your transcript(s) or mark sheets.

Step 4 - GRE Scores

ARRANGE for the Educational Testing Services (ETS) to submit your OFFICIAL SCORE for the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE® revised General Test) https://www.ets.org/gre/test-takers/general-test/about.html. The ETS code for UT Austin is 6882. GRE scores are valid for a maximum of 5 years, NO exceptions will be made. We require you to submit results only from the standard GRE. Note that there is no minimum score for admission, nor will a high GPA or GRE score in itself assure.

Step 5 - Letters of Recommendation

SUBMIT the names of and email addresses of three (3) people, who will write letters of recommendation for you with at least one, but preferably more, being an academic reeference. Once you submit your application and pay your application fee, an e-mail will be sent to each recommender instructing them to visit a website, complete a questionnaire, and upload a letter. The letters will be automatically routed to the department.Please encourage your recommenders to use the electronic method stated above method in order to meet the REQUIRED DEADLINE.

Recommendation letters should NOT be mailed to CREEES office! This will ONLY slow the process of your application. It is in your best interest to provide letters of reference through the electronic method to avoid letters lost in the mail.

Once you have have submitted your application, you can use the MyStatus site to resend or send additional requests to your recommenders, supply an alternate e-mail, add a new recommender, or revise your FERPA (right to view) status from retained to waived. Failure to provide ALL three letters of reference may result in your application NOT going to review with our admission committees. ONLY THREE LETTERS ARE REQUIRED! The ApplyTexas application ONLY has enough fields to submit ONLY three names with emails. DO NOT email to request additional letters of recommendation. Choose your recommenders wisely: choose only those who can write you the strongest letters of reference.

Step 6 - Statement of Purpose

SUBMIT your Statement of Purpose in .pdf format through your online Application Status Check (which will be available to you within 48 hours AFTER you have submitted your application online and paid the application fee). You are required to follow the CREEES instructions below when submitting your Statement of Purpose and not the instructions given on the ApplyTexas application. You are NOT required to provide Graduate Admissions with a separate Statement of Purpose or Essay. All CREEES M.A. applicants MUST submit a 750-to-1,000 word Statement of Purpose describing:

• Your purpose in applying for an advanced degree in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies at The University of Texas at Austin: What motivates you to study Russia, the Former Soviet Union, or Eastern Europe? What lasting interests will sustain and guide you in your graduate studies?
• Your future career plans, whether you are interested in an advanced research degree or a non-academic career.
• Elaborate on academic and/or personal experiences leading to an interest in graduate study. If you have ever had the opportunity to do independent or specialized work in our region (or on a pertinent subject to our region), give a brief description of the topic or project.
• What are your principal areas of study likely to be and why, in your case, does it make sense to combine them into a graduate degree? Be as specific as possible about the course of academic study you intend to pursue and what you would like to accomplish after the degree is awarded. You may also allude to faculty at UT and reason(s) for choosing them as a potential academic mentor during your graduate career.

NOTE: Your Statement of Purpose is one of the most important components of your application for graduate study. The CREEES Graduate Studies Committee will read your statement carefully as it considers your qualifications for admission. Your statement should, in your own voice, draw on your background, travels, studies, concerns, and other relevant information about yourself to explain why you wish to enter an interdisciplinary program in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. It would also be helpful for the committee to know your goals and expectations of the program.

Step 7 - Academic Writing Sample

An academic writing sample (approximately 5-to-20 pages in length) is required of all applicants. Within 48 hours of the submission and payment of your graduate school application, you will receive an email from the Graduate Admissions Center directing you to a status check website, MyStatus, where you will be asked to upload your writing sample. Please do not email or mail this credential. This is to be completed and submitted online, but remember this is to be submitted only AFTER your materials on the ApplyTexas application have been completed with the graduate school.

International Student Application Instructions

All applications and required materials are submitted online. Please do not send hard copies of required application materials, including letters of recommendation, directly to CREEES as this may delay completion of your application. We are unable to return original copies of documents sent to the department.

Applicants who are NOT U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents send the following items to the graduate school electronically:

Step 1 - ApplyTexas Application

COMPLETE and SUBMIT the ApplyTexas Application (open as of September 1). From the drop down menu, Select UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN; from second drop-down menu, select GRADUATE, INTERNATIONAL; Click on Fill out a new application button. Select the correct major code and department code (at right) for your area of interest. Within one-to-two days you will be sent an e-mail containing your UT EID and password. This UT EID is your unique identifier at UT Austin and you will use your EID to upload additional materials and check the status of your application.

Step 2 - Pay Application Fee

PAY your on-line application fee ($90.00 processing fee, may be billed to a credit card) per the instructions in the online application. Refer to GIAC's How To page for information on paying the application fee.

Step 3 - English Proficiency Test

ARRANGE for the Educational Testing Services (ETS) to submit your OFFICIAL SCORE for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The ETS code for UT Austin is 6882. TOEFL scores over two years old will NOT be accepted.

Step 4 - Submit College Transcripts

SUBMIT official college transcripts from all colleges or universities attended to the Office of Graduate and International Admissions (GIAC) electronically. Before uploading a transcript you must read these instructions.

International Transcripts: If documents are written in a language other than English, complete and official English translations to date must be uploaded together with the original language records. Each transcript (mark sheet) should contain a complete record of studies at the institution from which it is issued (i.e., the subjects taken and grades [marks] earned in each subject.) Please do not upload your college or university syllabi with your transcript(s) or mark sheets.

Refer to GIAC's How To page for information on uploading transcripts. After you have submitted your application you will receive an email that contains a link to the Status Check Web site where you will be able to upload your transcript. The uploaded transcript(s) is considered to be unofficial but will be used to process your application for admission. Please DO NOT mail official transcripts or paper copies of your transcripts before you are offered admission. Sending paper copies of documents you have uploaded will significantly delay the processing of your application.

Paper copies of your official transcripts will only be required upon successful admission to the University of Texas. You will be required to submit official transcripts BEFORE you are allowed to enroll. Official transcripts are those that bear the facsimile signature of the registrar and seal of the issuing institution. The official transcript will be compared to the document you uploaded. Any alterations or omission of information on the transcripts submitted to The University of Texas at Austin could be grounds for cancellation of your application and/or the withdrawal of the offer of admission.

If you are applying to a dual degree with the UT Law School, you must complete both applications (meaning electronically send/upload the official copy into your GIAC application AND send your transcripts into LSAC according to their instructions).

Step 5 - GRE Scores

ARRANGE for the Educational Testing Services (ETS) to submit your OFFICIAL SCORE for the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE® revised General Test) http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/know. The ETS code for UT Austin is 6882. GRE scores are valid for a maximum of 5 years, NO exceptions will be made. We require you to submit results only from the standard GRE. Note that there is no minimum score for admission, nor will a high GPA or GRE score in itself assure admission.

Step 6 - Letter of Sponsorship

Letter of sponsorship (required before visa can be issued).

Step 7 - Letters of Recommendation

SUBMIT the names of and email addresses of three (3) people, who will write letters of recommendation for you with at least one, but preferably more, being an academic reference. Once you submit your application and pay your application fee, an e-mail will be sent to each recommender instructing them to visit a website, complete a questionnaire, and upload a letter. The letters will be automatically routed to the department. Please encourage your recommenders to use the electronic method stated above method in order to meet the ADMISSIONS DEADLINE.

Recommendation letters should NOT be mailed to CREEES Office! This will ONLY slow the process of your application. It is in your best interest to provide letters of reference through the electronic method to avoid letters lost in the mail.

Once you have have submitted your application, you can use the MyStatus site to resend or send additional requests to your recommenders, supply an alternate e-mail, add a new recommender, or revise your FERPA (right to view) status from retained to waived. Failure to provide ALL three letters of reference may result in your application NOT going to review with our admission committees. ONLY THREE LETTERS ARE REQUIRED!  The ApplyTexas application ONLY has enough fields to submit ONLY three names with emails. DO NOT email to request additional letters of recommendation. Choose your recommenders wisely: only those who can write you the strongest letters of reference.

Step 8 - Statement of Purpose

SUBMIT your Statement of Purpose in .pdf format through your online Application Status Check (which will be available to you within 48 hours AFTER you have submitted your application online and paid the application fee). You are required to follow the CREEES instructions below when submitting your Statement of Purpose and not the instructions given on the ApplyTexas application. You are NOT required to provide Graduate Admissions with a separate Statement of Purpose or Essay. All CREEES M.A. applicants MUST submit a 750-to-1,000 word Statement of Purpose describing:

• Your purpose in applying for an advanced degree in Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies at The University of Texas at Austin: What motivates you to study Russia, the Former Soviet Union, or  Eastern Europe? What lasting interests will sustain and guide you in your graduate studies?
• Your future career plans, whether you are interested in an advanced research degree or a non-academic career.
• Elaborate on academic and/or personal experiences leading to an interest in graduate study. If you have ever had the opportunity to do independent or specialized work in our region (or on a pertinent subject to our region), give a brief description of the topic or project.
• What are your principal areas of study likely to be and why, in your case, does it make sense to combine them into a graduate degree? Be as specific as possible about the course of academic study you intend to pursue and what you would like to accomplish after the degree is awarded. You may also allude to faculty at UT and reason(s) for choosing them as a potential academic mentor during your graduate career.

NOTE: Your Statement of Purpose is one of the most important components of your application for graduate study. The CREEES Graduate Studies Committee will read your statement carefully as it considers your qualifications for admission. Your statement should, in your own voice, draw on your background, travels, studies, concerns, and other relevant information about yourself to explain why you wish to enter an interdisciplinary program in Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies.  It would also be helpful for the committee to know your goals and expectations of the program.

Step 9 - Academic Writing Sample

An academic writing sample (approximately 5-to-20 pages in length) is required of all applicants. Within 48 hours of the submission and payment of your graduate school application, you will receive an email from the Graduate Admissions Center directing you to a status check website, MyStatus, where you will be asked to upload your writing sample. Please do not email or mail this credential. This is to be completed and submitted online, but remember this is to be submitted only AFTER your materials on the ApplyTexas application have been completed with the graduate school.