PhD Degree Program

A research-intensive program to pursue answers to important problems in information.
Program Details

General Admissions Procedures

Application Deadline

Fall admission deadline is December 1st. ALL materials below must be received by the deadline. Spring admission is not available. Submit as early as possible — you can add missing elements (e.g., transcripts) later as they become available.

Admission to the iSchool's PhD Program requires two parts: admission to the UT Graduate School, and completion of PhD-specific application materials.

  1. Complete the Graduate School Application

    Submit the online application to the Graduate School at The University of Texas at Austin. All applicants must satisfy the Graduate School's admission requirements. Doctoral applications open August 1st.

  2. Submit Required Application Materials

    Required by the Graduate School

    • OGA application & admission fee
    • Bachelor's degree (a master's degree is not required to apply)
    • 3.0+ GPA in upper-division/graduate coursework
    • One official transcript per institution attended
    • TOEFL or IELTS scores (international students only)

    Required by the PhD Program

    • Statement of Purpose (Step 4)
    • Resume or CV
    • Three letters of recommendation — provide contact info in the application; OGA emails your recommenders directly

  3. Access Your MyStatus Portal

    Within a few business days of submitting, you'll get a UT EID and MyStatus login. Use MyStatus to upload supporting documents, track your status, confirm your file is complete, and view your decision.

    Check it regularly — it's how OGA communicates with you, and the only way you'll know if items are missing.

  4. Upload Your Statement of Purpose

    Address each of the following, limit to 2,000 words, and upload as a PDF (other formats can read awkwardly to the committee):

    • Research Interests: your specific research interests, the questions and problems you want to pursue, and a description of one potential research project.
    • Background & Experience: your preparation to undertake research in your area — previous research experience, existing skills, relevant background.
    • Faculty Research: why UT Austin's iSchool specifically — identify at least three iSchool faculty members whose research aligns with your interests (see Current Doctoral Faculty on this page).
    • Career Objective(s): your long-term goals after receiving your PhD.

Before You Submit

  • Graduate School application completed
  • Official transcripts submitted
  • English proficiency scores submitted (if required)
  • Three recommenders entered
  • Resume/CV uploaded in MyStatus
  • Statement of Purpose uploaded in MyStatus (3+ faculty identified)
  • MyStatus reviewed for missing items

GRE Scores: The iSchool does not require GRE scores as part of the application for the MSIS, dual degree, and PhD programs. Submission is optional for applicants who'd like to give the Admissions Committee additional information. Scores must be sent from ETS to OGA using UT Austin's code (6882).

Doctoral Student Funding

The iSchool has a strong tradition of financially supporting our doctoral students through Research Assistantships, Teaching Assistantships, Fellowships and, in later years, teaching positions as Assistant Instructors. All PhD applicants are automatically considered for iSchool doctoral funding packages during admissions. Our support packages include tuition, health insurance, and a stipend.

Admission to the University of Texas Graduate School

Admission to the iSchool is competitive and requires applicants to complete the UT Graduate School's application for admission. For further information, please refer to the Graduate School’s Admissions page. Please allow plenty of time to process your application.

Requirements:

  • Bachelor's Degree: The completion of a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or proof of equivalent education at a foreign institution. Our PhD students come from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds, and we welcome applications from interested candidates regardless of the field of study in which you completed your prior degree(s). A master's degree is not required to apply.
  • Grade Point Average (GPA): A GPA of 3.0 or higher in all upper-division work – junior- and senior-level courses – and in any graduate work completed.
  • Office of Graduate Admissions (OGA) application for admission and admission fee: The graduate application is available at starting in August.
  • TOEFL or IELTS scores (international students only): International students must submit official test results from either the TOEFL or IELTS exams, according to the guidelines provided by OGA.
  • Statement of Purpose: Once your application is submitted, electronically upload a statement of purpose (see below for details).
  • Three letters of recommendation: You will be asked to submit the names and email addresses of three recommenders at the time of your online application. After submitting the application, each contact will receive an email with directions for submitting a recommendation letter online.
  • Resume/CV

iSchool Doctoral Program Requirements

Statement of Purpose

A clearly and thoughtfully written Statement of Purpose is a key document in your doctoral application. Please address each of the following items in your statement: 

  • Research Interests: Discuss your specific research interests as well as address the research questions and problems that you wish to pursue. Include a description of one potential research project. 

  • Background & Experience: Make an argument for your preparation to undertake research in your area of interest by describing your previous research experience, existing skills, and other relevant background information. 

  • Faculty Research: State your reasons for wanting to pursue studies specifically at the UT Austin iSchool doctoral program. In particular, you must identify at least three iSchool faculty members whose research aligns with your interests (See List of Current Doctoral Faculty below).  

  • Career Objective(s): Discuss your long-term career goals after you receive your PhD degree. 

Please limit your statement of purpose to 2,000 words. 

Submission Guidelines: Please upload your Statement of Purpose as a PDF after your application is submitted. Other upload options may present text to the committee in a way that is awkward to read. 

Three Letters of recommendation

You will be asked to submit the names and contact information of three recommenders at the time of your online application. After submitting the application, each recommender will receive an email with directions for submitting their letter through the online submission portal.  Strong letters of recommendation will  be able to discuss the applicant’s academic and research abilities.

Resume/CV

Applicants are required to submit a Curriculum Vitae or professional resume in support of their application.

Doctoral Faculty

Questions?

Please email the School's Graduate Admissions office at graduateadmit@ischool.utexas.edu

Contact us

For any admissions inquiries, please reach out to us at the email address below.

graduateadmit@ischool.utexas.edu

Resources

Admissions

International Students

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iSchool Research

At the iSchool, research transcends boundaries and crosses disciplines in order to understand the ways information and technology change our behavior, our organizations, and our society.

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Our Faculty

Our world-class faculty has expertise in a range of disciplines, from computer science, psychology, and engineering to anthropology, history, and more.