Texas A&M University

• CV/ResumeRequired

  The CV/resume should outline the work history, educational background, relevant publications and patents, and research experience, and also include a section about the relevant courses taken and associated grades. Submitted in the Supporting Information quadrant of GraduateCAS under Documents.

• Statement of PurposeRequired

  Listed under 'Application Requirements': 'Applicants should submit a statement of purpose to describe the reasons for pursuing graduate study, academic and professional interests and goals, and experiences preparing for graduate study.' Submitted in the Program Materials quadrant of GraduateCAS under Documents. FAQ: no minimum or maximum word limit; a typical statement is one to two pages.

• Transcript (unofficial for review)Required

  Submit a non-official transcript in the Academic History quadrant of GraduateCAS. Official transcripts are required only if you are admitted and intend to enroll.

• Three Recommendation Letters3 letters

  The MSDS page lists 'Three Recommendation Letters' without a recommender type. The university's international graduate page says, where letters are required, recommendations should come from individuals familiar with your academic achievement and potential, and applicants out of school for years may submit non-academic references (e.g., employers).

  Provide the contact information of your referees in the Program Materials quadrant of GraduateCAS under Recommendations. An email request will automatically be sent to each referee on your behalf.

• GRE (optional)Optional

  'GRE (optional)': you can self-report GRE scores in the Academic History quadrant of GraduateCAS under Standardized Tests. The same paragraph says the GRE requirement was waived for all applicants for Fall 2026 admissions; no Fall 2027 statement is published (see _review_flags). Texas A&M's GRE code for non-engineering programs is 6003.

• Duolingo English Test (not listed)If your degree wasn't taught in EnglishNot accepted

  Not on the university's list of test scores accepted to meet the English Language Proficiency requirement (TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS Academic, GRE Verbal, GMAT Verbal); the MSDS FAQ names only TOEFL or IELTS.

• IELTS Academic or TOEFLIf your degree wasn't taught in EnglishRequired — waiver possible

  IELTS Academic: 'International applicants must have a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or IELTS exams.' University minimum (International Graduate admissions page): IELTS Academic 6.0 overall band from a test date within two years; the IELTS General test and One Skill Retake are not accepted for admission. Scores must be sent electronically by the IELTS test center.

  TOEFL: 'International applicants must have a satisfactory score on the TOEFL or IELTS exams.' University minimums (International Graduate admissions page): TOEFL iBT overall 80 for tests taken before January 21, 2026, or 4.5 with at least 4.0 on each section for tests on or after January 21, 2026; TOEFL Essentials 8.5; from a test date within two years; MyBest scores not accepted. The MSDS FAQ says low scores (e.g., less than 100 on the iBT) greatly reduce the chances for admission. Scores may be self-reported to apply; official scores are sent once admitted (institution code 6003).

  Waiver / exemption: University ELP page: English proficiency can also be met by 'citizenship with an English-speaking country' (listed countries, e.g. United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada except Quebec, Nigeria, Ghana) or by 'completion of a Bachelor's or Master's degree at an accredited academic institution within the United States' (completed entirely in the U.S.). A GRE Verbal Reasoning score of at least 146 or a GMAT Verbal score of at least 77 (new scale) also meets it, each 'subject to departmental approval'.

• PTE Academic (not listed)If your degree wasn't taught in EnglishNot accepted

  Not on the university's list of test scores accepted to meet the English Language Proficiency requirement (TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS Academic, GRE Verbal, GMAT Verbal); the MSDS FAQ names only TOEFL or IELTS.

Who can apply

• Math and Statistics Proficiency (bachelor's degree with a computational focus)Optional

  Under 'Math and Statistics Proficiency': 'Applicants should have a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Data Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, or a similar degree program with a strong focus on computational research, analytics, machine learning, and coding.' The page also says the program is open to students from all majors and that a bachelor's degree in mathematics, statistics, computer science, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, or similar fields generally gives a sufficient background.

• GPA (no minimum)Optional

  There is no minimum GPA requirement, but a competitive applicant typically has a 3.5 GPA.

• Programming language proficiencyRequired

  Applicants must have a beginner's to intermediate understanding of at least one programming language (R, MATLAB, Python, C++, SQL, Java, etc.). College of Engineering tracks expect higher-level programming proficiency.

• Essay 1 · RequiredApplicants should submit a statement of purpose to describe the reasons for pursuing graduate study, academic and professional interests and goals, and experiences preparing for graduate study.

  Applicants should submit a statement of purpose to describe the reasons for pursuing graduate study, academic and professional interests and goals, and experiences preparing for graduate study.