Admission to the program is based on a holistic review of the applicant's written statement of purpose, academic qualifications, and letters of recommendation. The application process may take several weeks to complete so you should apply well in advance of the deadline to ensure adequate time to submit all required items.

To be considered for graduate admission to The University of Texas at Austin, you must meet both the minimum requirements set by the Graduate School and the requirements of the Department of Design to which you are applying. Application for admission to the Graduate School is a multi-step process outlined below. All materials must be received by the due date before your application can be reviewed.
 
The Admissions Committee for the M.A. in Design focused on Health program submits recommendations for admission to the Graduate School. All formal offers of admission are made by the Graduate School based both on the program's recommendation and on the Graduate School’s own admissions requirements.

Applicant Profile

The M.A. Design Focused on Health program is designed for creatives and professionals from any industry and UT Dell Medical students (third year) interested in using design thinking to create value-based and person-centered health systems that go beyond just care. This new breed of health leaders will wield a creative, problem-solving mindset and design skills that enable them to not only see the places where the health system is broken but also how to take action to fix it. 

The University of Texas at Austin believes that a highly talented and diverse student body can significantly enhance the character and quality of the academic culture and community. To this end, the University is continuously engaged in an effort to increase the pool of graduate scholars from diverse backgrounds.

"Share your motivations for pursuing graduate study focused on design in health. Please include how you envision integrating your academic, professional, and/or personal experiences with your graduate studies in design in health, emphasizing how this combination will enhance your ability to contribute to the field in the future."

The Statement of Purpose is a required item to apply to the program and should be no longer than two pages. This is your opportunity to describe your reasons for pursuing graduate study in Design focused on Health at The University of Texas at Austin. Applying to this program means you have an interest in health systems or the healthcare industry and design, even if you’re not exactly sure what part you want to explore in more depth. We’re curious to hear your story – both personal experiences that started you down this path along with academic and professional interests. Share with us how this program will help you achieve your goals in a career focused on health.

Total tuition cost for the 10-month accelerated M.A. in Design focused on Health program is $46,000. Cost includes tuition and fees for three semesters of courses and labs. 

These costs do not cover:

• Health insurance fee for F-1 and J-1 international students
• Books, software, supplies, and living expenses
• Laptop
• Optional fees such as parking and sporting event tickets

The Office of Student Financial Services provides estimated costs, including room and board, transportation, and personal expenses, which are based upon averages approved by The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

File the FAFSA

Graduate students from the U.S. (citizens and permanent residents) are eligible for Federal Plus loans as independent students and are encouraged to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You should complete the FAFSA as soon as you have submitted your admission application and have filed your federal tax return. It is strongly recommended not to wait for notification of admission before filing the FAFSA. Even if you don’t intend to take out student loans you should still complete the FAFSA because doing so may qualify you for need-based funding such as grants and scholarships. 

The FAFSA application deadlines are tied to academic calendars that always start in the fall semester and end in the summer. Since the M.A. program begins in the summer, it shares a FAFSA application deadline with the fall semester prior to your starting date. This means you will need to complete 2 different FAFSAs to be considered for need-based funding for all three semesters of the program. You must file the FAFSA for summer under the current academic calendar for the year you start, and again before the start of your fall semester which aligns with a new FAFSA academic calendar.

Additional Funding

Funding resources at the M.A. level are limited and awarded on a case-by-case basis. The M.A. in Design focused on Health is an Option III graduate degree. Therefore, students are not eligible for university fellowships or academic appointments to serve as Teaching Assistants, Graduate Research Assistants, etc. Applicants from the U.S. (citizens and permanent residents) are eligible for federal loans as independent students and should complete the FAFSA to be considered for need-based funding.

However, the program has a small pool of funds to extend to incoming students for need- and merit-based scholarships. If you would like to be considered for a program scholarship, after you have submitted your application, you will be given the opportunity to submit a request through MyStatus as a Miscellaneous Admissions Document with a description of "Scholarship Request Statement."

In this statement, please explain your interest in applying for a program scholarship, indicating whether you want to be considered based on need or merit. Include any specific details that make you a deserving candidate for a scholarship, such as circumstances that demonstrate your need for financial support and/or exceptional achievements and qualifications that establish your potential for academic success. Additionally, share how receiving a scholarship will contribute to your educational and career goals and any other relevant information you would like the scholarship committee to consider in evaluating your application.