Strategic Communication Certificate

All applicants must meet the University of Texas at Austin Graduate School admission requirements. Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, or be on track to graduate before enrolling in the certificate.

• Bachelor’s degree in any field
• GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4-point scale, though conditional admission may be possible for GPAs under 3.0 in extenuating circumstances
• For international applicants only, TOEFL score of at least 79 or IELTS score of at least 6.5
• Please note, the Communication Studies Stackable Graduate Certificate programs do not meet the U.S. government requirements for students to be eligible for an F-1 or J-1 student visa. However, international applicants on an eligible non-student VISA are welcome to apply.

Applications are accepted through the GoApplyTexas website. To apply for the Strategic Communication Graduate Certificate, select the choice "Comm. Studies: Strategic Communication (Nondegree; Cert.)." After completing the data entry sections and paying the application fee, applicants must upload supporting documents on their MyStatus page. 

Additional documents required:

• Official transcripts, dated one year or less, from all four-year institutions attended
• Resume
• Personal Statement of no more than 1000 words focused on the applicant’s interest in the program, goals, what the applicant hopes to gain from the program, and what the applicant will contribute to the program
• Letter of Recommendation: 1 required / 1 maximum
• Official TOEFL or IELTS scores taken within the past two years (for International Applicants only)

All required documents must be submitted electronically to the MyStatus Check. This page will become available to you approximately two days after you complete your online application at GoApplyTexas.

• The Admissions Committee for the Strategic Communication stackable graduate certificate will review complete applications after the deadline. All additional documents must have been uploaded in order for the committee to consider the application. Partial applications will not be reviewed.
• Admitted applicants will be notified by email from the Department of Communication Studies. They will also receive official e-letters from the Graduate and International Admissions Center with instructions on how to check your application Status Check page for your admission decision from the Office of Graduate Studies.
• Both the Department of Communication Studies and the Office of Graduate Studies must accept applicants before they can enroll.
• Please note, the Communication Studies Stackable Graduate Certificate programs do not meet the U.S. government requirements for students to be eligible for an F-1 or J-1 student visa. However, international applicants on an eligible non-student VISA are welcome to apply.

Students in the program pay a flat program fee for the entire certificate of $22,500.

For students starting the program in August 2023 or January 2024:

Three courses   $13,500
Two courses      $  9,000

Total:                 $ 22,500

A non-refundable $1,000 deposit is required when applicants accept an offer of admission. This amount is credited toward your first semester’s program costs. Each semester's tuition and fees are due approximately 4-6 weeks before the semester starts. Students will receive an exact due date when they are billed. After that date, a $100 late fee will be charged each week for non-payment

Non-degree-seeking students in an Option III program are not eligible for federal financial aid. They may be eligible for some private sector loans. Questions about financial aid should be directed to Texas One Stop. 

This program is not eligible for the Hazlewood Act tuition exemption. Questions about veteran's benefits should be directed to UT's Veteran and Military Affiliated Services.