Doctoral Program Admissions

Application to the PhD program requires admission to both UT Austin Graduate School and the Steve Hicks School. A single online application is needed.
Admission to the PhD program is competitive. We encourage early application.

doctoral students at graduation

We welcome applications from all persons regardless of race, sex, color, religious affiliation, age, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or ability. We consider these aspects during admission: human services motivation, academic potential, interpersonal effectiveness, capacity for sustained effort, and communication skills.

Before you apply

Let us help you decide if our doctoral program is the right fit for you:

Requirements
Minimum requirements
  • Master’s degree from accredited school of social work or related field with extensive experience in human services.
  • GPA of 3.00 or above in upper-division (junior and senior) courses and in any completed graduate work.
  • Minimum grade of B on a college or above statistics course. Research methods courses do not fulfill this requirement.
  • International applicants from countries with primary language other than English: scores for TOEFL (minimum of 100, 25 in each section preferred) and TSE, or TOEFL-iBT. We do not accept IELTS.
  • Show capacity for advanced academic work and potential for scholarship.
  • Demonstrate excellent writing and analytic skills, show evidence of research interests and capabilities.
  • The GRE score requirement is waived for the Fall 2025-2026 application cycle.

Deadlines

The deadline to submit all application materials is the November 14, 2025. Applicant files not complete by this deadline will not be reviewed.

After you apply

All applicants are notified electronically of admission decisions as soon as they are finalized. You will be notified if you are admitted, denied, or on a wait list. We strive for a cohort of approximately six PhD students per year.
Please visit this Graduate School’s page for more information.

Info Sessions

Info Sessions

Join our virtual info session to discover how the program advances social justice through impactful, transdisciplinary research. In this session, you will:

  • Learn how the Steve Hicks School prepares scholars to advance the field of social work
  • Learn about the admissions process requirements
  • Explore funding opportunities and program highlights
  • Have the chance to ask questions about the program
Upcoming sessionTime
July 8, 202512:00pm CST
July 31, 20255:00pm CST
August 13, 2025 12:00pm CST
September 9, 20255:00pm CST

More to explore

As a PhD student, you can work at the Steve Hicks School as a research assistant, teaching assistant and assistant instructor.

Explore financial resources at UT Austin and the Steve Hicks School.

Led by social work faculty, these research institutes advance interdisciplinary, scientifically rigorous social and behavioral research.