You may choose from two admission timelines: 

Option A) Priority Round: Nov. 1, 2026 application deadline

This timeline is appropriate if you have identified the MSA program as your first choice for graduate study, and you are comfortable making your enrollment decision by mid-January.

• We will invite selected priority applicants to interview with our admissions committee and complete an online technical screening during the month of November. 
• We will issue all priority admission decisions on Dec. 4, 2026.
• Deadline to accept/decline priority admission offers: Jan. 15, 2027
• Should the admissions committee require additional information in order to render a decision, we may waitlist a priority applicant for further consideration in the coming months. In this instance, we will make admission offers to waitlisted applicants on a rolling basis until all remaining seats in the class are filled.

Option B) Regular Round: Rolling admission for those who apply after Nov. 1, 2026

This timeline is appropriate if you are considering multiple potential paths, and therefore might need a little extra time to make your enrollment decision.

• Final deadline for international applicants: Feb. 15, 2027
• Final deadline for domestic applicants: April 1, 2027
• We will review completed applications, invite finalists to interview and complete an online technical screening, and make admission offers on a rolling basis until all remaining seats in the class are filled.
• If you apply under this deadline, it is advantageous to submit your completed application sooner than later, as seats fill quickly. We expect to finalize the MSA Class of 2028 by early May.

Application Checklist

A completed application includes the following:

• Application form (personal information, academic history, etc.)
• An unofficial transcript for each college/university you have attended, regardless of degree completion (note: we only require official transcripts after an applicant is admitted and enrolls)
• A brief (1-2 pages in length) personal statement addressing how the MSA fits into your near-term and long-term professional career goals
• Your current résumé
• Two (2) recommendations: The application will ask you to provide contact information for two individuals who have a substantive understanding about your academic and/or professional strengths. Each of your listed references will receive an automated email with instructions on how to submit their letter of recommendation. You have the option to submit a third letter of recommendation, if you’d like.
• Nonrefundable application fee ($85 for domestic applicants; $95 for international applicants)

Application Pro-Tip: Make a Statement

The personal statement is not a formality — it’s one of the most informative components of the application for our admissions committee!

The personal statement is your opportunity to describe your professional goals and how NC State’s MSA program will aid you in achieving those goals. It should provide a glimpse into your interests and motivations. The personal statement also serves as a writing sample, affording us insight into your communication skills.

While the personal statement should be 1-2 pages long, there are no specific page formatting requirements, nor is there a singular formula for how to approach writing it. A compelling statement that showcases your unique candidacy helps you distinguish yourself in a pool of highly qualified candidates.

So what makes a statement compelling? Here are a few basic guidelines:

Honesty is important! Do not oversell or falsify your qualifications. If there are blemishes on your academic record, gaps in your work history or other potential red flags in your applicant profile, address them — but don’t dwell on them. Explain the cause and resolution of the issue and then move on. Your narrative should emphasize your strengths, not your shortcomings.

Application Pro-Tip: Get Recommended

Letters of recommendation are a powerful tool in holistic admissions review. They can provide the committee an extra vote of confidence in your qualifications and/or shed light on factors that might have gone unmentioned elsewhere in your application. 

Here are a few suggestions for securing your recommendations:

• Select individuals who have observed your recent performance on the job or in an educational setting, who will be equipped to provide perspective on your strengths and potential. These could be professors, academic or extracurricular advisors, graduate teaching or research assistants, supervisors, colleagues, clients, etc. Note that your recommenders need not know you in an analytics-related capacity.
• Avoid requesting recommendations from family members, friends or others who know you primarily outside of an academic or professional context.
• Request recommendations in advance. It is good professional practice to ask your potential references if they would be willing to provide a letter of recommendation before sending a request via the application form. This avoids surprising them, which can result in less-enthusiastic letters or delayed responses.
• Allow ample time for your references to complete their recommendations. If they are entering a busy period professionally or personally, they might not get to your recommendation letter right away. Ask in advance whether they will have time to complete your letter by a certain date, and have a backup plan just in case.
• Help them help you! Providing your references resources such as your resume and/or a draft of your personal statement will aid them in writing an informed letter of recommendation. If they are not familiar with your professional goals, consider talking through your objectives with them so they have a better understanding of your rationale for pursuing graduate study.