Master of Public Service and Administration Admissions Process Overview
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MPSA Admissions Process Overview
The Bush School admits students once per year, for fall entry only, into the Master of Public Service & Administration. Plan to apply a year out. The application cycle begins in early August, the year prior to entry, with an application deadline for priority funding in mid-December and a final application deadline in mid-January.
We will update our website after the final deadline to indicate if we are accepting late applications on a space-available basis. Most major financial offers are made in March, so applications accepted after the final deadline are still considered for any available Bush School merit aid.
Applicants apply by submitting an application in the GradCAS online portal. The application will ask applicants to fill out various information, upload their resume and transcripts, and then select a program. Once a program is selected, the applicant will then be prompted to upload materials required for that program, answer program-specific questions, and request their recommendations. Applicants can pay the application fee and submit their application before or after their recommendations are received/completed.
All completed applications (those not missing any materials) are reviewed by the MPSA Admissions Committee in late January to determine who is invited to the second stage of the admissions process; interviews.
Those selected for an interview are notified via email in late January/early February and are asked to complete an interview with two different faculty and/or staff members to continue in the admissions process. Applicants are encouraged to attend/complete their interviews during Interview Conference Weekend. However, for those unable to attend Interview Conference Weekend, alternative interviews will be scheduled and completed via Zoom throughout the month of February.
Once applicants have all been interviewed, the Admissions and Scholarship Committees meet in early March to make final admissions decisions and award scholarships. Decisions, offer letters (if admitted), and scholarship awards are emailed to applicants by March 15.
Applicants offered admission have until April 15 to accept or decline their offer.
Those who accept their offer of admission are then provided instructions and next steps for enrolling in classes, meeting their classmates, and so on. Fall classes begin in mid-August with a required Bush School New Student Orientation the week prior to the start of the fall semester.
