Our applicants come from a variety of diverse backgrounds and interest areas and encompass all areas of academic study.
Our Admissions Committee uses a holistic approach when reviewing applications and considers all aspects of the application when determining candidacy. We seek to admit applicants who demonstrate a likelihood of academic success and a strong interest and fit for pursuing a career in public service leadership. Prior public service experience is not required.
The UNC MPA program encourages applications from anyone passionate about public service leadership.
Fall 2024 applications are currently unavailable. The application will become available in August 2023.
January 1, 2024
TBD
Applications for the online format of the UNC MPA program are accepted year-round, and there are three start terms per year, allowing students to apply at their convenience.
April 15, 2023
May 30, 2023
The online and on-campus formats require submission of the same application materials.
*The UNC MPA program stands by our commitment to holistic admissions and to recruiting a Fall 2023 class which demonstrates academic success, dedication to public service, and diversity. We encourage any students who believe their application materials do not fully reflect their academic potential to include in their application an official graduate entrance exam (GRE, LSAT, and GMAT) score within the last 5 years. This is particularly recommended for students with cumulative GPAs below a 3.3, but any candidate is welcome to submit official exam scores for consideration by the admissions committee.
Each applicant is unique, but most admitted students meet these criteria:
The admission standards described above are individual data points used in the review and, therefore, are not absolute minimums. If your academic record falls below these standards, you are encouraged to submit an addendum for explanation in your application, or reach out to our admissions director to discuss your application.
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We invite anyone interested in learning more about the top-ranked UNC MPA program to attend. We…
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This post was written by current UNC MPA student Mariel Takamura. While government advocacy…
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