0% of our new students receive a financial support offer.*
* Data does not include students fully funded.
The MPA program is committed to recruiting exceptional candidates from a wide range of backgrounds, regardless of income level. The program offers a variety of scholarships and research assistantships, and all students are automatically considered when they apply. We strive to provide some level of funding to almost 100 percent of our students.
Tuition rates can be found below; please note that tuition rates and available scholarship funds vary depending on whether a student is enrolled in the on-campus or online format.
The cost of attending graduate school represents a significant investment in your future.
* Data does not include students fully funded.
Tuition for the UNC MPA on-campus format is determined based on North Carolina residency status. For the 2020-21 academic year, residents can expect to pay $641.79 per credit hour for a maximum number of nine credit hours per semester ($5,776). In total, residents can anticipate the full tuition cost for the two-year degree (without program support) to be about $23,104 plus fees. Non-residents can expect to pay $1,658.01 per credit hour for a maximum number of nine credits per semester ($14,992). In total, non-residents can anticipate the full tuition cost for the two-year degree (without program support) to be about $59,688 plus fees.
Learn More About Residency Determination
Learn More About Graduate Tuition And Student Fees
All applicants are automatically considered for program scholarships; no further action is required in order to be considered for these opportunities.
Scholarships are provided in varying amounts and go toward tuition reduction. They are made possible through generous contributions of alumni and friends of the MPA program. View a list of available scholarships for on-campus students.
Assistantships are opportunities for students to work with MPA or School of Government faculty on research and other projects in a paid capacity. The number of assistantships varies annually depending on budgets, grants, and project availability.
Program support offers will be provided at the time of admission, and nearly 100 percent of our incoming students receive some type of financial support. Amounts vary based on candidacy, contributions, diversity, potential for success, and academic merit, among other considerations.
Tuition is charged a flat rate of $1,209 per credit hour for students enrolled in the online format for the 2020-21 academic year. The degree requires completion of 45 credit hours. The total cost of the program (without program support or transfer credits) is at least $54,405. All online students are classified as non-residents, including those who may reside in North Carolina while completing the program.
All applicants are automatically considered for program scholarships; no further action is required in order to be considered for these opportunities.
Program support offers will be provided at the time of admission, and nearly 100 percent of our incoming students receive some sort of financial support. Scholarship amounts vary and are based on candidacy, contributions, diversity, potential for success, and academic merit, among other considerations.
Both online and on-campus students can apply for federal financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). The FAFSA should be completed annually for each academic year of enrollment. Please note that applicants will not be considered for financial aid until they are officially admitted into the program.
Loans are available on the student’s own initiative from the federally insured student loan program. Information is available from the UNC-Chapel Hill Office of Scholarships and Student Aid, 111 Pettigrew Hall, P.O. Box 1080, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, 919.962.8396, aidinfo@unc.edu.
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans provide additional funding for those students (U.S. citizens and permanent residents only) whose costs exceed the maximum direct loan eligibility of $20,500 per academic year. Students should exhaust their federal direct loan eligibility before pursuing a Direct Graduate PLUS Loan. The interest rate for Graduate PLUS loans is a fixed 7.9 percent.
Private loans provide additional funding for those students (U.S. citizens and permanent residents) whose costs exceed the maximum direct loan eligibility of $20,500 per academic year. Students usually exhaust their federal direct loan eligibility before pursuing a private education loan. The interest rate for private education loans is variable and is based on either the prime rate or LIBOR.