Deadlines and General Information
- March 15th - priority deadline for all applicants seeking departmental financial aid consideration
- June 1st - final deadline for international applicants (regular admission)
- June 15th - final deadline for AMP candidates
- July 1st - final deadline for domestic applicants (regular admission)
- October 15th - international applicant deadline
- December 1st - domestic applicant deadline
Application Materials
The following materials are required to apply to the MPA program:
- A Graduate College online application submitted via GradApp.
- The Graduate College requires an application fee of $90. Please note this fee is non-refundable and cannot be waived unless there is an affiliation with an approved sponsored program. More information can be found at https://grad.arizona.edu/diversityprograms/preparation.
- Unofficial transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work. Unofficial transcripts are necessary as part of the admission process, however if admission is offered, official transcripts are then required. Do not mail official transcripts until offered admission. Please note that if you are admitted, all official transcripts must be received by the Graduate College within 30 days after the first day of classes.
- Please keep in mind that a minimum 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) is required for admission to the University of Arizona Graduate College.
- Statement of Purpose is required, including information about experiences and career objectives. For more information, please see the online application.
- Resume describing relevant experience, responsibilities and achievements.
- Two letters of recommendation from persons able to provide verification and a specific assessment of your professional and/or academic performance and capabilities; if possible, one of these letters should be an academic letter of recommendation. You will input your recommenders' information into the online application, and the application will reach out to them directly with instructions on how to submit the letters.
- Note for AMP applicants: At least 1 letter of recommendation from an instructor or professor is preferred.
- Please note: the MPA program does not require the GRE for consideration for admission to our program. If you have already taken the test, please feel free to submit your scores, but these are by no means required. We do not recommend taking the GRE for the sole purpose of entrance to our program.
International Applicants and Non-U.S. Citizens
In addition to admissions materials listed above, international applicants must demonstrate English proficiency as a condition for admission. Acceptable English proficiency credentials may be provided with the following exams:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - minimum scores of 79 iBT (or 60 on the revised PBT with no section score lower than 15). Individual MyBest scores must also be dated within 2 years of the enrollment term to be considered valid.
- The TOEFL Essentials test with a minimum band score of 9.5 is also acceptable.
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) - minimum composite score of 7, with no subject area below a 6.
- Pearson PTE Academic - minimum scores of 60.
- CEPT Full Academic Test - offered by the University of Arizona's Center for English as a Second Language (CESL), minimum test score of 110.
There are a few exemptions from submitting English proficiency scores. More information can be found here.
The MPA Program does not accept students for conditional admission.
After admission, information regarding financial guarantee is also required with evidence that sufficient funds ($59,923 minimum) are available for financing the student's academic program. For further information on International admissions see: https://grad.arizona.edu/international-students
If admitted, official transcripts should be sent to:
Graduate College
The University of Arizona
Administration Building, Room 322
PO Box 210066
Tucson, Arizona 85721-0066
Official electronic transcripts may be sent to transcripts@grad.arizona.edu.
Information regarding financial support can be found on the following pages:
- General Funding Overview
- Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid
- Graduate Center Office of Fellowships
For more specific MPA admissions information, contact: SBS-sgppmasters@email.arizona.edu