PRINCETON SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
In the Nation’s Service and the Service of Humanity
DEAN’S WELCOME
Princeton’s unofficial motto captures the essence of our School – and what a time to be at Princeton SPIA!
In the face of historic elections, a global climate crisis, rising inequality, and other pressing policy challenges, what we offer here has perhaps never been more important.
I am honored to serve as dean at such a critical moment, and I am proud of our students and alumni – who are addressing issues in public and international affairs here in the United States and in every corner of the world.
Our graduate programs are distinguished by diverse cohorts of dedicated public servants, extraordinary faculty, multidisciplinary scholarship – a true policy toolkit that will allow you to excel in any domestic or international field, and generous funding that includes 100% of tuition and required fees for all students.
At SPIA, you will find a tight-knit community that lasts well beyond your time on campus.
Training the next generation of policy experts is the foundational goal of our School. To do that, we
work to foster a supportive environment where all students can thrive and excel. Our admissions team continues to think very intentionally and broadly about bringing together a remarkably accomplished and qualified community of leaders and student scholars. I hope you will choose to apply.
All are welcome here!
Amaney Jamal
Dean, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs
Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Politics Professor of politics and international affairs Director of the Workshop on Arab Political Development and the Bobst Center-American University of Beirut Collaborative Initiative
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Doctor of Philosophy in
2 Clusters of Study
Security Studies
This cluster prepares students for rigorous research on major threats to international and national security and the relevant forces that defend against those threats. Science,
This cluster focuses on applications of natural and social science methodology in policy and the interactions between the natural and social sciences in policy analysis.
FINANCIAL AID
If you are accepted into one of our programs, then you will receive full financial support for tuition and required fees plus a generous living stipend for the duration of your program. There are no extra essays or separate application process.
Our generous financial support means you can take the career path you want - not the one you have to.
MPA
All students receive 100% of tuition and required fees support. We offer a generous stipend for living expenses during your time of study. Tuition and stipend will be covered by SPIA in combination with any outside fellowships or institutional sponsorships.
MPP
All students receive 100% of tuition and required fees support. We offer a generous stipend for living expenses during your year at Princeton. Tuition and stipend will be covered by SPIA in combination with any outside fellowships or institutional sponsorships.
PH.D.
All students receive 100% of tuition and required fees support. We offer a generous stipend for living expenses for up to five years. Tuition and stipend will be covered by SPIA in combination with any outside fellowships or institutional sponsorships.
OVERVIEW OF GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAMS
MPA
MASTER IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS
2-year degree
16 COURSES
8 Core Courses + Policy Workshop
Race, Power, and Inequality
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Quantitative Analysis
MPP
MASTER IN PUBLIC POLICY
1-year mid-career degree
Politics of Public Policy
Psychology for Policy Analysis
Applied Econometrics
Policymaking in Diverse Societies
Successful completion of the MPA Summer Program
8 COURSES
No Core Requirements
Successful completion of the MPP Summer Program and MPP Policy Forum
MORE THAN 75 ELECTIVES TO CHOOSE FROM
FIELDS OF CONCENTRATION
• Field I International Relations
• Field II International Development
• Field III Domestic Policy
• Field IV Economics and Public Policy
PH.D.
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS
5-year degree
OPTIONAL CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS
• Health and Health Policy (HHP)
• Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP)
• Urban Policy (UP)
SECURITY STUDIES:
12 COURSES
Areas of concentration include: grand strategies, great powers and stability, civil-military relations, humanitarian intervention, insurgency, arms control and proliferation, the threat and use of force, cyber warfare, biological and chemical weapons, terrorism and civil conflict.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY (STEP):
8 COURSES
Areas of concentration include: global climate change, air pollution, conservation biology, tropical disease transmission, information technology, nuclear power, renewable energy.
CERTIFICATES
Students can choose to earn an optional certificate, allowing them to specialize and deepen their expertise in a specific policy area.
HEALTH AND HEALTH POLICY (HHP)
The HHP certificate trains graduate students for careers in health policy in the public and nonprofit sectors, giving them an understanding of the determinants of health and well being and the role that public policy plays in shaping the quality of people’s lives. The program provides broad training in core topics in health policy as well as more specialized courses. It is designed for students with domestic or international health interests.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY (STEP)
The goal of the STEP certificate is to develop a deeper understanding of current scientific, technological, and environmental issues and potential local, national, and international policy responses. Students receive interdisciplinary training that facilitates communication between technical experts and policymakers. Students may choose to focus their coursework on Energy and Environmental Policy or Information Technology Policy.
URBAN POLICY (UP)
The policy focus of the UP certificate is global, and the coursework is grounded in the interdisciplinary and comparative study of cities and urban problems in both industrialized and developing countries. The UP certificate emphasizes the social, economic, and political dimensions of urban problems and is designed to prepare students for careers in urban policy analysis and economic development in national, state, and local governments, nonprofit organizations, think tanks, and international organizations.
CENTERS, PROGRAMS, AND INITIATIVES
The School is home to over 20 research centers and programs, which conduct research, host events, and bring distinguished scholars and practitioners to campus. Students can get involved in programming as varied as foreign policy crisis simulations, roundtables with key leaders in global peace keeping, collaboration with industry professionals to prevent financial crises, or work with healthcare leaders to formulate sound access policy.
Afghanistan Policy Lab (APL)
Bendheim-Thoman Center for Research on Child and Family Wellbeing (CRCFW)
Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW)
Center for Information Technology Policy (CITP)
Center for International Security Studies (CISS)
Center for Policy and Research on Energy and the Environment (CPREE)
Center for the Study of Democratic Politics (CSDP)
Education Research Section (ERS)
Empirical Studies of Conflict (ESOC)
Innovations for Successful Societies (ISS)
Julis-Rabinowitz Center for Public Policy & Finance (JRCPPF)
Kahneman-Treisman Center for Behavioral Science & Public Policy Law@Princeton
Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination (LISD)
Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance (NCGG)
Office of Population Research (OPR)
Princeton Survey Research Center (SRC)
Program on Science and Global Security (SGS)
Research Program on Development Economics (RPDE)
Research Program in Political Economy (RPPE)
SPIA in D.C.
SPIA in New Jersey
Michael Oppenheimer, Albert G. Milbank Professor of Geosciences and International Affairs and the High Meadows Environmental Institute, Director, Center for Policy Research on Energy and the Environment, during a class lecture.
FACULTY
The School’s faculty are the top minds in their academic fields. They conduct innovative research; deliver expert, nonpartisan analysis to policymakers, nonprofit organizations, and research centers; and provide students with the analytical tools and in-depth knowledge needed to tackle the most important policy issues of the day.
EXPERT FACULTY ACROSS DISCIPLINES
Many have direct policy experience and almost all have dual appointments with disciplinary departments at Princeton University, providing students with multi-faceted perspectives on policy issues.
FACULTY DISCIPLINES
Astrophysical sciences
Civil and environmental
engineering
Computer science
Demography
Ecology and evolutionary biology
Economics
Geosciences
History
Law
Mechanical and aerospace
engineering
Politics
Psychology
Sociology
FIELDS OF STUDY FOR MASTER’S CANDIDATES
At the time of application, each MPA and MPP candidate must select a policy field in which to specialize from among the School’s four fields of concentration.
FIELD I: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Field I emphasizes the nature of the international system and ways in which states conduct their foreign policies, particularly in a global environment where non-state actors have increasing influence.
Students tend to have previous professional experience in the field, coming from government, nonprofits, political organizations, policy think tanks, U.S. armed services, Peace Corps, United Nations, and the World Bank. Since mastery of a foreign language is often needed for future careers, the School provides funding for those who study a language concurrent with their summer internship.
EXAMPLES OF FOCUS INCLUDE
Rule of law
Diplomacy
Elections in fragile states
International trade
Human rights
National security
Defense policy
Climate change and global
environmental governance
International negotiation
Weapons of mass destruction
JACOB SHAPIRO Professor of Politics and International Affairs
“My research covers a broad range of topics in international relations and security, including civil war, insurgency, terrorism, and commercial competition for influence. In many ways social scientific thinking is more valuable for policy than the findings of social science itself; the best part of teaching at SPIA is helping future leaders learn to think precisely about the lessons the world is trying to teach them.”
“My research on public diplomacy and Chinese foreign policy is motivated by my earlier studies and work in government. It’s important to me to teach material that will prepare our students to be informed, engaged, and thoughtful contributors to policy solutions because I have seen firsthand how great a difference such individuals can make.”
NAIMA GREEN-RILEY Assistant Professor of Politics and International Affairs
FIELD II: INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Field II is concerned with lowincome countries and transition economies as they pursue development strategies under a wide range of political regimes and economic conditions. Field II both overlaps and complements Field I. Students typically have worked for government and nonprofit organizations as researchers, analysts, economists, community organizers, human rights observers, election monitors, and Peace Corps volunteers. As with Field I, students can study language while engaging in their summer internship. On occasion, the internship can be extended to a full year of practical experience and language acquisition.
PASCALINE DUPAS Professor of Economics and Public Affairs
“Through my research, I strive to expand the evidence base available to LMIC governments as they put in place policies to improve the lives of their citizens. Teaching MPP and MPA students is a wonderful opportunity for me to both empower, and learn from, ongoing and future users of evidence.”
EXAMPLES OF FOCUS INCLUDE
Humanitarian relief
Immigration policy
Innovations for successful societies
Economic development
Democratization
Conflict resolution
Global health
Poverty, inequality, and health
Social entrepreneurship and innovation
“The cases we use bring the globe into the classroom. Peer learning is a hidden bonus; when we talk about a case study, there is usually a student who can say, ‘I was there and this is what happened.’ ”
JENNIFER WIDNER
Professor
of Politics and International
Affairs; Director, Innovations for Successful Societies
FIELD III: DOMESTIC POLICY
Field III emphasizes U.S. domestic policy, with the American political system as the backdrop.
Typically students have worked in government, for nonprofit or community-based organizations, on political campaigns, in health policy, and in education as community organizers, program managers, teachers, labor activists, and research fellows.
KEITH A. WAILOO
Henry Putnam University Professor of History and Public Affairs
“I research, write, and teach about drugs and health policy in the U.S., focusing on issues of identity, race, ethnicity, and gender. I enjoy introducing students to the historical roots, complex forces, and methods for analyzing public policy.”
EXAMPLES OF FOCUS INCLUDE
Affordable housing
Education
Health policy
Identity, power, and policy
Immigration
Energy and the environment
Inequality and poverty
Democracy or civic engagement
Nonprofit management
Philanthropy
Federal, state, and local finance
Social entrepreneurship
Urban economic development
“My research focuses on national policymaking, especially on the capacity of political parties to achieve their policy agendas. I love teaching SPIA graduate students because of the diversity of their perspectives and their passion for the issues. My domestic politics course covers a broad range of topics, and yet there are always students in the room who can draw on personal experiences to enrich the discussion.”
FRANCES LEE
Professor of Politics and Public Affairs; Co-director, Center for the Study of Democratic Politics
FIELD IV: ECONOMICS AND PUBLIC POLICY
Field IV stresses both the analysis of economic problems that prompt public policy decisions and the study of the economic effects of various policies. Students are expected to master the fundamental principles and tools of economic analysis and to develop the ability to assess and apply the results of professional economic studies.
Field IV overlaps the other three fields but goes beyond the traditional study of policy issues by providing more intensive training in the economic analysis of public policy. Some students choose between a domestic or international focus.
Students have usually worked as analysts, program associates, economists, and researchers for global research centers and programs, government agencies and central banks, multilateral organizations, and development finance institutions.
EXAMPLES OF FOCUS INCLUDE
International trade policy
Behavioral economics and applications
Public economics and public finance
Economic development
Program and policy evaluation
Macro and financial policy
EDUARDO MORALES Professor of Economics and Public Affairs
“In economics, public policy prescriptions arise as an interplay of data and assumptions. In my work, I aim to increase the credibility of policy prescriptions by relaxing the assumptions on which they rely. I love the atmosphere at SPIA: students are at the same time highly motivated, very insightful, and an absolute pleasure to interact with, both in the classroom and outside the classroom.”
“My research applies concepts and methods from economics to study a range of challenges in low-income countries, including gender inequality and climate change. In this work, I design and evaluate policies aimed at addressing those challenges. Thus, SPIA students’ passion for policymaking as a way to create a better world is exciting to me and aligns with my own values and intellectual interests.”
JAYACHANDRAN Professor of Economics and International Affairs; Co-director, Research Program on Development Economics
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS & EVENTS
Our Leadership Through Mentorship Program brings high-level policy leaders and practitioners to the School.
SOME OF OUR RECENT VISITORS AND EVENTS INCLUDE:
AMINA J. MOHAMMED
Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; Chair, United Nations Sustainable Development Group
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS AT PRINCETON SPIA’S LATIN AMERICA CONFERENCE
Michelle Bachelet, Former President of Chile
Guillermo Lasso, Former President of Ecuador
Iván Duque, Former President of Colombia
2023–2024 DEAN’S LEADERSHIP SERIES GUESTS
Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa to the Prime Minister of India
André de Ruyter, Former Group Chief Executive of Eskom Holdings
Dr. Ashish K. Jha, Dean, Brown University School of Public Health
Federica Mogherini, Rector, Rector’s Office and Director of the Academy, European Diplomatic Academy – Pilot Programme
Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, Former United States Ambassador to Malta
Jacinda Ardern, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
Noa Sattath, Executive Director, Association for Civil Rights in Israel
U.S. Congressman Patrick McHenry, R-North Carolina 10th District, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee
Dr. Rebecca Gomperts MPP ’11, Founder, Women on Waves; Founder, Women on Web; Founder, Aid Access
William Kristol, Founder and Editor-at-large, The Weekly Standard
Razia Iqbal, John L. Weinberg/Goldman Sachs & Co. Visiting Professor and Lecturer, and Iván Duque, Former President of Colombia, during the 2024 Latin America Conference.
POLICY PRACTITIONERS
Practitioners are an important part of students’ training and bring real-world policy experience to the classroom as leaders in domestic policy and international affairs. They complement the work of our faculty and enrich the learning experience.
“Princeton is a very special place for me since I first entered the campus in 1976. It is a place of incredible talent with both faculty and students. SPIA in particular is a community of some of the best minds in the country working on complex and critical issues impacting the U.S. and the world. I particularly enjoy the opportunity to make a contribution and to help shape the next generation of global leaders that will make the world a better place.”
GEN. MARK A. MILLEY ’80 Visiting Lecturer in Princeton School of Public and International Affairs; Retired General, Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
“As a professor at Princeton SPIA, I specialize in digital technology in the public sector, exploring how innovations like generative AI can transform public management and urban economic development. I enjoy teaching at Princeton SPIA because it offers a unique environment where I can engage with students who come from diverse backgrounds, are among the world’s finest, and are motivated by a spirit of service.”
STEVEN STRAUSS Lecturer and John L. Weinberg/Goldman Sachs & Co. Visiting Professor Founding Managing Director, Center for Economic Transformation, New York City
MPA ADMITTED STUDENT PROFILE*
Master in Public Affairs
We enroll approximately 70 new MPA students each year.
The MPA enrolls individuals who have demonstrated a deep commitment to public service through their professional experience, internships, and volunteer interests.
JOINT DEGREE
LAW
A four-year MPA/Juris Doctor program allows students to combine the study of law and the study of public affairs through formal agreements with law schools at Columbia University, New York University, and Stanford University. Prospective students must indicate their desire to pursue a joint degree at the time of application by completing an additional joint degree statement and must simultaneously apply to and be admitted at both programs.
JOINT DEGREE
MBA
A three-year MPA/MBA program allows students to combine the study of management and the study of public and international affairs through a formal arrangement with the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB). Prospective students must submit an additional joint degree statement at the time of application and must simultaneously apply to and be admitted to both programs. GSB is the only MBA program SPIA will consider for a joint MPA/MBA.
SINSI
Scholars in the Nation’s Service Initiative (SINSI) is a scholarship program designed to encourage, support, and prepare Princeton University seniors and admitted first-year MPA students to pursue careers in the U.S. government. The program fully funds an average of four students per year — covering two years of study as an MPA student and a two-year fellowship with the U.S. government.
U.S. Students of Color
MPP ADMITTED STUDENT PROFILE*
Master in Public Policy
We enroll 20 to 25 new MPP students each year.
The one-year MPP program is designed for mid-career professionals who are rising leaders in international and domestic public policy. This residential program is a valuable opportunity for those embedded in public service for over seven years to reflect on their experiences, expand their knowledge, and further refine their analytical skills in relation to their chosen professional path.
U.S. Students of Color
PH.D. ADMITTED STUDENT PROFILE*
Ph.D. in Public Affairs
We enroll approximately eight new Ph.D. students each year.
The Doctor of Philosophy in Public Affairs is a five-year program in which students concentrate in one of two research areas: Security Studies; or Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP). Students analyze serious policy challenges from a multidisciplinary perspective and emerge with high-quality research skills. Ph.D. recipients depart the School prepared for top analytical positions in government and nongovernmental organizations, as well as tenure-track positions in academic institutions.
ALUMNI NETWORK
The 4,200-plus alumni of the School stay connected and engaged after leaving Princeton and are willing to talk with new students about their experiences. The School hosts networking events in cities around the world for alumni and current students.
“SPIA was the best career launch pad one can imagine. My academic mentors gave me intellectual roots, the SPIA community wings to pursue my dreams. Until today I am in close contact with so many of my SPIA friends in Washington, D.C., Berlin, and across the globe. They help and inspire me every day.”
MARINA
E. HENKE, PH.D. ’12
Professor of International Relations, Hertie School and SAIS Johns Hopkins Director, Hertie Centre for International Security, Berlin Germany Academic and policy advisor
“I participated in the PPIA Fellowship JSI program at Princeton the summer of 2007. It was clear to me then that Princeton was going to be a place that challenged me, but also invested in my long-term success. Seventeen years later, that is still true. One of the things I most enjoyed about my time at Princeton was the opportunity to engage in coursework across disciplines like history, psychology, and sociology. Having that additional context and tools of application have certainly made me a better policymaker. We’re not trained just on theory; we’re given a foundation to have meaningful impact. Beyond the classroom, the Princeton network is unmatched.”
CHRISTINA HENDERSON, MPA ’12
At-Large Councilmember, Council of the District of Columbia
“Princeton SPIA was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. After being awarded a coveted Politico Military Masters nomination through the United States Navy, I made Princeton SPIA my school of choice because of its faculty and, more importantly, student body. Through my time at Princeton, I was able to gain some of my dearest friends and mentors. Additionally, it taught me how to strategically think about consequences. As a result, I was well postured to help change the culture of my warship for the better and gain much needed insight to the geopolitical environment in Europe and Africa.”
COMMANDER
ARTURO TREJO, U.S. NAVY, MPP ’20
Commanding Officer, USS BULKELEY (DDG 84)*
*USS BULKELEY is an Arleigh Burke class destroyer based out of Forward Deployed Naval Forces Europe
“SPIA taught me how to think and to be curious about the world. This knowledge has allowed me to be a flexible, empathetic, and problem-solving leader in my career in international development. I absolutely loved my two years at SPIA!”
JENNIFER DAUM, MPA ’12
Mercy Corps Country Director, Bogota, Colombia
“My goal in pursuing a mid-career degree in public policy was to acquire relevant skills, build a network, and gain applicable knowledge for my career in public service. At SPIA, I was able to do all of these things and more and I am more effective in my work in local government because of my education and experience.”
AARON
CHARLOP-POWERS, MPP ’20
Senior Advisor, New York City Office of the Mayor
“My time at Princeton was an invaluable foundation for me. It exposed me to incredible peers, thought leaders, and now collaborators with whom I partner to help advance the field of climate risk and adaptation. SPIA provided a strong community of curiosity, freedom to explore questions, and unmeasurable opportunities to grow and learn.”
MAYA BUCHANAN, PH.D. ’17 Assistant Vice President, WSP
“Uprooting my career and family to join Princeton SPIA was a leap of faith, but one that proved transformative. Exploring new and emerging fields, engaging leading experts, and forming diverse, life-long relationships expanded my worldview in ways that will inform my life, work, and public service for years to come.”
TANISHA HEWANPOLA, MPP ’24 Political Affairs Officer Gender, Peace and Security Unit Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs
United Nations
“Attending SPIA changed my life and the trajectory of my career. Navigating my education and career would have been incredibly difficult, if not impossible, without the support and guidance provided by SPIA. I have been able to seamlessly navigate a career in nonprofit, government, criminal justice, and now climate and environmental policy with the tools I gained at SPIA.”
JESSICA COLON, MPA ’07 Deputy Director, New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental and Climate Justice
“I arrived at Princeton after several years of implementing impact evaluations in Colombia and Sub-Saharan Africa. My goal at SPIA was to pivot into a policy area at the intersection of urban policy and climate change. I was fortunate to join a cohort with expertise in both fields, engage in coursework focused on building resilient and inclusive cities, and co-lead a workshop on urban climate adaptation in Accra, Ghana. I now work at the World Bank’s Global Urban Practice conducting research on city climate finance and the impacts of extreme heat on Latin American cities - a role made possible by my time at Princeton.”
SEBASTIÁN
LEIVA, MPA ’23
Consultant for the Global Practice for Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience & Land (GPURL) at the World Bank
“I came to SPIA to deepen my quantitative and qualitative policy skills to make an impact on the U.S. public education system. I left SPIA with something more profound. Not only did I leave with the tools to make change, ask hard questions, and knowledge to evaluate programs, but I also left with strong connections to other aspiring changemakers who were mission-critical to my growth as a leader.”
SIMONE WEBSTER, MPA ’17
Chief Program Officer, Black Wildflowers Fund
“Attending Princeton for graduate school to study public policy has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. At Princeton, I gained a comprehensive education that allowed me to analyze policy and politics from various disciplines, including economics, statistics, psychology, and history. This interdisciplinary approach equipped me with the skills and knowledge necessary to understand complex policy issues and develop effective solutions. I credit Princeton with my current success and my ability to make meaningful changes in local government.”
JORDAN STOCKDALE, MPA ’18
Chief of Staff, Manhattan District Attorney’s Office
HOW TO APPLY
SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS INCLUDE
A COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE
Because our generous financial aid packages allow students to pursue their passions in public service upon graduation unencumbered by graduate school debt, we lean very heavily into our public service mission; indeed, it’s the ethos around which we revolve.
Demonstrating a sincere commitment to public service — whether through internships and volunteer service or in your full-time professional pursuits — is the single most important thing an applicant can do. The total volume of public service is less important than a clear commitment.
The strongest candidates have worked in either the public or nonprofit sectors for two to five years prior to applying for the MPA program and for a minimum of seven years for the mid-career MPP program. For those applying to the Ph.D. program, please
ensure that your area of research interest aligns with that of our faculty.
A STRONG ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
The School admits individuals who have successfully demonstrated preparation to learn what we teach. Strong test scores and GPAs are important parts of the application, but they are not all we consider as we holistically and individually review each file. Preparation for our curriculum can be demonstrated in a variety of ways; what in your background indicates you are prepared for it?
LEADERSHIP AND IMPACT
Quantified differently for each applicant and each degree program, we’re looking for leaders — on campus, at work, in communities. Did you lead a project or others toward difficult goals? Have you led a team? What was your role in driving change? What impact did you personally
have? These are some of the questions we think about as we work to understand your leadership trajectory and professional impact.
DIVERSITY OF PERSPECTIVES
The variety of work experience, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, gender identity, geographic location, ideological ascription, and numerous other dimensions enhances the quality of the educational experience for all of our students and supports our goal of creating a diverse cadre of policy professionals. Let us know your story and what sets you apart.
APPLICATION CHECKLIST
MPA
Personal statement
Supplemental essay
Personal essay
CV or résumé
Course list
Policy memo
Transcripts
GRE scores
English language test (if applicable)
Three letters of recommendation
Application fee
MPP
Personal statement
Supplemental essay
Personal essay
CV or résumé
Policy memo
Transcripts
English language test (if applicable)
Three letters of recommendation
Application fee
PH.D.
Personal statement
Personal essay
CV or résumé
Writing sample
Transcripts
English language test (if applicable)
Three letters of recommendation
Application fee
“We read each application individually and consider them holistically. We know that well-qualified applicants come from many different places, and we care about the composition of our community. It’s an exciting time to be at Princeton SPIA, and we hope you will consider applying. All are welcome here!”
STEVEN F. PETRIC, MPP ’17
Assistant Dean for Global Outreach, Admissions & Alumni Engagement
ADMISSIONS TIMELINE
Application Available: Mid-September 15
Application Deadline*: December 15
*Apply before November 1 and SPIA will pay your application fee.
Admissions Decisions: Mid-March 15
Admitted Students Decision Deadline: April 15
