Our Admissions Committee takes a holistic approach to evaluate each applicant, considering academic achievement, commitment to public service, and fit with the Fels approach.
Application Deadline
| Term of Entry | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Fall 2023 |
|
Application Requirements
Applications to the Executive MPA program must include the following materials. All students are required to fill out the online application.
We encourage you to apply early as possible because admissions are granted on a rolling basis following each round deadline. The admissions team will not review an application until all necessary materials are received. No exceptions will be made. Please note that all application materials become the property of the University of Pennsylvania and will not be returned. Remember to retain a personal copy of your application.
- $75 nonrefundable application fee
- Any applicant who is on active duty or a veteran of the US Military Service is eligible for an application fee waiver. The application fee will be automatically waived in the application for students meeting the criteria.
- Any applicant to a Fels Institute of Government MPA program who is a current member or alumna/us of one of our admissions partner organizations is eligible for an application fee waiver. These partners include AmeriCorps, City Year, Eastern Leadership Academy, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Organization of American States, Peace Corps, Public Policy & International Affairs Program, Teach For All, and Teach For America. Please email lps@sas.upenn.edu (attention: Mary Bustamante) to request a fee waiver code, which must be used on the payment screen before submitting the application.
- Personal statement and essay
- The personal statement should be approximately 500 words and should address your professional goals and how a Fels education can help you attain them.
- Your second essay should be approximately 500 words and should discuss a significant challenge you faced (personally or professionally) or something important that did not go to plan. How did you respond to the challenge and what did you learn from the experience?
- Please compile your responses into a single document (keeping them as separate essays) and upload them to the online application system.
- Resume or CV
- Transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended
- Applicants may upload unofficial copies of domestic transcripts to the online application system. If admitted to the Executive MPA program, applicants will be required to submit official copies of transcripts and should do so upon notification of admission.
- Two letters of recommendation
- Please include at least one academic letter from a recommender who taught you.
- Standardized test scores
- For applicants who have five years or more of formal full-time work experience, standardized test scores are not required.
- For applicants who have less than five years of formal full-time work experience, due to the impact of COVID-19, submitting standardized test scores is preferred but not required for the fall 2022 application cycle. The admissions committee recommends applicants submit GRE or LSAT scores if possible, and the committee may request additional information if it is needed to fully evaluate an application.
- GRE scores must be sent to code 2986, U Pennsylvania Coll Lib Prof Stdy, which is the office that processes applications for Fels.
- LSAT scores are accepted in lieu of GRE scores. Please note that LSAC will not report official scores to non-law/non-business schools. Applicants submitting LSAT should upload a copy of their score report to the online application.
- Please note that the College of Liberal and Professional Studies is accepting at-home GRE and TOEFL test scores and the IELTS Indicator exam scores through the 2022-2023 admissions year. Please visit the specific standardized testing websites for exam options in your home country.
- Personal interview
- The admissions committee may invite applicants to interview on a case-by-case basis.
- For international applicants
- The Executive MPA program is a part-time program, and therefore students enrolled in this program are ineligible to receive an F-1 student visa. If you are an international student interested in pursuing an MPA from the Fels Institute of Government, consider applying to our Full-time MPA program.
