How to Apply

To be considered for admission to any of our degree programs you must submit an online application to the University of Washington's Graduate School and Evans School.
A total of $50 is charged for filing the application.
Your application and required application materials must be submitted by the specified deadline for your Evans School program.
Find out more about your program's application instructions, required materials, and deadlines.

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Application Instructions

Deadline: For priority consideration of acceptance and financial awards, all application materials must be postmarked or received online by January 15, with the exception of GRE scores. Otherwise your application will only be reviewed on a space-available basis until March 1.

Step 1

Gather your required application materials

  • Application fee of $50 (U.S.) for completing the online application to the University of Washington (UW) Graduate School and Evans School.

  • Resume including:
    • Relevant academic, professional, volunteer, or military experience
    • Academic and/or professional honors, prizes, or scholarships
    • Leadership positions
    • Societies and clubs to which you belong

  • Statement of purpose describing in 750 words or less:
    • Yourself and your reason(s) for applying to your specific degree program
    • Your expectations of your specific degree program in furthering your career objectives
    • Your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, community and/or volunteer work, and any other factors relevant to your interest in public policy and management

  • Personal Statement of Diversity. Consistent with our goal of enhancing the intellectual and social enrichment of the University of Washington community, the University actively seeks and welcomes students from diverse backgrounds. Please provide a statement, no more than two pages in length (500 words or less), about your personal history, family background, and other influences on your intellectual development. The statement should address educational, cultural, and economic opportunities and disadvantages that you have experienced, and ways those experiences have affected the development of your special interests, career plans, and future goals. Please note that this is not an academic Statement of Purpose, but a personal statement that addresses your intellectual growth and development, both inclusive of and beyond your academic goals.

  • Transcripts from each college or university you have attended. Ask them to mail, directly to you, two copies of your official, sealed transcripts. Do not open your transcripts because broken or tampered seals will make them invalid, and they are needed to prove completion of your bachelor’s and Masters degrees.

    Send one sealed copy of your transcripts to the Evans School. Once accepted to your program of choice you’ll be asked to send the other copy to the UW Graduate Admissions Office.

  • Two to three letters of reference to be submitted electronically by those writing the recommendations after you complete the UW Graduate School and Evans School online application. Two letters are required and up to three letters may be submitted. Letters of reference should come from people who are familiar with your professional and academic abilities.

  • GRE scores need to be requested from the Educational Testing Center. The Educational Testing Service can be contacted at 609.771.7670 or www.gre.org.

    Have the scores sent directly to the Evans School (department code 4801) and the UW Graduate School (school code 4854). Also, include an unofficial copy of scores in your Evans School application packet of required materials that can't be submitted during the online application process.

  • TOEFL scores for international students. Please see our international applicant information for more information.

Step 2

Complete the UW Graduate School online application for the Evans School.

During this process you will be asked to identify which Evans School program you are applying to, and should choose the Public Affairs (M of Public Administration) option. You will then be directed to the appropriate Evans School portion of the application to submit the majority of your required application materials.

Step 3

Required Evans School application materials that are not collected online (i.e. transcripts) need to be mailed in one packet to:

The Evans School of Public Affairs
Admissions
Box 353055
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-3055

For questions and more information about the application process, contact Student Services at evansadm@u.washington.edu or 206.543.4900.

Peace Corps Master's International Track

Application Instructions

Please note: You will need to submit an application to the U.S. Peace Corps for this program.

Deadline: We accept students during the autumn and summer quarters. For priority consideration of acceptance and financial awards, all application materials must be postmarked or received online by January 15, with the exception of GRE scores. Otherwise your application will only be reviewed on a space-available basis until March 1.

Step 1

Gather your required UW Graduate School and Evans School application materials

  • Application fee of $50 (U.S.) for completing the online application to the University of Washington (UW) Graduate School and Evans School.

  • Resume including:
    • Relevant academic, professional, volunteer, or military experience
    • Academic and/or professional honors, prizes, or scholarships
    • Leadership positions
    • Societies and clubs to which you belong

  • Statement of purpose describing in 750 words or less:
    • Yourself and your reason(s) for applying to your specific degree program
    • Your expectations of your specific degree program in furthering your career objectives
    • Your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, community and/or volunteer work, and any other factors relevant to your interest in public policy and management

  • Personal Statement of Diversity. Consistent with our goal of enhancing the intellectual and social enrichment of the University of Washington community, the University actively seeks and welcomes students from diverse backgrounds. Please provide a statement, no more than two pages in length (500 words or less), about your personal history, family background, and other influences on your intellectual development. The statement should address educational, cultural, and economic opportunities and disadvantages that you have experienced, and ways those experiences have affected the development of your special interests, career plans, and future goals. Please note that this is not an academic Statement of Purpose, but a personal statement that addresses your intellectual growth and development, both inclusive of and beyond your academic goals.

  • Transcripts from each college or university you have attended. Ask them to mail, directly to you, two copies of your official, sealed transcripts. Do not open your transcripts because broken or tampered seals will make them invalid, and they are needed to prove completion of your bachelor’s and Masters degrees.

    Send one sealed copy of your transcripts to the Evans School. Once accepted to your program of choice you’ll be asked to send the other copy to the UW Graduate Admissions Office.

  • Two to three letters of reference to be submitted electronically by those writing the recommendations after you complete the UW Graduate School and Evans School online application. Two letters are required and up to three letters may be submitted. Letters of reference should come from people who are familiar with your professional and academic abilities.
  • GRE scores need to be requested from the Educational Testing Center. The Educational Testing Service can be contacted at 609.771.7670 or www.gre.org.

    Have the scores sent directly to the Evans School (department code 4801) and the UW Graduate School (school code 4854). Also, include an unofficial copy of scores in your Evans School application packet of required materials that can't be submitted during the online application process.

  • TOEFL scores for international students. Please see our international applicant information for more information.

Step 2

Complete the UW Graduate School online application for the Evans School.

During this process you will be asked to identify which Evans School program you are applying to, and should choose the Public Affairs - PCMI option. You will then be directed to the appropriate Evans School portion of the application to submit the majority of your required application materials.

Step 3

Mail required Evans School application materials that are not collected online (i.e. transcripts) in one packet to:

The Evans School of Public Affairs
Admissions
Box 353055
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-3055

Step 4

Submit a U.S. Peace Corps application. Please note an additional application fee to the one paid for your UW Graduate School and Evans School application may be required.

The Peace Corps will evaluate your application and nominate you for a nongovernmental (NGO) assignment after you are admitted to the Evans School. The Peace Corps evaluation process is based on an initial interview, medical and dental exams, and a legal background check.

For questions and more information about the application process, contact Student Services at evansadm@u.washington.edu or 206.543.4900.

Executive Master of Public Administration

Application Instructions

Deadline: For priority consideration of acceptance in this competitive program, all application materials must be postmarked or received online by May 1. Otherwise your application will only be reviewed on a space-available basis until July 1.

Step 1

Gather your required UW Graduate School and Evans School application materials

  • Application fee of $50 (U.S.) for completing the online application to the University of Washington (UW) Graduate School and Evans School.

  • Resume including:
    • Relevant academic, professional, volunteer, or military experience
    • Academic and/or professional honors, prizes, or scholarships
    • Leadership positions
    • Societies and clubs to which you belong

  • Statement of purpose describing in 750 words or less:
    • Yourself and your reason(s) for applying to your specific degree program
    • Your expectations of your specific degree program in furthering your career objectives
    • Your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, community and/or volunteer work, and any other factors relevant to your interest in public policy and management

  • Transcripts from each college or university you have attended. Ask them to mail, directly to you, two copies of your official, sealed transcripts. Do not open your transcripts because broken or tampered seals will make them invalid, and they are needed to prove completion of your bachelor’s and Masters degrees.

    Send one sealed copy of your transcripts to the Evans School. Once accepted to your program of choice you’ll be asked to send the other copy to the UW Graduate Admissions Office.

  • Three letters of reference to be submitted electronically by those writing the recommendations after you complete the UW Graduate School and Evans School online application. Three letters are required and up to five letters may be submitted. Letters of reference should come from people who are familiar with your professional and academic abilities.

  • TOEFL scores for international students. Please see our international applicant information for more information.

Step 2

Complete the UW Graduate School online application for the Evans School.

During this process you will be asked to identify which Evans School program you are applying to, and should choose the Public Affairs - Executive (M of Public Administration) option. You will then be directed to the appropriate Evans School portion of the application to submit the majority of your required application materials.

Step 3

Mail required Evans School application materials that are not collected online (i.e. transcripts) in one packet to:

The Evans School of Public Affairs
Admissions
Box 353055
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-3055

For questions and more information about the application process, contact our Executive MPA office at execmpa@u.washington.edu or 206.616.0778.

Ph.D. in Public Policy & Managment

Application Instructions

Deadline: All application materials must be postmarked or received online by Feb. 1. Otherwise your application will not be reviewed. Admissions and funding offers will be made in March.

Step 1

Gather your required UW Graduate School and Evans School application materials

  • Application fee of $50 (U.S.) for completing the online application to the University of Washington (UW) Graduate School and Evans School.

  • Resume including:
    • Relevant academic, professional, volunteer, or military experience
    • Academic and/or professional honors, prizes, or scholarships
    • Leadership positions
    • Societies and clubs to which you belong

  • Writing sample of a prior independent piece of work that shows your analytic capacity. The sample should be cut down to an excerpt-size if taken from a long document.

  • Statement of purpose describing in 750 words or less:
    • Yourself and your reason(s) for applying to your specific degree program
    • Your expectations of your specific degree program in furthering your career objectives
    • Your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, community and/or volunteer work, and any other factors relevant to your interest in public policy and management

  • Personal Statement of Diversity. Consistent with our goal of enhancing the intellectual and social enrichment of the University of Washington community, the University actively seeks and welcomes students from diverse backgrounds. Please provide a statement, no more than two pages in length (500 words or less), about your personal history, family background, and other influences on your intellectual development. The statement should address educational, cultural, and economic opportunities and disadvantages that you have experienced, and ways those experiences have affected the development of your special interests, career plans, and future goals. Please note that this is not an academic Statement of Purpose, but a personal statement that addresses your intellectual growth and development, both inclusive of and beyond your academic goals.

  • Research Interest. Please provide the names of three faculty members you would like to study with at the Evans School. A research proposal is not required for the application, but please contact these three faculty members prior to starting the application process to make sure the program meets your needs.

  • Transcripts from each college or university you have attended. Ask them to mail, directly to you, two copies of your official, sealed transcripts. Do not open your transcripts because broken or tampered seals will make them invalid, and they are needed to prove completion of your bachelor’s and Masters degrees.

    Send one sealed copy of your transcripts to the Evans School. Once accepted to your program of choice you’ll be asked to send the other copy to the UW Graduate Admissions Office.

    If you only have a bachelor's degree, your application will be considered. However, we believe students with a master's degree in public policy, public administration, economics, sociology, political science, or related disciplines are, in general, better prepared for our Ph.D. program.

  • Three letters of reference to be submitted electronically by those writing the recommendations after you complete the UW Graduate School and Evans School online application. Two of the letters should be from faculty familiar with your academic work, and all three should address your capacity for pursuing an advanced research degree.

  • GRE scores, no more than five years old, need to be requested from the Educational Testing Center. The Educational Testing Service can be contacted at 609.771.7670 or www.gre.org.

    Have the scores sent directly to the Evans School (department code 4801) and the UW Graduate School (school code 4854). Also, include an unofficial copy of scores in your Evans School application packet of required materials that can't be submitted during the online application process.

  • TOEFL scores for international students. Please see our international applicant information for more information.

Step 2

Complete the UW Graduate School online application for the Evans School.

During this process you will be asked to identify which Evans School program you are applying to, and should choose the Public Affairs - PhD (Public Policy & Management) option. You will then be directed to the appropriate Evans School portion of the application to submit the majority of your required application materials.

Step 3

Mail required Evans School application materials that are not collected online (i.e. transcripts) in one packet to:

The Evans School of Public Affairs
Admissions
Box 353055
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-3055

For questions and more information about the application process, contact Student Services at evansadm@u.washington.edu or 206.543.4900.

Concurrent Degrees

Application Instructions

Deadline: For priority consideration of acceptance and financial awards, all application materials must be postmarked or received online by January 15, with the exception of GRE scores. Otherwise your application will only be reviewed on a space-available basis until March 1.

Please note: After completing the UW Graduate School and Evans School application, you will need to submit all required application materials for your concurrent degree program by its deadline or January 15—whichever is earlier.

Step 1

Gather your required application materials

  • Application fee of $50 (U.S.) for completing the online application to the University of Washington (UW) Graduate School and Evans School.

    If you are applying to one of our formal concurrent degree programs, you do not need to pay an additional application fee. For more information about your concurrent degree’s required application materials contact:

    If you are applying for an informal concurrent degree at a school outside of our scope of formal degrees, you will need to file a separate application with that school. This will cost an additional application fee of $50. For more information about your concurrent degree’s required application materials contact the school directly.

  • Resume including:
    • Relevant academic, professional, volunteer, or military experience
    • Academic and/or professional honors, prizes, or scholarships
    • Leadership positions
    • Societies and clubs to which you belong

  • Statement of purpose describing in 750 words or less:
    • Yourself and your reason(s) for applying to your specific degree program
    • Your expectations of your specific degree program in furthering your career objectives
    • Your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, community and/or volunteer work, and any other factors relevant to your interest in public policy and management

  • Personal Statement of Diversity. Consistent with our goal of enhancing the intellectual and social enrichment of the University of Washington community, the University actively seeks and welcomes students from diverse backgrounds. Please provide a statement, no more than two pages in length (500 words or less), about your personal history, family background, and other influences on your intellectual development. The statement should address educational, cultural, and economic opportunities and disadvantages that you have experienced, and ways those experiences have affected the development of your special interests, career plans, and future goals. Please note that this is not an academic Statement of Purpose, but a personal statement that addresses your intellectual growth and development, both inclusive of and beyond your academic goals.

  • Transcripts from each college or university you have attended. Ask them to mail, directly to you, two copies of your official, sealed transcripts. Do not open your transcripts because broken or tampered seals will make them invalid, and they are needed to prove completion of your bachelor’s and Masters degrees.

    Send one sealed copy of your transcripts to the Evans School. Once accepted to your program of choice you’ll be asked to send the other copy to the UW Graduate Admissions Office.

  • Three letters of reference to be submitted electronically by those writing the recommendations after you complete the UW Graduate School and Evans School online application. Two of the letters should be from faculty familiar with your academic work, and all three should address your capacity for pursuing an advanced research degree.

  • GRE scores need to be requested from the Educational Testing Center. The Educational Testing Service can be contacted at 609.771.7670 or www.gre.org.

    Have the scores sent directly to the Evans School (department code 4801) and the UW Graduate School (school code 4854). Also, include an unofficial copy of scores in your Evans School application packet of required materials that can't be submitted during the online application process.

  • TOEFL scores for international students. Please see our international applicant information for more information.

Step 2

Complete the UW Graduate School and Evans School online application.

During this process you will be asked to identify which Evans School program you are applying to, and should choose accordingly from the following options:

  • Public Affairs (MAIS/MPA) for the concurrent MPA and Master of Arts in International Studies program

  • Public Affairs (MUP/MPA) for the concurrent MPA and Master of Urban Design & Planning program

  • Public Affairs (MPA/MHA) for the concurrent MPA and Master of Health Administration program

  • Public Affairs (MPA/MS) for the concurrent MPA and Master of Science program in:
    • Biostatistics
    • Environmental Health
    • Epidemiology
    • Forest Resources
    • Pathobiology

  • Public Affairs (MPA/MPH) for the concurrent MPA and Master of Public Health program in:
    • Biostatistics
    • Environmental Health
    • Epidemiology
    • Health Services

    • You will then be directed to the appropriate Evans School portion of the application to submit the majority of your required application materials.

    Step 3

    Required Evans School application materials that are not collected online (i.e. transcripts) need to be mailed in one packet to:

    The Evans School of Public Affairs
    Admissions
    Box 353055
    University of Washington
    Seattle, WA 98195-3055

    Step 4

    Submit all the required application materials for your concurrent degree program.

    For questions and more information about the application process, contact Student Services at evansadm@u.washington.edu or 206.543.4900.

International Applicant Information

Additional information for international applicants is available from the UW Graduate School.

International Development Certificate

Application Instructions

To apply for the Evans School’s International Development and Management Certificate Program, you will need to submit the following application materials by April 15:

  • A letter of application with the following four sections, each between 125 and 250 words:
    • A narrative introducing yourself, background, areas of interest, professional and academic experience, strengths, and future intentions
    • A description of your professional experience, internationally and/or domestically, which includes: what you did, where did it, what you learned, relevant technical and language skills, and other accomplishments or experiences
    • A description of your areas of interest within relief and/or development, and how you would contribute to the diversity of disciplines, perspectives, regions, and experiences of your cohort class
    • An explanation of how this certificate program will help you meet your academic and professional goals by answering, “Why does it make sense for you to earn this certificate?”

  • A current resume listing both educational and professional experience

  • UW transcript (either official or unofficial)

  • A signed letter of recommendation from a professor in your department (which can be sent in hardcopy form with your application, or electronically by April 15 to devcert@u.washington.edu)

  • An application coversheet (42 KB Word Doc)

All application materials should be: printed one-sided, single or double spaced, and fastened with paper clips (not staples.)
The completed application can be sent to one of the following:
Mail
Evans School of Public Affairs
Admissions
University of Washington
Box 353055
Seattle, WA 98195-3055
Email
devcert@u.washington.edu
Hand-delivered
Parrington Hall, Room 109 (between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.)
For more information, contact the Evans School Student Services office at evansadm@u.washington.edu or 206.543.4900.