Admissions Blog

Martha MacLaren, MPP Class of 2025, writes about some of the many talks she attended during her first year at Harris.

Preparing the next generation to tackle global challenges is more important than ever—that’s why the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy recently launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Challenge Program for High School Students. Designed around the United Nations' SDGs, this program informs students about global issues and equips them with the tools to make a tangible difference in their communities. We sat down and discussed the program with Assistant Professor and Program Director, Austin Wright.

Summer is just around the corner, and we are excited to welcome the inaugural cohort of Policy Research & Innovation Bootcamp (PRIB) scholars to campus. Unlike other Harris Credential Programs, PRIB’s unique in-person format allows participants to meaningfully engage and network with leading policy scholars and practitioners both on campus and throughout the city of Chicago. In this blog, we give you a sneak peak of PRIB’s summer 2024 offerings.

Chicago, also known as the Windy City, is located on the shores of Lake Michigan and boasts a rich cultural heritage, impressive architecture, and numerous attractions. It's no surprise that Chicago is a popular tourist destination with people both in the United States and abroad, and when the weather starts to warm up, the city comes alive and offers a wide range of activities for visitors to enjoy. We hope you will come visit us this summer and add a campus visit to your itinerary!

The Dean of Students Office (DOS) looks forward to getting to know you better this fall! In this guest blog, Dean of Students Kate Shannon Biddle, explains the role of an essential point of contact at Harris: your academic advisor.

Carrie Collins, MPP Class of 2024, shares how she leveraged the resources available to her at Harris to secure her job as Associate Management Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton before graduation.

While it’s one of our favorite parts of the application reading experience, we know that writing essay components can be anxiety-inducing for applicants. As you start or continue your application, we hope you find this guidance on the motivational statement and essays helpful.

In this blog, James Marcucci, MPP Class of 2025, shares his first experience with opera in the city of Chicago.

The application for the Evening Master’s Program (EMP) cohort beginning in 2024 is still open! We sat down with Director of Student Recruitment Jessica Gagle to answer questions and share tips on how students can work through on their EMP application.

This year, the Data and Policy Summer Scholar (DPSS) program at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy has upgraded our program experience with two distinct tracks: Academic and Professional. Why? Because we know one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to education. In this blog, we chat with Shilin Liu, Executive Director of Partnerships and Credential Programs to learn more about this upgrade.

In this blog, Evy Lanai, MPP Class of 2025, shares how she and a few fellow classmates enjoyed their Spring Break.

Graduate school is an exciting adventure that presents many changes—some of which admittedly can be stressful. This is why the Dean of Students Office emphasizes the importance of establishing a self-care routine early in your academic career and taking advantage of the many resources the university offers for mental health.

In our application, we ask students “Why Harris?” As many admitted students are weighing their grad school decisions, we asked our Harris Ambassadors what made them choose The Harris School of Public Policy for their academic home.

We wanted to share some answers to frequently asked questions about how  Credential Programs prepare you for your academic and professional career, including examples from the seven-week Data and Policy Summer Scholar (DPSS) Program.

Carly Domicolo, MPP Class of 2024, writes about her summer internship working as a data analyst with the Inclusive Economy Lab.

Max Wagner, MPP Class of 2024, writes about his experience as a Legislative Intern in a Congressional Office on Capitol Hill.

Join us this summer at the Peking University (PKU) campus in Beijing to take on an immersive learning journey with top PKU and UChicago faculty lectures, hands-on capstone project experience, and networking and field visit opportunities to leading organizations. The 2023 Summer School offers three separate programs: International Policy Action Lab (IPAL), Monetary Policy and International Finance Program (MPIF), and Environmental Economics and Policy Lab (EEPL). Applications are now being accepted until May 28 for the summer of 2024!

Jordan Enos, MPP Class of 2024, writes about her summer internship as a Mayoral Fellow for the City of Chicago.

Martha MacLaren, MPP Class of 2025, shares her experience joining the Harris Student Organization, Harris Community Action, in which students can use their skills to support local nonprofits on Chicago’s South Side.

The next priority deadline to apply to Harris is Thursday, February 22—apply now. We also wanted to share some information about GRE test requirements and waivers before you get started.