Admissions Blog

As you begin your application process you may be wondering which of our programs is the best fit for you. Check out our comparison chart and more information below.

We are pleased to share that our application for the class starting in fall 2025 is now open! We also wanted to share some information about GRE test requirements and waivers before you get started.

The University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) are proud to announce a formal partnership to provide emerging leaders with a world class public policy education to tackle the most pressing global issues. This partnership advances the needs of students by providing CHCI alumni with minimum guaranteed scholarships if accepted to a Harris Master’s Degree Program and special consideration for discounts on non-degree Credential Programs. Harris is also committed to increasing education access for all by eliminating the application fee for full-time programs.

Are you a working professional looking to continue your education and polish your skills? The Harris School of Public Policy offers both degree and non-degree opportunities for individuals ready to move their career forward—while continuing to work full time.

Short-term programs at the University of Chicago, like the Harris Credential Programs, are an investment in your academic and professional career. The programs provide skills you can apply immediately, a global network of peers, and strengthen your resume for your next opportunity. Following are some tips to help you understand the financial planning needed for this investment in your future.

Curious about pursuing a career at the intersection of social impact and data analysis? Turn your passion for doing good into measurable impact with the Policy Research and Innovation Bootcamp (PRIB). PRIB is a two-week, in-person program, encompassing rigorous training in policy research methods, hands-on projects addressing real-world policy challenges, and unique opportunities for career exploration and leadership development. PRIB’s on-campus, in-person format allows you to engage and network with top policy scholars across interdisciplinary University of Chicago centers and institutes. Read more for six reasons why you should consider enrolling:

Many Harris students bring years of work experience to our community, as well as partners and families. Balancing the return to school with family responsibilities can sometimes be daunting, so in this blog, we share some resources for students with partners and families as they plan the transition to Harris.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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