Admissions Blog

This year, the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy is working to break down barriers for our prospective students. That's why we've waived our application fee for master's degree applicants. In this blog, we also share some information about waiving the GRE test requirement as well as tips for finding the program that is the best fit for you.

We understand finances are an important factor as you explore your academic pathway and hope the following information is useful in your decision-making process.

Dr. Ramaswami Balasubramaniam (Dr. Balu) is a development scholar, author, public policy advocate, and leadership trainer. After spending 26 years in pioneering development work among rural and tribal people, he pursued academic degrees in leadership, organizational development, and public policy. He was the Frank H.T. Rhodes Professor at Cornell University from 2012–14, and continues to hold academic positions in Cornell and other universities. He is currently the full time Member-HR in the Capacity Building Commission of the Government of India. On Friday, October 27, Dr. Balu visited the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy to connect with senior leadership and students.

We regularly host Roundtables with alumni of the Data and Policy Summer Scholar (DPSS) Program who share their UChicago experience and advice for prospective students. We asked alums how they navigated the quantitative coursework of DPSS. Below are pieces of their testimonies. Access our webinar recordings or our DPSS Alumni Stories webpage for additional highlights.

The application for the 2024 Credential Programs is open! We sat down with Shilin Liu, Executive Director of Partnerships & Credential Programs, to answer questions and share tips on how you can maximize a Credential Program’s impact on your academic and professional advancement.

The University of Chicago Phoenix (Phil) is flying to Ohio! Ready to rise up from the ashes and make a more meaningful impact in your community?

The Data and Policy Summer Scholar Program (DPSS) presents a chance to learn coding and techniques for policy analysis in 8 weeks! With deadlines for the summer of 2024 approaching, we’ve provided you this checklist to make sure you are ready to submit a complete and strong application to DPSS.

There are plenty of ways for Harris students to get involved and gain real-world experiences outside of the classroom. For example, we have more than thirty Harris Student Organizations (HSOs) in which students can build community and do meaningful work. We attended an HSO fair and stopped by a few tables for a glimpse into their work.

Incoming students at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy represent 49 countries, as well as various cultural backgrounds, languages, and experiences. International students applying to graduate school in the US may have many questions about our application process, and our admissions team is here to help. Director of International Partnerships and Executive Education Shilin Liu, MPP’17, shares some tips for international students applying to Harris.

Muaz Chaudhry, MPP Class of 2024, shares his application experience and tips ahead of our early action deadline on October 5.

One of the best ways to get to know the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy is to visit our beautiful campus. Below are some activities and restaurants in and around Hyde Park that no one should overlook.

Before the ivy at UChicago bursts into an autumn rainbow and we get into the full swing of the fall quarter, I wanted to share an appreciation post about my first summer in Chicago. From music festivals to food fairs and outdoor activities, there's something for everyone to enjoy. All season long, you can play beach volleyball on Lake Michigan, enjoy views of the iconic Chicago skyline, try new foods from a variety of cultures, and visit neighborhood celebrations all over the city. Here are some ideas I’ve gathered for making the most out of summer in Chicago.

The University of Chicago is home to avid readers from many walks of life. A brief stroll around campus and you will pass the Seminary Co-Op Bookstore, which houses a world-renowned collection of scholarly work; 57th St. Books, which caters to the vast literary interests of the community; Powell’s Books, Chicago’s largest independent dealer in quality used, bargain, antiquarian, and out of print books; as well as six on-campus libraries (not to mention student borrowing privileges at several local museums and archives). We asked Harris faculty and staff to give some of their top reading recommendations.

The M.S. in Computational Analysis and Public Policy (MSCAPP) is a rigorous, two-year program offered jointly by the Harris School of Public Policy and the Department of Computer Science at the University of Chicago. Students of the program come from a variety of backgrounds, educational focus and geographies, but all have a passion for using data to bring about change in public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Harris Policy Labs are Harris elective courses in which small teams of second-year (or second-third quarter MA) Harris students apply their rigorous Core education and policy skills to real-time public policy challenges facing client organizations. Policy Labs students work under faculty guidance and earn course credit.

As you’re planning to apply to Harris, you may already be thinking about your outcomes after graduation. We’re happy to share the following benefits, experiences, and outcomes for the Master of Arts in Public Policy with Certificate in Research Methods (MACRM) program.

While tips on applying to grad school from the Admissions team can be helpful to prospective students as they work through their application, we know many of you are also eager to hear more from current students.

We are excited for our upcoming event series in Washington, D.C. from July 13–14! Join us for coffee chats with the admissions team, a reception with students and alumni, and an information session to to learn how you can drive meaningful and measurable change with a graduate degree from Harris.

Sahila Kudalkar, MPP'23, shares some advice to incoming students on finding on-campus jobs.

Jonathan DaCosta, MPP Class of 2024, writes about his transition to graduate school directly from undergrad.