Links of interest
- Fellowship opportunities available for international students
- UMass Graduate School website - to review various considerations of studying in the United States (e.g. expenses, health care coverage, employment, university admissions, TOEFL, and visas)
- GlobalMPA - International web portal of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA). Visit this link to read about careers in the public and nonprofit sectors, learn about the MPPA degree, and tips on studying in the United States.
International MPPA Applicants
The Center for Public Policy and Administration welcomes international applicants to our Master’s of Public Policy and Administration program. Our research and teaching activities encompass both local and global policy concerns, and as such, our curriculum is well-suited to the needs of students from around the world. The interdisciplinary strengths of the Center, drawing on faculty in Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Legal Studies, and several other disciplines, give students the tools to consider governance and policy from a global perspective. In addition, one of the leading centers for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies is housed at the University of Massachusetts, with the graduate certificate program open to CPPA students.
Students completing our two-year graduate program will be well-prepared for a variety of public service careers in the United States, their home countries, or in international organizations. Our alumni have successfully pursued careers in government agencies, international organizations, educational institutions and consulting firms. Examples include the United Nations Development Program, State Department, Save the Children, International Labour Organization, Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, World Bank, Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the International Monetary Fund.
The Center also recognizes that a strong international student presence adds to the diversity of perspective and intellectual exchange that the program seeks to foster in our classrooms and in our community. In the past, CPPA has hosted students from Kenya, Palestine, Ecuador, Brazil, Ukraine, Russia, Ghana, Lithuania, Nepal, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, China, South Korea, Georgia, and Germany.
Financial Assistance
The Center for Public Policy and Administration provides financial assistance in the form of graduate assistantships and fellowships to exceptionally qualified students, including international applicants. Graduate assistantships provide tuition waivers and monetary assistance in the form of a small stipend in exchange for research, teaching, or program-related work for the Center. All applicants to the Center will be considered for funding at the time that admissions decisions are made.
In addition, the University’s International Programs Office offers a limited number of tuition scholarships for international graduate students. These are awarded on the basis of financial need and academic performance. Competition for the tuition scholarships is high and the number of awards is limited.
