Subject guides / Public Policy

Public Policy

Also appears in programme titles as: MPP · Public Administration and Policy · Policy Analysis

122 programmes mapped across 26 countriesScholarship compatibility checkedVerified Jul 2026 against official sources

What a public policy degree actually is

When a government decides how to price carbon, whether to regulate AI models, or how to rebuild a health system after a pandemic, the people in the room drafting options are usually policy professionals — and the Master of Public Policy (MPP) is the degree that trains them. It sits between economics, political science and management: enough quantitative method to read evidence critically, enough institutional knowledge to know why good ideas die in committee, and enough writing discipline to compress both into a two-page memo a minister will actually read.

The naming is genuinely confusing, and it matters. An MPP (policy analysis, pre-experience friendly), an MPA (public administration and management, often mid-career), and an MSc in a named policy field are different products that recruiters read differently. LSE, for instance, offers a two-year MPA rather than an MPP; Oxford compresses the MPP into twelve intensive months. The programme map below lists what each school actually calls the degree — search by the official title when you check entry requirements.

What you study — and the quantitative bar

Almost every serious MPP shares a spine: microeconomics for policy, statistics and causal inference, political institutions, and public management, wrapped around a practice component — Oxford calls it the Summer Project, Hertie a Master's thesis plus policy labs, LKY a Policy Analysis Exercise. Expect to write policy memos constantly; the genre is the profession's native format.

The quantitative bar is real but moderate: you need comfort with algebra-level maths and a willingness to learn regression properly, not an engineering background. Applicants from pure humanities backgrounds succeed regularly, but the economics and statistics cores are where they report working hardest in the first term.

Where it leads

The classic exits are national civil services and ministries, international organisations (UN agencies, World Bank, OECD), think tanks, and the policy or government-affairs teams of large companies. The degree travels well across borders — which is exactly why it attracts scholarship-funded international students: Chevening, Fulbright and similar programmes exist to build policy capacity in scholars' home countries, and an MPP maps onto that mandate almost perfectly.

Salary expectations deserve honesty: public-sector and multilateral pay is comfortable but rarely spectacular, and some employers (notably the UN system) value field experience as much as the degree. The career pages linked below break down specific paths — policy analyst, diplomat, UN programme officer — including which degrees their recruiters actually recognise.

Climate Policy AnalystPolicy Analyst

Who it suits — and who it does not

A good fit if you are…

  • 2–5 years into a public-sector, NGO or journalism career and aiming at ministry leadership, multilateral organisations or national politics
  • Scholarship applicants: public policy is among the most commonly funded fields across Chevening, Fulbright, DAAD and Commonwealth programmes
  • Career switchers from law, engineering or finance moving toward regulation, government affairs or development

Probably not the right degree if…

  • Fresh graduates with no work experience — flagship MPP cohorts average late-twenties, and admissions committees read policy motivation against a track record
  • Anyone seeking deep technical specialisation (climate modelling, health economics): a named MSc in that field is usually the stronger signal
  • Applicants who want research careers — the MPP is a practice degree; a research master's plus PhD is the academic route

Where to study it: the programme map

The table below lists verified flagship programmes with their official titles — note how few actually contain the words "public policy". Fees and requirements change yearly; every row links to the official programme page and shows when we last checked it.

UniversityOfficial programme titleLengthTuition (intl)Experience
American University of SharjahUnited Arab EmiratesMaster of Science in Economics and Policy24 mo——
Australian National UniversityAustraliaMaster of Public Policy24 moAUD 56,120/yr—
Bilkent UniversityTürkiyeMA in International Affairs and Public Policy (MIAPP)24 mo——
CERGE-EICzechiaMaster in Economic Research (MAER)24 moEUR 8,000/yr—
Charles UniversityCzechiaPublic and Social Policy Studies (PASP)24 mo——
Chinese University of Hong KongHong KongMSSc in Public Policy12 mo——
Columbia UniversityUnited StatesMaster of Public Administration (MPA)24 mo——
Copenhagen Business SchoolDenmarkMSc in International Business and Politics24 mo——
Copenhagen Business SchoolDenmarkMSSc in Public Management and Social Development24 mo——
Cornell UniversityUnited StatesMaster of Public Administration24 mo——
Corvinus University of BudapestHungaryMSc in Public Governance12 mo——
Corvinus University of BudapestHungaryMSc in Public Policy and Management24 mo——
Dublin City UniversityIrelandMSc in Public Policy12 moEUR 17,200/yr—
Duke UniversityUnited StatesMaster of International Development Policy———
Duke UniversityUnited StatesMaster of Public Policy24 mo——
Duke UniversityUnited StatesMaster of Public Affairs18 mo——
ETH ZurichSwitzerlandMaster in Science, Technology and Policy (MSc ETH STP)24 mo——
Fudan UniversityChinaInternational Master of Public Administration (IMPA)24 moCNY 120,000/yrAt least 3 years of work experience (in principle)
Fudan UniversityChinaMaster in Global Public Policy (MGPP)24 moCNY 100,000/yr—
Fudan UniversityChinaMaster of International Public Policy (MIPP)24 moCNY 70,000/yr—
Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID)SwitzerlandMaster in International Relations / Political Science24 moCHF 8,000/yr—
George Washington UniversityUnited StatesMaster of Public Administration24 mo——
George Washington UniversityUnited StatesMaster of Public Policy24 mo——
Georgetown UniversityUnited StatesMaster of Science in Data Science for Public Policy (DSPP)24 mo——
Georgetown UniversityUnited StatesMaster of Public Policy (MPP)24 mo——
Hamad Bin Khalifa UniversityQatarMaster of Public Policy24 mo——
Harvard UniversityUnited StatesMaster in Public Administration (MPA)24 mo——
Harvard UniversityUnited StatesMaster in Public Policy (MPP)24 mo——
Harvard UniversityUnited StatesMid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA)12 mo—At least 7 years of professional work experience required (mid-career programme)
Hertie SchoolGermanyMaster of Public Policy (MPP)24 moEUR 38,500—
Hertie SchoolGermanyMaster of Public Policy24 mo——
Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyHong KongMaster of Public Policy (MPP)24 mo——
Hong Kong University of Science and TechnologyHong KongMaster of Public Management (MPM)———
IE UniversitySpainMaster in Public Policy———
IE UniversitySpainDual Degree Master in International Relations + Master of Public Policy———
ISCTE University Institute of LisbonPortugalMaster (MSc) in Political Economy———
Keio UniversityJapanMaster's Program in Taxation Policy and Management (Graduate School of Business and Commerce)24 mo——
Keio UniversityJapanGraduate School of Economics, English-based Master's Program24 mo——
LMU MunichGermanyGlobal Public Policy (M.A.)24 mo——
LUISS Guido CarliItalyJoint Master in Global Economic Governance and Public Affairs———
LUISS Guido CarliItalyMaster in International Public Affairs———
London School of Economics and Political ScienceUnited KingdomMaster of Public Administration (MPA)24 mo——
McGill UniversityCanadaMaster of Public Policy11 mo——
Monash UniversityAustraliaMaster of Public Policy———
NOVA University Lisbon (Nova SBE)PortugalMaster's in International Development & Public Policy———
Nanyang Technological UniversitySingaporeMaster of Public Administration (English)——Minimum 2 years of full-time work experience
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)JapanTwo-year Master's Program of Public Policy (MP2)24 mo——
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)JapanMaritime Safety and Security Policy Program12 mo——
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)JapanOne-year Master's Program of Public Policy (MP1)12 mo——
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)JapanDisaster Management Policy Program12 mo——
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)JapanMacroeconomic Policy Program (MEP)———
National University of SingaporeSingaporeMaster in Public Policy (Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy)24 mo——
National University of SingaporeSingaporeMaster in Public Policy (MPP)24 mo——
National University of SingaporeSingaporeMaster in Public Administration (MPA)12 mo——
New York UniversityUnited StatesMS in Public Policy12 mo——
New York UniversityUnited StatesMPA in Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy24 mo——
New York University Abu DhabiUnited Arab EmiratesMSc in Economics12 mo——
Peking UniversityChinaInternational Master of Public Administration (Comparative Public Policy and International Cooperation)24 moCNY 190,000/yr3+ years work experience after bachelor's (or 2+ after a master's/doctorate)
Peking UniversityChinaYenching Academy Master's Program in China Studies24 mo——
Princeton UniversityUnited StatesMaster in Public Policy (MPP)12 mo——
Princeton UniversityUnited StatesMaster in Public Affairs (MPA)24 mo——
Queen's UniversityCanadaMaster of Public Administration (MPA)12 mo——
Roskilde UniversityDenmarkMSc in International Politics and Governance24 mo——
Sabanci UniversityTürkiyeMA in Public Policy24 mo——
Seoul National UniversitySouth KoreaGlobal Master of Public Administration (GMPA)16 mo——
Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityChinaMaster of China's Public Policy (MCPP)24 moCNY 70,000/yr—
Simon Fraser UniversityCanadaMaster of Public Policy (MPP)24 mo——
Sungkyunkwan UniversitySouth KoreaGlobal MPA in e-Government and Public Management17 mo——
Syracuse UniversityUnited StatesExecutive Master of Public Administration——For professionals with 7+ years of experience
Syracuse UniversityUnited StatesMaster of Public Administration18 mo——
Tampere UniversityFinlandMaster's Programme in Transformative Urban and Regional Governance24 mo——
Tsinghua UniversityChinaInternational Master of Public Administration for Future Leaders (IMPA-FL)12 mo—For senior government officials with several years of public-sector experience
Tsinghua UniversityChinaMaster of Public Policy for Sustainable Development Goals (MPP-SDG)———
Tsinghua UniversityChinaInternational Master of Public Administration (IMPA)12 mo—At least 5 years of full-time work experience after the bachelor's degree
Tsinghua UniversityChinaMaster of Global Affairs (Schwarzman Scholars)12 mo——
UNSW SydneyAustraliaMaster of Public Policy and Governance24 moAUD 47,500/yr—
Umea UniversitySwedenMaster's Programme in Political Science24 mo——
Universidad Autonoma de MadridSpainMaster's Degree in Democracy and Government———
Universidad Carlos III de MadridSpainMaster in European Economic Governance: Law, Politics and Economics———
University College CorkIrelandMSc International Public Policy and Diplomacy12 moEUR 18,500—
University of AdelaideAustraliaMaster of Economics and Resource Policy (Public Economics and Policy)———
University of AdelaideAustraliaMaster of Public Policy24 mo——
University of AucklandNew ZealandMaster of Public Policy18 mo——
University of BolognaItalyEconomics and Public Policy24 mo——
University of British ColumbiaCanadaMaster of Public Policy and Global Affairs20 moCAD 94,427—
University of California, BerkeleyUnited StatesMaster of Public Affairs (MPA)12 mo——
University of California, BerkeleyUnited StatesMaster of Public Policy (MPP)24 mo——
University of California, Los AngelesUnited StatesMaster of Public Policy24 mo——
University of California, San DiegoUnited StatesMaster of Public Policy24 mo——
University of CanterburyNew ZealandMaster of Policy and Governance12 moNZD 51,000—
University of ChicagoUnited StatesMA in Public Policy12 mo——
University of ChicagoUnited StatesEvening Master's Program (MA in Public Policy)15 mo——
University of ChicagoUnited StatesMaster of Public Policy (MPP)24 mo——
University of EdinburghUnited KingdomMSc Comparative Public Policy12 mo——
University of GalwayIrelandMA Public Policy12 moEUR 19,900/yr—
University of GothenburgSwedenMaster's Programme in International Administration and Global Governance24 mo——
University of Hong KongHong KongMaster of Public Administration (MPA)———
University of Hong KongHong KongMaster of International and Public Affairs (MIPA)———
University of LausanneSwitzerlandMaster of Science in Economics———
University of LucerneSwitzerlandMaster Dual Degree in Political Science———
University of MelbourneAustraliaMaster of Public Policy and Management24 mo——
University of MichiganUnited StatesMaster of Public Policy (MPP)24 mo——
University of MichiganUnited StatesMaster of Public Affairs (MPA)9 mo——
University of OsakaJapanMaster of International Public Policy (OSIPP)24 mo——
University of OttawaCanadaMaster of Arts in Public and International Affairs———
University of OxfordUnited KingdomMaster of Public Policy (MPP)12 mo——
University of QueenslandAustraliaMaster of Governance and Public Policy———
University of QueenslandAustraliaMaster of Economics and Public Policy———
University of St. GallenSwitzerlandMaster in International Affairs and Governance (MIA)18 mo——
University of St. GallenSwitzerlandMaster in Economics (MEcon)———
University of SydneyAustraliaMaster of Public Policy———
University of TokyoJapanMaster of Public Policy, International Program (MPP/IP)24 mo——
University of TokyoJapanMaster of Public Policy (GraSPP)24 mo——
University of TorontoCanadaMaster of Public Policy24 mo——
University of Western AustraliaAustraliaMaster of Public Policy18 mo——
University of ZurichSwitzerlandMaster of Arts in Economics———
Université PSLFranceMaster's degree in Public Policy———
Victoria University of WellingtonNew ZealandMaster of Public Policy———
WU Vienna University of Economics and BusinessAustriaMaster's Programme in Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy24 mo——
Waseda UniversityJapanGraduate School of Political Science, English-based Master's Program (Political Science)24 mo——
Zhejiang UniversityChinaMaster of Public Administration (MPA, English-taught)24 mo——
École PolytechniqueFranceMSc&T Data and Economics for Public Policy24 mo——

Every row verified against the official programme page; oldest verification 15 Jul 2026. Nothing here is a paid placement.

Application strategy and funding routes

The flagship programmes differ more in shape than in prestige. Oxford's Blavatnik MPP is twelve months and ~150 places, the most selective and the fastest route back to work. Hertie (Berlin) and LKY (Singapore) run two-year formats with deeper specialisation and strong regional networks — Hertie into EU institutions, LKY across Asia-Pacific governments. LSE's MPA is the outlier label: two years, management-heavy, with dual-degree tracks to Hertie, LKY and Tokyo GraSPP.

Funding is where course length quietly decides your options. Chevening only funds taught master's courses of 9–12 months — Oxford's MPP fits; LSE's two-year MPA does not. DAAD's Helmut-Schmidt-Programme funds public-policy master's degrees at participating German universities with German courses included (check the current participating-programme list). If you hold an offer from a UK university, Commonwealth and GREAT scholarships add further routes. Sequence matters: most scholarships close 10–12 months before the course starts, so the scholarship calendar — not the university's — sets your real timeline.

Which scholarship funds which programme

Computed from each scheme's published rules (destination, level, course length) — not a guarantee; list-based schemes still require checking the official list.

Chevening ScholarshipCommonly chosen by applicants
  • American University of Sharjah — study destination outside the scheme
  • Australian National University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Bilkent University — study destination outside the scheme
  • CERGE-EI — study destination outside the scheme
  • Charles University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Chinese University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • Columbia University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Copenhagen Business School — study destination outside the scheme
  • Copenhagen Business School — study destination outside the scheme
  • Cornell University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Corvinus University of Budapest — study destination outside the scheme
  • Corvinus University of Budapest — study destination outside the scheme
  • Dublin City University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Duke University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Duke University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Duke University — study destination outside the scheme
  • ETH Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Fudan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Fudan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Fudan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID) — study destination outside the scheme
  • George Washington University — study destination outside the scheme
  • George Washington University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Georgetown University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Georgetown University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hamad Bin Khalifa University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Harvard University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Harvard University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Harvard University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hertie School — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hertie School — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • IE University — study destination outside the scheme
  • IE University — study destination outside the scheme
  • ISCTE University Institute of Lisbon — study destination outside the scheme
  • Keio University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Keio University — study destination outside the scheme
  • LMU Munich — study destination outside the scheme
  • LUISS Guido Carli — study destination outside the scheme
  • LUISS Guido Carli — study destination outside the scheme
  • London School of Economics and Political Science — 24-month course exceeds the 12-month limit
  • McGill University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Monash University — study destination outside the scheme
  • NOVA University Lisbon (Nova SBE) — study destination outside the scheme
  • Nanyang Technological University — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • New York University — study destination outside the scheme
  • New York University — study destination outside the scheme
  • New York University Abu Dhabi — study destination outside the scheme
  • Peking University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Peking University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Princeton University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Princeton University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Queen's University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Roskilde University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Sabanci University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Seoul National University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Simon Fraser University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Sungkyunkwan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Syracuse University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Syracuse University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tampere University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • UNSW Sydney — study destination outside the scheme
  • Umea University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Universidad Autonoma de Madrid — study destination outside the scheme
  • Universidad Carlos III de Madrid — study destination outside the scheme
  • University College Cork — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Adelaide — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Adelaide — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Auckland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Bologna — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of British Columbia — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of California, Berkeley — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of California, Berkeley — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of California, Los Angeles — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of California, San Diego — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Canterbury — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Chicago — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Chicago — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Chicago — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Edinburgh
  • University of Galway — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Gothenburg — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Lausanne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Lucerne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Melbourne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Michigan — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Michigan — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Osaka — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Ottawa — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Oxford
  • University of Queensland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Queensland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of St. Gallen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of St. Gallen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Sydney — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Tokyo — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Tokyo — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Toronto — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Western Australia — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Université PSL — study destination outside the scheme
  • Victoria University of Wellington — study destination outside the scheme
  • WU Vienna University of Economics and Business — study destination outside the scheme
  • Waseda University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Zhejiang University — study destination outside the scheme
  • École Polytechnique — study destination outside the scheme
See if you qualifyDeadlines
DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme (Public Policy and Good Governance)Names this field a priority
  • American University of Sharjah — study destination outside the scheme
  • Australian National University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Bilkent University — study destination outside the scheme
  • CERGE-EI — study destination outside the scheme
  • Charles University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Chinese University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • Columbia University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Copenhagen Business School — study destination outside the scheme
  • Copenhagen Business School — study destination outside the scheme
  • Cornell University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Corvinus University of Budapest — study destination outside the scheme
  • Corvinus University of Budapest — study destination outside the scheme
  • Dublin City University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Duke University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Duke University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Duke University — study destination outside the scheme
  • ETH Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Fudan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Fudan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Fudan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID) — study destination outside the scheme
  • George Washington University — study destination outside the scheme
  • George Washington University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Georgetown University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Georgetown University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hamad Bin Khalifa University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Harvard University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Harvard University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Harvard University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hertie School — depends on the official participating list
  • Hertie School — depends on the official participating list
  • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • IE University — study destination outside the scheme
  • IE University — study destination outside the scheme
  • ISCTE University Institute of Lisbon — study destination outside the scheme
  • Keio University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Keio University — study destination outside the scheme
  • LMU Munich — depends on the official participating list
  • LUISS Guido Carli — study destination outside the scheme
  • LUISS Guido Carli — study destination outside the scheme
  • London School of Economics and Political Science — study destination outside the scheme
  • McGill University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Monash University — study destination outside the scheme
  • NOVA University Lisbon (Nova SBE) — study destination outside the scheme
  • Nanyang Technological University — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • New York University — study destination outside the scheme
  • New York University — study destination outside the scheme
  • New York University Abu Dhabi — study destination outside the scheme
  • Peking University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Peking University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Princeton University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Princeton University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Queen's University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Roskilde University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Sabanci University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Seoul National University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Simon Fraser University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Sungkyunkwan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Syracuse University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Syracuse University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tampere University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • UNSW Sydney — study destination outside the scheme
  • Umea University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Universidad Autonoma de Madrid — study destination outside the scheme
  • Universidad Carlos III de Madrid — study destination outside the scheme
  • University College Cork — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Adelaide — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Adelaide — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Auckland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Bologna — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of British Columbia — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of California, Berkeley — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of California, Berkeley — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of California, Los Angeles — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of California, San Diego — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Canterbury — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Chicago — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Chicago — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Chicago — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Edinburgh — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Galway — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Gothenburg — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Lausanne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Lucerne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Melbourne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Michigan — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Michigan — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Osaka — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Ottawa — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Oxford — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Queensland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Queensland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of St. Gallen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of St. Gallen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Sydney — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Tokyo — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Tokyo — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Toronto — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Western Australia — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Université PSL — study destination outside the scheme
  • Victoria University of Wellington — study destination outside the scheme
  • WU Vienna University of Economics and Business — study destination outside the scheme
  • Waseda University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Zhejiang University — study destination outside the scheme
  • École Polytechnique — study destination outside the scheme
Deadlines
Fulbright Foreign Student ProgramCommonly chosen by applicants
  • American University of Sharjah — study destination outside the scheme
  • Australian National University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Bilkent University — study destination outside the scheme
  • CERGE-EI — study destination outside the scheme
  • Charles University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Chinese University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • Columbia University
  • Copenhagen Business School — study destination outside the scheme
  • Copenhagen Business School — study destination outside the scheme
  • Cornell University
  • Corvinus University of Budapest — study destination outside the scheme
  • Corvinus University of Budapest — study destination outside the scheme
  • Dublin City University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Duke University
  • Duke University
  • Duke University
  • ETH Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Fudan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Fudan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Fudan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID) — study destination outside the scheme
  • George Washington University
  • George Washington University
  • Georgetown University
  • Georgetown University
  • Hamad Bin Khalifa University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Harvard University
  • Harvard University
  • Harvard University
  • Hertie School — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hertie School — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • Hong Kong University of Science and Technology — study destination outside the scheme
  • IE University — study destination outside the scheme
  • IE University — study destination outside the scheme
  • ISCTE University Institute of Lisbon — study destination outside the scheme
  • Keio University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Keio University — study destination outside the scheme
  • LMU Munich — study destination outside the scheme
  • LUISS Guido Carli — study destination outside the scheme
  • LUISS Guido Carli — study destination outside the scheme
  • London School of Economics and Political Science — study destination outside the scheme
  • McGill University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Monash University — study destination outside the scheme
  • NOVA University Lisbon (Nova SBE) — study destination outside the scheme
  • Nanyang Technological University — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • National University of Singapore — study destination outside the scheme
  • New York University
  • New York University
  • New York University Abu Dhabi — study destination outside the scheme
  • Peking University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Peking University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Princeton University
  • Princeton University
  • Queen's University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Roskilde University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Sabanci University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Seoul National University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Simon Fraser University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Sungkyunkwan University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Syracuse University
  • Syracuse University
  • Tampere University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Tsinghua University — study destination outside the scheme
  • UNSW Sydney — study destination outside the scheme
  • Umea University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Universidad Autonoma de Madrid — study destination outside the scheme
  • Universidad Carlos III de Madrid — study destination outside the scheme
  • University College Cork — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Adelaide — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Adelaide — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Auckland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Bologna — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of British Columbia — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of California, Berkeley
  • University of California, Berkeley
  • University of California, Los Angeles
  • University of California, San Diego
  • University of Canterbury — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Chicago
  • University of Chicago
  • University of Chicago
  • University of Edinburgh — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Galway — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Gothenburg — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Hong Kong — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Lausanne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Lucerne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Melbourne — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Osaka — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Ottawa — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Oxford — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Queensland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Queensland — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of St. Gallen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of St. Gallen — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Sydney — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Tokyo — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Tokyo — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Toronto — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Western Australia — study destination outside the scheme
  • University of Zurich — study destination outside the scheme
  • Université PSL — study destination outside the scheme
  • Victoria University of Wellington — study destination outside the scheme
  • WU Vienna University of Economics and Business — study destination outside the scheme
  • Waseda University — study destination outside the scheme
  • Zhejiang University — study destination outside the scheme
  • École Polytechnique — study destination outside the scheme
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Frequently asked questions

Is an MPP worth it?

It depends on the exit you want. For ministries, multilateral organisations and policy consultancies, the MPP is a recognised credential and the alumni network often matters as much as the coursework. For private-sector roles outside government affairs, an MBA or a specialised MSc usually signals better. Public-sector pay also means the return is career-capital, not salary.

Can I apply without an economics background?

Yes — flagship MPPs admit lawyers, journalists, engineers and humanities graduates every year. You will need to clear the economics and statistics cores, which is where non-quantitative admits report working hardest in the first term, but no programme in our map requires an economics degree.

What is the difference between an MPP, an MPA and an MPhil in Public Policy?

Roughly: the MPP centres on policy analysis (evidence, economics, evaluation), the MPA on public administration and management (running organisations), and an MPhil is the research-flavoured variant that can lead into a PhD. Recruiters read them differently, and schools use the labels inconsistently — always check the actual curriculum.

Does Chevening fund public policy degrees?

Public policy is one of the most commonly funded Chevening fields — but Chevening only covers taught master’s courses of 9–12 months in the UK. That makes Oxford’s 12-month MPP eligible while LSE’s two-year MPA falls outside the rule. Check course length before building your Chevening application around a school.

Do I need work experience to apply?

Formally, most programmes ask for none or little; practically, flagship cohorts average several years of professional experience, and scholarship rules add their own floors — Chevening requires two years, and DAAD’s Helmut-Schmidt-Programme also expects professional experience. Fresh graduates are admitted, but they compete against applicants with a policy track record.

Related fields

AI and Public PolicyAnti-Corruption and GovernanceCultural Heritage ManagementEducation PolicyGender and DevelopmentGlobal GovernanceHigher Education ManagementInternational DevelopmentMigration StudiesPeace and Conflict StudiesPublic Financial ManagementScience and Technology PolicySocial PolicySpace PolicyTax Policy and AdministrationUrban Governance

Sources

Official programme pages (linked per row above) · official scholarship rules and participating-programme lists · university admission regulations. Every data row records its source URL and verification date; stale rows are re-checked or removed.

Global Study Prep is independent and not affiliated with any university or scholarship programme. Programme details change — always confirm on the official page before applying.

Public Policy Masters: Programmes, Careers & Scholarships | Global Study Prep