The Application

November 15 (early) and December 31 (final) Deadlines - Are all applications materials required to be received by the Duke Graduate School by these dates?

Yes. Receipt of all application materials (including delivery of letters of recommendation, transcripts and test scores such as the GRE and/or TOEFL), we strongly encourage you to check the status of your application at regular intervals prior to December 31. The MPP Admissions Committee will NOT review partial applications and we cannot guarantee review of applications that become complete after December 31.

Am I required to specify specific policy areas on the online application?

Although not obligatory, we like to know what policy areas you might be interested in. This helps us develop possible future courses or concentrations we make available to our students. Policy area examples include: Social, Education, Health, Global and International, Environmental, Race and Ethnicity, Child and Family, Media, etc. Of course you may not know exactly what policy areas you are interested in during the application process, and if so, just omit providing us this information.

Is the “prior study” section intended only for degrees obtained or is it encouraged to list institutions where one studied abroad during one semester/year of undergrad? What should I do with transcripts in non-English languages?

You should include all education experience you have had, undergraduate, graduate, and any individual courses taken outside of a degree granting program. Your grades from time abroad should appear on your official undergraduate transcript, but if they do not, it is up to you to submit those international transcripts as well.

Your transcript(s), translated into English and also submitted in their original language, should be mailed in sealed envelopes by your University Official (such as Registrar's Office), or as an alternative, mailed by the applicant along with any other supporting materials, directly to the Duke Graduate School:

Graduate School Enrollment Services Office 127 Allen Bldg., Box 90065 Duke University Durham, NC 27708-0065

How do I calculate my undergraduate GPA? Do I record my GPA according to Duke's standards or according to my undergraduate university?

You should submit your respective undergraduate university’s GPA. We have a calculator which will convert it to a Duke GPA for you. See the GPA reference guide online.

May I submit a resume with my application?

A 2-3 page resume is required to be submitted with the MPP online application. The required method for us to receive your resume is to upload the document as additional information with the electronic application.

Statement of Purpose - The Duke Graduate School asks for a 1-2 page personal statement, but the MPP Program asks for 2-3 pages. Can you elaborate on this?

As stated on our website, we ask for a “Statement of Purpose - Three to four typewritten pages.“ This is one and the same as the essay so you only need to complete the online statement of purpose. We have found in the past, one page doesn't tell us much about the applicant, hence 3-4 pages usually is appropriate.

We don't specify whether the document needs to be single or double-spaced -- this would be up to you. As a general rule of thumb, using a three-tier method for your statement would be to:

1. Start out by describing yourself, your background and what you've accomplished in the past (during the past few or several years).
2. Then, continue by telling us what you're doing now.
3. Then conclude by letting us know what you think you could benefit by obtaining the MPP degree and what you plan on doing upon completion of an MPP degree.

Evaluation/Recommendation Forms

The preferred method of submission for the evaluation forms and recommendation letters is to use the online option which is part of the electronic application. By using this method, your recommenders can both upload the Duke evaluation form and their personal recommendation letters jointly without having to physically print or mail them. Their evaluation/recommendation forms (when submitted electronically and online) are not required to be submitted at the same time as your application. Hence, they can submit them online after you've submitted your electronic application. We do not encourage the use of mailing printed evaluation/recommendation forms since they are subject to be lost in the postal or delivery system.

Can I download the letter of recommendation forms and send them to my professors, and then have them return the completed recommendation forms for me to send with the additional materials?

The online application allows you to enter the name and email address of the recommender. By this method, they can complete the online recommendation form and also upload an additional letter of recommendation without having to use a printed form. It also allows you to check the status of each recommendation to see if and when it was submitted to make sure you meet the December 31 application materials deadline; this is the preferred method to submit your recommendation/evaluation forms.

Where do I mail my application materials?

Graduate School Enrollment Services Office
127 Allen Bldg., Box 90065
Duke University
Durham, NC 27708-0065

The only application material required to be mailed are transcripts. Resumes and the Duke Evaluation Form (to include recommendation letters) should be uploaded with the online application. Instructions for submitting the recommendation letters and evaluation forms online (electronically) are included during the online application process. Please do NOT mail application materials to the Terry Sanford Institute, as this will delay processing of said documents.

How can I check the status of my application to see if it's complete?

Duke possesses the option for you to check the status of your application online.

If you log on to the Duke Graduate School using your “PIN” and “Password”, and then click on “check application status” you can determine if all components of your application are complete.

We'll also follow-up with you in the late December - early January timeframe if we determine something is missing from your application. We look forward to reviewing your application and appreciate your inquiry.

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More on Applying

How does the MPP Admissions Committee look upon an applicant that applies to more than one program or department at Duke? I just saw on the website that Duke does not advise people to apply to more than one department. Am I hurting my chances of getting in to either department by applying to two departments? Should I withdraw my applications to one of them?

We wouldn't necessarily say applying to more than one department would hurt your changes in being accepted, but it might (and we stress might) make it appear the applicant is “shopping” for whatever program might accept him/her or that the applicant is unsure of which program they're really interested in.

With that said, in the past 4-5 years, the MPP Program has only had one or two applicants applying to more than one department (other than the MPP program). That's not including joint degree applicants, but applicants applying to separate programs at Duke simultaneously.

When should I learn of the admission decision?

The admissions decisions are generally completed not later than mid-March time and you will receive online notification via the Duke Graduate School and/or by mail. Accepted applicants should receive your tuition fellowship (financial aid) award letter by mid March. We conduct a full-day visitation of the Duke MPP program the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy facilities and Duke campus areas for the accepted students in the spring (generally the third week in March). Visitation Day for accepted MPP candidates is a great opportunity to get a flavor of the Institute, Duke and the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill areas. You'll also have the opportunity to meet current students, faculty members, and the administrators who will be your support system at the Terry Sanford Institute. More details on this event will be disseminated in the spring.

Three-Year Undergraduate Degrees (International Applicants)

A requirement for consideration for admission to the Duke MPP Program is that an applicant must have the equivalent of a four-year U.S. bachelor's degree. Unless an applicant can provide evidence of additional college level work to supplement the three-year bachelor's degree, the current three-year degree is not be eligible for admission.

This policy may be reviewed for change in the future based on the recent European Ministers of Education, Bologna Declaration. (pdf)

Contact Info

Email: mppadmit@duke.edu
Phone: 919.613.9205

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The GRE

If I retake the GRE, which scores do you receive and use during the admissions review?

ETS automatically sends us both sets of GRE scores. We generally use the highest test scores and historically tend to see an improvement from the first GRE scores.

When reporting my GRE score on my application, there is room only for one date, and I would like to record the highest marks of the 2 exams which I took on two different dates. May I do this or do all scores need to correspond to the same date?

When your GRE scores are sent from ETS, we will receive all test information but will use the highest scores in each area when considering your application.

Can you waive the requirement for my GRE test score based on my academic qualification, work experience, and past GRE score?

We are unable to provide GRE waivers. ETS maintains scores for 5 years from the test date, therefore applicants who have older than 5 years must retake the GRE and submit their scores by the December 31 deadline.

Do you accept the LSAT in lieu of the GRE?

Applicants applying to Duke Law School may submit the LSAT in lieu of the GRE when applying to the Duke MPP Program. Applications are submitted separately to both the Duke Law School (for the JD program) and the Duke Graduate School (for the MPP program).

If you have taken the GRE within the past five years, you are required to report your GRE scores via ETS to the Duke Graduate School even though you are applying as a joint degree JD/MPP applicant. We strongly encourage all JD/MPP applicants to submit GRE scores as it allows you to be equally competitive with the majority of our applicants who have submitted GRE scores.

Do you accept the GMAT or MCAT in lieu of the GRE?

Because the GMAT and MCAT are primarily designed for business and medical programs we are unable to accept the GMAT or MCAT in lieu of the GRE.

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Financial Aid

Are International students eligible for financial aid?

We offer financial aid in the form of tuition fellowships and assistantships equally for both domestic and international applicants. Financial aid is based on merit.

How are assistantship (TA/RA/GA) positions awarded?

Most assistantships are in the form of teaching assistants for core required undergraduate or graduate classes. In addition, some students perform as research assistants for professors or even work for the Admissions or Career Services offices. In the late fall, you will be given a list of possible assistantship opportunities and will be asked to rank your preferences. The Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate Program Coordinator make the assignments based upon interests, skills, and needs across the department.

Assuming satisfactory course progress in the first year of study, two-year MPP students are awarded assistantships for both the spring semester of the first year of MPP study and then again during the fall semester of the second academic year.

Generally, most students do not work off-campus while in the MPP program. The curriculum is quite demanding and it is difficult to find time for external jobs. However, a few students do juggle part-time work while in school.

Returning Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) and Teach For America(TFA) Alumnus Information

July, 2006: The Duke Master of Public Policy (MPP) Program announces an increase in financial aid awards for Returning Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV's) and Teach for America (TFA) alumnus who are accepted to the Duke MPP Program starting with the Fall 2007 entering class.

RPCV and TFA alumnus have brought many positive attributes to our program. Because these diverse applicants are mostly coming from jobs that pay much less than the private sector, and our hope they will take on public service, community service and non-profit positions upon graduation from Duke's MPP program, we wanted to lessen the financial burden to attend our program, according to Chuck Pringle, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Duke MPP Program.

$12,600 minimum tuition fellowship per year for Duke's two-year MPP students in the form of a combination tuition fellowship and payment for a teaching, research, graduate, or community service assistantship.

$12,000 minimum tuition fellowship for accepted joint/concurrent degree applicants where students spend one year of study in the MPP program and then continue on to start a joint degree curricula in law, environment, business, medical, divinity and other professions degrees.

These monetary amounts represent the minimum awards for each accepted alumnus and they will receive full consideration for additional merit-based tuition assistance based on the strength of their application in concert with the total accepted applicant pool during the given year of application.

Previously, Duke's MPP program offered a 10,000 tuition fellowship to RPCV and TFA alumnus.

Returning Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) Fellows/USA Program Applicants

To apply as an RPCV, the additional requirement for application to Duke's MPP Program are:

1. Indicate your Peace Corps service dates, country, and description of service on your resume.
2. Include your Description of Service (DOS) statement.
3. Mail your Peace Corps Description of Service (DOS) to:
Graduate School Enrollment Services Office
127 Allen Building
Box 90065
Duke University
Durham, NC 27708-0065

If you have not completed your Peace Corps service, you are required to submit the DOS not later than 14 business days after its availability.

4. To be eligible for a Fellows/USA program, former Volunteers are to have completed their Peace Corps service satisfactorily. Satisfactory completion means:

- Having completed the full two-year tour of Peace Corps service, or the full tour minus up to 90 days if you returned home on an emergency leave;

- Having been granted an “Early Close of Service” or an “Interrupted Service” due to circumstances beyond your control; or

- Having been medically separated and having completed a year of service, including training.

- Our program does not offer application fee waivers for RPCV applicants but instead offers guaranteed tuition fellowships for accepted Peace Corps alumni.

How does an IIPP or Pickering Fellow receive an application fee waiver?

The Terry Sanford Institute's MPP Program, a member of the APSIA, APPAM, and U.S. State Department Pickering Fellowship consortiums provide application fee waivers for IIPP and Pickering Fellow applicants.

When you are ready to submit the online application, indicate you are paying the application fee by CHECK and then do NOT send in a check. Immediately upon submitting the online application, email MPPadmit@duke.edu AND roycroft@duke.edu together so the Graduate School will retrieve your online application for processing.

Please make sure to include the required written documentation of your IIPP or Pickering participation with your application materials for review by our Admissions Committee.

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Program Details

What are the general statistics for Duke's MPP matriculating class?

* Undergraduate GPA: 3.5-3.8
* GRE-V Range: 610-710
* GRE-Q Range: 680-770
* GRE-A Range: 5.0-6.0
* TOEFL Average: (iBT): 115; (cBT)

* IELTS Average: 7.5

* LSAT Range: 160-168 (Applicable to Duke Law School joint degree applicants only)
* Work Experience (after completion of undergraduate degree): 3-4 years
* Percentage of students accepted directly from an Undergraduate Program: 8% or less

We strongly encourage completion of a basic statistics and microeconomics course from any accredited academic institution prior to application or matriculation. Although not required, we find these courses better prepare our students for the MPP core curriculum at Duke.

Do you have a part-time MPP program?

No. The MPP program's curriculum and course sequence only allows a full-time program of study.

Do you allow spring admission or spring matriculation?

Unfortunately our program does not offer spring admission. Due to the curriculum sequence, the core courses are only offered once per year in a fall/spring sequence for both years of academic study. Because of this, the structure does not allow us to offer a spring admission or spring matriculation with all of our students starting classes in the fall (August) semester.

For fall matriculation, the deadline for receipt of all application materials is December 31; this deadline date includes (but is not limited to) receipt of recommendation letters, transcripts, and test scores.

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