Application Instructions
Deadline: For priority consideration of acceptance and financial awards, all application materials must be postmarked or received online by January 15 (international applicants are encouraged to apply early). Contact evansadm@u.washington.edu to request approval of late documents, otherwise your application will only be reviewed on a space-available basis. If you intend to apply after the January 15 deadline you must contact us at the email address above or 206.543.4900.
Step 1
Gather your required application materials
- Application fee of $75 (U.S.) for completing the online application to the University of Washington (UW) Graduate School and Evans School.
- Resume including:
- Relevant academic, professional, volunteer, or military experience
- Academic and/or professional honors, prizes, or scholarships
- Leadership positions
- Societies and clubs to which you belong
- Statement of purpose describing in 750 words or less:
- Yourself and your reason(s) for applying to your specific degree program
- Your expectations of your specific degree program in furthering your career objectives
- Your academic background, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, community and/or volunteer work, and any other factors relevant to your interest in public policy and management
- Personal history statement describing in no more than two pages in length (500 words or less):
- Your personal history, family background, and other influences on your intellectual development
- Educational, cultural, and economic opportunities and disadvantages you have experienced, and ways those experiences have affected the development of your special interests, career plans, and future goals
- Transcripts from each college or university you have attended. They can be mailed directly to you then you may forward them to us, or they can be sent directly from the institution to the Evans School. If they have been mailed to you, do not open the transcripts as they will be considered unofficial if the seal is broken, tampered with or opened. Official transcripts are required to prove completion of your bachelor’s and/or master's degrees. Once accepted to your program of choice, you will be asked to send a copy to the UW Graduate Admissions Office.
- Two to three letters of reference to be submitted electronically by your recommenders, through the online application system. You must start the online application and submit the names and email addresses of your recommenders so they can submit the letters. Two letters are required and up to three letters may be submitted. Letters of reference should come from people who are familiar with your professional and academic abilities.
- GRE scores need to be requested from the Educational Testing Center. The Educational Testing Service can be contacted at 609.771.7670 or www.gre.org. Have the scores sent directly to the University of Washington (the GRE no longer uses the code system). Also, include an unofficial copy of scores in your Evans School application packet of required materials that can't be submitted during the online application process. GMAT scores are also accepted.
- TOEFL or IELTS scores for international students. Please see our international applicant information for more information.
Step 2
Complete the UW Graduate School online application for the Evans School. During this process you will be asked to identify which Evans School program you are applying to, and should choose the Public Affairs (M of Public Administration) option. You will then be directed to the appropriate Evans School portion of the application to submit the majority of your required application materials.
Step 3
Required Evans School application materials that are not collected online (i.e. transcripts) need to be mailed in one packet to:
Evans School of Public Affairs
MPA/PCMI Admissions
109 Parrington Hall, Box 353055
Seattle, WA 98195-3055
For questions and more information about the application process, contact Student Services at evansadm@u.washington.edu or 206.543.4900.