PUBPO-MA - Public Policy (MA)

The mission of the Master of Arts degree in Public Policy is to provide students with the advanced skills necessary to assess the performance of alternative approaches to policy making and implementation, evaluate program effectiveness, understand the political constraints faced by policy-makers, and appreciate the conflicts in fundamental human values that often animate policy debate. After completing the graduate core curriculum, students apply these skills by focusing their studies on a 5-unit master’s thesis.

Application and Admissions

Applications for graduate study in Public Policy are only accepted from:

1. Students currently enrolled in any Stanford graduate or undergraduate degree program

2. External applicants seeking a joint degree, or

3. Stanford alumni (who have graduated within the past five years).

External applicants for joint degrees must apply to the department or school offering the other graduate degree (i.e., PhD, MD, MA, MS, MBA, or JD), indicating an interest in the joint degree program; applicants admitted to the other degree program are then evaluated for admission to the MPP program.

To be considered for enrollment beginning in autumn quarter 2026-27, all application materials must be submitted no later than January 28, 2026. Admission notifications will be sent to applicants by April 1, 2026. Admitted students are required to respond to offers of admission by May 15, 2026.

Stanford Alumni within 5 Years of Stanford Degree

Visit the Stanford Office of Graduate Admissions. The online application for the MPP is available beginning in mid-September 2025. The application fee is $125. The program cannot refund an application fee, so prospective applicants are advised to refer to eligibility requirements before applying.    

Only complete applications submitted by the deadline are reviewed. A complete application includes the following:

1. Application

2. Official transcripts — copies of student transcripts must bear the institution’s official seal and the registrar’s signature. Upload transcripts to the online application.

3. Test scores — GRE, GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT.

4. Letters of recommendation — three confidential letters of recommendation from a Stanford faculty member or an employer should be submitted electronically via the online application. See the Stanford Office of Graduate Admissions website regarding letters of recommendation. At least one of the three letters must be from a Stanford faculty member.

5. Statement of purpose (not to exceed two pages; upload to the online application).

6. Resume or curriculum vitae (upload to the online application).

7. Prerequisite completion statement demonstrating completion of required prerequisite coursework in calculus and introductory economics.

Current Stanford Graduate Students

1. Application for Current Stanford Graduate Students.

2. Two confidential letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a Stanford faculty member familiar with the applicant’s academic work.

3. Undergraduate and graduate transcripts.

4. GRE, GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT test scores.

5. Statement of purpose, not to exceed two pages.

6. Resume or curriculum vitae.

7. Preliminary program proposal.

8. Prerequisite completion statement demonstrating completion of required prerequisite coursework in calculus and introductory economics.

Applicants may be interviewed. If admitted, students will submit a Graduate Authorization Petition through Axess. A $125 fee is charged when adding the MPP degree program in Axess.

Application deadline: January 22, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. to start the program in spring quarter 2026.