Application Instructions

Listed below are application instructions and deadlines for the online M.P.A. Program. 

Application Instructions:

  • Apply online.
  • The applicant must submit official transcripts from all colleges previously attended. Transcripts must be sent from the applicant's undergraduate institution (and any graduate institutions) directly to ISU's Graduate Admissions Office. To be official, transcripts must be sent directly from one institution to another.
  • Applicants may also send unofficial (or official) copies of their transcripts to the M.P.A. director, or upload them into the university's admission system. In some cases, sending transcripts to both the graduate school and the M.P.A. director will help expedite the process. However, official transcripts MUST be sent to the admissions office at the address provided.
  • Three letters of recommendation are required. Applicants should identify referees who may be able to comment on applicants' potential for graduate work. Letters may originate either from academic or professional referees. These might include current or past professors, or colleagues with graduate degrees, for example. Letters should address applicants' motivation and ability to perform academically at the graduate level. Referees may also comment on applicants' academic preparation and career goals, and how graduate work in public administration fits with those goals. Letters will be requested from referees listed by applicants on their online application forms. However, the referee may also send letters directly to the MPA directly, if that method is preferred.
  • A written statement of purpose is required that details the applicant's reasons for applying to the M.P.A. program and explains how the degree fits in with the applicant's career goals. The statement should be one to two pages. The document should be double-spaced, and typed in either ten- or twelve-point type face. Applicants should upload the document into their online admissions files.
  • Graduate Record Examination test scores, or scores from other standardized examinations, are NOT required, although the applicant may at his or her discretion submit test scores for consideration.
  • International applicants, unless exempt (as noted above), must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or provide equivalent evidence of language proficiency.
  • Submit a nonrefundable application fee of $45.00 (U.S. citizens and permanent residents) or $65.00 (international students) payable by Visa, MasterCard, or check or money order payable to Indiana State University.

IMPORTANT: Official transcripts, admission application, application fee, and (if applicable) language proficiency test scores such as the TOEFL should be submitted directly to Indiana State University, Graduate Admissions, Welcome Center, 318 North 6th Street, Terre Haute, IN 47809. E-transcripts should be sent to admissions@indstate.edu All other documentation (including unofficial transcripts, letters, statement of purpose, and unofficial scores from tests such as the GRE) should be uploaded into the online admission system. Letters of recommendation may be uploaded into the system or sent directly to Dr. Stan Buchanan, Associate Professor, Director, M.P.A. Program, Indiana State University, Holmstedt Hall, room 306, Terre Haute, IN 47809.

Note: Students who are admitted will be notified by the University. Admitted students will also receive information that will permit them to enter and use the MyISU Portal. After consultation with the M.P.A. director, students may then use the system to enroll online. For further information about using the MyISU Portal, contact Indiana State Online at (812) 237-2345 or IndianaStateOnline@indstate.edu.

Deadlines:

The M.P.A. Program accepts applications for student enrollment throughout the year. There are no application deadlines. The M.P.A. admissions committee meets on a monthly basis, except for August and December, to review applications completed in the previous 30 days. Admission requests are then reviewed by the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies (CGPS). But normally, applicants should receive word of the final admission decision within a few days after the admissions committee meets.