FAQs

Applying

• Who should apply?
  • Recent graduates exploring public sector or nonprofit careers
  • Current professionals seeking advancement
  • Military and community service members
  • Students interested in public policy, community development, governance, or nonprofit leadership
• What are the admission requirements?
  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • Undergraduate GPA of at least a 3.0
  • Personal statement (career goals & public service motivation)
  • Résumé
  • Names of two references
  • GRE is required is your undergraduate GPA is less than a 3.25

  
  Prerequisite courses:
  

  • Introduction to Statistics
  • Introduction to American Government.

   

  Visit the Graduate School for more details.

• What are the admission deadlines?

  The MPA program has a rolling admissions process, so you can apply any time before the deadline for a specific semester.

  • Fall, August 1
  • Spring, December 1
  • Summer, April 15

  Apply Here

• Do I need to be interviewed?
  An interview is not mandatory, but it is encouraged to make the program will meet your needs and interests.
• After submitting all my application materials, how long will it take to know if I am accepted?
  Applications are reviewed every two weeks once submitted to the Graduate School. 
• Can I transfer credits from graduate classes taken at another university?
  Students can transfer up to 12 credit hours into the MPA program with approval from the MPA Director.
• Do you offer Graduate Assistantships?

  Yes. There are a limited number of Graduate Assistantships (GA). The GA Award includes a tuition waiver and a stipend, and in return, the student is expected to work 20 hours per week helping a professor with his/her undergraduate classes. 

  Please note that GAs are selected in late winter/early spring for the following academic year. If you are seeking a GA award, please:

  • submit your application and complete the FAFSA before April 1. (if you not seeking a Graduate Assistantship, submit the FAFSA ASAP. This document is required for financial assistance.
  • complete the MPA Graduate Assistantship Application and submit it to g.dumont@unf.edu. 
• Are the requirements the same for international students?
  Yes, but a live Zoom interview will be required. More information about the process for international students can be found through the UNF International Center.

Financial Assistance

• Are there scholarships for MPA students?

  Yes! The MPA program has its own scholarships and the college (COAS) and the university also has scholarships that you may be eligible for. 

  These scholarships are awarded once a year. Applications are due in the Spring and awards are announced in the summer.

• How do I find and apply for the scholarships?

  UNF uses the platform Scholarship Universe. It matches students with eligible scholarships. There is no need to apply individually.

  Some scholarship require applicants to submit an essay or other additional materials. Students will receive an email if a scholarship they are eligible for has this additional requirement. 

• How quickly do I need to make a decision about accepting a scholarship?
  We request that you submit your scholarship agreement within 30 days of receipt. Should you have any questions or need more time, you may contact the UNF Scholarship Coordinator at unfscholarships@unf.edu.
• Can I lose my UNF Institutional scholarship?

  Yes; if you do not meet the terms of your scholarship contract, your scholarship may be canceled. Read your scholarship agreement carefully, maintain the required UNF institutional GPA and be sure to enroll per your scholarship agreement at UNF for renewal.

  Students are evaluated for scholarship eligibility at the end of each spring semester to determine renewal for the next academic year. If you do not enroll in the minimum UNF credit hours each term (fall and spring), however, your scholarship may be in jeopardy even after the fall term. Check your scholarship agreement to see if you may take summer coursework to meet the credit hour renewal requirement for your scholarship.

Scholarship Universe

• How do I log in to Scholarship Universe?
  • If you have not yet set up your my Wings and/or UNF email account, please see https://www.unf.edu/admissions/tech.html for step-by-step instructions.
  • Log in to https://unf.scholarshipuniverse.com using your UNF credentials (the same information used to log in to my Wings).
  • Start answering matching questions by clicking on the bright green banner at the top or “Questions” on the left side.
• How do I view Matches and Partial Matches requiring an application?
  • Log in to Scholarship Universe and click the Scholarships link on the left. Your matches will appear on the first tab.
  • Click the “Apply” button to begin.
• How do I view scholarships offered by UNF?
  • In Scholarship Universe, you can only view internal scholarships that require an application and non-application internal scholarships that you have been
  • Many colleges and departments have listed their scholarships on their websites.
  • Admissions scholarships offered through Enrollment Services are listed at https://www.unf.edu/scholarships/programs.html.
• How do I qualify for the most possible scholarships?
  • The more scholarship matching questions you answer in Scholarship Universe, the more scholarships you may match to. Be sure to visit Scholarship Universe on a regular basis to keep your question bank up to date!
  • Questions that relate directly to internal UNF awards end in “(UNF)”, so try to answer these first for the best matching outcome.

Courses

• How will I know when courses are going to be offered?
  Each semester, the MPA Director will email all active students an updated course rotation for the next four semesters. Plan your schedule prior to registering for classes.
• How soon before classes start do I need to register?
  It is preferable that you register at least three weeks prior to classes starting, if not sooner. The earlier you apply the better we know how many students will be in each class. It is university policy that all graduate classes must have a minimum of 10 students. There is some flexibility for required courses, but some electives have been canceled due to low enrollment. Please register as soon as possible.
• I am not graduating in the spring. When should I take Capstone?
  Capstone should be taken in you final spring semester in the program. If you are graduating the summer or fall, then you should take capstone the preceding spring semester.

Advising

• Who is my adviser?
  The Director of the MPA program is the advisor for all MPA students.
• When should I meet with my advisor?

  You should meet with the MPA Director if you:

  • have questions about your progress.
  • would like permission to take a course outside of the MPA program.
  • want to discuss career options.
  • want to say hi.

Graduation

• What do I need to do to graduate?

  If you believe you are in your final semester, review Degree Works to see if you have any unmet requirements. Often students will identify discrepancies. If you do, reach out to the MPA Director to make the needed adjustments.

  Students are required to apply for graduation in their final semester. This can be done through MyWings.

• I am a member of Pi Alpha Alpha. How do I get an honors chord to wear at graduation?
  Please see the Pi Alpha Alpha faculty advisor at least two weeks before graduation with this request.