IPPAM Admission

2022 Applications Are Now Available
Priority Deadline: March 15, 2023

Overview

Successful applicants to IPPAM have come from a wide variety of backgrounds, diverse in terms of both prior academic fields of study (public administration, humanities and social sciences, international relations, business/economics, education, health care, communication, engineering, and natural sciences) and in terms of their occupational field (civil servant, city manager, legislative aide, urban planner, medical professional, teacher or educational administrator, broadcast or print journalist, international development worker, business entrepreneur or managerial assistant, law enforcement and public safety, military, and so forth).

To be considered for admission, candidates must have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited university and three or more years of relevant professional experience. Admission decisions are based on whether an applicant’s academic and professional interests align with the IPPAM program, the quality and duration of work experience, the applicant’s educational background and performance, interviews, application essay, letters of recommendation, and level of English proficiency.

Application Deadline

IPPAM PRIORITY DEADLINE: March 15
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FINAL DEADLINE: May 1
DOMESTIC STUDENT FINAL DEADLINE: July 1

Applicants are encouraged to begin the process as soon as possible. There is no need to wait for TOEFL or IELTS results or letters of recommendation before submitting your application. It is strongly recommended that international applicants apply early and submit official transcripts immediately after applying.

Application Materials

The following items are required to complete the application process.

A USC Graduate Application — Detailed application guidelines are posted on the web page. Select Term “Fall.” Then select “International Public Policy and Management – IPPAM (M.I.P.M.)” for Intended Program of Study.

Application fee of $90

Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, whether or not a degree was earned. To be considered “official,” the transcript must be received by USC in an unopened envelope from your university. Applicants with international transcripts must mail them to the address indicated on the USC Graduate Application. Print and complete the Transcript Cover Page for each college/university you have attended. Complete the form, sign it, and ask the registrar of each institution to attach it to your official transcript.

USC accepts some forms of e-transcripts. Please check with the institution you attended to see if they provide e-transcripts via one of the following methods:

1. eSCRIP SAFE (Grad)
2. eTranscriptCA (CCC)
3. Texas Server (Grad)
4. University to University

If your school does not provide e-transcripts through one of these methods, you must submit a paper copy of your transcripts.  You may upload a copy of your transcript to the application portal to expedite the review process, but an official copy must also be mailed or transmitted electronically by your university.

A minimum of three letters of recommendation, including at least one academic reference from a professor who taught a course in which you were enrolled and at least one professional reference from a work supervisor or employer.  Letters from family friends or from ESL schools generally do not count toward the requirement. Please note: Letters of recommendation must be submitted through the online application system. The Price School does not accept letters of recommendation through postal mail or an applicant’s email.

Current resume (submitted via online application – Employment Information upload)

Statement of Purpose (submitted via online application – Supporting Documents upload).  Aim for a length of  approximately 1,000-1,500 words. Describe:

• Your reasons for applying to the International Public Policy and Management Program and how you see the program contributing to your professional goals or personal growth.
• Your academic interests and the skills or knowledge you hope to gain.

The following items are required to complete the application process:

International applicants must submit an official TOEFL or IELTS Test Score.  The score report must be sent electronically from ETS for the TOEFL or from the IELTS test center.  The test must be dated no earlier than 2 years (24 months) prior to the start of your intended first term at USC. For TOEFL scores, the institution code for USC is 4852 (no department code is required).To submit an IELTS score, please select the “University of Southern California” from the list of available institutions when you register to take the IELTS test. Do not enter the name, contact information or mailing address of the specific USC department to which you are applying on your IELTS registration. If you have already taken the IELTS, you may request that your test results be sent to USC by contacting the test center at which you took the test and requesting that your results be sent to the University of Southern California electronically, not by postal mail. You can search for contact details for all IELTS test centers. USC will only accept IELTS scores sent electronically from the IELTS test center where you took the test. Paper test report forms received by postal mail or email are not accepted. USC Graduate Admissions does not accept Duolinggo Test Scores as proof of English proficiency.  

Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, indicating the award of all degrees with the title and date conferred, in the applicant’s language of instruction and an exact translation into English of each document. The English translation may be provided in a separate document or as part of a dual-language transcript.  (Note: Transcripts from English as a Second Language (ESL) schools do not need to be submitted but the name of the ESL program and the dates of attendance should be noted as part of your educational history in the “Academic Background” section of the application).

If you are a international student planning to apply for an F-1 or J-1 visa, you must submit proof of adequate financial support and a copy of your passport. You must also submit passport copies for your dependents if they will be traveling with you to USC during your study period. 

While it is not necessary to submit your financial documents and a copy of your passport for your application to be reviewed, we highly recommend doing so early during the application process. This will help prevent possible delays in certifying your intent to enroll and receiving your I-20/DS-2019 in the event that you are admitted. To learn more about our costs, financial document submission guidelines and immigration procedures, please click here. Select Price School of Public Policy from the drop down menu.  See the costs for General Master’s Degrees.

It is possible that you do not need an F-1 or J-1 visa to attend USC. Please click here to determine if you are exempt from these visa categories.