Application FAQs

The overall MPP program application needs to be complete and well presented as a full package: please take care to do an excellent job of presenting all the following application components in a way that indicates a strong interest in pursuing the two-year year, full-time MPP: academic history + statement of interest + optional diversity statement + letters of strong support (please talk to your referees in advance about the MPP program and your strengths/interests) + CV. If we are able to determine a level of cohesion relating to the structure and learning objectives of the MPP program, it is considered to be a well-done application.

Applicants must also now complete and upload the Kira Talent Videos and Writing sample. The Kira talent will be sent to the applicant by email from GradApp when you select the program of study, with the link to complete the videos and writing samples. Sometimes these emails go into your spam and junk mail, so also look there for this email. If you did not receive the email with the Kira talent link, or you can no longer find it, please email Rejeanne Puran at: mpp.admissions@utoronto.ca

Students are required to complete a policy internship between the first and second year of study, or as otherwise tailored to meet the needs of the student and the placement setting.

Under faculty supervision, the internship allows students to apply their knowledge to significant problems in the public, private or non-profit sectors, and provides students with the opportunity to develop and enhance skills in areas of professional interest. The internship helps students clarify their career direction, gives perspective on classroom learning, and assists students in gaining experience and establishing networks of great value in securing employment after graduation. Internships are paid work experiences that relate to any aspect of policy planning, analysis, decision-making and implementation.

School faculty and staff work individually with students to help them build their capacity to secure an internship appropriate to their program of study and their career needs and goals. The school promotes and welcomes partnerships with government, community and private sector organizations seeking to provide internship opportunities to MPP students.

Upon completion of the internship, each student submits a written research report to their faculty supervisor providing an original analysis of the policy and/or organizational issues dealt with during the internship. These reports, which may be in the form of case studies, will be evaluated by the faculty supervisor on a credit/no credit basis, and may be made available to first year students, teaching faculty, hiring organizations and other practitioners for review.

The Munk School welcomes candidates from a broad range of disciplines, all of whom are interested in pursuing a two-year, full-time professional graduate program in public policy. Please let us know what interests you about the MPP in your statement of interest, the relevance of your undergraduate academic history, and your work/volunteer experience so that we can make a better assessment of your learning objectives in this program.

Most students have degrees in social sciences, with a smaller number having undergraduate majors in humanities, biological or physical sciences, mathematics or engineering. Some students already have advanced degrees. The MPP program does not require prior quantitative training; however prior course work in introductory statistics or first-year calculus, and introductory economics, is strongly recommended.

Please note that prior to starting the first year of the MPP, the Munk School offers an in-depth, in-class Math & Statistics Prep course. Details regarding the prep course are available to incoming students in the summer before their first year. While participation is voluntary, students are required to write the prep course diagnostic.

Referees are requested to write an letter of reference that supports the applicant’s learning objectives in the MPP program. We require a 1-2 page letter of reference that supports your application to the Master of Public Policy program.

Once you complete your online application, you will be prompted to supply the institutional email addresses of your referees. When you enter this information, referees will receive an automatic notification that you have applied to the MPP program and will receive instructions on how to upload their reference in support of your application to the program. You can check the SGS application site online to ensure that your referees have sent in the online reference letter.

After your application is completed and all documents have been submitted, you will then be asked to pay the application fee. You can check the GradApp portal to ensure all documents (including all reference letters) were submitted.

If your reference is unable to upload the letter to the GradApp themselves, please email mpp.admissions@utoronto.ca.

The MPP program is a rigorous and comprehensive professional graduate program that requires a high level of English language proficiency. Please visit the website of University of Toronto’s School of Graduate Studies at www.sgs.utoronto.ca for all information pertaining to English language requirements.

The MPP program is a two year, full-time graduate professional program and is organized and sequenced in a chronology over five consecutive semesters. The way that our MPP program and core courses are structured makes it very difficult to pursue this study on a part-time basis. 

No. The MPP program at the Munk School is a stand-alone professional degree.

Email:
If your professor did not receive the email notification to send a letter of support, please advise your referee to email the letter to: mpp.admissions@utoronto.ca to the attention of: Rejeanne Puran, Recruitment and Admissions Officer

Mail:
Addresses to which material should be mailed if the referee prefers to mail a hard copy of the letter is:
Attention:
MPP Program Admissions
Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
University of Toronto
Canadiana Building, 3rd floor
14 Queen’s Park Crescent West
Toronto, ON M5S 3K9
Canada

**Reference Instructions: We do not use a template or a form. We simply require a 1-2 page letter of reference that supports your application to the University of Toronto Master of Public Policy program.

*** Please also note that sometimes these emails with the links for Referees to upload their letters may go into their junk mail or spam. They can also search here for these emails sent directly from GradApp.

Please advise your referee to email mpp.admissions@utoronto.ca  to the attention of Rejeanne Puran, Recruitment and Admissions Officer.

Applicants are not notified if their application is incomplete. We only review the applications once the deadline has closed. Applicants are responsible for checking to make sure all their components are satisfied.

International students planning to study in Canada generally require a valid study permit. As part of the study permit application, graduate students are now required to submit a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from the Ontario provincial government. Students will receive a PAL from the university through GradApp after they accept an offer of admission and submit the required admission deposit for programs that require one.  For additional information or support, please contact sgs.support@utoronto.ca.  The University of Toronto can accommodate all graduate students who accept their admission (there is not a cap on PALs at U of T).  If students encounter any challenges with obtaining their study permit, they can contact an immigration advisor at the Centre for International Experience.

We also encourage international students to get an early start on getting their study permits and co-op permits once they get admitted into the program and plan to accept their offers. You can visit the Centre of International Experience for more information.