Please use a supported browser to enjoy the best possible user experience. Here are a few we recommend:
Admissions officers are looking forward to hearing from students who are interested in Harvard University. Kennedy School of Government has been sent.
John F. Kennedy School of Government / John F. The Kennedy School of Government is situated in an urban area in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
What do we look for in our MPA/ID students?
First of all, we look for appropriate career focus. Most of our admitted MPA/IDs have at least two years of experience working in development-related fields in the public sector, nonprofit organizations, central or regional banks, international development organizations, research organizations, or for-profit companies. The majority of the time, the work has been done in developing nations.
Second, we seek candidates who are enthusiastic about studying quantitative analysis and economics for growth and policy design. We urge residents of developed and developing nations to submit applications to the MPA/ID Program.
What else you should know
You must also fulfill a number of important academic requirements in order to be considered for the MPA/ID Program.
- Strong academic record with a bachelor’s degree, including honors in economics and mathematics courses
- Three university-level calculus courses, including multivariable calculus, must be completed as prerequisites, as well as at least one course in each of macroeconomics and microeconomics. Statistics and linear algebra courses are desirable, but not required.
- Competitive scores on the GRE or GMAT, particularly in the quantitative section A score in the 75th percentile or higher on the GRE or GMAT quantitative section will generally make you the most competitive applicant for admission.
- IELTS/TOEFL: Proof of English proficiency is shown by an overall band score of 7 on the IELTS (only for applicants whose native language is not English) or a TOEFL score of at least 100 on the iBT. *.
- Recommendations: We seek strong endorsements from academic and professional referees who are familiar with you and who can speak to your qualifications for our program and development policy experience.
- Three essays will give you the chance to introduce yourself to us: one will be about why you chose to work in international development, one will be about a time when you showed leadership, and one will analyze a problem in public policy or development and offer several potential solutions.
Simply meeting the criteria above does not guarantee admission. We carefully review each application we receive because there are many more qualified applicants than we can accept into our program. Offers of admission are made to the strongest candidates.
Typical MPA/ID class profile
| Citizenship | Gender | Age |
|---|---|---|
| 75% developing countries | 52% men | 20% 23-25 years old |
| 15% United States | 48% women | 50% 26-28 years old |
| 10% other industrialized countries | 30% 29+ years old |
What to Expect
“As a public-school student coming from Mexico, it was hard to imagine I could be in the same room with ex-presidents and Nobel Prize winners. During this past year at HKS I worked with faculty members in my university analyzing innovative tax collection programs in South Africa, teamed up with classmates from all over the world—Japan, Nepal, Peru, Kenya, and China— in understanding how COVID-19 impacted differently democracies and autocracies, and learned from Latin American central bankers how to achieve macroeconomic stability in uncertain times. These experiences are making me a better decision-maker, ready to make a big difference in my country. I am eager to start my second year at HKS!”
-Quetzali Ramirez Guillen, MPA/ID 2023 (Mexico)
“The MPA/ID stands out as an internationally oriented program by hosting a diverse set of high-performing students to undertake an integrated economics-focused development curriculum together. Every day is an opportunity to weave together economic theory and development practice using a wealth of insights from my professors and classmates own professional and personal experiences. Prospective applicants should be very excited to share their accomplishments and challenges with similarly driven individuals from across the developing world.”
-Miguel Ventura, MPA/ID 2024 (Philippines)
“Being at the Kennedy School is an immense privilege and a fantastic opportunity to learn from incredible professors, but especially from your peers from all around the world. In addition, you will have the chance to live in a city in which you will be surrounded by brilliant minds interested in solving the worlds most challenging problems.”
-Marco Brancher, MPA/ID 2023 (Brazil)
In this article, Zainab Raji explains that while working for McKinsey, “I witnessed the debilitating impact of Nigeria’s flailing macroeconomic outlook on once thriving businesses in 2016. Subsequent macro events made it increasingly clear that I needed more grounding in economic theory, development policy, and general management to become a more effective development professional. Fortunately, I discovered the MBA/MPA-ID program.”
Dr. Zainab Raji
I quickly picked up a lot of economics knowledge during the MPA/ID Program, developed a strong set of analytical skills for comprehending complex policy issues, and increased my understanding of how countries develop and the many reasons why they frequently do not. In the end, the MPA/ID Program taught me how to be useful when confronted with any complex problem, particularly when working with governments in developing countries or in underprivileged contexts. “.
Tim O’Brien, Senior Manager of the Applied Research Growth Lab at the Center for International Development (Cambridge, MA, USA), received his MPA and ID in 2015.
MPA/ID Admissions & Student Life 10.22.2021
FAQ
What is MPA ID Harvard?
The Master in Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID) Program is a demanding, economics-focused program created to educate the upcoming practitioners and leaders in the field of international development.
How hard is it to get into Harvard MPP?
Given its acceptance rate of just 3. Even the best applicants have trouble getting into Harvard Medical School due to its acceptance rate of only 5%. Application numbers for the class of 2025 at Harvard Medical School are as follows: 8,002
Is Harvard Kennedy School competitive?
There is no minimum GPA necessary for admission to Harvard Kennedy School. The Harvard Kennedy School’s most competitive applicants have a 3.0 undergraduate GPA. 6 or above.
Is Harvard Kennedy School hard to get in?
We rarely admit applicants directly from undergraduate school. a Bachelor’s degree and proof of quantitative competence, such as success in calculus, statistics, or economics courses at the undergraduate level Read our standardized test score policy for more information.