Applying for the Executive MPA programme
The Executive Master of Public Administration is aimed at professionals from all sectors. Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- A good higher education degree in any discipline (typically, Executive MPA participants have a background in business/economics, law, social science or natural sciences)
- At least three years of relevant work experience (average is nine years)
- Proficiency in English
Applications for the next Executive MPA class are now open on our online application portal.
Programme
Create an online account in our application portal and follow the step-by-step instructions. Fill in the online application carefully and completely. Incomplete applications cannot be accepted.
Please upload the required supporting documents in .pdf format to the online application portal:
- Your curriculum vitae (in English or German)
- A letter of motivation (in English or German, preferably in English – two pages or 900 words maximum)
- Copies of official academic transcripts and diplomas of all attended universities. Every transcript must include a transcript key (an explanation of the grading system). If these documents are not in English or German, the applicant needs to provide us with a certified or notarised translation into English or German. Hard copies are not required until after acceptance into the programme.
- Two letters of reference (in English or German, or a certified/notarised translation into English or German), of which at least one should come from the applicant's current or last employer. The second can be issued by an academic referee or a former employer. Applicants who undergo an annual performance evaluation by their employer can replace one of the reference letters with this document. Reference letters should be on official letterhead (if applicable) and include an original signature. The Hertie School may decide to contact the referee(s) to confirm the authenticity of the issued document(s).
Reference letters can also be sent to the admissions team by the referee directly, either as an email attachment to empa-admissions[at]hertie-school[dot]org, or via regular mail to:
Hertie School
Recruitment and Admissions
Friedrichstraße 180
10117 Berlin - Germany - An English proficiency certificate (for non-native English speakers, if applicable).
An application can be saved and revisited until it is "submitted". Once submitted, the application will no longer be accessible to the candidate.
All documents must be submitted in English. Please note we are not able to return any application materials.
Please keep in mind that only complete applications will be evaluated. It is the responsibility of applicants to make sure they submit all required documents and that the submitted documents are valid.
Funding
Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. The earlier you submit your complete application, the earlier we can provide feedback. The school seeks to admit students with strong applications as soon as possible.
After receiving an offer of admission to the Hertie School, you will be invited to our scholarships portal. There, you will have the option to apply for funding from the Hertie School:
- Full scholarships (competitive awards, applicants with a specific profile or interest, 100% of tuition fees)
- Partial scholarships (applicants with financial need, or a specific profile or interest, 10-50% of tuition fees)
Full scholarships often require extra application steps, such as an additional application essay, so please read the requirements on each scholarship page carefully. You may only apply for one full scholarship per application cycle.
You will have two weeks after your offer of admission to complete your scholarship application.
Admissions process
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applications for tuition waivers are accepted throughout the application period as long as funds are available. Partial scholarships for specific profiles are also available for the Executive MPA, and most have a deadline of 1 June.
The selection committee may decide to invite preselected candidates to a phone or skype interview. The committee also decides on the admissions for the new Executive MPA cohort.
Selection criteria
In our admissions process, we assess three main aspects: personal suitability, which involves reviewing professional and international experience, as well as current or potential leadership roles; academic excellence, determined by a history of strong academic performance in previous degrees, along with linguistic qualifications; and motivation, evaluated based on the personal statement highlighting reasons for studying public administration/management and alignment with Hertie School's values.
Candidates who pass this evaluation will then be invited to an interview with a faculty member.
