Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) MC/MPA Class of 2026 Admissions + Fellowships

[mastercat]

Hey everyone!

I thought it would be helpful to start a thread for those of us applying to the MC/MPA program at HKS this cycle (class of 2026). It’s always a bit nerve-wracking waiting for updates, so let’s use this space to share experiences—whether it’s about interviews, fellowships, or final decisions.

Feel free to drop in with:

• Your general background (domestic (US)/international, sector experience, etc.)
• If you got an interview or decision update
• Fellowship news (Mason, Gleitsman, etc.)
• Any insights from past applicants or admitted students

Hopefully, this helps us all stay connected and informed. Wishing everyone the best of luck! Looking forward to hearing from you all. 😊

Profile:

• International applicant from Southeast Asia with extensive international experience (lived/worked abroad for several years).
• Graduated from a top business-focused university with an MBA with a strong academic record
• Leadership experience includes mentoring, civic engagement, and professional coaching. Co-founded an initiative for equitable access to public transportation.
• Significant public sector consulting experience, focusing on economic policy, governance, and social impact projects. Spent ~8 years in corporate before moving to public sector consulting
• Over 10 years of post-grad experience across consulting, corporate strategy, and public sector work.
• LORs from a mix of academic, senior professional, and executive-level colleagues.
• Passion for economic policy, governance, and institutional reforms, with a regional focus on Southeast Asia.
• Applied to HKS only - hoping for a Hail Mary.

Would love to connect with other applicants and hear about your experiences!

[trini868]

Hey there! thanks for starting this thread! I applied to HKS and Columbia's SIPA! Most of my career has been in the private sector, so I am a little nervous about that. I have always been interested in the intersection of business and politics, and I think MCMPA would be a great way to explore that. Hoping for good news soon! 

[snakessss]

hey thanks for this thread. I am an MCMPA applicant as well. Has anyone received any interview invites for the fellowships? Many are scheduled to conduct their interviews towards the end of February but I am not quite sure when the interview invitations are expected to be sent out. 

[mastercat]

2 hours ago, snakessss said:

hey thanks for this thread. I am an MCMPA applicant as well. Has anyone received any interview invites for the fellowships? Many are scheduled to conduct their interviews towards the end of February but I am not quite sure when the interview invitations are expected to be sent out. 

I haven't received any interview invites for any fellowships, yet. Silly question - if I received a fellowship interview invite, is this as good as getting accepted to HKS?

[snakessss]

@mastercat I think so, that's the impression I got at least. I would imagine the process is admission to HKS --> evaluation for fellowship candidacy.

[snakessss]

On 2/22/2025 at 2:44 AM, snakessss said:

hey thanks for this thread. I am an MCMPA applicant as well. Has anyone received any interview invites for the fellowships? Many are scheduled to conduct their interviews towards the end of February but I am not quite sure when the interview invitations are expected to be sent out. 

UPDATE: I just found this thread. Last year, interview invites were sent out weeks before March 1st, according to this thread.  I suppose this means that by now interview invites must have been sent.

[snakessss]

UPDATE: It seems like the invites for the CPL interviews will be out this week, as confirmed by a representative of the admissions committee on Reddit. 
I think I can't post links in this message? Find the "Harvard Fellowships Interview" thread in the r/PublicPolicy subreddit - the information is in the top comment by this adcom rep.