Online Executive MPA FAQ

The online executive master of public administration degree from Syracuse University is offered through the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, which is the #1-ranked school for graduate education in public affairs.

Graduates of the program earn an M.P.A., but the curriculum is geared toward midcareer professionals with a minimum of five years of experience. The online E.M.P.A. is the same program offered on campus but is delivered in an online format.

Maxwell's traditional M.P.A. is a 40-credit program designed for students at various career stages, including recent graduates, while the executive M.P.A. is a 30-credit program designed specifically for midcareer professionals with at least 5-7 years of professional experience.

The reduced credit requirement in the E.M.P.A. recognizes the substantial professional expertise students already bring, and the curriculum emphasizes immediate application to complex organizational challenges with peer learning among experienced professionals from diverse sectors.

The traditional M.P.A. follows a standard campus-based schedule with full-time and part-time options and provides comprehensive foundational training, while the executive M.P.A. is offered in both online and on-campus formats for maximum flexibility for working professionals.

Both programs benefit from Maxwell's #1 ranking and extensive alumni network, but the executive M.P.A. is specifically structured for professionals who want to balance demanding careers with graduate education and accelerate their path to top-tier leadership opportunities.

Yes, as a student you will have access to the same digital resources that are available to students of the on-campus program, such as online libraries and databases, and the alumni community.

Online classes are designed and led by Maxwell School faculty who also teach on campus; and, like the on-campus executive M.P.A. program, the online curriculum is designed to help you develop the same core leadership, management and analytical skills applicable to the public sector and to an array of domestic and international mission-based organizations serving the public good.

30 credits are required to graduate. Learn more about the online E.M.P.A. curriculum here.

The executive M.P.A. online program is flexible but typically completed as a part-time program while students continue to work.

The program can be completed in as few as 20 months of part-time study.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution as well as at least five years of post-baccalaureate professional work experience in managerial positions with progressively greater levels of responsibility. Common areas of experience include leading teams, budgeting and strategic planning.  There is no minimum GPA and the GRE is not required, but students with current scores are encouraged to submit them.

View the application checklist and materials..

In addition to completing the online application, you must also submit the nonrefundable application fee, a personal statement/essay, two letters of recommendation, transcripts (which can be unofficial at the time of application), and a resume or CV.

Application deadlines can be found on our school and departmental admission pages. We admit students into the program to begin classes in the fall (generally late August), spring (generally mid-January) and summer (early May).

Students may petition to have up to six credit hours transferred into the program. For more information on the criteria and process for a petition, contact Gina Didio, Academic Support Coordinator (Public Administration and International Affairs Department) at gtdidio@syr.edu or 315.443.5628.

The GRE is not required for any of the professional and executive master’s programs, including the executive M.P.A. However, applicants with current GRE scores that support their candidacy are encouraged to include them with their application; Syracuse University's ETS institution code is 2823.

Tuition is based on the number of credits for which you register each semester. The 2026-27 graduate tuition rate is $2,086 per credit.

Visit our graduate admission page for additional details.

No, there are no additional fees for the online program.

There is a non-refundable enrollment deposit due once admitted. The deposit is $500 and is credited toward your first tuition payment.

No, federal student aid cannot be used to pay the deposit.

Students may have the ability to view their award package before submitting their deposit, depending on when their Financial Aid Checklist is complete. It takes approximately 10 business days to package aid once all items are complete.

For more information on the financial aid application process for graduate students, visit Syracuse University’s Office of Financial and Scholarship Programs website.

The Syracuse student portal is called MySlice. Your MySlice account includes access to academic records, billing, financial aid, direct deposit set up and more. You will need your Syracuse ID and password to log into MySlice. Please note that MySlice is separate from the applicant status portal used during the admission process.

Students can activate their NetID by visiting the ITS Selfserv page. You will need your SUID number, which was included in the email you received congratulating you on your admission to the program; your SUID number is also listed at the top of your applicant status portal.

For more information on how to access your SUMail, visit the SUMail Answers page here.

Syracuse University’s Maxwell School offers limited and competitive scholarships for its online graduate programs. Students seeking scholarship support can simply indicate so via the relevant question on the application for admission (i.e. “Do you wish to be considered for a Maxwell School scholarship?” which is a program-specific question in the online application).

Please contact Gina Didio, academic support coordinator (Public Administration and International Affairs Department) at gtdidio@syr.edu or 315.443.5628 for more information. 

Yes, students must complete the Syracuse University Graduate Financial Aid Application, which is in addition to the FAFSA if you are a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident (see separate section for FAFSA details). If you are applying for financial aid for a summer session, you must additionally complete the Syracuse University Summer Graduate Financial Aid Application.

Both applications can be found by clicking on “My To Do List” under the Financial Aid section within Syracuse University’s self-service portal, MySlice. Just like the FAFSA, these supplemental aid forms must be completed for each school year you would like to receive federal financial aid.

Once you have been admitted, log into your MySlice account and select “My To Do List” to view your Financial Aid tasks. Three different ‘Status’ descriptions may be listed. They are:

• Initiated: Item is outstanding and needs your immediate attention.
• Partial: We have received your document(s); however, items are still required. You have been sent a request for additional information.
• Received: Required documentation has been received and will soon be reviewed for completeness by our office.

If you have filed your FAFSA, these “To Do List” items will disappear from your list after the Financial Aid Office receives your supplemental application(s). It may take up to ten days from the time you file these applications until the Financial Aid Office receives and removes the item from your “To Do List.”

U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents are eligible to apply for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. Learn more about federal student aid at fafsa.gov.

The Department of Education awards Federal Pell Grants and Direct Subsidized Loans to eligible undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need and have not yet completed their bachelor’s degrees. The Department of Education does not evaluate need or income for loans at the graduate or professional level. Therefore, graduate students are unfortunately not eligible for the Federal Pell Grant nor the Direct Subsidized Loan.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the application the U.S.  Department of Education uses to determine if you are eligible to receive federal student aid.

The Syracuse FAFSA school code is 002882.

No. If you are applying for graduate school, you are considered an independent student and do not need to include your parents’ information to complete the FAFSA, regardless of your age.

The FAFSA is typically available each year on Oct. 1, for the upcoming academic year. New students planning to use U.S. federal student aid should complete a FAFSA while applying for admission. Continuing students will need to submit a FAFSA each year they plan to receive federal student aid.

Refernce the chart below to determine which FAFSA to complete based on your desired start date.

An academic year is the year for which financial aid is used to fund your education. Generally, this is the 12-month period that begins on July 1 of one year and ends on June 30 of the following year.

Yes. Because eligibility for federal student aid does not carry over from one award year to the next, you will need to complete the FAFSA for each award year for which you are or plan to be a student.

It is strongly recommended that U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents include their SSN on their application. This will allow the FAFSA information to link to the student.

The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is a U.S. federal loan offered to students to help with the cost of education. The Federal Unsubsidized Loan is not based on income or financial need.

Learn more about federal student aid eligibility criteria on the Federal Student Aid website.

The aggregate loan limit is the total amount that you may borrow in federal student loans for undergraduate and graduate study. In addition to borrowing limitations based on the cost of attendance for the program, students are also limited in terms of lifetime borrowing. The maximum aggregate loan limit changed with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.  

If the total loan amount you receive over the course of your education reaches the aggregate loan limit, you are not eligible to receive additional loans. However, if you repay some of your loans to bring your outstanding loan debt below the aggregate loan limit, you can then borrow again, up to the amount of your remaining eligibility under the aggregate loan limit. You can learn more about graduate annual loan limits on the Federal Student Aid website.

Log in on the Federal Student Aid homepage to view your federal student loan borrowing history and loan servicer details. Please note that private education loans are not listed on this site. Students in default are not eligible for additional federal loans. Contact your lender for default resolution options.

Federal Direct Subsidized Loans are available to undergraduate students with financial need. The U.S. Department of Education pays the interest on subsidized loans while students are enrolled in their undergraduate program. The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is available to undergraduate and graduate students and does not require demonstration of financial need.

The Federal Unsubsidized Loan begins accruing interest as soon as funds are disbursed. Learn more about the difference between unsubsidized and subsidized loans on the Federal Student Aid website.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs administers a variety of education benefits, including the Post 9/11 GI Bill® and Yellow Ribbon Program.

Only the VA can determine if you are eligible for education benefits. To determine your eligibility through the VA, you will need to complete an application through the VA website.

You may be eligible for a variety of education benefits that the VA offers. You can apply for these benefits through the VA to fully determine your eligibility.

Step 1: If you are using VA education benefits for the first time, please complete the education benefits application through the VA.

Step 2: Once your application has been processed, you will receive a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA. Please forward a copy of your VA COE to the Office of Veteran Success at veterans@syr.edu.

Step 3: After you register for classes, complete Syracuse University’s Request for Certification (RFC) for that session. This form is available in Syracuse University’s self-service portal, MySlice.

NOTE: The RFC must be submitted for each term you wish to use your VA education benefits. Once you register for the upcoming term, you can then go onto your MySlice account and fill out the RFC form for that term.

Please contact the Office of Veteran Success at veterans@syr.edu or 315.443.0358 to discuss your specific benefits and to determine if there are any out-of-pocket costs associated with your program.

The University will mail out 1098-T statements to all students that were eligible to receive one. For more information visit the 1098-T Tax Information page.

For details on tax benefits for education, see IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Higher Education, which provides detailed information. Syracuse University is unable to provide tax advice. We urge you to contact your tax advisor or the IRS at 800.829.1040 or www.irs.gov if you have any questions regarding the HOPE or Lifetime Learning Tax Credits.

Form 1098-T reports amounts paid for qualified tuition, scholarship and grants to students enrolled in courses at Syracuse University for which they received academic credit. The information reported on the 1098-T form helps students evaluate whether they are eligible for an educational tax credit.

The 1098-T is an informational form filed with the Internal Revenue Service to report the amounts billed to you for qualified tuition and expenses, and other related information. The primary purpose of the IRS Form 1098‐T is to inform you that we have provided this required information to the IRS.