We know that attending graduate school is a significant investment in your future, and that financing your education will play a major roll in your decision. Fortunately, there are many financial aid and funding opportunities that can help alleviate some or much of the burden. We encourage you to explore the many scholarship, grant, loan and work-study options available that help make paying for graduate school as affordable an investment as possible.
Tuition and Other Costs
The Washington State Legislature sets tuition and fee rates, which are then approved by the University of Washington Board of Regents. Tuition-based programs, including the MPA full-time tract, are maintained by the Office of Planning & Budgeting and are determined by your grade classification, residency status, graduate tier, and the total number of credit hours for which you register. Fee-based programs, including the MPA part-time tract, graduate certificates, and the EMPA, are maintained by the Continuum College, and are charged per credit hour. Please note that tuition and fees are subject to annual increases.
Tuition and Fees
All rates are for full-time enrollment (7–18 credits) for three quarters (autumn, winter, and spring). See the UW’s requirements for establishing in-state residency.
| 2024-25 Annual Tuition | Fees | Total | |
| WA Resident | $27,028 | $1,940 | $28,968 |
| Non-Resident | $46,083 | $2,775 | $48,858 |
Additional Costs
- Books and supplies for all courses required to earn MPA: $2,550
- Nine core courses (first year): $1,350
- Electives (second year): $1,200
- Rent, utilities, and food: $22,674 (for nine-month academic year)
- Personal/miscellaneous expenses: $2,508 (for nine-month academic year)
Health Insurance
- International students are required to purchase the International Student Health Insurance Plan through the Student Insurance Office.
- All other students may purchase health insurance through Washington Healthplanfinder.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fees are paid quarterly. Tuition is the same for in-state and out-of-state residents.
For the 2024-25 academic year:
- Tuition: $918 per quarter credit for 1–8 credits ($7,344 per 8-credit quarter or $22,032 annually for 24 credits)
- There is an additional per credit fee of $1,330 if you take more than eight credits per quarter.
- Fees: $450 per quarter (totaling an estimated $1,350 annually)
Additional Costs
- Books and supplies for all courses required to earn MPA: $2,550
- Nine core courses : $1,350
- Electives: $1,200
- Rent, utilities, and food: $22,674 (for nine-month academic year)
- Personal/miscellaneous expenses: $2,508 (for nine-month academic year)
Tuition and Fees
Costs are for the entire program, tuition is paid quarterly. Fees include quarterly UW nonrefundable registration fee, technology fee, services activities fee, U-PASS transit program, and Evans School course fee.
| 2024-25 Tuition | Fees | Total | |
| In-State & Out-of-State Residents | $54,090 | $2,452 | $56,544 |
Additional Costs
- Textbooks: $200
- Quarterly travel to Seattle if not based locally
- Living and personal expenses
Building Resilient Local Governments
This is a fee-based program, with a total cost of $9,223. Evans School Graduate Certificate participants who are current WCMA members will receive an Evans School fellowship covering 1/3 of the tuition. View a detailed breakdown of the tuition and fees.
Leading Public Innovation
This is a fee-based program, with a total cost of $5,138. Evans School Graduate Certificate participants whose employers pay at least 1/3 of the total program tuition receive an Evans School scholarship covering an additional 1/3 of the tuition. View a detailed breakdown of the tuition and fees.
We offer all students admitted into our doctoral program five years of full funding through a mix of research and teaching assistantships at the Evans School. Full funding consists of a tuition waiver, a monthly stipend of approximately $2,300-2,600, and health insurance. Research and teaching assistantships have a 20 hour a week work obligation.
Funding Your Evans Program
The first step to funding your program is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which allows you to invest in your future through needs-based loans and private loans. We encourage applicants to file your FAFSA as soon as possible, noting University of Washington, Code 003798 on the form. Eligibility requirements and funding amounts vary annually. Financial aid awards generally require full-time enrollment (10 or more credits per quarter); however, students on the part-time MPA tract and EMPA program are eligible for financial aid at part-time enrollment (at 5 or more credits per quarter).
The Evans School does not participate in the State Employee Tuition Exemption Program for Washington State employees, with the exception of those approved for enrollment as graduate non-matriculated students. Students enrolled in Evans School degree programs are not eligible for Tuition Exemption.
We’ve also compiled a list of other external funding scholarships, grants, and fellowships from outside of the UW.
The UW Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) offers detailed guidance on finding, applying for, and receiving financial aid, including grants and work study. OSFA also administers applications for several UW graduate student fellowships. Applicants who submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by January 15 can expect to receive their financial aid information from OSFA by early April.
We also recommend utilizing the UW’s Graduate Funding Information Service (GFIS) run by UW Libraries to identify internal and external funding opportunities.
Affordability and access to our graduate programs is a top priority for the Evans School. We have a long-standing tradition of awarding merit-based fellowships to a selected number of applicants. Your Evans School application serves as your application for fellowship funding. Fellowships are awarded annually, at time of admission, to selected students in each year’s incoming MPA and EMPA class. Consideration is primarily based on academic achievement and/or excellence in public service.
We encourage all international applicants to review the UW’s online graduate funding guide and resources for international graduate students.
At the UW, there are three primary types of graduate student assistantships, also called Academic Student Employees (ASEs):
- Teaching Assistant (TA): work with students in a classroom, lab, or quiz section setting
- Research Assistant (RA): work on research projects; does not involve teaching
- Graduate Staff Assistant (GSA): other types of duties such as advising or administration
At the UW, academic student employees (ASEs) are hired directly by the employing department. Each department conducts its own individual hiring process and their assistantship job postings will state what is required to be considered for such positions. Learn more about hiring process and how to find a position.
Some, but not all, 20 hour per week assistantships provide a tuition waiver and health insurance through the Graduate Appointee Insurance Program (GAIP). Your offer letter from the hiring department will confirm the length of employment, salary, and benefits eligibility.
Find ASE positions open to all graduate students:
- Handshake
- UWHires (filter for the category “Academic Student Employee”)
- On the Graduate Funding Information Service (GFIS) blog
The Post 9/11 GI Bill and other VA benefits help eligible veterans pay for graduate school. The VA certifying officials at the UW Veterans Education Benefits Office can help you navigate the different options for funding. They can guide you through the complex process of receiving your benefits – from answering questions about the various education benefits, the application and certification process, and advocating on your behalf with the VA.
The Evans School is proud to participate in the Peace Corps Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program. The Coverdell Fellows Program is exclusively for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs). All Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV’s) who identify themselves as such in their MPA application will be considered for Coverdell Fellowships, along with other Evans School fellowships. Fellowship recipients will be notified of their award at the time of admission. Coverdell fellowships are competitive, and not all RPCV’s will receive fellowships.