Admitted Students

To accept or decline your admission offer, please log into your online application and enter your decision in that system. This will notify our graduate school of your decision and trigger further important communications. Or, if you decline, you will be removed from email lists.

1. Establish your University of Maryland Directory ID (referred to as your UID) to allow access to University systems and to set up your University email address
2. Send us your new UMD email address to ensure you receive all communications from the School - email Student Affairs at policy-admitted@umd.edu
3. Update the email address listed in your student record to ensure you receive important communications from the University - visit Testudo and follow the link for "Change Address/Email"
4. Visit the Registration Information Counter on the first floor of the Mitchell Building to get your Student ID card (NOTE: you must be registered for classes to get your Student ID card) - available between 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday

1. If you received a graduate assistantship from the School in your admission offer, see the School’s graduate assistantship policy.
2. If you are looking for a graduate assistant position outside of the School, start checking the graduate assistants section of the University jobs website for posted positions to apply to - the application process and requirements will be listed in the position description
3. If you are applying for federal aid, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) - you can also create a FinAid account to track the status of your application and accept or reject aid packages

Beginning with the Fall 2020 semester, all students enrolled full-time in a master’s or doctoral program at the College Park campus must have health insurance coverage.  Full-time students are those who are enrolled for at least 48 units for the semester or 36 units for a 12-week term.

1. Determine your health insurance needs:
   1. Students with graduate assistantships have the opportunity to enroll in the State of Maryland's health benefit plans. Learn more.
   2. If you need insurance, many students choose to enroll in the University's Student Health Insurance Plan - you can find out more by visiting the University Health Center.
2. Submit your Immunization Record Form online no later than the first day of classes - The University requires all students complete the Immunization Record Form and submit proof of immunizations in order to attend (NOTE: you will be unable to register for classes in your second semester if you do not submit the required documentation).

Students holding a graduate assistantship can choose to 1) enroll in a Maryland State Employee Health Insurance Plan, 2) enroll in the University’s Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), or 3) enroll in an external plan.

Students not holding a graduate assistantship can choose to 1) enroll in the University’s Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) or 2) enroll in an external plan.

Students who enroll in an external plan, including under someone else's plan (a parent or a spouse), will be asked to provide insurance information to the Graduate School.     

1. Visit Off-Campus Housing Services for helpful information on locating housing in and around the College Park area, including their database of housing opportunities and roommate finder app
2. If you will require on-campus parking, register and pay for a parking permit with Transportation Services - graduate students are able to register for permits one-week earlier than other students
3. Explore the many transport options available connecting campus with the surrounding communities, including the Shuttle UM bus routes, car sharing services and bike networks

Refresh your analytical skills with a free, non-credit workshop over the summer. This workshop introduces students to the math required for quantitative courses such as economics, statistics, and finance at the Maryland School of Public Policy. The skills necessary to thrive will include a comfort level with basic algebraic manipulations, an understanding of some differential Calculus, and more. The following topics will be covered during the summer: graphing, probability, solving systems of equations, logarithms, rules exponents, basic differentiation, the Langrangian technique, and some additional topics.

This workshop will include online instructional sessions as well as online discussion sessions. The Summer 2025 workshop sessions will be held via Zoom on Tuesday evenings from 6-8:30pm ET from June 3rd (first session) through August 12th (last session). The discussion session schedule will be shared by late May. In all sessions, there will be ample time for students to practice problems and to ask questions in addition to being introduced to new topics. You do not need to come to all time slots; it is just a way to provide you with maximum opportunity to learn and practice the links between policy and math! We encourage you to register for the Math Refresher Workshop even if you are unable to attend all of the sessions.

Review the 2024 syllabus here.

Secure your spot for the workshop by registering today.

Master of Public Policy and Master of Public Management Students:

If you are starting the Master of Public Policy or Master of Public Management programs, begin your academic journey by:

1. Reviewing your SPP program core curriculum - MPP or MPM
2. Reviewing SPP’s specialization options
3. Reviewing SPP’s graduate student policies and procedures
4. Signing up, if you have not already, for a Welcome Webinar with your Graduate Advising Team. Please note: you will need to activate your graduate student @UMD.EDU email to access this form.
5. Reviewing our program FAQ pages for additional guidance or emailing sppgradadvisor@umd.edu with your questions

PhD in Policy Studies Doctoral Students:

If you are starting the PhD in Policy Studies program, begin your academic journey by:

1. Setting up an appointment with your PhD Academic Advisor (listed in your Welcome email from SPP Admissions)
2. Reviewing SPP’s graduate student policies and procedures
3. Reviewing our program FAQ pages for additional guidance or emailing policy-studentaffairs@umd.edu with your questions

1. Start the student visa application process as early as possible.
   • Once you have been admitted into your program by the Graduate School, the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) will contact you to verify your visa status and to collect the financial documents required to receive Form I-20, which you will need in order to start the process of obtaining a student visa.
   • Please wait a minimum of 48 hours after notification of your admission from the Graduate School to receive communication from ISSS.
2. Explore the international student specific checklist from the Office of International Student and Scholar Services.
3. When you arrive at the University, be sure to attend an ISSS Immigration Session during international student orientation week - this is a required session to complete mandatory document checks and submission.

Register for parking. Take advantage of the priority status for graduate students and register early.