Admission and Application Requirements | Hamad Bin Khalifa University
CPP Admission Requirements

Admission and Application Requirements

Master of Public Policy (MPP)
Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Public Policy should have a bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record (minimum 3.2 GPA out of 4.0) from a recognized university. Applicants from all fields are welcome to apply, including engineering, natural sciences and humanities, but preference will be given to those with an academic background in political science, public administration, economics, communications, or other social sciences.

Master of Social Policy and Program Evaluation (MSPPE)
Applicants seeking admission to the Master of Social Policy and Program Evaluation should have a bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record (minimum 3.0 GPA out of 4.0) from a recognized university. Applicants from all fields are welcome to apply, including engineering, natural sciences and humanities, but preference will be given to those with an academic background in political science, public administration, economics, communications, or other social sciences.

Applicants to the College of Public Policy are required to submit a valid IELTS score of 6.5 or TOEFL score of 79 to demonstrate their proficiency in English.

Application

A completed online application form admissions.hbku.edu.qa

Academic transcripts

Official electronic copies of transcripts should be submitted as part of the online application. Final transcripts and graduation statements are required for all previous university studies. All transcripts submitted should include an explanation of the grading system. For those who have not completed their current studies, transcripts must include results from the last completed semester of coursework. Transcripts in languages other than English or Arabic must be accompanied with an official translation. Applicants who are admitted to the program based on copies of or incomplete transcripts will be required to provide original transcripts upon enrollment in order to register for courses.

Standardized test results

Official copies (where required) must be sent directly to HBKU. Please refer to the institutional codes below:

  • TOEFL: 4981
  • IELTS: No code required. Students should ask the IELTS center where they tested to send the IELTS TRF to Hamad Bin Khalifa University

Applicants should also submit copies of their test scores with the online application.

Letters of recommendation

Applicants should submit two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from an academic referee.

Personal statement of interest

Applicants should submit a personal statement (300-500 words) as part of the online application. The statement should explain why the candidate is applying to the program, and how their studies will contribute to the achievement of their personal objectives, including information about the applicant’s research interests and achievements.

Resume/curriculum vitae

Applicants should submit a copy of their current resume or curriculum vitae as part of the online application.

Identification document

All applicants should submit an electronic copy of their passport as part of the online application. Nationals and residents of Qatar should also submit their valid Qatari ID.

Tuition and Student Funding

The College of Public Policy provides a limited number of tuition waivers on a competitive basis.

To view tuition fees, please click here.

Admission inquiries

General inquiries


  • Please do not submit any additional application materials which are not on the list of required items. Any additional materials received will be automatically discarded.
  • HBKU cannot return documents to the applicant once they are submitted.
  • All documents submitted through the online application must be in PDF format. Any documents submitted in a different format will not be accepted.