Graduate Admissions: City and Regional Planning

Program Information

The Master of Regional Planning (M.R.P.) is a professionally accredited, two-year program with STEM designation. It is a multifaceted, transdisciplinary program that prepares the next generation of change-makers to build more just, inclusive, sustainable, and dynamic cities and communities.

Application Requirements:

Applications open on September 15, with three deadlines to consider before submitting your application. Early submission of applications is encouraged for both priority admissions and merit scholarship consideration.

• December 1 — Round 1: Priority Deadline for International Applicants
• January 4 — Round 2: Priority Deadline for Merit Scholarship Consideration
• April 1 — Round 3: Final Application Deadline

There is no spring semester admission. Students interested in this program should submit an online application with supporting documentation, including:

• Two letters of recommendation
• Transcripts from each college or university previously attended
• All applicants must meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement 
• Academic Statement of Purpose:
  
  Please use this statement to reflect on a specific planning problem, conflict, or debate that you never tire of thinking about.
  • Explain how a personal, non-academic experience, place, or event sparked this interest.
  • Assess what research or changes in planning and policy are needed to help address this challenge.
  • Tell us what strengths you possess or need to develop to become an effective agent of change, and how Cornell’s planning program will help you achieve these goals. 
    
    Please note: this prompt is not meant to be intimidating or restrictive, but simply a guide. You have creative freedom to explore this prompt and its questions in a way that best fits your motivation for graduate study.
• Personal Statement
• Resume / CV
• GRE scores are neither required nor accepted

Learn more about how to prepare for each piece of your application here.

Applicants are encouraged to join an M.R.P.-specific virtual information session during the fall to learn more about the program and application requirements. Scheduled events will be posted in late Summer.

Admissions Criteria:

Applicants to the M.R.P. must hold a bachelor’s degree from a recognized educational institution. Successful applicants to the Master of Regional Planning program have come from a wide variety of undergraduate backgrounds, including but not limited to natural sciences, social sciences, design, engineering, humanities, and the arts.

The Master of Regional Planning (M.R.P.) reviews applicants for their: 

• Motivation to pursue graduate study 
• Academic performance and preparation
• Intellectual curiosity
• Evidence of perseverance and resilience
• Letters of recommendation
• Potential to lead and/or contribute to their communities
• Ability to communicate (in writing, visualization, and/or public speaking)
• Past work and / or research experiences

Funding:

Tuition for graduate study at AAP varies by discipline and degree. The most up-to-date tuition costs by program can be found on the tuition and funding page.

The financial cost of graduate school is one of the most important issues facing prospective students. The costs of our programs are competitive with many peer institutions. All students will be considered for aid, and awards will be detailed in a letter at the point of admission.

The amount of financial assistance we are able offer students varies, but the M.R.P. program does offer a number of scholarship and fellowship opportunities. The M.R.P. program also offers students a summer stipend when they participate in a summer internship experience.

The funding opportunities page lists funds at Cornell and beyond for which City and Regional Planning students are encouraged to apply.

Program Information

The Doctor of Philosophy in City and Regional Planning (Ph.D. CRP) is our flagship program, training the next generation of innovative and cutting-edge planning scholars and researchers. We select our Ph.D. students with great care, and prioritize those who we believe have great promise and are the best match for Cornell’s offerings.

Application Requirements:

The deadline for receiving application materials for the Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning (Ph.D. CRP) program is January 4. There is no spring semester admission. Students interested in this program must submit an online application with supporting documentation, including:

• Two or three letters of recommendation
• Transcripts from each college or university previously attended
• All applicants must meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement 
• Academic Statement of Purpose
• Personal Statement
• Resume / CV
• Writing Sample
• GRE scores are neither required nor accepted

Learn more about how to prepare for each piece of your application here. In particular, please use this link for advice on the academic statement of purpose and the personal statement. 

Admissions Criteria

Applicants to the Ph.D. CRP must have completed a master’s degree (planning or related field preferred). 

The Doctor of Philosophy in City and Regional Planning (Ph.D. CRP) also reviews applicants for:

• Motivation to pursue graduate study 
• Academic performance and preparation
• Intellectual curiosity
• Evidence of perseverance and resilience
• Letters of recommendation
• Scholarly commitment, including potential for research productivity and initiative 
• Research alignment with program and faculty

Funding

The Ph.D. program provides all admitted students with full tuition, stipend (including during the summer), and health insurance.  Because our Ph.D. students are admitted with a master’s degree, we expect completion in 4 or 5 years.

• It is important that you have a clear motivation for attending graduate school in your chosen field of study at Cornell at this time. Are you confident that you want to pursue this degree, for instance, as opposed to design, policy, or geography? What are you interested in studying once you start school? What do you hope this degree will allow you to do after graduation that you cannot do now? If you are unsure of how to answer these questions, be sure to attend open houses and / or talk with faculty and students. 
• Of all the application pieces, the personal statement and academic statement of purpose are the most important. This is where you should clearly articulate what you want to study and why. Do not use the essay to tell your life story or reiterate what is in your resume. Rather, use the essay to give specific examples or tell stories, cases, or problems that provide an example of how you observe the world and how you think. Share your experiences not as a timeline but as a way to demonstrate your creativity, leadership, resilience, and ability to communicate. Applicants for the Ph.D. degree should include the names of a couple of department faculty that they would be interested in having as an initial advisor. Visit the grad school website for more information on the personal statement and the academic statement of purpose.
• Seek out recommenders who not only know you well but are committed to your success and willing to write specific letters about you. Effective recommenders can be faculty or colleagues and supervisors. Be clear about whether you want them to explain particular challenges you faced (for instance, issues that may have affected grades on the transcript), or if you do not want them to mention particular issues. Be sure to ask recommenders well in advance and provide them with your resume, personal essay, statement of purpose, and the necessary forms, deadlines, and submission links for Cornell’s application.