How to Apply

You will need to write an essay describing why you want to pursue this degree and what you hope to achieve. 

We require two essays demonstrating analytical thinking writing skills.

• If you grew up speaking English and are fluent, please indicate this directly in the application, and we will waive the TOEFL/IELTS requirement. (Click the box “English is a native language.”)
• If you did not grow up speaking English, you must provide official TOEFL or IELTS scores. You must receive a score of 100 or higher on the TOEFL iBT or 7.5 or higher on the IELTS in order to be considered for the MTePP Program.
• For the January 9th application deadline, all waiver requests for the TOEFL/IELTS requirement must be received by December 1. Requests made after December 1 will not be granted.
• For the April 3rd application deadline, all waiver requests for the TOEFL/IELTS requirement must be received by March 1. Requests made after March 1 will not be granted.
• If submitting TOEFL or IELTS scores, the test results must come directly from the testing service. Personal copies are not considered official, nor are "attested" or notarized copies.
• For more information about the TOEFL, visit their official site. Be sure to submit scores to code D928 NWU MS in Tech People Policy (not 1565 NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY).
• For more information about the IELTS, visit their official website. Be sure to submit scores to to Northwestern University Master of Science in Education and Social Policy (not Northwestern University).
• Both TOEFL and IELTS will send scores electronically. Paper delivery is also acceptable. Paper materials should be sent to 618 Garrett Place, Evanston IL 60208.

Start date eligibility depends on your visa status. To attend under an F-1 student visa, which allows you to study in the U.S., you must start in the fall quarter. U.S. Immigration law requires that F-1 visa holders attend full-time for the first nine months of their program before taking a quarter (summer) off.

International students with an H-1B or another visa status that permits unrestricted work in the U.S. may start during any quarter. Our hybrid course format does fulfill the “in-person” requirement necessary for F-1 visas.

For F-1 visa holders, eligibility for paid work outside of the University starts after nine months of having been a student. Most International students choose a paid, full-time internship during their first summer. Then, after this period, F-1 visa holders are eligible to work outside of the University for 20 hours/week during the remainder of the academic year through Curricular Practical Training (CPT). We are a STEM-designated program, so you can stay in the U.S. for up to three years post-graduation to work for Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Review the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Study in the States for additional information and resources.

If you attended academic programs outside the US, we'll need a a transcript evaluation. You must use a credential evaluation service that converts the scores and grade point average into US-based grades, and confirms the educational experience meets our requirements.

 World Education Services and Education Perspectives both offer transcript  credentialing services; others will be accepted as long as they are certified by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Request the course-by-course or detailed report (vs. the document-by-document report). They will ask you to have your academic program(s) send them your transcripts. In turn, they will generate a report and send it directly to us.

You do not need to send us your original transcripts.

If the credential evaluation service offers secure electronic delivery, please have the evaluation sent to mtepp_assistant@northwestern.edu. Alternately, all hard-copy transcript evaluations should be sent to this address: 

Master of Science in Technology, People, and Policy
Attention: Admissions 
618 Garrett Place 
Evanston, IL 60208

No: We welcome students from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. Students who want to go deeper into technical domains can take these courses through their electives (i.e. Text Mining and Tech Tools for Thinking and Learning)

• Do I need professional industry or internship experience?
  • No, we encourage but do not require professional experience.
• What is the ideal background for an MTePP student?
  • An ideal candidate is someone who is interested in and open to learning about and from multiple perspectives surrounding technology and how it intertwines with people and policy, and approaches challenges with a collaborative spirit.

Northwestern Career Advancement (NCA) has career advisors who work specifically with Master’s students. For more information, please visit the Northwestern Careers website.

We have formal and informal career services in the program through faculty, advisors, alumni, and staff support. We will have cocurricular programming that includes learning from and connecting with industry experts.

This is a common source of confusion for our international applicants. While the Master of Science in Technology, People, and Policy program is a graduate degree program at Northwestern it is not housed within The Graduate School but rather the School of Education and Social Policy. The Graduate School and the School of Education and Social Policy have different admission policies and requirements.

Our program follows the guidelines provided to us by of the School of Education and Social Policy and thus does not typically provide English Language Proficiency waivers for applicants who have completed a degree where English is the language of instruction. We typically only grant waivers to international students who are native English speakers.

However, if you would like to request a waiver, please send us a detailed statement about the ways and different contexts (both academic and outside the classroom) that you use English, as well as an unofficial copy of your undergraduate transcript. If you have any other evidence (such as other tests you have already taken that include a verbal or written component in English, like the GRE), we will consider that as well. Materials submitted for these purposes can be unofficial. Once we have reviewed everything, we will get back to you with next steps (which may or may not include an interview).