Admissions

Application Procedures

Application Procedures

The Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) program accepts applications throughout the year for Fall and Spring admissions. The campus and online MURP program deliveries have the same application procedures and review standards, including materials, requirements, deadlines, and review process. All applications are reviewed holistically, on a rolling basis.

A departmental admissions committee comprising UF Planning faculty and staff reviews all applications. The admissions committee makes a recommendation and forwards it to the Office of Admissions for final processing.  Upon final clearance from the Office of Admissions and the Graduate School, a decision letter is issued to the applicant via email. This process typically takes about 3 business weeks following submission of a complete application package.

Please note: Beginning with the Fall 2020 application cycle, the GRE is no longer a required component of the application. International students are still required to take the TOEFL or IELTS. 

Please note: Employee Education Program (EEP) tuition-waiver benefits are only able to be utilized for the on-campus MURP program. The online MURP program cannot accept these benefits at this time.

Download our Admissions Guides below:

Campus MURP Admissions Guide
Campus MURP Info Session Video

Online MURP Admissions Guide

Application Materials

Please submit all application materials directly to the University of Florida’s Graduate Admissions portal. Do not send any materials directly to the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. The following materials are required to be submitted in order to be considered a complete application for review:

You can apply using the UF Graduate Admissions portal. There is a non-refundable application fee (amount determined and fee assessed by the Office of Admissions).

Unofficial transcripts can be uploaded and used for admissions purposes so long as they note (1) degree conferral date, (2) course list and grades earned, and (3) cumulative GPA. The university will require official transcripts upon your acceptance of an offer of admission.

Minimum GPA: 3.0 on a 4-point scale, for upper division coursework

Please note: The university requires applicants for graduate study to compute their upper-division (i.e. junior and senior year) grade point average, unless your institution uses a non-traditional grading system. The university requires an accurate self-reported GPA, which it will verify.  Providing an accurate self-reported GPA will help to expedite the processing of your application. The university provides a worksheet explaining how to calculate upper-division GPA.

Please add a personal statement to your application in the ‘Additional Questions’ page, ‘Statement of Purpose’ section. Please disregard the Personal Statement Topic writing prompt in the application, and directly address the Personal Statement requirement for the MURP application.

Questions about where to upload your documents? See image here.

Prompt: “Our students are diverse in thought, background, and experience. Each student’s path to graduate school is unique. We want to learn more about your decision to pursue a Master of Urban and Regional Planning degree at the University of Florida, and to choose planning as a career.

Your personal statement should include, but not be limited to, your:
– personal background,
– life experiences, opportunities, and challenges that provide context for your motivations to become a planner,
– leadership skills and experiences, and
– values.

If any unanticipated experiences have negatively affected your academic career, please explain them so that we can review your academic record in the context of these experiences.”

Please add a Statement of Intent to your application under the ‘Additional Questions’ page, ‘Resume/Other’ section. Use the ‘Other Upload’ file upload.

Questions about where to upload your documents? See image here.

Before preparing your statement of intent, review our website. We encourage you to refer to our program in your response. Please take care to properly attribute any content from another source. Your statement of intent should be original work. Plagiarism is grounds for rejecting an application.

Prompt: “Your statement of intent should address each of the following questions:
– Why are you interested in planning as a professional field? Include any professional, volunteer, or internship experiences that have prepared you for this field of study as well as your research interests and career aspirations.
– How will UF’s Urban and Regional Planning program help you meet your professional goals?
– What do you plan to do during the course of your studies (e.g., courses, research, engagement, working with faculty)?
– What are your expectations of the graduate planning program at UF?”

Highlight relevant academic achievements, professional experiences, and accolades.

Arrange for three recommenders to submit letters of recommendation on your behalf. The recommenders should sign their letters and submit them directly to your application using the CollegeNET email link.

Letters of recommendation should be addressed to the attention of the UF Department of Urban and Regional Planning Admissions Committee.

Your recommenders should be qualified to evaluate your academic achievements, skills and abilities, and/or professional qualifications. If you are currently employed, and plan to remain employed during your program, it is strongly recommended that a current supervisor or employer submit a letter of recommendation.

Letters of recommendation from family members and friends will not be accepted.

If you have received your undergraduate or graduate degree within the last three years, at least two of the three letters should be academic references. If you have been out of school for longer than three years, and you are unable to contact former professors, letters from other individuals who can address your achievement and potential would be appropriate.

Professional recommenders must:
– be or have been a supervisor or otherwise in a capacity to objectively assess your professional abilities, contributions, skills, and achievements;
– not be a colleague or subordinate;
– know you or your work well; and
– not offer a personal reference.

The content of the letters should:
– speak to your academic achievement;
– present your strengths, interests, abilities, interpersonal skills, and vision for the future;
– evaluate your potential for success in our program; and
– explain and provide context for professional experience.

To be considered for merit-based aid, please visit the department assistantships and scholarships page and complete the form. Applications for assistantships and scholarships are only considered for students applying for fall semesters, and for those who have a complete application package by the priority funding deadline.

You are encouraged to submit examples of your work in your application, such as:
– a portfolio of previous academic or professional work (If submitting work from group projects, please distinguish your work from that prepared by others);
– a detailed description of community service or engagement experiences;
– a detailed description of professional work experience, including example projects; or
– a description of relevant skills such as graphic design, GIS, and community engagement.

International transcripts have additional requirements that must be followed for each international institution. International applicants must submit to the Office of Admissions:
– Transcripts: The university has additional requirements for international transcripts. International applicants must submit to the Office of Admissions an official copy in the native language of each transcript, a mark sheet, and a diploma/degree certificate from each university or college attended, along with certified, literal (exact) English translations for documents not originally issued in English.
– TOEFL or IELTS scores: See the Graduate School admissions page for additional information on English proficiency requirements.
– Financial certification: The university requires financial certification only upon your acceptance of our offer of admission.

Application Deadlines

Applications must be submitted by the deadlines below. Only complete applications will be reviewed. All materials must be received by the below deadlines, including: a resume, all transcripts, all written statements, all letters of recommendation, and, if applicable: all english proficiency test scores and translated documents.

Fall Application Deadlines
(completed applications)

Priority for funding: January 31st
Final deadline (international): May 15th April 15th
Final deadline (domestic): June 15th

Spring Application Deadlines
(completed applications)


Final deadline (international): August 1st
Final deadline (domestic): October 15th

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