This week a new cohort of Master of Public Policy (MPP) students arrive in Oxford, 141 students from a record 63 different countries around the globe – including our very first student from St Lucia. This cohort of students already have an extensive and impressive body of experience and are now ready to take their next steps in becoming effective public sector leaders.

An overwhelming majority of students in the class of 2025 (87%) are receiving some funding to support their participation in the programme, with 76% of students receiving full scholarships and 11% receiving partial funding. The Blavatnik School maintains a commitment to ensure that the best students in the world can study with us, regardless of their financial background and situation. For any prospective students there is a wide range of support available to explore.

The 2025 cohort is excitingly diverse with students joining us from a range of professional, cultural, and academic backgrounds. This year’s cohort include:

• A public health researcher from the United States has published work on how discriminatory housing practices continue to affect health outcomes in major cities, while also exploring how policymaking can create a more just future for marginalised communities.
• A Belgian–American national security analyst tracking Chinese and Russian investments in the Middle East and Central Asia, with experience in refugee resettlement and fluent in more than a dozen languages.
• A Colombian peacebuilding specialist who helped to mobilise public support for the country’s peace agreement with FARC, and who later contributed to the design of transitional justice institutions
• A Palestinian project manager working at the intersection of technology and education who has researched empathy and resilience in conflict zones and now focuses on how governance can empower disadvantaged communities.
• A Polish defence and security professional who has advised NATO and the European Commission, specialising in transatlantic cooperation and strategies to counter hybrid threats.
• A Franco-Canadian climate justice campaigner who has led national mobilisation for equitable energy transition policies, bringing grassroots voices into global debates on sustainability.
• A Zimbabwean lawyer and activist who has worked to expand access to education for girls and young women, while advocating for human rights on the international stage.
• A Kenyan conservationist and founder of a grassroots NGO that has mobilised over 3,000 people for ecosystem restoration and successfully petitioned parliament to protect Nairobi National Park.
• An Indigenous Kichwa-Otavalo leader from Ecuador who established a collective which empowers women through leadership, cultural preservation, and economic development, while also representing Indigenous peoples in international treaty negotiations.
• A Kyrgyz youth climate leader who has represented Central Asia at major UN climate conferences and received recognition for advancing inclusive climate policy.

Applications for the MPP, MSc in Public Policy Research for 2026 are open until 2 December 2025, and for DPhil in Public Policy until 9 January 2026. We strongly recommend submitting your application early.

For those thinking of applying, be sure to join our Admissions Q&A on Wednesday 22 October at 1pm (BST).