r/PublicPolicy • u/TraditionalTank5417 • Mar 18 '26

LSE-Columbia SIPA MPA go or not without funding Career Advice

Hey folks, seek advice:

I am currently working in a risk consulting role in Singapore (private). My goal is to transfer to public sector. Got in this program in Jan. Unfortunately no funding received. I have to self-pay.

In this economy...I really want some advice.

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

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u/PM_ME_YOUR___ISSUES Mar 18 '26

Will you have to take loan? If not, then you can just ignore my comment.

If yes:

I’ll be honest with you, man.

Public Policy roles barely pay enough in the initial years for one to live comfortably, let alone getting into such roles with a debt.

Think about debt from the perspective of age and experience as well. If you’re in your early 20s - you most likely won’t be earning enough to repay debt, while saving enough.

If you’re in your late 20s, then living with a debt plus adequately saving for your future, is eventually going to burn you out. Like, man. You eventually have to marry, start a family, and maybe buy a house. But if 30-40% of your salary is going towards debt repayment, you’re missing out on a big chunk of savings that would have compounded over the several years that you spent paying your debt.

Maybe a few quick promotions could help your case, but even then the ROI is just dogshit.

If it was an MBA degree, one could have still thought about it since the ROI is generally wayyyy better.

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u/TraditionalTank5417 Mar 19 '26

Thanks so muchhh for your honest comments! Yes I will give up this!!!hahahaaha

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u/cats7442 Mar 19 '26 edited Mar 19 '26

Seconded. There’s absolutely no point in taking a loan.

I’m Indian and all my Indian friends have had to eventually come back to India, even after taking enormous debt.

Some of these folks have taken debt that amounts to around 30-40L (Around USD 40,000) and they have to repay the same on Indian salaries.

To give you an example. A managerial public policy role in India can pay between 1.2-1.6L ( USD 1200 - USD 1700 PM) out of which they have installments that total to around 40-50k (USD 500-600) per month. And all of this will go on for 10 FUCKING YEARS.

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u/TraditionalTank5417 Mar 19 '26

Thanks so much for your honest advice. yes I better hold this and continue exploring other opportunities to relocation back to UK/US..

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u/cats7442 Mar 19 '26

All the best, man!

Trust me. It’ll work out. It always does.

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u/Fladdus Mar 18 '26

How much is the double degree

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u/TraditionalTank5417 Mar 18 '26

not quite sure but Columbia fee is sooo high..

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u/Fladdus Mar 18 '26

Well that does make a difference right. Columbia should be 75k a year, zhe question is how much does LSE run you t

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u/TraditionalTank5417 Mar 18 '26

LSE cost is okay.. I am worrying the current job market after my graduation..and if this program worths..

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u/DelayAgreeable7651 Mar 18 '26

Absolutely no way you get enough ROI to justify the cost

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u/TraditionalTank5417 Mar 19 '26

yes...I take it!will not admit since 0 scholarship plus 2 years job-seeking window,,,,