Admissions & Funding

The MIP admits traditional students for fall semester only.

Applications must be complete and ready for review in the Departmental Graduate Office by May 15th of the year for which you are applying.

FALL 2025 DEADLINES
December 1: Priority deadline for those wishing to receive priority consideration for graduate assistantships. A brief grace period is available for letters of reference and GRE scores, but the online application must be submitted by December 1.

March 1: International Application deadline

May 15: Final Application deadline

Students who submit a complete application by December 1 will receive first-round consideration for graduate assistantships, fellowships, and other forms of financial support. Application decisions are released on a rolling basis through June 1. Funding is awarded on a rolling basis until exhausted.

Please read and follow these instructions carefully to avoid delay in our handling of your application. Both the Graduate School and the Department handle each application, and it hinders rather than expedites the process to send incorrect or unnecessary documents to either address.

For further information about graduate programs or for answers to questions about your application, please email the Graduate Program Administrator at [email protected].

You should submit all materials on the Graduate School’s online application portal. For detailed information, please see the Graduate School Admissions Requirements. A complete application includes the following:

1. Online Graduate School Application and $75 fee. Please note that the Graduate School does not issue fee waivers based on financial need. Some applicants, such as McNair Scholars and veterans, may qualify for an application fee waiver: a full list of qualifying programs is here.

2. One unofficial transcript from each institution of higher education attended. You may upload transcripts through the application portal or mail them directly to the UGA Graduate School.

3. Official GRE general test score report. The UGA institutional code for ETS reporting is 5813.  No departmental code is required. The GRE is required of all applicants (except Double Dawgs Pathway students). Applicants that have a graduate degree will be considered for a GRE waiver on a case by case basis.

4. International applicants please see additional requirements.

5. Personal Statement.

Your personal statement should be no longer than two pages and should address the following three topics.  First, briefly discuss your career aspirations, e.g., where do you aspire to work after graduation (an international organization, federal government, industry), what are your long-term professional goals, et cetera?  Second, please discuss how you envision UGA’s Master of International Policy (MIP) program assisting you with achieving your career goals, e.g., what knowledge and skills do you hope to gain, are there any particular classes in which you hope to enroll, or professors you would like to work with, et cetera?  Finally, expound on any education, work experiences, language skills, et cetera, that are exceptionally relevant to or have informed your career goals.

6. Curriculum vitae/resume

7. Three letters of recommendation.
We recommend that at least two of these letters come from faculty who have taught you, but letters from a supervisor who can speak in detail to your qualities are also allowable. Brief form letters from elected officials, etc., are generally not useful. The most convenient way for recommenders to submit letters of recommendation is through the online application process. List the names and email addresses of your recommenders on the online application. They will be sent a link to access a secure page where they can submit your recommendation online. If your recommender prefers to send the letter as a hard copy or an email, it should be sent directly to the Departmental Graduate Office at [email protected].

Please upload all materials through the online application portal at gradapply.uga.edu. The departmental materials may be uploaded under the “Department-Specific” section. If you have difficulty uploading, departmental materials may also be emailed to [email protected].

There are several funding sources available to MIP students.  All applications completed before the first-round of admissions deadline (December 1) are guaranteed full consideration for the CITS GRA and SPIA CVRS funding opportunities.

CITS Graduate Research Assistantships

The Center for International Trade and Security awards two competitive graduate research assistantships each year.  Assistantships are awarded for the ten-month academic year and normally require one-third time assisting CITS staff with research (15.5 hours per week).  Assistantships carry stipends as well as tuition waivers (tuition is reduced to just $25/semester). However, selected students are liable for their graduate fees.  Each awardee also receives one of the following honorific titles:

• Dean Rusk Scholar of International Policy
• Jane Willson Scholar of International Policy

SPIA Carter Vickers Research Society Members 

The School of Public and International Affairs sponsors four MIP students in the Carter Vickers Research Society (CVRS).  The Carter Vickers Research Society is a community of graduate student researchers who work with faculty and the dean in the School of Public and International Affairs. Graduate student society members perform research guided by faculty and are paid through student employment: up to $2,500 each academic year with the possibility of renewal for a second year. Participation in CVRS is a great opportunity for MIP students to engage directly in research projects with SPIA faculty whose own research deals with international affairs or comparative politics.  All completed applications received before the deadline for the first-round of admissions (December 1) are guaranteed full consideration for CVRS membership.  (The number of students sponsored annually may very with SPIA’s annual budget.)  Awardees receive the following honorific title:

• Carter Vickers Research Society Member

UGA Graduate School Assistantship and Out-of-State Tuition Waivers

Additionally, MIP students are eligible for a variety of Graduate School assistantships and out-of-state tuition waivers:

• Regents Out-of-State Tuition (Roost) Waiver):  The Graduate School awards out-of-state tuition waivers to a select number of students who are classified as non-residents of the State of Georgia. These awards are based upon applicants’ academic records and the recommendations of their major departments. The waiver lasts for one academic year (fall-spring-summer) and students must be re-nominated by their Department for additional years. These awards waive only the non-resident portion of a student’s tuition, thus allowing the student to pay in-state tuition. The graduate program is able to nominate a few of its most qualified students who are not on assistantships for these tuition waivers.

• Student Veterans’ Out-of-State Tuition Waiver:  The Registrar’s Office and the Admissions Office process out-of-state fee waivers for student veterans, their spouses, and their dependent children who meet the Board of Regents requirements.  For additional information, please click here: 

 For additional graduate school funding opportunities, please click here.

If you have a question that is not answered below, please contact the Graduate Program Administrator at [email protected].

Application Questions

• I missed the December 1 deadline. Will I still be considered for assistantships and other financial aid?

Yes. The priority consideration deadline is December 1, but we continue to consider applications received after that date for assistantships until all awards have been exhausted.

• Are there minimum requirements for GPA, GRE, etc?

Our program conducts holistic application review and considers the applicant’s entire application when considering offers of admission. As such, there are no minimum requirements set by the program. However, the Graduate School at the University of Georgia has the following minimum requirements:

GPA
The minimum undergraduate GPA standard for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia for applicants who do not have a prior graduate degree is 3.0.

GRE
The GRE is required and cannot be waived, but the Graduate School does not set a minimum score. Successful applicants to our program generally have GRE scores ranging from 300-330. All applicants (except Double Dawgs Pathway students) must submit GRE scores, including those applicants whose native language is English.

TOEFL
The minimum TOEFL score for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia is 80, with no subscore lower than 20.  It is highly recommended that international applicants have a combined score of at least 90.

IELTS
The minimum IELTS score for admission to the Graduate School at the University of Georgia is 6.5 overall band score with no lower than 6.0 on any band.

Duolingo English Test

The Graduate School no longer accepts the Duolingo English Test. Please do not submit these scores, as they cannot be considered.

• What kind of recommendation letters should I include in my application?

It is preferable to provide letters from faculty who have taught you. Their letters should describe your academic work in detail so that the Graduate Committee can be assured that you can complete a rigorous graduate program. If you wish to provide a letter from a professional supervisor, we recommend that you select someone who can speak to your abilities and their pertinence to the MIP in detail. Letters from elected officials or “personal” references tend to be less valuable in determining your academic capability. In addition, letters from counselors, student affairs officers, and other non-faculty personnel on your campus generally provide little useful information for the committee.

• How are admissions decisions made?

The six-member Graduate Committee considers your entire application file: previous academic record, GRE scores, personal statement, CV, and recommendations. There are no “automatic” acceptance or refusal factors. The committee’s main concern is the likelihood that you will do well, not only in the graduate program you are applying for, but as a professional in the field once that degree is in hand. We also consider whether your interests are a good “fit” for the faculty, courses, and research centers available in the School of Public and International Affairs.

• When will I hear whether I’ve been accepted for admission?

Once your file is complete, it will be considered at the next Graduate Committee meeting. The committee will discuss and vote on your application and then send its recommendation to the Graduate School, which makes the official decision on your application. The Graduate School normally contacts you 1-2 weeks after the Departmental recommendation is submitted. If your application is received by the priority December 1 deadline, you can anticipate receiving our decision in late January or early February.

• If I have a strong application, am I automatically admitted?

No. Our graduate programs are small and selective to enable faculty to focus on building strong, supportive relationships with our graduate students. Our program receives many more applications each year than we have available places. Thus, admission is highly competitive and is based on holistic, comprehensive review of your application materials.

Program Questions

• Should I apply for the MA or the MIP?

The MA in Political Science and International Affairs is designed for students who intend to enter a PhD program or, sometimes, law school after completing the MA. It is tailored toward academic research interests and allows the pursuit of a broad course of study in political science and international affairs. The MA focuses on research rather than applied courses.

The MIP is designed as a terminal professional degree. Students who complete the MIP usually go directly into their chosen field as professionals rather than pursuing additional graduate study. However, it is possible to pursue a PhD after completing the MIP if your interests are more aligned with academia.

• Can I attend the program on a part-time basis?

Although our graduate programs are not designed for part-time students, it is possible for students to take less than a full course load (three courses per semester), thus extending their time in the program.

• Are graduate courses offered online or off campus?

All graduate courses are held on the UGA campus in Athens, GA.  No online or distance learning options are available.

• Are classes offered in the evenings or on weekends for working professionals?

The graduate course schedule is not created for working students.  Depending on the semester, there may be a course or two offered on a weekday evening, but this is not guaranteed.  There are no courses offered on weekends.

• What is the cost of tuition?

As of Fall 2024, the current cost of graduate study per credit hour is $399 (in-state), $1,182 (out-of-state), and $1,204 (out-of-country). Student fees are currently assessed at $708 per semester. 9 credits (3 courses) is considered a full-time course load for graduate students. A full-time student would thus pay $4,784  (in-state), $14,179 (out-of-state), or $14,449 (out-of-country) per semester for a 12-credit load, not including fees. More information about current tuition rates can be found on the Bursar’s website.