Frequently Asked Questions | SAIS M.A. Program

Applications

How can I receive a catalog and application material?
You can order them online, download them from the Internet, or contact the Admissions Office to request them. See the SAIS Application Page to learn how.

Can I apply to SAIS over the Internet?
Yes. Applying to SAIS via the Internet actually costs less than submitting a paper application. See the SAIS Application Page to learn more.

What are the deadlines for application to the SAIS Washington, D.C.  campus?

Should the application material be postmarked on the deadline or should it be in by the deadline?
All material, including the GRE or TOEFL scores, should physically arrive in our office well before the deadline.

Is there a late deadline for the Fall MA application?
No. Completing an application by the January 7th deadline will allow for equal consideration in terms of the admissions and financial aid processes. Please note that financial aid applications are subject to a different set of deadlines. For more information on financial aid-related procedures and deadlines, please click here. Applicants submitting or completing applications after January 7th will not be considered for admission. All applicants are strongly encouraged to utilize the SAIS Online Application through Princeton Review/Embark.com

Where do I send my application?
U.S. Citizens and Permanent U.S. Residents wanting to study in Bologna, Italy their first year, as well as all applicants who to study both years in Washington, apply through the SAIS Washington, D.C. Admissions Office. Deadline: January 7th.

Non-U.S. Citizens (except permanent residents) wanting to study in Bologna, Italy their first year must apply directly through the Bologna Center in Italy.  Deadline: February 1.

PLEASE NOTE: The Bologna Center and the Washington, DC campus of SAIS have separate admissions processes. International and Dual Citizen applicants may not apply simultaneously to both locations.

What do I need to include in my application package?
All applicants completing the online application should include the following hard copy items for review:

• Sealed recommendations, if utilizing hard-copy recommendation forms (online recommendations are received by our office directly and CANNOT be submitted in hard copy)
• Official, sealed transcripts reflecting earned grades/marks for all of your coursework (study abroad, etc.)
• Students must complete on semester of microeconomics and one semester of macroeconomics with a B- or better prior to enrolling.  Syllabi or course descriptions for any courses not explicitly titled "Intro/Principles of Micro and/or Macroeconomics" that you wish to count toward the economics prerequisites

All applicants completing hardcopy application should include individually stapled hard copies of their materials in the following order for the Admissions Committee to review:

1. Completed application form ("Applicant Copy" printout for online applicants)
2. Resume or CV
3. Essay 1
4. Essay 2
5. Sealed recommendations (online recommendations are available for online applications only)
6. Official, sealed transcripts reflecting earned grades/marks for all of your coursework (study abroad, etc.)
   Syllabi or course descriptions for any courses not explicitly titled "Intro/Principles of Micro and/or Macroeconomics" that you wish to count toward the economics prerequisites
7. Signed and completed signature page and checklist (Note: we cannot begin to process your application without this signed document)

IMPORTANT: Although SAIS strongly prefers to receive all of the above materials in one package, we do maintain a supplemental file for recommendations, transcripts, and other materials received seperately from application packages.  All incoming applications are periodically checked against this file.
 
Additionally, SAIS receives all official test scores directly from ETS; applicants need not include a photocopy of their test score report.

What is the application fee?
Applications submitted online have an associated fee of $80.00. Paper-form applications have an associated fee of $90.00. Checks should be made out to "Johns Hopkins University."

Can I transfer credit toward the SAIS degree?
SAIS does not accept transfer credit toward a SAIS degree. Some SAIS students who have taken advanced course work at other institutions may sit for examinations at SAIS to place out of core courses based on knowledge previously obtained.  Again, there is no transfer of credit toward a SAIS degree.

Standardized Tests (GRE, GMAT, TOEFL)

Which test should I take to apply to SAIS?
Applicants who have spent less than two years at an institution where English is the medium of instruction and whose native language is not English are required to submit a score for the TOEFL or IELTS. All applicants to the M.A. program, including those who will be submitting a TOEFL or IELTS score, are required to take either the GRE General Exam or the GMAT. SAIS does not have a preference as to computer or internet or paper-based testing.

When is the last date I can take the GRE, GMAT or TOEFL to be considered for admission?
To ensure that your test scores reach SAIS on time, you should take the appropriate examination(s) and request your official score report(s) well before January 16th for a fall application and October 15th for a spring application. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) score reporting school code (GRE and TOEFL) for SAIS is 5610 and the department code should be left blank ("0000"). The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) score reporting school code (GMAT) for SAIS is KGB-GX-99.

The SAIS Admissions Office does not administer any aspect of the ETS score reporting process. If you are concerned about your test date for the GRE, or TOEFL (or the time it takes scores to arrive at SAIS), please contact ETS directly for more information. ETS can be reached by telephone at (609) 921-9000 or (800) 473-2255. Their web address is: http://www.ets.org. For concerns regarding the GMAT, please contact GMAC directly for more information. GMAC can be reached by telephone at (703) 245-4222 or (866) 505-6559 or online at http://www.gmac.com.

*A SAIS application is not considered complete until all of the required official test scores are received from either ETS or GMAC.

Are LSAT scores accepted by SAIS instead of the GRE, GMAT, TOEFL or IELTS?
No. LSAT scores are not accepted because they do not have the necessary quantitative components.

What are the minimum scores for the GRE, GMAT, TOEFL and IELTS?
SAIS has no minimum GRE or GMAT score. However, the following statistics are representative of enrolled students whose native language is English. The average GRE Verbal score is 640, with the middle 50% of enrolled students achieving a range of 580 to 680. The average GRE Quantitative score is 710, with the middle 50% ranging from 650 to 750. The average GMAT score is 630, with a range of 510 to 760. A TOEFL score of at least 600 for the paper-based exam, 250 for the computer-based exam or 100 for the internet-based exam is required of all applicants who have spent less than two years at an institution where English is the medium of instruction and whose native language is not English.  Students who choose to submit the IELTS exam results must meet a minimum of 7.0.

I took the GRE/TOEFL/GMAT several years ago. Are my scores still acceptable?
Educational Testing Services (ETS) stipulates that GRE and GMAT scores are only valid for five years, and TOEFL scores are only valid for two years. ETS will not forward expired test scores to our office.

Student Backgrounds

What is the average GPA of the students who are admitted?
The average GPA of the 2007 incoming class was approximately 3.6 on a 4.0 scale, with a range of 2.4 to 4.0. The middle 50% of enrolled students acheived GPAs from 3.3 to 3.7. Keep in mind, though, that the admissions committee is much more interested in the details of your transcript than in the total GPA. Weak grades in your freshman year, or in an unrelated class (like Chemistry, for example), will not greatly affect your chances for admission. However, a weak grade in a political science or economics course can affect your competitiveness even if the overall GPA appears to be good.

What should I do to improve my competitiveness as an applicant?
The Admissions Office cannot make generic recommendations that would fit every applicant.  Without reviewing a prospective student's entire application, it is very difficult to suggest how an applicant might strengthen his or her application.  The SAIS student body is extremely diverse, possessing a multitude of different educational, personal, and occupational talents. Many of our students have educational backgrounds that do not relate directly to international relations. Therefore, the SAIS Admissions Office does not endorse any one particular major, school, post-graduate experience, or career track. We advise prospective students to make decisions that will best suit their own personal goals and objectives.

How important is work experience?
Work experience is just one of many factors considered when evaluating an applicant. About 88% of the incoming class had at least one year of post-baccalaureate work experience. This work experience varies widely and need not necessarily relate directly to the field of international relations. In addition to working in Washington, DC with the federal government, many incoming SAIS students have had experiences in the financial sector, consulting, private industry, the Peace Corps, teaching abroad, and law. Nonetheless, each year around 10% of the incoming class enters SAIS immediately following their senior year of undergraduate study.  These younger candidates typically have participated in off-campus summer internships directly related to the fields of international relations or political science. The average age of the 2007 incoming class was 27.

What are my chances of getting in to the program?
Admission to SAIS is very competitive. The Admissions Committee takes into consideration such factors as academic preparation, practical experience, international exposure, and professional focus. The average incoming class size for the Washington, D.C. campus is 150.  For the Bologna, Italy campus, 100 Americans and between 80 and 90 international students matriculate to the Bologna Center. The Bologna Center student body represents approximately 35 countries. SAIS traditionally receives more than 1800 per year for the two-year M.A. program.

I have no background in Economics. Is that going to hurt my chances of getting into SAIS?
Somewhat. We do receive strong applications from candidates who have not taken any courses in economics. Some of these strong candidates are offered conditional admission to SAIS and are required to fulfill the micro and macro economics prerequisites prior to enrolling in the program. An applicant who has completed micro and macro economics will also have an advantage over an otherwise equally qualified applicant who has not. Students must complete one semester's-worth of study in both macroeconomics and in microeconomics with a  B- or higher prior to beginning classes at SAIS (but not necessarily prior to admission). The Admissions Committee will consider applicants who have not yet fulfilled this requirement.  Nevertheless, these applicants should recognize that they will be expected to complete the required course work before entry and plan accordingly. Prior course work in mathematics and/or statistics is also encouraged.

The microeconomics course should cover the principles of supply, demand, equilibrium, and marginal analysis. The macroeconomics course should cover national income, inflation, unemployment, and interest rates. *When submitting your application, please include copies of syllabi or class descriptions for any economics courses you have taken not explicitly titled "Principles of Micro/Macroeconomics" that you wish to apply towards the SAIS Economics Prerequisites.

Additional, successfully completed economics coursework is also helpful in strengthening a prospective student's application.

What is the percentage of international students in the SAIS student body?
Approximately 40% from over 60 countries in all areas of the world.

Preparing an Application and Filling Out Forms

I have had training in several different languages. Which one should I evaluate?
At some point during your four semesters at SAIS (i.e. before you graduate from the M.A. program), you will have to pass a language proficiency exam in one of the following languages: Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, Japanese, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, Portuguese, German, French, Russian, Korean, or Italian. If your native language is not English, you must pass the English proficiency exam.

How long should the essays be?
Applicants should keep Essay 1 as well as Essay 2 under 600 words. Font size, spacing, and general format are left to the applicant's discretion.

My economics classes were not titled "Principles of Micro" or "Principles of Macro."  What should I do?
When submitting your application, please include copies of syllabi or class descriptions for any economics classes you have taken.

I have chosen to complete an online application.  Is it possible to submit my recommendations online as well?
Applicants choosing to take advantage of the online application are able (but not required) to submit recommendations electronically. Once an applicant begins an online application through Embark, he or she will be asked to submit the names and contact information of two recommenders. Letters of recommendation will be uploaded as attachments, similar to the manner in which applicants will submit resumes and essays. Recommenders using the online option are not required to submit paper copies of their forms and letters. Questions and concerns pertaining to the online recommendation process should be directed to Embark at embarksupport@custhelp.com.

Financial Aid

Should I apply separately for SAIS fellowships?
With the exception of specific named fellowships, which require additional essays, you will simply apply for SAIS financial aid with the forms distributed in the catalog. United States citizens and US Permanent Residents MUST file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). All financial aid questions should be directed to the Financial Aid Office (202-663-5707). Please click here for more information about Financial Aid.

Where do I send my SAIS Financial Assistance form?
Mail it in separately to our Financial Aid Office, 1740 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Room 314, Washington, DC 20036. Please click here for the relevant deadlines.

Information Sessions

Can I schedule an admissions interview?
Due to the great interest in SAIS, we are not able to offer admissions interviews at this time.  Information Session are scheduled throughout the year. Please click here for more information about these events.

Are there opportunities to visit the school?
Information Sessions, held during the fall semester, provide prospective students with an opportunity to learn more about SAIS, its curriculum, and the application process.  Potential applicants have the chance to speak briefly with members of the Admissions Committee.  Additionally, the SAIS Student Happy Hour immediately follows the Friday sessions that are held during the academic year.  Happy Hours offer a relaxed and casual venue for interacting with current students.  Prospective students may also register online to participate in a student-led campus tour.  All tours commence in the lobby of the Nitze Building (1740 Massachusetts Avenue, NW).

How do I get to SAIS?
For directions to SAIS click here.  

Degree Program Options

Does SAIS have a part-time masters degree program?
No. SAIS offers a two-year Masters Degree that is taken on a full-time basis (with a minimum of three classes per semester).

What about part-time, non-degree studies?
Part-time course work is offered only if space is available and is mainly intended for professionals seeking additional skills in areas related to their careers. Additionally, most courses are held during the day. Please click here for more information on part-time, non-degree studies.

What is the application procedure for joint degree candidates?
Students must separately apply and be admitted to each institution. Upon acceptance into both programs, a student is considered a joint degree candidate and may choose the timing and location of their program.  It is critical that all joint degree candidates fill out the Joint Degree Registration Form and consult with both programs regarding any status change.  Please visit the SAIS Joint Degree page for more information.

After I am admitted to SAIS, may I still apply for a joint degree?
During the first semester at SAIS you may apply to approved joint degree programs. Click here for more information regarding joint degrees.

Can I apply to law or business programs other than Wharton, Tuck, Stanford, or University of Virginia?
New proposals for other ad hoc joint degrees are possible, but must be approved by the Director of Admissions.  Please visit the SAIS Joint Degree Page for more information.

PLEASE NOTE: Only top-ranked professional schools will be considered.

Deferral and Reapplication

I am admitted to SAIS.  How can I defer to a future semester?
Deferrals are granted only if an unforeseen circumstance prevents you from attending SAIS during the semester for which you applied.  Prospective students should only apply for the semester that they expect to attend.  Deferrals are valid for only one year and you must petition to be granted a deferral. For more information on deferrals click here.

If I were granted a deferral, is my financial aid package automatically carried over?
No. You have to apply again for financial aid. Your award will not necessarily be the same, however, in most cases, deferred students receive the same financial aid packet that they were originally awarded.

I was not offered admission to SAIS, how do I reapply?
Applicants must wait one year before reapplying to SAIS.  For example: If you applied for Fall 2008, you can reapply for the Fall of 2009, but not for the Spring of 2009. See the SAIS reapplication page for more information.