Details

Prior to Attending

General

Ph.D. applicants must hold a master's degree in a field directly related to their proposed field of study. Advanced professional degrees such as a J.D. or a M.B.A. cannot be substituted for advanced work in international affairs. An advanced degree in strategic studies from a military institution is not considered appropriate for admission to most Ph.D. programs but is sometimes acceptable for admission to the Strategic Studies Program at SAIS.

Language

All SAIS students must have proven English proficiency. Students whose native language is not English must demonstrate their preparation in the English language via strong TOEFL or IELTS scores.

For International Students

All applicants to SAIS whose native language is not English (or in the case of bilingual students, whose dominant language is not English) and who do not hold an undergraduate degree granted by an accredited college/university where English is the medium of instruction are required to submit a score for the TOEFL or the academic version of the IELTS exam. The minimum required score for the TOEFL is 100 in the Internet-based exam (600 in the paper-based exam), and the minimum IELTS score is 7.

Financial Aid and Funding

A limited number of fellowships are available each year. Students with an M.A. from SAIS may receive a maximum of three years of funding, and non-SAIS M.A.s may receive a maximum of four years of funding. The fellowship may include tuition and/or stipend benefits.

Ph.D. students are urged to seek outside support for their studies at SAIS. In the annual review process, applications for outside support will be treated as one sign of a student's seriousness of purpose.

Students receiving fellowship awards will be carefully evaluated by the Ph.D. Committee on the basis of performance in class, satisfaction of degree requirements, and a written evaluation from the student’s Ph.D. advisor at the end of each academic year to determine if the financial award will be renewed.

Cost of Attendance

Estimated Cost of Attendance
2013-14 Academic Year
Washington, D.C. Campus
Tuition $39,748*
Room $12,150
Board $4,500
Health Insurance $2,050
Books and Supplies $1,500
Travel Allowance $1,000
Personal Expenses $3,000
Direct Loan Fees $1200**
Cafeteria Fee $200
Total $65,348

Please note: entering students pay a one time matriculation fee of $500.

*Subject to change. Tuition will be finalized by the Board of Trustees in May 2013.

**Estimated based on Average debt at SAIS from the 2012-2013 academic year. Loan fees will vary based on the amount that you borrow from year to year.

Prior to Graduating

Research Methodology

All Ph.D. students are required to take for credit and pass the following two courses in research methodology:

  • Theories and Methods of Qualitative Political Research
  • Quantitative Methods of Political Research

International Economics

Students must demonstrate competence in the field of International Economics. SAIS M.A. degree recipients will be accepted as having met the economics requirement. Non-SAIS M.A. students must:

  • Pass the written comprehensive exam in International Economics as one of the three comprehensive exams. Pass a one-hour oral exam equivalent to the M.A. Oral Exam in economics and the student's main field of study after passing Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, International Trade Theory and International Monetary Theory at SAIS.
If a student has a strong background, he/she may request to take the waiver exam.

Language

All Ph.D. students must demonstrate competence either in two foreign languages or in one foreign language and quantitative methods of analysis.

Comprehensive Exams

Students must pass three comprehensive examinations, including one in their areas of study and two additional comprehensive exams. The examination areas are as follows:

  • American Foreign Policy
  • Comparative Politics
  • International Development
  • International Economics
  • International Political Economy
  • International Relations
  • Political and Economic Theory
  • One of the SAIS Regional Studies Programs.

Dissertation

All students will prepare a written dissertation prospectus no later than six months after passing the last comprehensive exam and present the prospectus in a defense before their dissertation committee.

Students will have a period of five years beginning at the date of the first written comprehensive exam to conduct the research for, write and defend the dissertation. In fields with exceptionally difficult languages, the process may take longer.

Student Body

Total Students
  • Washington: 49
 
Nationality
  • U.S. students: 61%
  • Non-U.S. students: 39%
 
Gender
  • Male: 50%
  • Female: 50%
 
 

How to Apply