The deadline for fall entry is January 7. All material, including official standardized test scores, must be received by the SAIS Office of Admissions in advance of the deadline.

All of our materials are available online. You can learn more about the SAIS degree offerings by clicking on Degree Options and the application process by clicking on Applying to SAIS.

• Online Application Form
• Application fee ($85 - where applicable)
• Statement of Purpose (600 words)
• Analytical Essay (600 words)
• Résumé/CV
• Two (2) letters of recommendation
• Official transcripts for all college-level course work
• GRE or GMAT score reports
• TOEFL or IELTS score reports (non-native English speakers only). SAIS Bologna also accepts the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

All materials, except for transcripts and test scores, can be submitted via the online application. Test scores must be sent to us directly from the testing service. Official transcripts must be sent via secure electronic services (e.g., Scrip-Safe) or mailed to the SAIS Washington, D.C. Admissions Office:

Johns Hopkins University, SAIS
Office of Admissions
1740 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036

If your recommenders prefer to submit paper recommendations, you can obtain a recommendation cover sheet from the online application.  Please note that paper recommendations, like any other application materials, are due by the appropriate deadlines.  However, we strongly advise that your references submit letters using the online system, as it allows for applicants to monitor the progress of their recommendations. We will accept letters of recommendation forwarded on an applicant's behalf by his/her undergraduate career services office or other outside vendors providing a similar service.

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.

English Language Exams
If English is not your native language, (or in the case of bilingual students, your dominant language is not English) but you hold an undergraduate degree granted by an accredited institution in a country where English is an official language and where English is the language of instruction, than you will not be required to submit an English competency exam.
If English is not your native language, (or in the case of bilingual students, your dominant language is not English) but you hold a graduate degree granted by an accredited institution in a country where English is an official language and where English is the language of instruction, then you will need the approval of the Office of Admissions to be exempt from submitting an English competency exam. Please contact the Office of Admissions for more information.    
GRE/GMAT Exams
All applicants to the Washington, DC campus and US-citizens and permanent residents applying to the Bologna campus are required to take either the GRE General Exam or the GMAT. LSATS are not accepted. To ensure that your test scores reach SAIS on time, you should take the appropriate examinations and request your official score reports at least a month before the deadline.

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.

SAIS has no minimum GRE or GMAT score. However, in recent years the middle 50% GRE verbal score range has been 158-165 (79th - 96th percentile) and the middle 50% GRE quantitative score range has been 154 - 161 (67th - 86th percentile). For the GMAT verbal score, the middle 50% has been in the 34-42 range, and the GMAT quantitative score has been in 38-49 range. 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 whose native language is not English.  Students who choose to submit the IELTS exam results must meet a minimum of 7.0.  Any passing grade on the CPE will be accepted.

ETS stipulates that GRE scores are valid for five years, and TOEFL scores are valid for two years. GMAC stipulates that GMAT scores are valid for ten years. Neither ETS nor GMAC will not forward expired test scores to our office.
* For information on GRE and TOEFL test sites and dates refer to www.ets.org; for GMAT refer to www.gmac.com; for IELTS refer to www.ielts.org.

All incoming MA students are required to complete introductory microeconomics and introductory macroeconomics courses, receiving a grade of B- or higher, before they can start course work at SAIS. 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. Completion of these courses is recommended but not required to apply to SAIS. If the economics courses will be taken between the application deadline and the start of classes at SAIS, transcripts must be submitted to the Admissions Office as soon as the courses are completed and before the applicant starts any course work, including Pre-term. Admitted candidates who have not satisfied the basic economics requirements can fulfill them during the summer before classes start. SAIS offers an online course in basic microeconomics and macroeconomics to enable these candidates to meet the requirement.

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.

The middle 50% range for GPA of the incoming class was 3.39-3.79 on a 4.0 scale. 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 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.

Work experience is just one of many factors considered when evaluating an applicant. About 88% of the incoming M.A. class had at least one year of work experience following graduation. This work experience varies widely and need not necessarily relate directly to the field of international relations. In addition to working in government agencies, many incoming SAIS M.A. students have had experiences in the financial sector, consulting, private industry, the U.S. Peace Corps, teaching abroad, and law. Nonetheless, each year around 10% of the incoming M.A. 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 incoming class was 26.

We do receive strong applications from M.A. 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.

Students come from approximately 75 countries from around the globe.

With the exception of specific named fellowships, which require additional essays, applicants should apply for SAIS financial aid with the Financial Aid forms, which are available online.  The applications are available here. All students starting in Washington D.C. and all U.S. students starting in Bologna may contact the Financial Aid Office (+ 1 202-663-5706 or fin_aid@sais-jhu.edu). U.S. citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents MUST file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Non-U.S. students starting in Bologna may contact the Admissions Office at admissions@jhubc.it.

Please click here for more information about Financial Aid. SAIS Financial Aid Office 1740 Massachusetts Avenue NW Room 314 Washington, DC 20036. Non-U.S. students starting in Bologna should follow the instructions on the financial aid application form.

Currently SAIS offers application fee waivers to participants or alumni affiliated with the following professional development programs:

• Pickering
• PPIA
• IIPP
• McNair
• Rangel
• Teach for America
• Fulbright (those currently on fellowship)
• Peace Corps

In order to receive a fee waiver, you must submit an official document confirming your participation in the appropriate program via email. When you submit your online application, please select that you are going to pay by check. We will waive the fee once the paperwork is received by our office and your application has been submitted.
Unfortunately, we do not grant fee waivers for financial hardship. There is no application fee for non-U.S. students applying to Bologna.

Only if you are a non-U.S. citizen or permanent resident and applying to study at the Bologna campus, will an interview be required. In the application, you will be asked to select the venue that suits you. Interviews may be conducted on the phone or via Skype.

In Washington D.C. Information Sessions and Taster Lectures held during the fall semester provide prospective students with an opportunity to learn more about SAIS, its curriculum, and the application process. At these events, potential applicants have the chance to speak with members of the Admissions staff, alumni, and current students.  Additionally, the SAIS Student Happy Hour immediately follows the Friday sessions that are held during the fall semester.  Prospective students may also contact the SAIS Office of Admissions to set up a class visit, meet with a current SAIS student and tour campus. In Bologna, an open day is held in the fall for prospective students and an open house is held in the spring for admitted students. SAIS Bologna has an open door policy for prospective students and encourages visits during the academic year when classes are in session. To arrange a visit, contact the Admissions Office.

No. SAIS offers a two-year Masters Degree that is taken on a full-time basis (with a minimum of three classes per semester).

 Potential students must separately apply and be admitted to each institution. Upon acceptance into both programs, a student is considered a dual degree candidate and may choose the timing and location of their program.  It is critical that all dual degree candidates fill out the Dual Degree Registration Form and consult with both programs regarding any status change. During the first semester at SAIS you may apply to approved dual degree programs.

New proposals for other ad hoc dual degrees are possible, but must be approved by the Director of Admissions.  PLEASE NOTE: Only top-ranked professional schools will be considered for ad-hoc dual degrees.

The SAIS Office of Admissions retains application files for one year after a decision is rendered; applicants within this time frame (i.e. applicants who previously applied for fall 2012 entry) are required to complete only the items on the checklist below. Applicants who previously applied for fall 2011 or earlier are considered new applicants and must re-submit all application materials.
Reapplicants to SAIS must submit the following:

• Application fee ($85 - where applicable)
• Online application (Reapplicants must indicate their status as a reapplicant and previous decision status on the application.)
• Updated Résumé/CV
• Re-applicant Essay: Explain how you have improved your candidacy since your last application. This essay should be no more than 1000 words in length.
• Transcript(s) of any additional courses you have taken since you last applied (include grades not finalized at the time of your last application)
• One new recommendation letter, preferably from your current employer. If you have already used your current employer for a recommendation, please choose someone else in a supervisory role or a client

Admitted students may request a one-semester or one-year deferral. Deferral requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may be granted for a unique employment opportunity, special fellowship program, approved dual degree program, or family or medical emergency. The granting of deferrals beyond one year is extremely rare. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to apply for the semester that they expect to attend. Note: Applicants who are admitted from the waiting list cannot defer admission under any circumstances. You can find instructions for requesting a deferral on our Deferral Request Page.

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.