Admissions and Funding

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Application requirements

The admissions application is accessible through The Graduate School. A complete application consists of the following documentation:

• Statement of Intent: to be attached to your online application form

• Writing sample

• Curriculum Vitae or Résumé

• Three letters of recommendation

• Unofficial transcript

• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) test scores

• TOEFL or IELTS for non-native speakers of English

• Application fee (or fee waiver) ($75)

The Political Science graduate admissions committee will consider your application holistically, taking into account all aspects of your profile.

We encourage students from diverse backgrounds (including diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, and physical abilities) to apply. For these students, application fee waivers can be requested and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Timeline

Dates based on previous years

• Mid-December: Application Deadline

• Early February: Admission and waitlist announced

• Early March: Graduate School offers select fellowships to admitted students

• Late March: Graduate Student Visit Day

• April 15: Final decision deadline

Tuition and stipend

The Department fully funds Ph.D. students who remain in good academic standing for five years. The following is covered:

• Tuition ($64,756 for the 2024-2025 Academic Year)

• Graduate student health insurance

• Technology fees

We also provide:

• Annual stipend (a base of $35,000 for the 2024-2025 Academic Year)

• Graduate student research & development fund ($2,000)

Financial aid

Students are automatically considered for financial aid unless they indicate that they have other support. Decisions are based primarily on academic merit. Doctoral students in good academic standing can expect to receive full-tuition scholarships and multi-year assistantships or fellowships with yearly stipends. Students with assistantships will be required to perform teaching and/or research-related duties for the department.

Please see the Graduate School’s website for complete information about financial support.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, domestic or international, to be eligible for admission to a graduate program at the University of Notre Dame. Previous graduate work is not required. It is anticipated that applicants will have related training or research experience in Political Science.