Admissions

Fletcher actively seeks to enroll a diverse class of students who have demonstrated academic excellence, have a wide range of personal, professional, and academic experience, and have a strong commitment to an international career. We seek students who, by virtue of their background, achievement, and experience, can contribute to the education of their peers and to the scholarship and practice of international relations.

While work experience is strongly recommended for all of our degree programs, the amount and specific type of experience will vary depending on the program you are applying to. For the MGA, two to four years full-time professional experience is strongly recommended. The Committee on Admissions carefully reviews each applicant's personal and professional experience to assess readiness for graduate study at Fletcher. Voluntary positions, internships, and part- and full-time experience all play a role in preparing students for study.

International experience is not required, but it is strongly recommended. This includes time spent living, studying, working, volunteering, or traveling outside of the applicant’s home country, as well as experience working with international populations and policy issues.

Since Fletcher students come from a broad range of educational backgrounds that utilize different grading scales, calculating an average GPA for all admitted students is impossible. Among admitted students who attended colleges or universities using a 4.0 scale, the middle fifty percent of GPAs has fallen in the range of 3.4 to 3.8 in recent years.

Students are not required to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English but have the option to demonstrate foreign language proficiency through oral and written exams. Students who choose and successfully complete this option will have their passing results noted on their Fletcher transcript.

While we strongly encourage students to have a solid foundation in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and statistics prior to enrolling at Fletcher, it is not an application requirement. That said, the Committee on Admissions does consider prior quantitative coursework and quantitative GRE and GMAT scores when reviewing applications for admission. Furthermore, if your career goals and plan of study at Fletcher require significant quantitative skills, it is important that your application demonstrates prior experience in these areas. MIB students, in particular, must be able to thrive in a rigorous academic environment that includes substantial quantitative coursework. This capacity can be demonstrated through an undergraduate academic record that shows success in quantitative coursework such as macroeconomics, microeconomics, calculus, statistics, and/or econometrics; a strong quantitative GMAT or GRE score; or full-time work experience with significant and demonstrable quantitative responsibilities.

The Fletcher School accepts applications from students currently in their last year of university study. Applicants should include a transcript indicating their most recent grades. Those who enroll will be required to submit a final transcript that shows that all requirements for graduation were met. In addition, students who are in their final year of undergraduate study have the option of applying to Fletcher's Map Your Future Program. Map Your Future guarantees admitted applicants a place in the MALD or MIB degree program after completing two to three years of professional work experience in a Fletcher-approved position.

Yes. Please submit transcripts from all institutions attended.

Provided you have not received the master's degree, you may petition to transfer some credits toward your degree.

In addition to the requirements shared by all degree programs (strong academic potential, clear goals, international and professional experience), applicants to the PhD program must have a master’s degree, equivalent to Fletcher's MALD, from a program lasting at least three semesters and requiring at least 12 to 16 semester-long courses. PhD applicants use the same online application as master's degree applicants, but need to submit two essays (in addition to the personal statement), as well a dissertation proposal and a copy of their master's thesis.

No, you can only apply to one degree program at Fletcher in the same admissions cycle.

Applicants to the MALD, MGA, MIB, LLM, MA, and PhD programs must submit the following materials:

• Application form
• Application fee of $80 (Fee waiver eligibility)
  Applicants affiliated with the following academic and service programs are eligible for fee waivers: McNair Scholars; currently enrolled Tufts undergraduates; Americorps (currently serving); Peace Corps (currently serving); Teach for America (currently serving); Truman Scholars; Harambe Entrepreneur Alliance Associates; IIPP Fellows: PPIA Fellows: Pickering Fellows; Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program; Rangel Fellows; Map Your Future candidates
• Academic transcripts from all previously attended institutions
• Two letters of recommendation(a third is optional)
• Resume
• Essay 1
• Essay 2
• Essay 3 (for PhD applicants only)
• Official GRE or GMAT scores (optional)
• Official TOEFL or IELTS scores (if applicable)
• Scholarship Application (if applicable)

PhD applicants must also submit: 

• PhD dissertation proposal (1,500 words)
• Master's thesis or writing sample
• List of programs you are applying to
• Name(s) of Fletcher professor(s) you have had contact with

Please review the Application Requirements for more detailed information about the specific program to which you are applying.

By applying before the Early Notification deadline, applicants have the opportunity to receive an admissions decision by January 1 for enrollment the following September, giving admitted applicants extra time to plan for graduate study.

Through the Early Notification process, the Committee on Admissions may decide to make an offer of admission or to deny admission, or may defer the application for further review with Regular Deadline applicants. If an application is deferred, the applicant will be notified of an admission decision in late March. Students admitted through the Early Notification process who have submitted a Fletcher Financial Aid Application will be notified about their scholarship awards in mid-March.

Early Notification is available for September matriculation only. PhD candidates may not apply for Early Notification. Early Notification is not binding and Early Notification applicants may apply to other graduate programs. Early Notification applicants who are denied admission will not be eligible to reapply for the Regular or Final Deadline of the same year.

The Admissions Committee uses the same criteria to evaluate applicants who meet the Early and Regular deadlines. The benefit of applying early is simply the possibility to receive an admissions decision by January 1. Additionally, if the Committee on Admissions defers making a final decision, the application will receive a second round of review with the Regular Deadline applications.

Applicants are asked to note the relevant deadlines and to ensure that all required materials arrive before the deadline. The Committee on Admissions will not review an application file until it is complete.

Occasionally, because of a processing delay with the testing organizations or because a recommender submits a letter late, materials will arrive after the deadline. Provided that the applicant completes his/her portion of the application by the appropriate deadline, the Committee on Admissions will make every effort to read and review the file once the late material is received.

For the MALD, MIB, and MA programs, a limited number of students are admitted for January enrollment each year; the GMAP program also offers a January enrollment option. The admission and financial aid process for January enrollment is identical to that for fall enrollment, and spring enrollment applicants are eligible for scholarship aid. There is no January enrollment offered for the MGA, LLM, MATA, MAHA, or PhD programs.

Two letters of recommendation are required (a third is optional); two letters are normally sufficient. All applicants are strongly encouraged to include at least one academic recommendation and one professional recommendation. Applicants to the LLM program should include a recommendation from a law professor. If you feel that an additional letter would shed light on your credentials in a way not covered by the first two letters, you may submit it and it will be read by the Admissions Committee.

Yes

We do not accept additional writing samples for the MALD, MGA, MIB, LLM, MATA, MAHA, or MA program. However, a writing sample is a required part of the PhD application.

Please submit academic transcripts from every college or university you have attended. Transcripts not in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation. If you participated in a study abroad program and those grades are not listed on your transcript, you must submit a transcript with grades from the host institution. If you are currently enrolled in an academic program, please submit a report of mid-year grades as soon as it becomes available. Do not postpone the submission of your application if mid-year grades are the only part of your application that remains incomplete. Send a transcript that is complete at the time you submit the application and send mid-year grades when they become available.

Official transcripts in hard copy may be mailed directly to the Admissions Office, or scanned copies of official transcripts may be uploaded through the online application. Applicants who submit a scanned copy of an official transcript will be required to submit original official transcripts if they enroll.

The Fletcher School grants application fee waivers to applicants affiliated with the following academic and service programs:

• McNair Scholars Program
• Americorps (currently serving)
• Peace Corps (currently serving)
• Teach for America (currently serving)
• Teach for India (currently serving)
• Teach for China (currently serving)
• Truman Scholars Association
• The Harambe Entrepreneur Alliance
• IIPP
• PPIA
• Pickering Fellowship
• Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program
• Rangel Fellows
• Map Your Future candidates
• Currently enrolled Tufts undergraduates