PhD program admissions

Submit an $85 application fee or request a fee waiver. 

We accept both unofficial and official transcripts. Generally, your application will be processed sooner if you upload unofficial transcripts; this is also our preference. However, please note that:

• If you decide to matriculate, you will be required to provide a final official transcript from the institution which awarded you your bachelor's degree, with a date of undergraduate degree conferral. Students without a final official transcript on file by the end of business on orientation day will not be allowed to enroll in the program.

We prefer letters from both academic and professional references, however we recognize that not all applicants will have access to both categories based on their professional timeline. Prioritize choosing recommenders who know you and can write about you well. 

It may be helpful for your recommenders to review your resume and read your statement of purpose. A typical letter of recommendation to Fletcher is between one and two pages in length.

We also have some tips for you to share with your recommenders: 

• Explain why a student succeeded (or failed) in a class. Even if it seems obvious that an "A" grade demonstrates the student's strength, the context for the grade is useful. 
• Note if a student took the time to get to know you outside of class (through research, office hours, etc.).
• If you are writing about the applicant's professional experience, describe the applicant's progress in and contributions to your organization.
• If the applicant performed any functions that are relevant to academic work (research, writing, data collection or analysis, work within a team), bring them to our attention. 
• Assess the applicant's professional potential: will the applicant be able to achieve their career goals? 

Please tell us about your goals for graduate study at Fletcher and for your career. Describe the elements of your personal, professional, and/or academic background that have prepared you for your chosen career path. Why is The Fletcher School the right place to pursue your academic objectives and to prepare you to meet your professional goals? What global and/or social contributions do you hope to make after completing your studies? Why have you selected the degree program to which you are applying? If you are planning to pursue a dual degree, please be sure to address this interest in essay one.

Please select and answer one of the following prompts:

• Please share how your background, worldview, or perspective influenced your decision to study international affairs.
• We are shaped by the places we live. Tell us about the city, town, or region that you consider to be your “hometown,” – that place where you lived for most of your life or to which you feel most connected. What makes this place special and how has it contributed to who you are now?
• Describe an experience (academic, personal, or professional) that contributed to your interest in the study of international affairs or an international career.

Please explain why you believe a PhD from a multidisciplinary program in international affairs at a professional school, as compared with a doctorate from a conventional program in a single academic discipline, advances your intellectual and professional ambitions.

Please upload a current version of your professional resume.

• GMAT or GRE (optional)
• TOEFL/IELTS/Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency/Duolingo is required of international students whose native language is not English and who have not earned a university degree where English was the primary language of instruction.

PhD applicants are encouraged to schedule an interview; please select the PhD option when scheduling. An evaluative interview is a valuable way for you to share information about yourself and to learn how Fletcher will help meet your academic and professional goals. 

Interviews are conducted by current students, and occasionally, staff members. Interviews are evaluative, not informational, and a report of the interview will become part of the interviewee's application record. Interviews should be completed before an application has been submitted to Fletcher. 

Proposals should be 1500 words in length. 

Please submit a complete writing sample.

Please submit a list of all programs to which you are applying. 

Please submit if applying for aid.