Financial Aid and Scholarships

The cost of the SSP is comparable to other graduate programs in Washington, DC.  Applicants with financial need are encouraged to make timely applications for external financial support and to research outside sources of financial assistance as early as possible. The deadlines for many independently sponsored fellowships are often in October or November of the year before a student intends to matriculate.  

At Georgetown, the Office of Student Financial Services provides information on tuition and fees as well as counseling on how to finance the cost of the degree.

For information on billing policies and procedures, contact the Office of Student Accounts.

US Citizens

Applicants from the United States are urged to consult their undergraduate placement, counseling, and financial aid offices regarding fellowship programs that may support graduate study.  Two types of aid are available: 

  • SSP merit based aid

  • Federally sponsored need based aid

The SSP awards a limited number of merit based tuition scholarships to admitted students with exceptionally strong academic and professional qualifications.  Awards range from 50 per cent to 100 per cent of tuition.  The SSP does not offer stipends or funds to cover travel or living expenses, books, or health insurance.  Merit based aid is available to applicants for fall and spring semesters as well as to international students.  

Because the amount of SSP merit based aid is limited, students should also apply for outside grants and scholarships in the event no funding is offered by the SSP.  Various search engines are available to facilitate this process.

Many graduate students receive need-based federal financial aid funds and other financing assistance from the University's Office of Student Financial Services, which offers a full range of services to assist students.  Admitted students are encouraged to contact their counselor with questions about student loans and campus employment as well as university-wide scholarship and grant programs.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are applying for federal loans and federal work-study should submit the FAFSA by February 1.

Questions regarding loans, work-study programs, or FAFSA forms should be addressed to:  

Office of Student Financial Services
Georgetown University
Box 571252, G-19 Healy Hall
37th & O Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20057-1252

Phone: (202) 687-4547
Fax: (202) 687-6542
Website: http://finaid.georgetown.edu/index.htm

US students may find the following links useful:

  • Charles B. Rangel Fellowship – Provides fellowships of up to $28,000 annually for completion of a two-year master’s degree in international affairs or a related subject (such as public administration, public policy, business administration, foreign languages, economics, political science, communications) at a graduate or professional school approved by the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center.

  • Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute - The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) publishes a comprehensive list of scholarships, internships, and fellowships for Latino students.

  • Hispanic College Scholarship Fund - The leading organization supporting Hispanic higher education.

  • Celia M. Howard Fellowship - The Howard Fellowship provides financial assistance to well-qualified Illinois women for study in the field of diplomacy.

  • Institute for International Public Policy Fellowship Program (IIPP) - Provides students with specially designed education and training experiences critical to entry and advancement in international affairs careers. Graduate fellowship includes at least $15,000 support from two-year graduate school of international affairs matched with a grant from IIPP to be applied in accordance with an agreement between IIPP and the institution the Fellow attends.

  • National Association of Fellowship Advisors – Provides resources for national, merit-based scholarships for college and graduate level students.

  • Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship – For college students who are interested in joining the United States Department of State Foreign Service. Fellowship award provides two years of undergraduate funding (junior and senior year) and first year of funding at a graduate program of international affairs.

  • Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship - For individuals who are interested in joining the United States Department of State Foreign Service. Fellowship award includes tuition, room, board, and mandatory fees for the first year and second year of graduate study, with reimbursement for books and limited travel expenses.

  • Project 1000 - Project 1000 is a national program created to assist underrepresented students applying to graduate school. Students may apply to up to seven of over 88 participating Project 1000 institutions by using one application.

  • Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship Program (PPIA) - Prepares young adults from historically underrepresented groups for leadership positions in government, nonprofits, and international organizations.

  • Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans - Applicants who are "New Americans" – naturalized U.S. citizens, green card holders, or the children of two naturalized citizens – may be interested in the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans which provide half of tuition plus $20,000 for each of two years of graduate study.

  • U.S. Department of Homeland Security Scholarships and Graduate Fellowships – For students interested in pursuing the basic science and technology innovations that can be applied to the Department of Homeland Security mission. Areas of study that are eligible include: physical, mathematical, computer and information, life, and social sciences, psychology, selected humanities, and engineering.

International Students

SSP merit based aid is available to international students.  Please note, however, the SSP does not offer stipends or funds to cover travel or living expenses, books, or health insurance.  

Applicants who are non-U.S. citizens should apply for awards offered by their governments or by governmental and private agencies in the United States or elsewhere.

In most cases international students are not eligible to apply for federal student loan programs.  For additional resources visit here. 

Georgetown offers scholarships and fellowships to graduate candidates based solely on academic qualifications to candidates that are recommended by the various graduate departments or programs.  International students compete for these awards on an equal basis with U.S. citizens. 

International students may also find the following sites useful:

  • American Association of University Women - AAUW International Fellowships support for full-time study or research to women who are not United States citizens or permanent residents.

  • The American-Scandinavian Foundation offers funding to Scandinavians (citizens of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway or Sweden) to undertake study or research programs in the United States for up to one year.

  • Ron Brown Fellowship Program – For citizens of Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Kosovo, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia. Supports Central and Eastern European students and professionals in U.S. graduate programs through merit-based competition. Contact Public Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy or the Fulbright Commission in your country (participating countries are subject to change).

  • Canadian Higher Education Loan Program (CanHELP) was developed to allow students from Canada to fund their education abroad in the USA.

  • Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia - For Mexican citizens interested in degree programs advancing scientific and technological sectors in Mexico.

  • eduPASS - A resource guide for foreign nationals who wish to study in the US.

  • Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP) - For citizens of China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, South Africa, Egypt, Palestine, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, and Russia.   The IFP provides opportunities for advanced study to exceptional individuals who will use this education to become leaders in their respective fields, furthering development in their own countries and greater economic and social justice worldwide. All applications must be submitted to the appropriate IFP International Partner listed on the IFP website.

  • Fundação Estudar - Provides merit-based scholarships for Brazilian students studying at top M.B.A., M.P.P./International Affairs and LL.M. programs

  • FUNED  -  A private, nonprofit organization that provides financing for graduate education (one and two-year programs) to outstanding Mexican candidates.

  • Funding for US Study Online - For international students seeking funding opportunities for study in the United States. Organized and maintained by the Institute of International Education (IIE), Funding for US Study is an extensive database of scholarships, fellowships and grants including all types of funding programs, for all levels of post-secondary study, across the full range of academic areas.

  • International Scholarships - Provides an extensive list of scholarships, grants and loan programs for students from any origin

  • International Student Loan - Access to loans for non-US citizens wishing to study in the U.S. Non-US citizen students are required to have a US Citizen or permanent resident as a co-signer to apply for this loan.

  • International Education Finance Corporation – IEFC is a provider of international student loan programs.

  • Institute of International Education (IIE) – Administers various Fulbright programs and brings over 1,000 Fulbright fellows to US academic programs each year.

  • International Students Organization (ISO) - Provides quality, low-cost health insurance coverage for internaitonal students studying in the US.

  • Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Studies Program – Offers funding for studies related to economic development.

  • Leo S. Rowe Pan American Fund - The Rowe Fund awards educational loans to qualified persons from Latin American and Caribbean countries to help them finance higher education in the US. These loans are made on the understanding that when the recipients have completed their studies, they are to return to their respective home countries to assist in their countries’ development and further their welfare.

  • Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship – For citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.  The fellowship provides funding for graduate study in the US.

  • Graduate Fellowship News Letter - This list outlines scholarships divided by area of study. 

  • University of California, Berkeley - A list of funding opportunities foreign nationals (especially for Africans)

  • U.S. Journal of Academics provides up-to-date financial aid information for international students in the US. 

International students should also visit in-country overseas advising centers.  To search for centers visit:

Joint Degree Funding

Applicants to the M.A./Ph.D. in Government and M.A./J.D. program are eligible to apply for Government Department and Law Center funding in addition to SSP and federal funds.  Please observe the required deadlines carefully for funding consideration.