Admissions and Tuition

The Security Studies Program awards a limited number of merit aid tuition scholarships to admitted students with exceptionally strong academic and professional qualifications. Awards are made to both U.S. citizens and international students enrolling in both the fall and spring terms. Most awards range from 12.5 to 50% of tuition. Please note that this merit aid does not include stipends or funds to cover travel or living expenses, books or health insurance.

About 30% of the incoming class has historically received merit aid scholarships. To apply for merit aid for the Security Studies Program, simply check the appropriate box on the Graduate School application form. No other materials are required.

The Office of Student Financial Aid provides information on financial aid, part-time employment and loan programs such as the U.S. Department of Education Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Program.

The Office of Graduate Fellowships & Awards has information on opportunities including fellowships, scholarships and external funding.

Georgetown University has a grant from the National Science Foundation through the CyberCorps™ Scholarship for Service Program to provide scholarships to students to earn degrees critical for cybersecurity in exchange for service in the form of employment in a governmental cybersecurity position. Applications for this scholarship are handled separately from admissions to SSP. See the Georgetown CyberCorps™ website for more details about program requirements, obligations, and application.

The Security Studies Program has an ongoing partnership with the Charles B. Rangel Program, the Thomas R. Pickering Program and the Clarke DS Fellowship. Each program has a separate application process you must follow for consideration.

The Security Studies Program also offers a limited amount of funding for students once they have already started the program. 

• Language study scholarships: The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences provides language scholarships for classes below the 350 level, allowing all SSP students to study a language desired.
• SSP merit awards: We award up to five merit scholarships to the students with the highest cumulative GPAs. These highly competitive awards provide up to a 50% scholarship for the following semester.
• Summer grants and internship stipends: We offer funding to current students to assist with international research, language immersion and domestic or international internships. These grants are competitive and award amounts vary depending on the research proposal.
• Employment opportunities: A limited number of research assistant, teaching assistant and fellowship positions are available to Security Studies students, including international students. These opportunities pay a competitive wage and you may work a maximum of 20 hours per week. Openings are provided as they become available and are an opportunity to engage more deeply with the program and the university.

These Army officers attend the Security Studies Program as part of formal training to become a foreign area officer and serve as defense attachés abroad at United States embassies and elsewhere. After completing extensive language study and on-site training in their assigned country, they complete a graduate-level degree before starting new roles.

These Naval officers receive a fellowship from the U.S. Navy to attend one of a select few graduate programs at top international relations schools. Each October, a few officers are selected and must gain admission in order to complete the fellowship. Graduates of this program have gone on to teach in the U.S. military academies and into high-ranking positions within the U.S. military. We mandate that all Pol-Mil fellows be approved for an 18-month or two-year master’s degree prior to applying and gaining admission.

VGEPers are midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy who apply to SSP in the fall semester of their final year at the Academy and begin graduate courses in the spring semester. These students are pre-approved for an accelerated degree and take four classes over the spring, summer and fall terms in order to graduate in 12 months. After graduation, these students are commissioned in either the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps.

Students with funding from ACS are welcome and invited to apply to the Security Studies Program. ACS provides funding to Army offers to complete graduate school. All applicants with funding through ACS must be approved by the Army for an 18-month or two-year course of study.

Georgetown has a large veteran population on campus and works hard to ensure these students receive the support and guidance needed. We encourage all prospective veteran students to visit the Military and Veterans’ Resource Center and get in touch with Georgetown’s veterans service coordinator at veteranservices@georgetown.edu.

Georgetown supports the Post 9-11 GI Bill® and the Yellow Ribbon Program.