Student Experience

Attending Georgetown provides you with access to all the benefits of Washington, DC.

With a constant line-up of high-profile speakers who come to both large and small events on campus, you can hear from the world’s leaders on current issues.

Faculty members at the School of Foreign Service (SFS) are both scholars and practitioners, providing SFS students with a unique insight into how policy works in real-world settings. The Georgetown community is filled with clubs and activities that cater to students across various areas, allowing you to explore your interests.

Professor Charles Kupchan with President Obama, Press Secretary Josh Earnest, and National Security Advisor Susan Rice at Schloss Herrenhausen in Germany, sitting around a table. — Professor Charles Kupchan (at right) with President Obama, Press Secretary Josh Earnest, and National Security Advisor Susan Rice at Schloss Herrenhausen in Germany, April 2016 (Photo credit: Pete Souza)

Intersection of scholars and practitioners

At SFS, you can learn from former secretaries of state, from people who led large, multinational corporations or from renowned scholars in international affairs. You’ll be able to attend events featuring speakers at the top of their fields, across all sectors of global affairs.

Both students and faculty bring their expertise into the classroom and onto campus, creating a learning environment that encourages you to continually challenge big ideas with experience and practice from around the world.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono in front of a podium. Behind him the flag of Japan. — Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono (SFS’86) returned to campus for a talk in Gaston Hall.

Engaging world leaders

The School of Foreign Service is unique in its capacity to span the worlds of public policy and academia. Studying at Georgetown means engaging directly with international leaders inside and outside of the classroom.

Guests bring expertise from throughout the world of public policy, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Mike Pence and former U.S. Representative Stephanie Murphy (MSFS’04). Annual events, such as the Bernstein Lecture—just one of many regular lecture series on campus—bring together some of the top practitioners in the field, with past guests including U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (SFS’09) and Justice Stephen Breyer.

The historic Gaston Hall stage has also hosted foreign leaders such as First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, former Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and a host of former foreign ministers from El Salvador to Sweden. As a student in the SFS, you not only get to hear from world leaders, but also to speak with them in classrooms, small group discussions and social receptions. Coffee chats, hosted by Dean Joel Hellman, provide an opportunity for you to speak directly with guests in an intimate and informal setting. In these chats, students have had the opportunity to meet with guests including Stéphane Dujarric (SFS’88, P’23, ’25), spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Taranjit Singh Sandhu (P’23) and Tzipi Livni, former Vice Prime Minister of Israel.