Are you committed to a career that advances human progress? Do you believe in working on issues that promote peace the lasts, development that works, and knowledge that transforms? We welcome applicants who want to make the world a better place and realize that they may come from different academic and professional backgrounds. Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree or international equivalent by the start the program.

With the exception of the one-year MAIR program, candidates are not required to have previous professional experience, although it is something the admissions committee likes to see. It’s great to see experience (professional experience, internships, study abroad, volunteer, etc.) outside of your country as well.

Our admissions process is holistic, which means our admissions committee takes all pieces of the application into consideration. We encourage candidates to think about each component you are asked to share as part of the application process – transcripts, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, resume, and all of the application questions – and consider how to strengthen each part. When you submit your application, a PDF file of your application is generated (with the exception of your letters of recommendation), and this is exactly what the admissions committee will see.

No. All materials must be submitted via the online application system.

Unofficial scans of your transcripts should be uploaded directly via the Academic History section of the online application. Your resume or CV should be uploaded in the Supporting Information section of the application. Your statement of purpose can be uploaded in the program materials section of the application.

Recommenders must submit an online recommendation. An email request will automatically be sent to your recommenders once you have saved an online recommendation. Official test scores for the GRE, TOEFL, or IELTS should be sent directly from the testing agency to the Pardee School. See our page on Standardized Testing for more information on this.

For most programs, yes. Exceptions:

• Current Juris Doctor (JD) students can apply to add the International Relations (IR) component for spring term, but the Law School does not accept applications for spring term for new JD students.
• Current MBA students can apply to add the International Relations component for spring term. Questrom accepts applications for new part-time evening MBA students for spring term, but does not accept applications for new full-time MBA students for spring term.

We encourage international students to apply for the fall term rather than the spring term. While we will accept spring term applications from international students, we cannot guarantee that there will be sufficient time to process the student visa.

With the exception of the IRJD program, all Pardee School MA programs do accept part-time students. Be aware that under most circumstances international students may not study as part-time students because the student visa normally permits only full-time study.

No, you may only submit your application to one program. Please review the information on our Graduate Programs page to learn more about each program. You may also want to join us for an admissions event to learn more about our programs and speak to an admissions representative. Please fill out our inquiry form to access Pardee admissions events.

You are welcome to contact the Pardee Graduate Office at any time to inquire about your application. The office can be reached at psgsgrad@bu.edu.

Please keep in mind that it typically takes a few workdays to process received documents.

In general, your admission may be deferred for up to two terms. For example, a candidate who is admitted to fall 2023 may request a deferral to either spring 2023 or fall 2024. To request a deferral, please send an email explaining your reasons to psgsgrad@bu.edu so the admissions committee can evaluate your request. Please note that deposit must be paid before we are able to defer your admission and enrollment to a future term.

Yes! Complete our form in order to refer a qualified candidate.

Candidates may reapply as early as the next application cycle. For example, a candidate who applied to a spring 2025 term but was not admitted may reapply to the spring/fall term of the next year. We encourage candidates to consider if there is sufficient time to make significant changes and improvements to the supporting documentation.

Students who are qualified for one of the programs below will absolutely have the application fee waived:

• Students applying as part of the McNair Scholar, Pickering Fellowship, Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship, or Fulbright programs.
• Returning Peace Corps or AmeriCorps Volunteers.
• Current Pardee School undergraduates.
• U.S. military active duty and veterans.

Contact the Pardee Graduate Office prior to submitting your application. We are unable to process refunds.

The online application system requires payment of the $95 application fee by credit card. In rare cases in which an applicant does not have access to a credit card, the applicant should contact the Pardee Graduate Office at psgsgrad@bu.edu.

All Boston University students are required to pay the application fee, except those students currently enrolled in the Pardee School.

No, the application fee will not be refunded if you withdraw your application from consideration. If you are unsatisfied at any point in the application process, please feel free to contact the Pardee School Graduate Office at psgsgrad@bu.edu.

Yes. All credentials submitted to the Pardee School need to be in English.

Applicants who have received degrees from institutions outside the U.S. must provide certified copies and (if the originals are not in English) certified English translations of transcripts or records of all previous post-secondary education.

Applicants are required to upload transcripts of each college or university attended to the online application. A college senior should submit a transcript of work completed in the first semester of the senior year as soon as it is available.

If you attended a study abroad program or enrolled in college courses while in high school, we do not need separate transcripts sent if the course names, credits, and grades are listed on your main institution’s transcript.

Official transcripts are not required as part of the application. All applicants should upload unofficial transcripts directly to the online application.

If you are admitted, you will be required to send in official transcripts from all colleges attended prior to matriculation.

If you are offered admission, you must submit official transcripts and certified documents showing all degrees conferred as soon as they become available, even if the degree will not be conferred until the semester of matriculation begins.

No, although you are welcome to do so. However, you do need to provide a certified English translation of all non-English transcripts. Some schools in non-English countries will produce English language transcripts on request, so check with your school before paying for a third-party translation.

The Pardee School requires three recommendation letters. Please be in touch with your recommenders beforehand to confirm the email address they prefer to use to receive the recommendation request. They will receive a unique link to upload and send their letters of recommendation.

Applicants are welcome to send professional recommendation letters, preferably from sources relevant to international affairs.  If at all possible, however, we strongly prefer to receive at least one academic letter from a university professor.

Letters from athletic coaches or supervisors of student clubs are discouraged unless the club in question is relevant to international affairs. Academic letters from pre-college instructors and personal letters (e.g., from a family friend) are never acceptable.

Define your purpose for applying to the specific graduate program (and specialization, if applicable) in about 500 words. You may also wish to share why Pardee is the right place for you pursue your chosen graduate program. You can discuss your relevant academic, professional, and/or personal background that has motivated you on a career path in international affairs and global policy. We are particularly interested in hearing how any relevant international exposure, internships, or volunteer or personal experience has shaped your goals to help solve big global challenges.

No, the Pardee School no longer requires candidates to submit GRE scores. However, if you are applying to one of the dual degree programs, you should check the other’s school’s admissions requirements.

In most cases, yes. Please see our page on standardized testing for full details.

The BU Veterans Services Office can assist you with any questions you have about using your veteran education benefits at BU.

Yes! BU has a long relationship with the Army FAO program. We welcome FAOs and value the experience that they bring to the classroom. You will need to let us know the funding level you have been approved for when you fill out your application to BU.

Yes. Our One-Year MA program and our Latin American Studies MA program are both designed to be completed within 12 months.

Absolutely. Please let us know the particulars of your funding situation when filling out the application so that we can best assist you.