About
Details at a Glance
School Type
Private
Application Fee
$55
Financial Aid Available
Yes
Our Program
American University’s School of International Service (SIS) is a top-10 school of international affairs located in Washington, DC. Since our founding in 1957, we have answered President Dwight D. Eisenhower's call to prepare students of international affairs to "wage peace." We do so because we believe the world needs leaders who are ready to serve.
Thoughtful and aspirational, our students come to SIS with wide-ranging backgrounds and experience. They take advantage of Washington, DC’s wealth of resources and professional opportunities and gain access to our active international network of more than 20,000 alumni. As emerging leaders, our students graduate prepared to combine knowledge and practice and to serve the global community, wage peace, and build understanding in our world.
Our world-renowned faculty — leading political scientists, economists, sociologists, anthropologists, demographers, geographers, historians, and experts in international development, global health, communications, energy, and the environment — produce meaningful, transformational research. They impart their experience, knowledge, and skills to more than 3,000 graduate and undergraduate students annually and prepare students for global careers in government, nonprofits, and business around the world.
SIS features a comprehensive liberal arts program for undergraduates, professional education in international affairs for master’s students, and a multidisciplinary program for doctoral students. We offer a range of academic options to meet our students’ needs and interests: dual degrees, graduate certificates, online programs, executive degrees, a BA/MA, a three-year BA, practicum programs for career preparation, and extensive study-abroad opportunities.
SIS is housed in a 70,000 square-foot, LEED Gold-certified building, designed by renowned “green” architect William McDonough to reinforce the values inherent in the school’s mission. Its design, construction, and operation reflect our commitment to advancing ecological stewardship, fostering transparency and human dignity, and working for social justice.
Admissions
Application Fee
$55
Requirements
- Personal Statement
- 2 Letters of Recommendation
- Resume/CV
- Transcript(s)
- TOEFL/IELTS/PTE (if applicable)
- *Note: GRE is NOT required for most SIS on-campus graduate programs (see specific program requirements on website)
Application Deadline
Fall Semester
Master's: January 15*
PhD: December 15
Executive Master's: March 15
Spring Semester
Master's: September 15* (international)/October 1* (domestic)
Executive Master's: October 1
*Priority Application Deadlines for first-round admission and SIS scholarship consideration. We continue to welcome applications following these Priority Deadlines on a space-available basis. Visit the Apply page to start or continue work on an application for the upcoming semester.
Student Body
Total Students
900 Students
Inclusion
- Dedicated Diversity Office
- 27% US-born students of color
- 16% first generation college students
- 130+ countries represented
- 19% international students
- 20 students, average graduate class size
Tuition & Financial Aid
Additional Information
- Work-study Programs Available
- Financial Aid Available
- Application Fee Waivers Available
- About 80% of the incoming master's students receive SIS scholarship funding each year
Location & Contact
Phone
Email
