MA in International Studies from DePaul University 2025 Entry : Dates, Fees, Eligibility & Entry Requirements etc.

DePaul University Master of Arts (M.A.) International Studies is a two-year, full-time, in-person programme requiring 48 quarter credit hours at the Lincoln Park Campus in Chicago. Eligibility requires a bachelor’s degree, GPA 3.0 on 4.0 and an advanced modern language result. The approximate Indian equivalent is 70% to 75% or 7.0 to 7.5 on 10 for Indian applicants. Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished; 2026-27 tuition was US$39,744 (INR 38.06 Lakhs), as a prior-cycle reference, and the programme admits only in Fall.

The curriculum trains students in critical theory, international political economy, research and writing across questions of power, inequality, migration and climate. Its distinctive proposition is a self-designed second-year thesis, internship report or creative project, which suits applicants with a defined research question and independent-work discipline. The tradeoff is sustained evening study and a substantial final project rather than a short job-focused credential.

• The quarter system lets students combine Geography, Political Science, History, Anthropology, Migration Studies and Gender Studies.
• An optional four-month European Union research internship can connect policy analysis with work in Commission offices in Brussels.
• The programme can support doctoral preparation while preserving an internship or creative-project route.

Also Check: DePaul University graduate admission

DePaul International Studies Fees and Living Costs 2027

Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished, so the current 2026-27 Liberal Arts and Social Sciences rate is usable only as a labelled planning reference.

DePaul charges graduate tuition by credit hour and lists separate application and post-admission charges for international students.

Because the target-cycle tuition is unpublished, verify the target fee on the official fee page before using the prior-cycle figures below.

Fee table context: Rows labelled prior-cycle reference use 2026-27 rates, while application and deposit rows show current published charges.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.7599 as of 25 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: DePaul University 2026-27 Graduate and Professional Tuition and Fees and Graduate International Admission pages.

The calculated tuition equals 48 quarter credits multiplied by US$828 (INR 79,289), while the comprehensive fee remains separate from tuition.

The 2026-27 fee page lists US$450 (INR 43,092) annually without summer for full-time graduate students, so two years calculates to US$900 (INR 86,184).

The US$75 (INR 7,182) application charge is non-refundable, and the US$300 (INR 28,728) deposit is credited toward first-term tuition after admission.

Cost of Living in Chicago for International Studies Students

DePaul’s 2026-27 graduate cost-of-attendance budget estimates nine academic months and separates tuition and fees from living-related items.

The living line combines housing and food, so it should not be split into invented rent, grocery or utility amounts.

Living-cost basis: Monthly figures below divide DePaul’s official nine-month amounts by nine; they are planning equivalents, not monthly invoices.

For a prior-cycle planning illustration, two nine-month budgets add US$55,284 (INR 52.94 Lakhs) before tuition and mandatory fees.

Adding calculated 2026-27 tuition of US$39,744 (INR 38.06 Lakhs) and two years of comprehensive fees of US$900 (INR 86,184) produces US$95,928 (INR 91.86 Lakhs).

This illustration excludes any target-cycle tuition change and summer spending, so Indian applicants should fund the gap separately.

Read More: USA cost of living for international students

ROI reality: The current published tuition rate makes a two-year planning budget visible, but the target fee is unresolved, so secure a funding buffer before accepting an offer.

DePaul International Studies Admission 2027

Admission is academically demanding because DePaul asks for a 3.0 GPA, advanced modern language preparation and a writing-led application.

The strongest Indian applications should connect prior coursework, a research question and the proposed final project to the department’s critical approach.

Academic Eligibility and Application Materials

The core threshold is a completed bachelor’s degree and 3.0 GPA, but language preparation and the analytical sample are important programme-specific filters.

Academic table context: DePaul states the GPA on a 4.0 scale; the Indian equivalent below is an approximate planning range because no country-specific conversion is published.

The language condition is a genuine fit test because the department requires advanced study beyond a standard two-year sequence; Indian applicants should include transcripts or placement evidence.

A 3.0 GPA is the published floor, not a guarantee. The 3 to 5 page statement and 5 to 8 page analytical sample give the committee evidence of research readiness.

The current page does not list the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) or GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) as required tests. Applicants should still follow any requirement shown in the live application portal.

International students must also follow the credential-evaluation and visa-document instructions on DePaul’s current graduate international admission page.

English Language Proficiency for International Studies

English language proficiency (ELP) is required for applicants educated outside the United States, including applicants whose degree instruction was in English.

The current LAS graduate page publishes TOEFL iBT 80 with no section below 17, accepts IELTS or Duolingo in lieu and says programme pages may require more.

Because the page still publishes the 0 to 120 TOEFL format, applicants taking a revised test after 21 January 2026 should confirm how DePaul will read the report.

• Book an English test early enough to retake it without missing the programme’s expected 15 April priority date.
• Use TOEFL only after checking whether the report uses the university’s published 0 to 120 scale or revised 1 to 6 scale.
• Do not treat English-medium schooling in India as an automatic waiver because the current page requires proof from students educated outside the United States.

The current graduate policy waives TOEFL after receipt of a transcript from a regionally accredited United States institution. It does not publish an India-specific waiver.

Tip for Indian students: The 3.0 GPA threshold is only the start; a focused language record, statement and analytical sample should show readiness for the programme’s independent research model.

DePaul International Studies Application 2027

The Fall 2027 application is open on a rolling basis, with an expected 15 April 2027 priority date and no fixed final deadline once the cohort fills.

Because the programme is Fall-only and the priority date is tied to potential tuition waivers, Indian applicants should treat 15 April as their working deadline.

Application Timeline for Fall 2027

The programme does not publish a fixed decision day or multiple rounds, so the timeline below distinguishes published policy from an expected recurring date.

DePaul’s graduate international page says most graduate programmes communicate decisions within four to six weeks after review begins.

Timeline context: The department publishes rolling review and an April 15 priority date without a year; the Fall 2027 date below is therefore labelled expected.

Rolling review changes the strategy: a complete file can enter review before the priority date, but a late file may face a filled cohort and reduced funding consideration.

The application is not just a transcript submission because the programme asks for a 3 to 5 page statement, two recommendations and a 5 to 8 page analytical sample.

How Indian Applicants Should Sequence the File

Start with the research question because the statement, sample and referee choices should reinforce the same academic proposition.

Use the programme’s evening schedule and Fall-only cohort to confirm that relocation and study planning fit the full two-year sequence.

• Draft the statement around one international studies problem, relevant faculty interests and a feasible thesis, internship or creative-project direction.
• Ask one professor to address writing, analytical ability, independent work and project completion because those traits are specified in the referee guidance.
• Upload transcripts and language evidence early so the complete file can be reviewed before the expected priority date.
• Contact LAS Graduate Admission when your IELTS, Duolingo or PTE route is not stated clearly on the current page.

Read More: DePaul graduate programmes

Application tip: The priority date is the most useful anchor because the programme remains rolling but potential tuition waivers may depend on it. Submit a complete application by the expected date.

DePaul International Studies Scholarships 2027

The clearest programme-specific funding option is the International Studies Graduate Assistantship. It offers up to a full tuition waiver for six required graduate courses and a stipend of up to US$8,000 (INR 7.66 Lakhs).

The department says service is approximately 10 to 15 hours weekly, with applications from June 1 to June 15 and notifications by June 30.

Because the department publishes these recurring dates without a year, the Fall 2027 assistantship dates below are labelled expected.

Funding table context: Percentage awards remain percentages because Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished; no prior-cycle tuition is used to calculate them.

The assistantship has the clearest value because its waiver is tied to six courses and its stipend is capped. It also requires service, so remaining tuition and living costs still need funding.

The Double Demon, Catholic and Kolnick awards are condition-based, not general Indian merit awards, and university funding cannot be combined under the one-award policy.

The Graduate Presidential Scholarship advertises US$12,000 (INR 11.49 Lakhs) but lists select science, mathematics and urban-development programmes, not International Studies.

How to Improve Funding Prospects

Funding decisions favour applicants who meet the programme’s academic and research profile before the funding window opens.

Use the 15 April application priority date for admission and prepare a separate assistantship file for the expected June window.

• Name a faculty-fit research question in the statement because the assistantship supports curriculum, research and writing-related departmental work.
• Quantify your weekly availability for the 10 to 15 hour assistantship schedule without implying that the award covers every course or living expense.
• Check Double Demon, Catholic, Kolnick and external awards only when their alumni, faith, service or scholar conditions match your record.

LAS says its scholarship tool opens the general application after July 1, so admitted students should check it for one-time department awards instead of assuming automatic eligibility.

Check Out: Scholarships for Indian students in the USA

Scholarship reality: The priority application date protects access to potential tuition waivers, but the department assistantship remains competitive and requires separate service planning.

DePaul International Studies Salary 2027

The course’s ROI evidence is limited: a prior-cycle two-year planning illustration is INR 91.86 Lakhs, while DePaul publishes no course-cohort salary or offer rate.

• The prior-cycle INR 91.86 Lakhs illustration is not a target quote, so obtain Fall 2027 tuition before signing a loan.
• The programme’s 50 to 80 page project can create a writing portfolio, so select thesis, internship or creative project based on your intended role.
• No course-level salary or offer rate is published, so do not underwrite repayment from the external political-scientist benchmark.
• The Fall-only two-year sequence can delay earnings, so compare the full-sequence cost with the specific research or policy role you want.

Graduate Outcomes and Market Benchmarks

DePaul describes careers in nonprofits, international organizations, diplomatic entities and doctoral study, but the checked programme page provides no cohort salary, offer rate, sector split or employer list.

The official site shows one individual MA 2012 alumni example, an officer at the U.S. Embassy in Canberra, which demonstrates one pathway rather than a typical result.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides the closest external benchmark for policy-oriented work. BLS figures describe an occupation, not DePaul graduates, and should be read alongside the visa and funding risks.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, Political Scientists, May 2024 wage and projection data.

For host-country work, the benchmark matters only when the role, visa status and experience fit the occupation. For an India-return path, map research and writing assets to a defined employer or doctoral application.

The BLS numbers are gross medians, and take-home pay varies with tax, benefits and location; use the IRS tax-withholding estimator before comparing loan repayment.

Honest take: The degree offers a research-heavy pathway and documented diplomatic example, but the absence of course outcomes makes funding discipline and role-specific planning essential.

USA Visa for DePaul International Studies Students 2027

Indian applicants use the F-1 (student visa) route for this full-time, in-person programme. F-1 status requires full-time enrolment, a Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status), proof of funds and authorised employment only. After admission, DePaul requires students needing F-1 status to pay a US$300 (INR 28,728) graduate tuition deposit before requesting the Form I-20. The U.S. visa application fee is US$185 (INR 17,716), and the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee is US$350 (INR 33,516). SEVIS is the federal student-record system used during the visa process. Eligible graduates may seek Optional Practical Training (OPT) related to their degree for up to 12 months. A 24-month Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics extension requires a qualifying degree and employer, and this exact MA’s STEM eligibility is not confirmed. A later employer-sponsored specialty-occupation work visa has no single course-specific salary threshold; the Department of Labor requires the higher of actual or prevailing wage. Permanent residence has no fixed programme timeline because it depends on sponsorship, category, country quota and processing queues.

• An F-2 status can cover a spouse and unmarried minor children under 21, but F-2 dependants are not authorised to work.
• Use the official student visa process for the application sequence and interview guidance.
• Plan around the standard 12-month OPT window and treat any STEM extension as conditional until DePaul confirms the programme classification.

Also Check: USA F-1 student visa guide

Visa reality: The F-1 route supports study and related practical training, but the programme does not establish a three-year work window or a permanent-residence timeline.