MA Political Science at GWU: Fees 2026 Dates & Requirements

George Washington University Master of Arts in Political Science is a 33-credit, two-year, full-time programme at Foggy Bottom for bachelor’s graduates with normally a B average. Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished; 2026-27 tuition and fees were US$38,916 (INR 37.04 Lakhs) annually, as a prior-cycle reference.

The curriculum develops political analysis through American politics, world politics or law and politics, while strengthening statistical research and scholarly argument. Its comprehensive examination rewards sustained preparation, so it best fits applicants seeking policy research, doctoral study or analytical government work.

• The optional GRE lets applicants emphasise research fit, academic writing and evidence-based analysis instead of relying on a compulsory test.
• A part-time route allows completion within four years, although international students must confirm visa-compatible enrolment before choosing it.
• Fall and Spring entry give applicants two annual application windows, while Fall offers a separate priority-fellowship deadline.

Also Check: George Washington University Political Science Admission

George Washington University MA Political Science Fees 2027

Fall 2027 tuition is not published on the checked GW fee surfaces. The latest official planning figures cover students beginning in 2026-27 and must not be treated as a target-cycle quotation.

2026-27 prior-cycle planning reference: GW published the following annual international estimate for Political Science MA students requiring F-1 or J-1 documents.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of USD 1 = INR 95.1675 as of 27 October 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: GW Columbian College 2026-27 international cost estimate and graduate fee schedule.

The published annual total combines academic charges, living expenses and books with insurance, which makes it useful for visa-funding preparation rather than an exact final bill.

The prior-cycle annual estimate is US$67,416 (INR 64.16 Lakhs). Multiplying it by two and adding US$480 (INR 45,680) produces a planning illustration of US$135,312 (INR 1.29 Crore).

This calculated amount includes the application and matriculation fees, but it excludes future price increases, optional spending and government visa charges.

Cost of Living in Washington for Political Science Students

GW’s 2026-27 international estimate projects US$24,000 (INR 22.84 Lakhs) annually for housing and living expenses. It does not publish separate rent, food or transport amounts for this programme.

The monthly figure is calculated by dividing GW’s annual projection by 12, so applicants should use it as a combined funding target rather than an invented expense breakdown.

Read More: Cost of Living in the USA for International Students

ROI reality: The prior-cycle two-year baseline already reached INR 1.29 Crore, so funding secured before the priority deadline materially changes the programme’s financial risk.

George Washington University MA Political Science Admission 2027

Applicants need a recognised bachelor’s degree, evidence of graduate-level writing potential and normally a B academic average. The GRE is optional, while two recommendations and a political-science writing sample are required.

Fall 2027 admission requirements: GW evaluates the complete academic record and publishes no course-specific admitted-class GPA, acceptance rate or work-experience minimum.

The Indian grade range is not a GW conversion because grading varies across institutions. GW makes the official equivalency decision, while external credential evaluations are welcomed but normally not required.

The writing sample matters particularly because the curriculum ends with a comprehensive examination and requires sustained engagement with scholarly debates.

English Language Proficiency for Political Science

Political Science uses the higher CCAS English thresholds listed below, and results must be no more than two years old when the application is submitted.

GW currently publishes the TOEFL policy verbatim as “Overall Score, 5 (Old Test, 100)”. Applicants testing after the 2026 scale change should not self-convert scores and should verify their official report against this wording.

• An Indian English-medium degree does not automatically prove eligibility because GW’s waiver route depends on the institution’s country and language-of-instruction conditions.
• Request official test transmission early enough for the result to arrive by the selected Fall or Spring application deadline.
• IELTS applicants must meet the overall score and every band minimum, so a 7.0 overall cannot offset a band below 6.0.

Tip for Indian students: Treat the writing sample and English threshold as separate gates, because strong research arguments cannot compensate for a missing qualifying language result.

George Washington University MA Political Science Application 2027

The strongest timing choice is 01 February 2027 for Fall applicants seeking fellowship consideration. The later 01 April deadline remains valid for regular Fall admission, while Spring 2028 has a separate published date.

2027-28 applicant-accessible intakes: GW lists Fall and Spring entry for the Political Science MA, with no Summer intake.

GW publishes dates but no cutoff hour or timezone for these stages, so a reliable IST conversion is impossible. The application portal’s acceptance rules control submission.

The programme also publishes no fixed decision-release date or interview stage. Applicants should therefore avoid making non-refundable travel or housing commitments before receiving the formal admission and funding decisions.

Political Science Application Strategy

The application should show a coherent research direction across the statement, writing sample and recommendations. This alignment matters because students later choose a track and complete a comprehensive examination.

• Finish the complete file by 01 February 2027 when funding matters, because later submission reduces access to priority fellowship consideration.
• Use the 250 to 500 word statement to connect one research question with relevant coursework, methods preparation and the intended programme track.
• Select a writing sample that demonstrates evidence-based political analysis within 30 pages instead of submitting a longer but less focused document.
• Ask two referees early enough to submit by the chosen deadline and brief them on the programme’s research and examination demands.

Application tip: The fellowship date precedes the regular deadline by two months, so funding-dependent applicants should treat 01 February 2027 as their operational deadline.

George Washington University MA Political Science Scholarships 2027

Fall 2027 applicants receive school-based funding consideration by selecting “yes” in the application and meeting the 01 February 2027 priority deadline. Most CCAS support is offered with admission rather than through a separate scholarship form.

Current published funding routes: Award values remain percentage-based or individually determined, so they should not be converted using the older 2026-27 tuition.

The Dean’s Award is the clearest general option for an international MA applicant, but it is non-renewable and its final percentage can vary.

Assistantships can reduce financial pressure through paid work, although neither route establishes tuition remission. Applicants should budget the published gross cost until the admission letter states otherwise.

• Select school-based funding in the application because CCAS requires that response even when no separate award form exists.
• Describe relevant teaching experience in the statement when seeking an instructional role, as GW explicitly invites this information.
• Do not calculate a Dean’s Award amount from 2026-27 tuition because the Fall 2027 tuition base remains unpublished.

Scholarship reality: Priority consideration can reduce tuition risk, but the non-renewable Dean’s Award and rare assistantships cannot support a safe budget before written terms arrive.

George Washington University MA Political Science Salary 2027

GW publishes no MA Political Science cohort salary, offer rate or sector mix. Department-level alumni destinations and national occupation data can indicate career directions, but neither proves an individual graduate outcome.

The department lists graduate alumni at the Congressional Research Service, Center for American Progress, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of State and World Bank.

These are department-wide destinations without cohort counts, so they demonstrate possible pathways rather than employer recruitment or typical placement probability.

External U.S. job-market benchmarks: The following May 2025 figures cover employed political scientists nationally, not GW graduates or starting salaries.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Political Scientists, May 2025 wage data.

The same federal source projects political-scientist employment to decline 2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 400 annual openings mainly replacing workers who leave.

This narrow occupation is not the whole market for policy analysts or public-affairs specialists, but it prevents treating the national median as an automatic graduate salary.

Political Science MA Return on Investment

A 2026-27 prior-cycle planning illustration placed two years at US$135,312 (INR 1.29 Crore), including the application and matriculation fees.

Because Fall 2027 tuition and course-cohort earnings are unpublished, a defensible return assessment must focus on funding, role fit and the available work window.

• The 33-credit degree ends with a comprehensive examination, so applicants should value its research preparation only when that training serves a defined policy or doctoral path.
• A Dean’s Award may cover 20% to 25% of tuition once, so model the second year at gross cost until written funding says otherwise.
• The US$142,080 (INR 1.35 Crore) occupation median covers experienced workers nationally, so compare actual entry offers instead of using it as repayment proof.
• Standard post-completion work authorisation lasts 12 months, so confirm whether one US work cycle justifies the unfunded balance before enrolling.
• For an India return, US employer destinations and wages do not price local roles, so obtain current policy-research or public-affairs offers before borrowing.

Take-home pay depends on federal, state and local taxes plus work location. Model net pay with current tax calculators before comparing any offer with the programme’s financed cost.

ROI reality: The programme is financially strongest for applicants with substantial funding or a research-specific career plan, because GW provides no MA cohort earnings evidence for repayment modelling.

USA Visa for GWU MA Political Science Students 2027

International students normally need F-1 status after GW issues an I-20, with a US$185 (INR 17,606) visa application fee. The separate Student and Exchange Visitor Information System I-901 fee is US$350 (INR 33,309), making combined government charges US$535 (INR 50,915). Graduates may seek OPT (Optional Practical Training). This work authorisation provides up to 12 months after completion, subject to a qualifying role and timely application.

• The current GW sources do not identify this MA as STEM-designated, so budget and recruit around the standard 12-month work window.
• An H-1B employer must pay the higher applicable actual or prevailing wage, since there is no single national salary threshold for this degree.
• An F-2 spouse or unmarried child under 21 may accompany the student, but F-2 dependants cannot work.
• The degree creates no automatic permanent-residence route or fixed settlement timeline, so sponsorship remains separate from admission and graduation.

Read More: Post-Study Work Options in the USA

Visa reality: The 12-month standard work window is short relative to a two-year course, so applicants should build employer conversations during study rather than after graduation.

GWU MA Political Science Ranking 2027

George Washington University is 9th globally for Political Sciences in the 2026 ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.

This is an institution-level research ranking for the subject, not a standalone assessment of the MA curriculum, teaching experience or graduate placement.

The ranking supports the department’s research proposition, especially for applicants considering doctoral preparation. However, it cannot replace direct evaluation of track courses, faculty alignment, funding or the comprehensive examination.

Check Out: George Washington University Rankings

Key insight: The subject position strengthens the academic case for research-focused applicants, while the unpublished MA outcomes keep funding and faculty fit more important than rank alone.