Political Science Graduate Applicant FAQs

A: SPGS is waiving the GRE requirement for both the MA and PhD in Political Science for fall 2023 admissions.

A: The deadline for both MA and PHD applications is January 2 each year. Applications are reviewed for fall admissions of the same calendar year. We do not offer spring admissions. All materials must be received by the application deadline to be reviewed by the faculty admissions committee. This includes test scores, transcripts, and letters of recommendation. We encourage all applicants to monitor deadlines to ensure application materials are received by the deadline. All materials must be submitted by this date in order to be reviewed. All application materials must be submitted through ASU Graduate Admissions.

A: The number of students accepted into the incoming cohort fluctuates every year and is determined by the strength of the applicant pool.

A: All applications will be evaluated by a faculty committee after the deadline. Once a determination has been made on a candidate’s status, accepted students will see a “congratulations” letter on their MyASU page. Applicants not accepted to the program will be also be notified via their MyASU page. If you have not received communication in one of these two formats within 8 weeks of the application deadline, please contact the Graduate Coordinator (Jenna.Roelle@asu.edu). Please note an application must be complete or “Under Review” status for an admission determination to be made.

A: ASU accepts unofficial transcripts only as part of the online Graduate Admissions application. This is the only way ASU accepts unofficial transcripts. Please note that only one transcript document can be uploaded to the application, so applicants should combine multiple transcripts into one PDF document before uploading. Emailed transcripts from applicants are not acceptable. If you are admitted to ASU, you will be required to send official transcripts to Graduate Admissions. At that point, the applicant should contact the degree-granting institution and ask for official transcripts to be sent to the ASU Graduate Admissions office at the address below.

Test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) need to be official, and by definition, not emailed or scanned by the applicant. The applicant should contact the test administrator and ask for official test scores to be sent to the ASU Graduate Admissions office at the address below. Do not send any scores or application materials to the department either electronically or by postal mail. 

https://admission.asu.edu/graduate/apply

If utilizing postal mail services, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit scores and transcripts at least two weeks prior to the deadline. It is recommended not to wait until the last week to send ASU scores or information; the Office of Graduate Admissions can take up to 10 business days from the date of receipt to upload any information into an application.

Please see https://admission.asu.edu/transcripts for a list of electronic transcript services accepted by ASU. Transcripts being sent via one of these three services may be sent directly to gradtranscripts@asu.edu. 

Official transcripts, and other application materials should be sent to:

A: The personal statement (1-3 pages) should describe the area(s) of political science you wish to study, your post-graduation goals, and why you feel the School of Politics and Global Studies is the best fit for you. You may also mention any particular faculty members with whom you are interested in working and why, as well as provide context for any discrepancies in your previous educational background.

The writing sample is typically a previously written research or other similar paper that best demonstrates your critical thinking and writing skills in political science or a related field. There is not a length requirement for the writing sample, but it should be of sufficient length to allow the admissions committee to evaluate your knowledge and skills.

A: The letter of recommendation request will be generated when the applicant submits their application and pays the application fee. Letter writers will receive an email inviting them to write a letter on the applicant’s behalf and a link to follow. The letter of recommendation process requires the writer to score the candidate and upload a recommendation letter. This link will stay active for only 30 days from the date it is opened. If a letter writer is working and does not finish the process, they need to save their work. Please see https://admission.asu.edu/graduate/letter-of-recommendation for more information.

Applicants can manage the status of their letters through their MyASU page, send reminders to letter writers, and be alerted when materials have been received. It is the applicants’ responsibility to assist letter writers well before the application deadline to ensure materials are received in time. For assistance with letters of recommendation, contact the Graduate Admission Services technical support team at gograd@asu.edu or 480-965-6113.

A: The School of Politics and Global Studies follows university standards for English proficiency. Please see the ASU Graduate Admissions website for information on the various requirements for English proficiency and exemptions: https://admission.asu.edu/international/graduate/english-proficiency.

Admitted International doctoral students offered a funded Teaching Assistant position must fulfill an additional English language speaking requirement. Please visit the International Teaching Assistant website for multiple ways to meet this requirement: https://globallaunch.asu.edu/learn-english/special-programs/international-teaching-assistant.

A: If a PhD applicant is interested in a TA or RA opportunity, they may indicate that on their application. There is no need to fill out a supplemental application; students who are selected for admission will be notified about funding opportunities if eligible. Please do not send in or upload applications unless requested to do so. At this time, funding is reserved for students pursuing the PhD degree only. Our typical PhD funding package includes up to five years of support, contingent on continued satisfactory progress in the program, including a stipend, health insurance and tuition coverage. A small number of Research Assistant positions are typically available each year.

International graduate students that are offered a TA funding package must fulfill an additional spoken English language requirement. Funding offers are contingent on meeting one of the four options described at https://globallaunch.asu.edu/learn-english/special-programs/international-teaching-assistant.