School of Foreign Service : Rankings, Fees & Courses Details

About School of Foreign Service

Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) was founded in 1919—100 years ago—to prepare the U.S. to engage on the global stage and has been preparing future leaders to make the world safer, more equitable, more prosperous, and more peaceful ever since. Fr. Edmund A. Walsh’s vision was a school that would prepare students for all major forms of foreign representation — whether commercial, financial, consular, or diplomatic.

Created as the first U.S. school of international affairs, the Walsh School of Foreign Service vowed to train young leaders to serve the world. Now in its second century, at a time of unprecedented global uncertainty, SFS is called once again to prepare a new generation for foreign service—in new ways that reflect the challenges ahead.

Connect with SFS - Plan a visit to the Walsh School of Foreign Service and engage with our global community firsthand.

About School of Foreign Service

Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) was founded in 1919—100 years ago—to prepare the U.S. to engage on the global stage and has been preparing future leaders to make the world safer, more equitable, more prosperous, and more peaceful ever since. Fr. Edmund A. Walsh’s vision was a school that would prepare students for all major forms of foreign representation — whether commercial, financial, consular, or diplomatic.

Created as the first U.S. school of international affairs, the Walsh School of Foreign Service vowed to train young leaders to serve the world. Now in its second century, at a time of unprecedented global uncertainty, SFS is called once again to prepare a new generation for foreign service—in new ways that reflect the challenges ahead.

Connect with SFS - Plan a visit to the Walsh School of Foreign Service and engage with our global community firsthand.

The Georgetown University undergraduate program is a legacy of academic excellence combined with a devotion to humanitarian service. Students study a core curriculum in international affairs, government, economics, history, theology, philosophy, and geography, with a language proficiency requirement. More than 70% of SFS students spend time abroad engaging with the global community during their undergraduate experience.

Social Sciences and Management (1)

Bachelor of Science in Business and Global Affairs (BGA)

Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) - Culture and Politics major

Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) - Global Business major

Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) - International Economics major

Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) - International History major

Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) - International Political Economy major

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In a continually changing and unpredictable world, the overarching mission of the School is to prepare women and men to be creative leaders with a commitment to service and an understanding of the ethical component of global affairs. In order to achieve this mission, the School works to ensure that our graduate students have the proper substantive understanding of the international system and the necessary skills to thrive in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors of international affairs.

The Walsh School of Foreign Service awarded its first graduate degree in the early 1920s. Since that time, the SFS has continued to develop an innovative approach to graduate education for professional careers in international affairs.

Social Sciences and Management (1)

Master of Arts in Arab Studies

Master of Arts in Asian Studies

Master of Arts in Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies

Master of Arts in German and European Studies

Master of Arts in International Business and Policy

Master of Arts in Latin American Studies

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University information

Undergraduate Application:

We believe that the college admissions process is a very personal experience that deeply affects the lives of our applicants. In order to fulfill our commitment to this holistic admissions process, Georgetown uses its own application, which allows our applicants to best express their personalities, talents, skills and accomplishments. We encourage you to thoroughly read the important information about the application process, policies and procedures.

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Undergraduate Financial Aid - Our mission is to make it financially possible for every admitted applicant to attend Georgetown University, ensuring that we recruit, retain, and graduate a talented and diverse learning community.

Graduate Application:

Prospective graduate students can submit their application online via a secure system managed by Georgetown University. We encourage you to thoroughly read the important information about the application process, policies, and procedures.

Apply Now!

Graduate Financial Aid - At SFS, we are committed to giving students of all backgrounds the opportunity to study international affairs. Over 50% of our graduate students receive some funding from Georgetown University in order to attend. Our students also utilize external funding opportunities from private foundations and government fellowships, in addition to loans.

U.S. Foreign Service Fellowships at SFS - Public service is at the heart of our mission at SFS. As part of our commitment to developing the next generation of values-led global public servants, SFS offers extensive financial aid packages (including full coverage of outstanding costs), mentorship programs, and tailored career support to recipients of Pickering, Rangel and Payne Fellowships who are accepted to any SFS graduate program.

Master

IELTS

7+

TOEFL

100+

Research Initiative:

Research is a core part of the SFS experience from the start of your time on campus. What will be your unique contribution to the world of scholarship?

Co-Curricular Opportunities:

Centennial Labs
The Walsh Exchange
Carroll Round

Alumni Networking:

The SFS alumni is a vast network that includes 29,000 alumni living in 120 countries. This network includes people working in leadership roles across all sectors, in the private sector in law and business, in the public sector in government and diplomacy, in multilateral organizations and NGOs, or in academia at universities or research organizations.

Paul F. Pelosi Scholars Initiative - With the support of Paul F. Pelosi (F’62) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (H’02), SFS’s public service scholars program prepares undergraduates for a career in public service through professional development training and mentorship.

Cawley Career Education Center - SFS undergraduate students benefit from the assistance of the Cawley Career Education Center, which educates students for lifelong career management through individualized consultations, workshops, job search tools, recruiting and a speakers program.

SFS Career Center - The SFSGCC serves students and alumni from eight SFS graduate programs, providing individual career advising, skills workshops, employer information sessions, and access to WalshWorks, a database featuring thousands of job and internship postings.

Hoya Gateway - Hoya Gateway, Georgetown University’s premier networking platform, is a community of over 8,000 alumni and students eager to connect for meaningful career conversations. Students can connect with volunteering alumni to gain a better understanding of career industries and to build a broad network of alumni resources.

Student life

As an SFS student, you will not only take top-notch classes from scholars and practitioners, but have unparalleled access to esteemed speakers, competitive internships in the public and private sectors, and world-influencing events, conferences, and meetings.

Washington, DC, provides abounding professional, recreational, and academic opportunities for students, creating a unique learning environment conducive to a comprehensive, hands-on education in international affairs. What better place to study global dynamics than in one of the most influential cities – in politics, economics, business, and society – in the world?

SFS is unique in its capacity to span the worlds of public policy and academia. Studying at Georgetown means engaging directly with international leaders inside and outside of the classroom. The typical Hoya finds a vast array of clubs and organizations on campus to fit his or her interests.

Georgetown University and the Walsh School of Foreign Service are dedicated to helping students forge their career paths post-graduation. From our undergraduate and graduate career centers to our vast alumni network, SFS students have the resources they need to help them figure out their next step.
SFS offers more than theory, striving to prepare its students for the future both in and beyond the classroom. About 95% of SFS undergraduates get an internship in Washington—with an average of three internships per student. SFS professors bring their real-world experience into the classroom, often mentoring students, advising on career paths and helping to build networks.

When you join the SFS, you gain access to the lifetime benefits of the SFS Career Center, which serves students and alumni from all eight SFS graduate programs. The center provides individual career advising, targeted job search skills workshops and boot camps, a regular Career Bulletin, access to targeted employers through information industry sessions and site visits and access to WalshWorks, a database featuring thousands of job and internship postings.

Graduate programs also help to provide opportunities for students to secure internships around the world. SFS graduate students go on to internships in a wide range of fields, often with financial or programmatic assistance from their graduate program.

Tuition fee and scholarships

Scholarships

One of the important factors when considering a master's degree is the cost of study. Luckily, there are many options available to help students fund their master's programme. Download your copy of the Scholarship Guide to find out which scholarships from around the world could be available to you, and how to apply for them.