FAQs
General FAQs
Where should I send hardcopy materials?
Georgetown University
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Graduate Admissions, Box 571004
3520 Prospect Street, NW, Room CB-207
Attn: MSFS Application (FSER)
Washington, DC 20057-1004
Do I need to have a specific academic background to apply?
You do not need a specific academic degree or background to apply to MSFS. Since our core curriculum includes courses in economics, history, and political science, we recommend that you have an interest in this type of coursework but we welcome diversity in our program! Read our previous class profiles to find out more about the backgrounds of students who have entered the program.
What are the typical demographics of your class?
The average age of enrolling MSFS students is 26, and most students have four years of work experience prior to matriculation. Generally, international students make up 25 to 30 percent of our cohort.
A small number of our students (less than 10 percent) are admitted directly from undergraduate institutions. These students are expected to have exceptionally strong academic backgrounds, study abroad experience, language proficiency, and extra-curricular experience such as internships, volunteer work, or campus leadership activities.
Economics Prerequisites
What courses are required before applying?
We require that all incoming students complete Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Macroeconomics before starting the MSFS program. You must achieve a grade of “B-” or higher in these required courses.
Can I apply if I have not completed the required courses?
If you have not yet completed Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Macroeconomics courses, you should detail your plans for meeting this requirement in the requested section in your application. If you are accepted to the program, you will be required to submit transcripts from one or both courses. Most students take these at a local community college or online. The courses must be taken at an accredited college/university.
Do any other economics courses count toward this prerequisite?
No, the courses must be Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Macroeconomics. Coursera courses do not count towards this requirement.
Courses combining both microeconomics and macroeconomics which are fewer than six credits only fulfill the macroeconomics prerequisite. If you hold only a combined course with fewer than six credits, you will need to take an additional three-credit microeconomics course.
Political economy courses do not count toward the economics requirement.
Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses taken in high school do not count toward the requirement unless higher level economics courses have been taken at the college level.
Language Proficiency
Is there a language proficiency requirement for admission?
To graduate from the program, all MSFS students must pass a language proficiency exam. If you do not pass this exam during the program, you cannot receive the MSFS degree. In order to be prepared for this graduation requirement, students should have strong language skills before beginning the program.
To be competitive for admission, you should demonstrate a high degree of proficiency in two languages: English and a second modern, spoken language.
If you are a non-native speaker of English, you will be required to provide proof of proficiency in English as a basic admission requirement. For non-native English speakers, it is possible to test in English as your second language for the language proficiency requirement. You may also choose a different language that is not your native tongue.
Standardized Tests
What standardized tests are required?
Applicants who do not have an undergraduate or advanced degree from an accredited institution where English is the language of instruction must submit the TOEFL (minimum internet-based score 100) or IELTS (minimum score 7.0).
All applicants are encouraged to submit either the GRE or GMAT as part of their application, though it is not required for admission.
Dual Degree applicants for the Georgetown MSFS/JD program may submit the LSAT for their MSFS application in lieu of the GRE or GMAT.
If the GRE is optional when should someone submit it?
We recommend thinking objectively about the strengths and weaknesses of your application and asking yourself if there are areas of your application that it would be helpful to balance with an additional data point. It can be helpful in cases where: the undergraduate academic record is not as strong as other parts of the application; the applicant has not yet completed significant coursework in microeconomics and macroeconomics (or performed poorly in those courses); or when an undergraduate GPA is difficult to interpret. Applications are reviewed holistically, and sometimes, additional data in the form of standardized test scores can help address weaknesses in other areas of an application.
Transcripts
Do I need transcripts from every school I have attended?
We require official transcripts from every institution from which you have earned or will earn a degree (undergraduate, graduate, and/or associates). If you take any prerequisite courses between applying and matriculating, we must receive official transcripts showing that you have completed these requirements by the time of your matriculation at Georgetown. Unofficial non-degree coursework transcripts should be uploaded directly to the online application.
Statement of Purpose
What should I include in my Statement of Purpose?
When making decisions about admissions, the Admissions Committee strongly considers an applicant’s personal attributes and values. Your 500-700 word Statement of Purpose is an opportunity for you to present personal information that is not included in your resume, transcripts, or other application materials. We do not have a particular prompt or requirement for the Statement of Purpose — it is up to you to decide what information to share with us. We also use the Statements of Purpose to evaluate writing ability, so we recommend that you carefully check your grammar and spelling.
Note: While the online application asks for a 500-word statement, MSFS accepts statements of up to 700 words.
Letters of Recommendation
How many letters of recommendation do you require?
We require two letters of recommendation. We will accept three letters of recommendation.
Who should write my letters of recommendation and what should they include?
There are no specific requirements for these letters. The recommenders should be able to describe your ability to handle the MSFS workload and excel in our program. We suggest you provide one academic reference and at least one professional reference.
Dual Degrees
What kinds of dual degrees do you offer?
Visit our dual degree page for a full listing of program offerings. All dual degree programs are offered in combination with other programs at Georgetown University. MSFS does not permit ad-hoc dual degree programs.
Deferral
I was accepted into MSFS, but now need to defer for an year. Is that possible?
Applicants should plan to enroll on schedule. Deferrals are granted on a case by case and very rare basis. All students requesting a deferral must meet with Director of Admissions, Ryan Arey. You can reach out to her at msfsinfo@georgetown.edu to schedule a meeting. Deferrals are not granted for financial reasons. Deferrals may be granted for unique fellowship opportunities (i.e. Fulbright or Boren), military orders, or a circumstance that was not present at the time of your application. Documented proof must be provided.
If a deferral is granted, if any merit-aid was offered at the time of admission, it will be forfeited and does not automatically carry over. You will have to reapply for aid consideration, with no guarantees of an offer or same amount. Additionally, an $1,000 non-refundable deposit must be made, which will then be applied towards tuition when you enroll.
Further questions?
You can contact our Admissions team at msfsinfo@georgetown.edu or +1 (202) 687-5763. Our Connect with MSFS page details several ways you can engage with our program before applying, including through online video chats and campus visits.