The Ford Dorsey Master’s in International Policy is part of the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.
The Knight-Hennessy Scholars (KHS) program cultivates a diverse, multidisciplinary community of emerging leaders from around the world and guides them to collaborate, innovate, and communicate as they prepare to address the complex challenges facing society. Knight-Hennessy Scholars become part of a supportive family of fellow scholars, and follow a program designed to broaden knowledge, develop skills, and strengthen character. KHS will annually identify a group of 80 high-achieving students to receive up to three years of full funding to pursue a wide range of graduate studies at Stanford, including MIP and our joint and dual degree options. Applicants must submit separate applications to both KHS and MIP. For matriculation in September 2021, the application deadline for KHS is October 6, 2021 at 1:00 pm (Pacific Time). KHS applicants must submit their application to the MIP program by December 1, 2021 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time).
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We ask that you treat your statement of purpose as an opportunity to “talk” to the Admissions Committee about the reason(s) you are interested in the MIP program, and the field of international policy in general, and why this program is a good fit with your future goals. The Statement of Purpose should not exceed two pages in length, single-spaced.
At least one letter should be a faculty member at the last school you attended as a full-time student (unless you have been out of school for more than five years). Substitutions for faculty recommendations may include work associates or others who can comment on your academic potential for graduate work.
We require an academic writing sample, in English. It must be between 7-15 pages, double-spaced (excluding title page, end notes, and bibliography). The topic should be related to international policy; however, a piece of analytical writing in another field is acceptable. You must be the sole author of the submitted writing sample.
We require a recent resume and/or CV. There are no format or length requirements for this document.
Educational Testing Service (ETS) administers required exams. Applicants are encouraged to register early to maximize the chances of scheduling preferred test dates and times. For details and registration information explore the ETS web site.
Note: Due to difficulties and restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the GRE requirement was waived for all Fall 2021 and Fall 2022 applicants. A decision about the GRE requirement for the upcoming cycle (Fall 2023) will be communicated here in July.
Adequate command of spoken and written English is required for admission. Applicants whose first language is not English must submit an official test score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Stanford accepts only ETS (Educational Testing Service) scores. IELTS scores cannot be accepted.
The MIP program requires University-level introductory courses in microeconomics and macroeconomics, taken either as part of a student's undergraduate education, at another accredited educational institution, or through an approved online course. In addition, while not required, we strongly recommend applicants to complete an introductory course in statistics. An understanding of calculus may also be helpful in preparation for the Research Methods course sequence. All prerequisites must be completed prior to the start of classes in late September, however they do not need to be completed at the time of application.