Applying to PhD programs
Political science PhD applications are due from late November to December 17 for fall entry (Columbia's is Nov 25), and the APSA Diversity Fellowship closes earlier, on October 25, 2026.
Application fees ($75–$125 each) and who waives them
| School (fee) | Waives for these programs | Otherwise |
|---|---|---|
| Stanford ($125) | RBSI, McNair, Mellon Mays, Leadership Alliance, Big Ten SROP, PPIA JSI, APSA DFP | Request 10 business days before the deadline |
| Princeton ($90) | McNair, Mellon Mays, Leadership Alliance, PPIA (not RBSI or SROP) | Hardship waivers too |
| UC Berkeley | RBSI, Mellon Mays, Leadership Alliance, PPIA | Need-based |
| Duke ($105) | PPIA JSI | Low-income; first come, first served |
| Michigan Rackham ($75) | Michigan SROP | Pell Grant recipients qualify |
| Yale ($105) | None of these | Pell Grant, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, veterans, documented hardship |
Program not on the list? Email the department's graduate coordinator and ask anyway, in October rather than the week of the deadline.
The GRE is back at most top programs
Required for fall 2027Harvard (Government), Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Duke, Berkeley, Columbia, MIT, UChicago, UCLA.
Not requiredMichigan, Wisconsin, Northwestern, CUNY Graduate Center.
PlanCheck each program page, and test by early fall of senior year.
The rest of the file
Letters (usually 3)From faculty who have seen your research or writing. Ask 6–8 weeks ahead: see Recommendation letters.
Statement of purposeLead with the question you want to study, show your preparation, and name 2–3 faculty per school whose work fits.
Writing sampleYour best research paper, often a seminar paper or thesis chapter, cut to the page limit and revised with a professor.
Where to applyFit with faculty matters more than rank. Look for people whose recent papers you would want to have written.