Princeton University Graduate Application

Describes the applicant’s motivation for applying to the Ph.D. program, including factors in academic, personal, and professional background that led the applicant toward the doctoral degree. The statement should convey familiarity with the Ph.D. in Public Affairs program in order to enable the committee to understand the likely match between applicant’s research and faculty who will supervise this work.  This statement should also identify the kinds of courses and curriculum the applicant is seeking and similarly identify professional aspirations following completion of the Ph.D. program.

The personal statement should not exceed 250 words and must be written in English. The goal of the personal statement is to give you space to highlight a personal experience that influenced your decision to pursue graduate study, and how the lessons from this experience would enrich Princeton’s residential scholarly community.

Include a 20 to 25-page research paper or previous academic work. Our faculty will assess the quality of writing and promise for original research. The length of the paper is not as important as the quality of the work.

List employment activities, community service, education, authored or co-authored publications, and academic and professional honors. Include a brief annotation of job responsibilities, leadership, and awards. The résumé should be presented in sufficient detail so that the admissions committee has an accurate picture of the applicant’s professional trajectory — such as promotions or job progression, leadership profile, and impact.

Faculty on the admissions committee evaluate applicants’ aptitude for courses in economic and quantitative analysis. A master’s degree is not required but is recommended. Provide courses and grades for any institution of higher learning attended, whether or not a degree was obtained. Transcripts can be unofficial.

Grade point average from each degree-granting education program. Applicants should convert their GPA to a 4.0 scale if needed here.

Three letters of recommendation are required. The letters must be written in English and come from faculty members or other individuals well acquainted with the applicant’s academic work. References should understand applicant’s reasons for applying to the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs as well as the person’s goals and strengths.

English language test scores are required for all applicants whose primary language is not English, whose undergraduate instruction was not entirely in English as certified by the institution or who have not completed at least two years of full-time graduate study entirely in English as certified by the institution.  Additional information about this Graduate School requirement is available at this site.