Financial Aid

Pursuing a graduate education involves a significant financial investment in your academic, personal, and professional goals. Applicants considering SSP should familiarize themselves both with the cost of the program and with the avenues available to help cover these costs. SSP offers a number of funding opportunities but encourages all applicants to seek additional sources of funding beyond indicating a desire to be considered for SSP merit aid.

Tuition and Fees

The cost of SSP is comparable to that of other graduate programs in Washington, D.C. The cost breakdown below is based on 2022-23 Tuition Rates, which are subject to change in future academic years.

Total Cost of Degree: $84,888
Tuition Cost Per Credit: $2,358
Cost Per 3-Credit Class: $7,074
Full-Time Student Fees: $36
One-Time Transcript Fee: $100
Student Health Insurance: $2,965*

*Based on 2021-22 fees. Health insurance is mandatory for all full-time students, though students may be eligible to waive the health insurance fee if they already have health coverage. For more information on waiving the health insurance fee, please contact Student Health Services.

Graduate students at Georgetown pay tuition per credit hour; SSP is a 36-credit program. Students may enroll part-time (6 credits/semester) or full-time (9 credits per semester). Tuition per semester is as follows:

Full-time (9 credits): $ 21,222
Part-time (6 credits): $14,148

Additional details, including general information on billing policies and procedures, are available on the Office of Billing and Payment Services website.

SSP Financial Aid

Merit Aid

SSP awards a limited number of merit aid tuition scholarships to admitted students with exceptionally strong academic and professional qualifications. Awards are made to both U.S. citizens and international students enrolling in both the fall and spring terms. Most awards range from 15 to 50 percent of tuition. Please note that SSP merit aid does not include stipends or funds to cover travel or living expenses, books, or health insurance.

Historically, about 25 percent of the incoming class has received merit aid scholarships. To apply for SSP merit aid, simply check the appropriate box on the Graduate School application form. No other materials are required.

Other Programs

Georgetown and SSP are able to offer funding to certain students in association with several outside programs.

Donald F. McHenry Global Public Service Fellows Program

The Donald F. McHenry Global Public Service Fellows Program covers full tuition and mandatory fees for students in any of SFS master’s degree program. American and international students from widely diverse backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to apply while they are also applying to SSP. Learn more about the program and apply on the McHenry Fellows website.

CyberCorps™ Scholarship for Service Program

Georgetown University has a grant from the National Science Foundation through the CyberCorps™ Scholarship for Service Program to provide scholarships to students to earn degrees critical for cybersecurity in exchange for service in the form of employment in a governmental cybersecurity position. Applications for this scholarship are handled separately from admissions to SSP. See the Georgetown CyberCorps™ website for more details about program requirements, obligations, and application.

Charles B. Rangel and Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship Programs

The Security Studies Program has an ongoing partnership agreement with the Charles B. Rangel Program and the Thomas R. Pickering Program. SSP will waive the application fee for Rangel and Pickering Fellows, and provides a 40% tuition scholarship to Fellows who are admitted to the program. To receive a fee and tuition waiver, email Interim Director of Admissions Robert Pinn.

Additional Funding

SSP also offers a limited amount of funding for students once they have already entered the program. Current students can learn more about these options here.

  • Language Study Scholarships: The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) provides Language Scholarships for classes below the 350 level, allowing all SSP students to study a language if they so desire.
  • SSP Merit Awards: SSP awards up to five merit scholarships for the students with the highest cumulative GPAs. These awards are highly competitive and provide up to a 50% scholarship for the following semester. Students are automatically eligible for this award once they have completed a minimum of 18 credit hours (6 courses).
  • Director’s Citizenship Award: This award is intended to recognize students for their contribution to the SSP community, above and beyond academics. Recipients are generally self-nominated and are chosen by the Director after a holistic review of all applicants, taking into account contributions to the program along with academic performance and professional demeanor. Awardees receive up to a 50% tuition award for one semester and can apply at any point in their SSP career, beginning at the end of their first semester.
  • Summer Grants: SSP offers funding to current students to assist with international research, language immersion, and domestic or international internships. These grants are competitive and can offer up to $3000, depending on the research proposal.
  • Employment opportunities: A limited number of research assistant (RA), teaching assistant (TA), and fellowship positions are available to SSP students, including international students. These opportunities pay a competitive wage, and students may work a maximum of 20 hours per week. Openings are provided to students as they become available and allow students the opportunity to engage more deeply with the program and the university.

Outside Funding

Regardless of your intention to apply for SSP funding, we strongly encourage you to consider outside sources of funding. Applicants with financial need are encouraged to make timely applications for external financial support, even if they have not yet been notified about SSP financial aid decisions. Deadlines for many independently sponsored fellowships are often as early as October or November of the year before a student intends to matriculate. Learn more about outside financial aid here.