Information Meetings are held monthly on the USF campus. Click Here for a list of information meetings and graduate fairs.
Applicants must hold a four-year degree with any major from an accredited university-level institution. You may apply during your senior year prior to the completion of your undergraduate degree, however you must have graduated prior to the beginning of the MAIS Program. An overall GPA of 3.0 or higher is required as well as two semesters of a non-English language.
You can apply online or by submitting a hard copy of your application. The application requirements for admission are: MAIS application form, application fee, two letters of recommendation, statement of purpose and official transcripts.
TOEFL results (minimum of 90) except for those who have recently completed their Bachelor’s degree at a U.S. University or who have done up to intermediate studies in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, United Kingdom, or Norway.
The GRE or GMAT are optional and not required for admission. The Admissions Committee has found that an applicant's undergraduate academic record and an applicant's professional experience are better indicators of success for graduate studies. An applicant may want to submit either their GRE or GMAT test score if they believe it might strengthen their application.
Prospective students are encouraged to attend the Information Meetings held on campus. Individual visits can be scheduled by contacting the Master of Arts in International Studies office.
February 15 is the application deadline. Applications are not accepted on a rolling basis. Completed applications are reviewed by April 1.
No, all applications are considered for admission after the February 15 deadline for Fall admission. There is no spring admission.
All application items can be uploaded when applying online. Please DO NOT send any applications to the Master of Arts in International Studies program office.
Log in to your online USF application account to check the status of your application. You can send your recommenders a reminder to submit your letter from there as well.
The International Studies graduate program begins each fall (August). The program does not start in spring.
No, the MAIS program does not start in spring.
Approximately 20% of students who apply are accepted each year.
The three semester program (fall, spring, summer) and the four semester program (fall, spring, summer, fall) follow the same track in fall and spring. Both fall and spring semesters are composed of three, four-unit courses. The second phase (internship and thesis course) is completed in either a summer semester (three-semester track) or spread between summer (internship) and the second fall semester (thesis course). The tuition cost of the program is the same for both program lengths, although living costs may be reduced due to the shorter length of studies.
The internship experience is an important aspect of the MAIS curriculum. Students start an internship in the summer semester of the program.
Yes, if you take the 4 semester (18 month) track, you are considered a full-time student during the last semester while you are doing the four-unit research project or thesis.
F-1 and J-1 students can petition the ISSS office for a Reduced Course Load (RCL) authorization form once in their final semester, if only taking four units for the research project or thesis.
The Master’s program is 28 units in total. The tuition fee is $1,115 per unit for the 2011-2012 academic year. First year’s tuition (fall, spring, summer) is estimated at $26,760. The second year’s tuition is estimated at $4,460.
Yes, each admitted student must deposit $700 to hold their position in the cohort to which they have applied. This deposit is non-refundable and is applied to your tuition.
All U.S. citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents are eligible to file for federal loans. Please visit Financial Aid and Tuition for Graduate Programs.
The International Studies graduate program offers a limited number of partial scholarships on a competitive basis. Please see scholarships for more information.
The University also offers a substantial number of student jobs on campus, including assistantships. Both U.S. and International applicants are eligible for student employment and can apply for these jobs once enrollment at the university has begun.
Graduate assistantships are only available on the main campus in San Francisco. The Office of Student Employment maintains a listing of currently offered on-campus jobs, which typically require an in-person interview after enrolling at the university.
International graduate students and U.S. students living in university housing are automatically charged for health insurance per semester. U.S. graduate students who do not live on campus can apply for insurance through OneStop enrollment services. Prices change each year.
A completed and signed Certificate of Finance is required with your application, if in need of an F-1 Student Visa. If you plan to study in the U.S. under another visa that allows full-time studies, then you do not need to submit a Certificate of Finance.
Yes, there is a required orientation for both US and International students. The MAIS orientation is held the week before the first class meeting and attendance is mandatory by all students accepted into the program. You will receive an orientation package with all the necessary details/information.
USF offers limited housing to graduate students on the main campus in San Francisco, mostly in the apartment-style Loyola Village. International students are given first priority to on-campus graduate student housing, but all students are encouraged to apply for on-campus housing in a timely manner. Visit the Student Housing and Residential Education website for more information and for on-campus housing contracts (which detail the costs).
