Last Minute Resources and Links – countdown to our application deadline...

Nov 28 2019
By
Graduate Admissions Office

The clock is ticking toward our application deadline of 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on December 1st.

Given the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, our office will be closed in the immediate run-up to the application deadline. To all who have expressed interest in our community, and those who have chosen to apply: thank you.

Email and phone inquiries are coming in at an ever-increasing pace, and we are working diligently to respond to them. However, we may not be able to respond to everyone before our application deadline. In any case, please review this blog, past posts for pro-tips, and helpful links. Our viewbook is another good resource to use when completing your application.

Many are putting the final touches on applications, and we are gearing up for what we call, Reading Season. Our application review is time-intensive, as each file is read individually and holistically. Our admissions committees are comprised of faculty, staff, admissions professionals, and alumni. Thanks in advance for your patience as we work through our process.

We realize applying to graduate school can be stressful. To help ease any last-minute anxiety, please find some resources and information that may help as you prepare to submit your application.

  • Our application deadline is December 1 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. The portal will be closed after that time, and the Graduate School does not offer extensions. Did we mention the deadline is December 1 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time?​
  • The School only offers fall-entry admission, and we have a single application deadline. The December 1 deadline is for all three graduate degrees – the MPA, the MPP, and the PhD.
  • Here's how you check on the status of your application:
    • When you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email.
    • An applicant who has submitted an application can return to the application menu, click on Manage Your Account, and log into the application.
    • Under Submitted Forms, select the Princeton University application and then click View Checklist.
    • The Checklist shows received materials. Only required documents will be added to the application and checklist.
    • Received test scores will be listed by test date.
  • If you are scheduled to take your GRE in December, please include a brief statement in your application that contains your test date so our admissions committee knows your GRE scores are forthcoming. Also, when you receive your GRE scores from ETS, please forward a copy to wwsadmit@princeton.edu. It will be used as a placeholder until the School receives your official scores. Note, testing after December is not recommended as we cannot guarantee that scores will be received in time for our review process, and files will be deemed incomplete.
  • It is fine to submit your application even if your three recommenders have yet to submit their letters on your behalf. You might want to give them a gentle and polite reminder of the application deadline.
  • For additional application questions, please refer to the following pages:

The Graduate School’s Applying to Princeton

The Graduate School’s Application FAQ, Recommenders FAQ, Transcripts FAQ, English Language Test Scores FAQ, and Prerequisite Test Scores FAQ

The Graduate School’s overview of the School's application requirements

The School’s application FAQ, as well as detailed pages on the application for the MPA, the MPP, and the PhD.

This Princeton School of Public and International Affairs Blog which includes a few other posts with application tips

  • For future email inquiries, do not send the same email to multiple people and lists. Here are the appropriate emails:
    • Technical difficulties with the online application inquiries should be sent to help@applyweb.com
    • General interest, the Graduate School’s website, or updates to an applicant’s contact information inquiries should be sent to gs@princeton.edu
    • GRE, IELTS and TOEFL tests or fee waiver inquiries should be sent to gsadmit@princeton.edu
    • Application requirements that were not previously uploaded to an applicant’s submitted application should be sent to gradapp@princeton.edu. Please review these tips when sending emails to this account.
    • SPIA-specific emails should be sent to wwsadmit@princeton.edu

Thank you for your interest in the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. If you choose to apply, we look forward to learning about you and reading your file. We wish you the best!

Photo credit: Princeton University, Office of Communications, Mark Czajkowski (2019)