Application Deadlines

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As of February 15, we are no longer accepting applications for Fall 2025 for the M.A. or Ph.D. in Politics.  The M.A. in Government program at Hillsdale's Washington, D.C., campus will continue to accept Fall 2025 applications until May 15, 2025.

School of Statesmanship applications for Spring and Fall 2026 will open online in early July 2025.

For Fall 2026 (M.A. or Ph.D.), applications submitted on or before December 15, 2025, are guaranteed full consideration and decisions will be sent out no later than February 1. Applications completed after December 15 may be considered, as circumstances warrant.

For Spring 2026 (M.A. applicants only), the application deadline will be October 15, 2025, and decisions will be sent out no later than November 15. 

Applications will not be read by the admissions committee until all materials are received, though applicants may self-report GRE scores so that their applications can be considered unofficially. Offers of admission cannot be made until the arrival of the official score report.

Please contact us if you experience any technical difficulties that delay submitting your application.

Application Statistics

While the graduate program has no set requirements for GRE scores and GPA, as a general rule those admitted to the program are among the highest achievers in both categories. In order to offer some guidance, the median scores of those admitted are provided below. It is emphasized that these are median scores, not minimum scores. In other words, half of those admitted stood below these numbers and half stood above. 

The GRE and GPA, while critical, are not determinative; an applicant’s letters of recommendation also weigh heavily, as do the personal statement, writing sample, and other relevant history. While the entire GRE score is considered, the verbal portion of the GRE is given, by far, the greatest weight. Other tests (GMAT, LSAT, etc.) may not be substituted for the GRE and the GRE requirement cannot be waived. 

Accepted Ph.D. Applicants

164

Median Verbal GRE Score

94th percentile

3.76

Median Undergraduate GPA

3.79

Median Graduate GPA

Accepted M.A. Applicants

163

Median Verbal GRE Score

92nd percentile

3.72

Median Undergraduate GPA

Application Requirements & Process

Admission to the School of Statesmanship requires the completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in the United States, or proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution of higher learning.

Applicants for admission are required to submit the following:

  1. Official transcripts from all institutions where undergraduate and graduate work has been undertaken. These should be sent directly from the undergraduate and graduate institutions; secure electronic copies accepted.
  2. Official score report from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), taken within the last five years and sent directly from the testing agency. The code for Hillsdale College is 1295. Other tests (GMAT, LSAT, etc.) may not be substituted for the GRE and the GRE requirement cannot be waived. We accept scores from both the old, longer, GRE and the new shorter version of the exam.
  3. Three letters of recommendation. These should be requested from within our online application to enable verifiable, electronic submission.
  4. A sample of written work – academic writing preferred.
  5. A concise statement of interest which should include a short intellectual autobiography—a statement of the applicant’s intellectual development and how it influenced the applicant’s desire to study in Hillsdale’s graduate program—and how the degree fits into the applicant’s career plans. This statement should not exceed 500 words.
  6. A completed application, submitted online.
  7. Application fee of $25.

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