Prospective Students

Program Admission Requirements

Applications for the Addiction Policy & Practice master’s program are now open for our next cohort, beginning in July 2025. In addition to the information on this page, it is also highly recommended that you read the detailed information on the Graduate Admissions website. There you can find a variety of materials and information, such as online and in-person information sessions, application guidelines, forms, and information for international applicants.

Application Requirements

The application consists of the following components:

• Online Application
• Non-refundable application fee. Waived for applications submitted by January 15.
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended.
• Personal statement (300 – 600 words) explaining the unique qualifications of this applicant for admission to this program.
• Letters of recommendation (2)
• Entrance exams required: TOEFL or IELTS (for students whose native language is not English). GRE is not required for the Addiction Policy & Practice program.
  • TOEFL: a minimum score of 600 (paper-based test) or 250 (computer-based tests) or 100 (iBT test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Georgetown University’s institution code for reporting TOEFL scores is 5244.
  • IELTS: a minimum score of 7.5 from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
  • Test scores should be received by the application deadline date. Applicants should allow six to eight weeks from the test date for the reporting of scores. If you are a non-native speaker of English and received a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education where English is the primary language of instruction, you do not have to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Admission Standards

• A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0
• Demonstrated interest in public policy, social science, health care, or community service is strongly preferred. Consideration will also be given to individuals with lived experience.
• No work experience is required, though some work, internship, assistantship experience, especially in non-profit advocacy, public policy, law enforcement, or governance, is preferred.
• Because the curriculum is interdisciplinary, it is expected that students will arrive better prepared in some aspects of the curriculum than in others.
• Students of a variety of academic and professional experiences are welcome, but applicants should ideally have backgrounds in either natural science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), human science (Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology), policy (Government), or a quantitative field (Math, Economics).
• Applicants with strong academic or professional backgrounds in other fields may be competitive for admission and will be considered.

Tuition, Fees, and Financial Support

• At the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, we believe your education is an investment. The Master’s Program in Addiction Policy & Practice is offered at a discounted tuition rate of $1,680 per credit or $50,400 for the full 30 credit program for the 2024-2025 academic year. Tuition fees exclude individual health care or health insurance premiums, books and supplies, student fees, room and board, visas, and incidental expenses. More detailed information about tuition and fees can be found on the Office of Revenue and Receivables website. 
• Graduate students working towards their Master’s in Addiction Policy & Practice finance their degree through a combination of sources such as fellowships, employer benefits, VA benefits, federal student loans and external scholarships.  
• Once a student has confirmed their enrollment at Georgetown and becomes a matriculated student, they can begin applying for on-campus employment opportunities through the Student Employment Office database. 
• Learn more about options to finance graduate school on the Office of Student Financial Services website.