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Apply to the Ph.D. Program in Peace Studies

The application for fall 2026 admission will open in early September 2025. Applications are due December 1, 2025. 

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Eligibility

Applicants must hold at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, domestic or international, to be eligible for admission to a graduate program at the University of Notre Dame.

For applicants applying toward a Ph.D. in International Peace Studies: Applicants will be expected to hold a research master’s degree in Peace Studies or a closely related field and will need to demonstrate an interdisciplinary approach to their proposed research and a thorough understanding of the academic field of Peace Studies as it relates to their work.

For applicants applying toward a Ph.D. in Peace Studies paired with a partner discipline: Candidates will be expected to have formal training and/or a degree in their selected discipline. Previous graduate work is not required except in the case of Peace Studies and Theology, for which a master's degree in Theology is required. Prospective students interested in a master’s degree in Peace Studies should also explore the Keough School’s Master of Global Affairs in International Peace Studies program.

Application for Admission

All applicants must submit the Graduate School Application for Admission online. All required materials must be uploaded to the application; no paper or emailed materials will be accepted for consideration. Applications must be completed and submitted by December 1 preceding the fall semester of admission. 

Application Fee Waiver

The Graduate School has some categories of students for whom they will automatically waive application fees, and they take financial need into consideration for all others, including international students. For more information on applying for a fee waiver, please review these instructions. A limited number of fee waivers from the Kroc Institute are available to select applicants to the Ph.D. Program in Peace Studies. To request a fee waiver from Kroc, please complete this form.

Required Materials

The Graduate School Application for Admission requires the applicant to provide the following materials:

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV);
  • Statement of intent;
  • Writing sample;
  • Names and contact information for three references, at least one of whom must be an academic reference;
  • Unofficial transcripts from prior institutions or in-progress degrees;
  • Graduate Record Exam (GRE) score - required for Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology
  • TOEFL or IELTS score for international applicants only (students from Anglophone countries or who hold a University degree from an English-speaking institution are exempt from this requirement).

The statement of intent (maximum 1,000 words) should describe your areas of interest and experience as explicitly as possible and also list the faculty with whom you wish to study. The statement will be considered both by the Kroc Institute Doctoral Admissions Committee and by a committee or faculty representative from the joint department. Please address both your interest in peace studies, and in the join discipline (if applicable), in your statement. 

The writing sample (maximum 30 pages) must be single-authored and should demonstrate your skills in writing, analysis, and peace research. It should represent your best sample of academic writing. If you send part of a longer work (for example, a senior or master’s thesis), please include an abstract of no more than 250 words describing the whole piece and its argument. Writing samples should be in English.

Our Admissions Process

After December 1, all completed applications will be reviewed by the Kroc Institute Doctoral Admissions Committee. Select applicants will be invited to a Virtual Visit Week with the Institute in late January or early February to meet with faculty, administrators, and current students; participate in an admissions interview; and observe classes and other sessions. Official offers of admission will be made soon after the virtual visit.

Financial Support

All graduate students admitted to the Ph.D. Program in Peace Studies are offered a full tuition scholarship, a generous stipend (view a cost-of-living comparison here), and additional support for research travel, conference presentations, and other professional development. Detailed financial arrangements are included in the formal offer letter from the Graduate School.

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