Political Science Predoctoral Summer Institute

The Institute offers an opportunity to meet other prospective graduate students with similar interests, and to interact and network with faculty and Ph.D. students from Georgetown University and beyond. You will learn more about the substance and methods of political science and about political science Ph.D. programs, discuss your research interests, and workshop application materials.

PS-PSI 2026

The PS-PSI 2026 will be held from May 31 through June 6th. Applications are due on March 1, 2026.

APPLY NOW!

Curious to know more about the 2026 PS-PSI?

We are holding zoom information sessions this fall. Register for an information session by clicking one of the links below. In each session, the Institute’s director or founder and an alum of the program will outline what the PS-PSI is like and answer all of your questions.

• November 13th, 5:30 – 6:30
• November 19th, 4:00 – 5:00 PM
• December 9th, 6:00 – 7:00 PM
• January 7th, 6:00 – 7:00 PM
• January 23rd, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
• February 2nd, 5:30 – 6:30 PM
• February 17th, 3:00 – 4:00 PM

The PS-PSI offers the following benefits:

• Room and board for the week of the Institute.
• Mentoring from Ph.D. students and faculty, during the Institute and the following year.
• A stipend of $1,000.
• A modest travel reimbursement. We have a pool of funds dedicated to our travel reimbursements, and we will reimburse students until it runs out. We can reimburse participants up to $150.
• Modest support for taking the GRE. We have a pool of funds dedicated to our support for GRE preparation and fees; and we will reimburse participants’ claims until it runs out. We can reimburse participants up to $440 for a GRE prep course and/or one round of the exam. Participants need to take the GRE by October of the year following Institute attendance to be eligible for funding.
• Research consultation.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, an applicant must meet the following criteria:

1) Be a current student or recent graduate:

• be an undergraduate sophomore, junior, or senior (4th or final year of study), OR
• have graduated from undergraduate study in the spring of 2022 or after, AND/OR
• be currently enrolled in a master’s program.

2) Be studying, or studied, political science or a related field.

3) Be studying, or studied, in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, or Delaware:

• if you are an undergraduate student, your college or university should be in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, or Delaware;
• if you graduated since spring of 2022 and are not currently pursuing a master’s degree, your undergraduate college or university should be in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, or Delaware;
• if you are currently studying in a master’s program, your university should be in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, or Delaware.

4) Have a GPA of 3.5 or higher:

• If you are currently in a master’s program, you should be earning a 3.5 or higher GPA, AND your undergraduate GPA should be 3.5 of higher.

5) Have an interest in pursuing a Ph.D. in political science.