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Ph. D. Program Application

Complete the following application materials and upload them into the Graduate School’s online application.

All applications must be submitted online by the deadline: January 10. Applications missing required materials after the January 10 deadline may not receive full consideration. To ensure that all your materials, including recommendation letters, are received by the deadline, we suggest that you submit your online application as early as possible. 

Note: Please capitalize your LAST NAME on all forms. Your last name is your family name or surname. Your first name is your given name or personal name. If you have more than one last name, please list them all. If you have no last name, pick one of your given names and use it as your last name throughout the application.

Transfer students: If you are already enrolled in a doctoral program and seek to enter the Ph.D. program in peace studies, you must submit a formal application, even if you are currently enrolled at the University of Notre Dame.

1) University of Notre Dame Graduate School. All applicants to the Ph.D. program must complete the online application. Your statement of intent, CV, and writing sample should be submitted in the “Uploads” section of the online application. Mailing a paper copy will delay the processing of your application. Please have both of these items ready to submit before you complete your online application.

When completing the online application, if a required field does not apply to you, enter the word “none” in the field. Required fields cannot be left empty, but any text you enter in the field will be accepted by the system.

The Graduate School’s online application may only be submitted once. However, you do not have to complete the whole online application in one sitting. You may access your application and change your responses as many times as you like with your PIN and password from any computer with Internet access.

Once you have completed the online application to your satisfaction, click the “Submit” button at the top of the application. This will take you through the steps to pay the application fee and submit your application electronically to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Remember: Submit your online application once.

After you submit your application, you will not be able to go back and make changes or additions to your application using the online application system. However, you will be able to view your online application to check which materials have been received. Back to top


2) Resume or CV. Submit a document showing the chronological progression of your work and studies via the “Uploads” section of the Notre Dame Graduate School’s online application. Do not fax or e-mail your CV to the Kroc Institute unless instructed to do so. Back to top

3) Statement of Intent. Describe your areas of interest and experience as explicitly as possible and list the faculty with whom you wish to study. The statement will be considered by both the relevant departmental admissions committee (history, political science, psychology, or sociology) and the Kroc Institute admissions committee. Please address both your interest in peace studies and in the discipline of the relevant department.

Submit your Statement of Intent in the “Uploads” section of the Graduate School's online application. Do not fax or email your Statement to the Kroc Institute unless instructed to do so. Back to top

4) Writing Sample. A writing sample, demonstrating skills in writing, analysis, and peace research is required. If you send part of a longer work (for example, a senior or master’s thesis), include an abstract of 250 words describing the whole piece and its argument. Back to top

5) Three Letters of Recommendation. Recommendations are very important. At least two of the three letters should be from professors who can describe in detail your qualifications, motivation, and ability to succeed in the program.

Instructions for the recommender:
“Please write a separate letter evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the applicant, with particular reference to intellect, demonstrated ability to do academic work, discipline, creativity, motivation, maturity and character. Please comment on the applicant’s future promise in the field of peace studies and his or her suitability for interdisciplinary work.”

We prefer that those writing reference letters on your behalf submit their letters to the Graduate School electronically through the online application system. Please enter the names and contact information for each provider in the “Recommendation” section of the application and indicate whether he or she will be submitting the letter electronically or on paper. For those providers who wish to submit their letter electronically, check the “Yes” box in the “Recommendation” section of the application. You must provide the e-mail address for recommenders who will be submitting their letter online. Please also notify the individual that he/she will be receiving an email from the Notre Dame Graduate School's online application system with the necessary information to upload the letter into your online application.

  • Once the recommendation provider information is saved, an email will be sent to the online recommendation provider with instructions on how to proceed with the online recommendation.
  • When the recommendation provider submits the form to the Graduate School, it will become a part of your application.
  • You can view the status of your online recommendations each time you log into your application account.

For those recommenders who wish to submit their letter of reference on paper, the letter should be addressed to:
Office of Graduate Admissions
Attention: Peace Studies
University of Notre Dame
502 Main Building
Notre Dame, IN 46556
USA
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6) Transcripts.

The university requires that official transcripts be submitted. But unofficial copies of all your (university level) transcripts should be uploaded to your online application in the "Uploads" section. You must also submit official copies by postal mail. 

Mail transcripts to the Notre Dame Graduate Admissions Office in a signed and sealed envelope. Write “Peace Studies” on the outside of the envelope. Your official transcripts should not be submitted electronically. One transcript is required from each undergraduate and graduate institution attended, showing courses taken and grades received. If the originals are not in English, then please include a certified English translation. High school and/or elementary school transcripts are not required or needed. 

If an undergraduate transcript does not show proof of degree and date earned, an official copy of the diploma showing award of bachelor's degree or equivalent is also required. An official transcript bears the original signature of the registrar and/or the original seal of the issuing institution. Certified copies are acceptable. Photocopies or documents marked “issued to student” are unofficial. Please note that these documents cannot be returned. Do not send irreplaceable originals.

Your transcripts (and diplomas, if needed) should be mailed to:

Office of Graduate Admissions
Attention: Peace Studies
University of Notre Dame
502 Main Building
Notre Dame, IN 46556
USA

If your bachelor's degree or other academic program is currently in progress, send official transcripts for all course work completed and request that a final transcript be sent as soon as it is available. Proof of award of the B.A. degree or equivalent must be furnished before a student can begin the Ph.D. program.

Do not fax or e-mail your scanned transcript unless we instruct you to do so. Back to top


7) Letter of verification of English proficiency. A letter of verification of English proficiency is recommended for all non-native speakers of English. The Verification of English Proficiency letter should be written by a person (preferably a native speaker of English) who is well acquainted with your English language ability and experience, both written and spoken. The letter should describe your experience with the language, present level of proficiency, communicative ability in English, and ability to do doctoral-level work in English (including extensive reading and writing).

The Verification of English Proficiency letter can either be submitted as part of your online application in the “Additional Uploads” section of the “Uploads” area, or your recommender may mail (post) a hard copy to the Office of Graduate Admissions at the address given above. Please instruct your recommender to write “Verification of English Proficiency” at the top of his or her letter. Back to top

8) TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score. The institution code for Notre Dame is 1841. A department code is not necessary, but you can use 5101 if needed. All applicants who are not native speakers of English must take the TOEFL unless they have successfully studied for at least one year at a university in which English was the medium of instruction. We have no set minimum requirement for the TOEFL score, but a score below 600 (paper-based) or 250 (computer-based) or 80 (Internet-based) is questionable. TOEFL scores are valid for up to two years after the test date. You must have an official score report sent to Notre Dame by ETS. Please upload your personal copy of your TOEFL score to your online application in the "Uploads" section. If the test is taken after your application is submitted, please email your self-reported TOEFL score as soon as it is available. More TOEFL information »
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9) GRE (Graduate Record Exam) scores. Scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) are required from all applicants unless extremely difficult circumstances make this impossible. The Institution code for the University of Notre Dame is 1841. A department code is not necessary. The GRE test is offered by the Educational Testing Service at locations around the world. Please upload your personal copy of your GRE score to your online application. If the test is taken after your application is submitted, please e-mail your self-reported GRE scores to kroc-admissions.1@nd.edu as soon as they are available. More GRE information»
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10) Application fee of $50. A reduced fee of $35 is offered for applications received by December 1. You may pay the fee online by credit card after completing the online application, or by sending a check to:

Office of Graduate Admissions
Attention: Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame
502 Main Building
Notre Dame, IN 46556
U.S.A.

Checks should be made payable to the University of Notre Dame. If the check is not written by the applicant, or is mailed separately, the name of the applicant must be included with the check. International applicants who do not have access to a credit card or a U.S. checking account may pay using an International Postal Money Order or a bank draft on a U.S. bank. It is not possible to pay by bank transfer.

Students applying to more than one graduate program at Notre Dame are only required to pay one application fee per year. Students reapplying for the first time are not required to pay a fee if they paid the fee the first time. Back to top

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE
Your statement of intent, CV, writing sample, and unofficial copies of your transcripts, TOEFL and GRE scores, should be submitted electronically as part of the Graduate School’s online application.
The application deadline for the Ph.D. program is January 10. Applications missing materials after the January 10 deadline may not receive full consideration. To ensure that all your materials, including the recommendation letters, are received by the deadline, we suggest that you submit your online application as early as possible. Acceptances will normally be sent out by April 1.

  • Make a complete copy of your application and supporting documents for your records.
  • Complete the Graduate School’s online application and submit your supporting documents electronically at the time you submit your online application.
  • Mail one official transcript from each university you attended to:

Office of Graduate Admissions
Attention: Peace Studies
University of Notre Dame
502 Main Building
Notre Dame, IN 46556-5602
USA

Do not fax or e-mail your materials to us unless we instruct you to do so. 

Please do not call or e-mail to see if your materials have arrived. It takes several weeks to process all of the applications. You will be notified if anything is missing as soon as we have processed your application.
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