APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
& REQUIRED MATERIALS
Application Deadline for the M.A. Program
is January 5th.
Please
read all the information on our website before phoning or
emailing with questions. Questions that are answered on
our site will not receive a reply.
DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED:
Beginning this year, ALL application materials required directly from the applicant should be uploaded at the same time the Graduate School's online application is submitted.
Please note that when filling out our application, you should CAPITALIZE your entire LAST NAME on all forms that you complete and whenever contacting us about your application. To applicants from other countries, a reminder: your
last name refers to either your family name or surname and your
first name refers to your given name or personal name. For those with multiple last names, please be sure to list them all. For those with no last name, please pick one of your given names and use that as your last name throughout the application.
1) University of
Notre Dame Graduate School
Online Application Form -
Beginning this year - all applicants to the M.A. program must complete the online application! Your Statement of Intent, CV and Kroc Application should be submitted in the "Uploads" section of the online application.
Mailing a paper copy will delay the processing of your application. Please be sure you have all these items ready to submit before you complete your online application.
When completing the on-line application, if there is a required field that does not apply to you, (zipcode - for example) you can enter the words "none" in the field, and that will be accepted. 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 can only be submitted once for each department you are applying to. However, you do not have to complete the whole online application in one session. 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, you should submit your application by clicking the "Submit" button at the top of the online application webpage. This will take you through the steps to electronically submit your application to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Note: You may only submit your on-line application once.
After the submission of 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 re-enter your online application for the purpose of checking which materials have been received.
2) Kroc Institute
Application Form (5
pages). This is a Word document that you can type directly
into and save on your computer. It should then be submitted in the "Additional Upload" section of the "Uploads" area in the Graduate School's online application (above).
Mailing a paper copy of the Kroc Application form will delay the processing of your application. Everything that is received through the regular mail must be scanned in by someone at the Notre Dame Graduate School office so that it can then be added electronically to your application file. We no longer keep paper copies of the application materials.
Note: The Notre Dame Graduate School's online application and
the 5-page Kroc Institute Application are both required
in order
to apply to our Master in Peace Studies program.
3) Resumé or
CV showing the chronological
progression of your work and studies. It should be submitted in the "Uploads" section of the Notre Dame Graduate School's online application. Mailing a paper copy of your CV will delay the processing of your application. Do not
fax or email your CV to the Kroc Institute unless instructed to do so.
4) Statement
of Intent:
Please type a brief statement (maximum 1000 words) explaining why you want to join the Kroc Institute’s
M.A. program in peace studies, what skills and experiences you bring to the program, what values motivate you, and how your research and study interests relate to your professional goals and future life plans. Be specific about your own personal experiences, background, values and goals, and why you believe this program is suited to you. Include an explanation of your preference(s) among the five themes of the Kroc program.
This statement plays a critical part in the evaluation of applicants and must be written by the applicant personally.
Please submit your Statement of Intent in the "Uploads" section of the Graduate School's online application. Mailing a paper copy of your Statement will delay the processing of your application. Do not
fax or email your Statement to the Kroc Institute unless instructed to do so.
5) Three (3) Letters
of Recommendation: Recommendations
are very important to the application. At least
one (two is better) of the three letters must be from a professor who can address
the applicant’s academic abilities. The letters should be written
by persons who can describe in detail the applicant's 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 motivation, intellect, creativity, discipline, maturity, character and demonstrated ability to do academic work. Please address specifically the applicant's commitment to international concerns and cooperative work. Specific instances in which these qualities were revealed would be most helpful, as would comparison of this student with others you have recommended to the Kroc Institute. What do you feel the applicant can contribute to and gain from the peace studies M.A. program? "
The people submitting reference letters on your behalf may submit their letters to the Graduate School electronically through the online application system. This is the preferred method. Please enter the names and contact information for each provider in the "Recommendation" section of the on-line application, and then indicate whether they will be submitting their letter electronically or on paper. For those providers that wish to submit their letter electronically, be sure to check the "Yes" box in the online submission question located in the "Recommendation" section of the on-line application. You must provide the email 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 codes to upload their letter into your online application.
- Once the recommendation provider information is saved, an email will be sent to the online recommendation provider with an access code and 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
6) Official
Transcripts should be mailed to the Notre Dame Graduate Admissions
Office in a signed and sealed envelope. “Peace Studies” should be written
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 B.A. 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 can not 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
If your BA 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 M.A. program.
Do not fax or email your scanned transcript unless we instruct you to do so.
7) Letter of
Verification of English Proficiency:
A letter of Verification of English Proficiency
is
required 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 the applicant's English language ability and experience, both written and spoken. Success in the graduate program of the Kroc Institute depends on both cross-cultural communication and graduate study conducted in English. The letter should describe the applicant's experience with the language, present level of proficiency, communicative ability in English, and ability to do graduate work in English (including extensive reading and writing").
The name of the person who will be writing your Letter of Verification of English Proficiency should entered in the appropriate place on the Kroc Application form. The Verification of English Proficiency letter can either be submitted as part of your online application in the "Writing Sample" section of the "Uploads" area, or your recommender can 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/her letter, so we can distinguish it from your other recommendation letters.
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. Please write your self-reported TOEFL score on your Kroc Application. You must also have an official score report
sent to Notre Dame by ETS. If the test is taken after your
application is submitted, please email your self-reported TOEFL score as soon
as it is available. The score must reach the Kroc Institute
by the beginning of February in order to be considered. Further
TOEFL information can be obtained online at http://www.toefl.org.
9) GRE (Graduate Record Exam)
scores: The Institution
code for the University of Notre Dame is 1841. A department
code
is not necessary. The GRE is a standardized exam used for
admission to all graduate schools in the United States. The GRE test is required for ALL U.S. applicants applying to the Kroc Institute!! GRE scores play a significant, though not determinative,
role in the evaluation of U.S. applicants, but less of a
role in the evaluation of international applicants. Applications from international applicants can be considered without a GRE score. The GRE
is always considered in combination with other aspects of
the application; a high score does not guarantee admission
nor does a low score disqualify an otherwise outstanding
candidate. We have no set minimum requirement for GRE scores.
While applications may be considered before GRE scores have
arrived, the lack of a GRE score for U.S. students must be explained on the application form. The score must reach the
Kroc Institute by the beginning of February in order to be
considered. GRE scores are valid for five
years. LSAT or GMAT scores can not replace the GRE.
Any student who has not taken the GRE before arrival will
be required to do so during the first semester of enrollment
as a condition of admission. The GRE test is
offered by the Educational Testing Service at locations around
the world. Further GRE information can be obtained online at
http://www.gre.org.
10) Application fee of $50: A reduced
fee of $35 is offered for those applications received by
December 1. Applicants may pay the fee on-line by credit
card after completing the on-line 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, USA. 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.
SUBMISSION PROCEDURE:
Beginning this year (2007), ALL required materials, except the transcripts, can be submitted electronically or entered on the Graduate School's on-line application.
The Application Deadline for the M.A. program is: January 5.
Applicants will be notified of the decisions by April 1.
- Make a complete copy of your application and
supporting documents to keep for your records.
.
- Complete the Graduate School's on-line application and submit all of your supporting documents electronically at the time you submit your on-line 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 email your materials to us unless we instruct you to do so!
NOTE: It is best to submit all application materials (except transcripts) via the online application. If you do need to mail items, they can either all be mailed in the same envelope or mailed separately. That is entirely up to you.
Please do not call or email the day after the deadline 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 had time to process your application.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Please click on this link for more details and answers to
Frequently Asked Questions.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Please
read all the information on our website before phoning or
emailing with questions. Questions that are answered on
our site will not receive a reply.
E-mail: kroc-admissions.1@nd.edu
Telephone: (574) 631-6974
APPLICATION CHECKLIST:
Summary
of documents to be submitted.
Online:
- University of Notre Dame Graduate School's application
- Kroc Institute Application for Admission -(via "Upload" section)
- Resume or CV (via "Upload" section)
- Statement of Intent (via "Upload" section)
- Three (3) Recommendations (see directions above)
- Application Fee: $50 or $35 for applications received
by December 1
(online payment can only be made via credit card; see below for payments by check)
For non-native speakers of English only:
- Letter of Verification of English Proficiency (via "Additional Uploads" section)
By Mail:
- One (1) Official Transcript with Proof of Degree (B.A. equivalent) and English
translations from every program attended
- Official Scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
- Recommendation letters: if not submitting online
- Application Fee: a check for the application fee of $50 (or $35 for applications received
by December 1), if not paying online by credit card
For non-native speakers of English only:
- TOEFL score (required if you have not studied
for at least one year at a university where English was the medium
of instruction).
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Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies,
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