Scholarships and Assistantships

Merit-Based Scholarships

The McCourt School offers merit-based scholarship funding. All MPP, MPM, MIDP, MS-DSPP and EMPL admitted students (including part-time students) are eligible to be considered for merit-based assistance as long as they submit their application by the Early Action (December 1) or Priority (January 15) deadlines. To be considered, simply answer “yes” when asked in the application if you wish to be considered for merit-based scholarships.

• Awards are based on a candidate’s grades, test scores, professional and lived experience, community service/volunteerism and overall strength of application.
• Scholarship notification is sent in the same letter as the admissions notification. Students will need to log into MyAccess to view and accept the details of their scholarship award.
• All merit scholarship awards are guaranteed for the student’s first year of study. Scholarships awarded for the first year of study are renewable at the same rate for the second year of study (and third year for MPP part-time students) contingent on satisfactory academic progress (i.e. maintaining at least a 3.0 grade point average). Students in dual-degree programs will get a maximum of two years of merit funding from McCourt for coursework that pertains to the MPP degree.

McCourt Scholars

The McCourt Scholars are a select group of promising future policymakers and scholars whose background, experience and academic excellence qualify them for this prestigious award. Each year, up to six incoming students are selected as McCourt Scholars based on the strength of their applications to the McCourt School.

• All full-time MPP, MPM, MIDP and MS-DSPP who apply by the December 1 or January 15 deadline are eligible to be considered for the McCourt Scholars program. Although no additional application is required, candidates in consideration for the McCourt Scholarship will be contacted and interviewed by a selection committee.
• The Scholar award includes full tuition, mandatory fees, a stipend and health insurance.

The Howard Scholar

This scholarship, open to degree-seeking students and alumni from Howard University, began in Fall 2021. Each year, one qualified candidate will receive a full tuition scholarship to attend one of the following McCourt School degree programs: MIDP, MPM, MPP (full time or Evening Program), MS-DSPP or EMPL. Applicants need to apply through the regular application process by the December 1 early action deadline or the January 15 priority deadline in order to ensure consideration for this award. Although no additional application is required, eligible candidates for the Howard Scholarship may be contacted and interviewed by a selection committee.

The Franklin Fellowship: Forging Tomorrow’s Inventor-Diplomats

The Franklin Fellowship at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy is designed to nurture the next generation of inventor-diplomats who can bridge these worlds, much as Benjamin Franklin did in his time. We believe that the complex challenges of our era — from regulating autonomous systems to addressing pandemics — demand leaders who can navigate both the intricacies of emerging technologies and the nuances of global policy.

Open to all first-year McCourt students, the Franklin Fellowship will be awarded to up to two students, each receiving $8,500 to support a Summer 2025 internship or research project in the technology or public sector, depending on their experiences and backgrounds. McCourt students who begin their first year in Fall 2024 are eligible for consideration by submitting an application by November 18, 2024. Learn about the Franklin Fellowship and application here .

Craig Newmark Veterans Scholarship Fund

With generous support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies , the McCourt School of Public Policy is proud to increase access to public policy education for active-duty servicemen and women, veterans and military-connected students. Craig Newmark Scholars are enrolled in our full-time or part-time graduate programs and receive scholarships of $20,000 and access to networking and community building opportunities. The application process for this Fellowship will be shared with applicants during the admissions cycle.

Pablo Eisenberg Public Interest Fellowship

The endowed Pablo Eisenberg Public Interest Fellowship was created in 2006 to honor the work of McCourt School of Public Policy Senior Fellow Pablo Eisenberg. The fellowships (up to two each year) are awarded to McCourt School of Public Policy students who, through academic pursuits as well as volunteer and work experience, demonstrate a strong commitment to social and economic justice, and the potential to play a leadership role in the public interest arena. The award is designed to offer each Fellow a unique research experience working for and being mentored by a current leader in the field. The application process for this Fellowship will be shared with applicants during the admissions cycle.

Fogel Scholarship

Open to all incoming McCourt School students, the Fogel Scholarship will be awarded to one McCourt student, who will receive an annual tuition scholarship of up to $25,000 and a semester-long research internship with stipend to work with scholars, economists, political scientists and foreign policy specialists at the American Enterprise Institute. The application process for this Fellowship will be shared with applicants during the admissions cycle.

Bradley Fellowship

The Bradley Fellowship (formerly known as the Joint Chiefs of Staff/Office of the Secretary of Defense/Army Staff Internship) is the United States Army’s premier company-grade officer broadening program. The Bradley Fellowship is designed to bring together cohorts of the highest-performing mid-career officers and give them the skills, tools and experiences necessary to innovate and lead at every level.

Bradley Fellows begin the program with rigorous, graduate education at the McCourt School of Public Policy. Fellows earn a Master of Policy Management degree that culminates with a capstone report addressing national security issues. As graduate students, Fellows participate in applied innovation and problem-solving seminars through the Defense Innovation Unit and the National Security Innovation Network to refine their skills. 

Upon graduation, Bradley Fellows are assigned to either the Office of the Secretary of Defense or the Joint Staff for one year. Assignments are nominative, and aligned with Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff priorities. Bradley Fellows then serve a year with the Army Staff, where they are assigned key roles that align with Secretary of the Army priorities and objectives. 

Interested applicants must be nominated by the U.S. Army and qualify academically for the MPM program at the McCourt School of Public Policy. 

Tech & Public Policy Scholars Program

The Tech & Public Policy Scholars Program is a select group of emerging leaders at the McCourt School, committed to helping shape the future of technology policy. All current students and applicants to the MPP, MPM, MIDP, and MS-DSPP programs are eligible for consideration for scholarship and research opportunities. The application process for this program will be shared with applicants during the admissions cycle.

Wong Family Fellowship

Open to all incoming McCourt School students, the Wong Family Fellowship will be awarded to one McCourt student, who will receive an annual tuition scholarship of up to $25,000 and a paid academic year-long research internship with the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW). The application process for this Fellowship will be shared with applicants during the admissions cycle.

Learn about the Wong Family gift here .

Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistants (GAs) will support McCourt School staff typically in an administrative capacity for up to 20 hours per week and are paid hourly (current rate is $19 per hour). All students (including international students) may apply for graduate assistant positions in late August. McCourt hires approximately 15-20 GAs per year.

Research Assistantships

Research Assistants (RAs) will support tenure-line McCourt School faculty in their research for approximately 10 hours per week and are paid hourly (current rate is $23 per hour). Several of McCourt’s Research Centers hire RAs throughout the academic year and the summer. All students (including international students) may apply for research assistant positions in late August. McCourt hires approximately 30-40 RAs per year.

McCourt Affiliated Scholarships

McCourt also offers a variety of scholarship opportunities in conjunction with other organizations. In order to be considered for any of these scholarships, applicants must submit their application to the McCourt School by the December 1 or January 15 deadline. Scholarship eligibility is contingent on the applicant indicating their affiliation with the partner organization in their application materials. Applicants may also be asked to submit verification that they are recipients of these other scholarship awards in order to receive matching funds from the McCourt School.

Admitted students who receive a merit-based scholarship offer from the McCourt School should be aware that these awards are already INCLUSIVE of any of the minimum amounts listed below.

• Admitted Truman Scholars will receive a minimum $15,000 matching scholarship award from McCourt
• Up to 10 Admitted Fulbright Scholars will receive a $5,000 minimum scholarship award from McCourt
• Admitted Americorps Segal Education Award recipients will receive a minimum of a 100% matching scholarship award from McCourt if the Segal Education Award is applied to McCourt’s tuition
• Payne Fellows admitted to the Master in Public Policy , Master in International Development Policy , and Master of Science in Data Science for Public Policy programs will receive a minimum $25,000 scholarship award from McCourt
• Up to 5 Rangel Fellows admitted to the Master in Public Policy , Master in International Development Policy , and Master of Science in Data Science for Public Policy programs will receive a minimum of $25,000 scholarship award from McCourt
• Pickering Fellows admitted to the Master in Public Policy or Master of Science in Data Science for Public Policy programs will receive a minimum $25,000 scholarship award from McCourt
• Admitted Former Jesuit Volunteer Corps Members will receive a $3,000 minimum scholarship award from McCourt
• All Admitted Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellows and participants in McCourt’s Public Service Weekend will be considered for a minimum scholarship award of $18,000 from McCourt
• Up to 5 admitted COLFUTURO scholarship recipients will receive a minimum scholarship award of $15,000 from McCourt
• Admitted FUNED scholarship recipients will receive a minimum scholarship award of $20,000 from McCourt
• Up to 2 admitted Bonner Scholars or Bonner Leaders will receive a $25,000 minimum scholarship award from McCourt
• Up to 2 admitted NYPD Scholarship recipients will receive a minimum scholarship award of approximately 33% of tuition for the full-time MPM and standard EMPL program at McCourt; to be considered for this award, NYPD applicants must apply no later than the January 15 application deadline.
• Admitted Lead For America Fellows and Govern for America Fellows will receive a minimum scholarship award of $18,000 from McCourt.
• Up to 30 students admitted to the full-time MPM through the McCourt School’s partnership with the National Urban Fellows (NUF) will receive a full tuition scholarship.
  • Interested candidates need to apply first through NUF . The NUF application deadline is January 15. Only those selected as semi-finalists will be invited to submit an application to the McCourt School and only NUF finalists will receive the tuition scholarship from McCourt and NUF.

**Please note, all scholarship awards are guaranteed for the student’s first year of study. Scholarships awarded for the first year of study are renewable at the same amount for the second year of study contingent on satisfactory academic progress (i.e. maintaining at least a 3.0 grade point average). Students in the dual-degree programs will get a maximum of two years of merit funding from McCourt for coursework that pertains to the MPP degree.

McCourt Funding Opportunities for Second Year/Returning Students

Graduate and Research Assistantships 

Returning students are eligible to apply for Graduate and Research Assistant positions, as listed above.

Teaching Assistantships

McCourt hires returning students and alumni as Teaching Assistants (TAs) for the academic year to help support faculty and students in the quantitative, economics, and data science courses. The pay is $23/hour for approximately 8-11 hours per week, and TAs are expected to hold office hours, answer questions, conduct recitations, grade assignments, and/or provide other support for faculty and students. Applications are collected during the summer; McCourt hires approximately 60 TAs per year.

McCourt School Leadership Fellows

The McCourt School Leadership Fellows Program is a year-long program to develop the leadership potential of outstanding returning McCourt students. The selected Leadership Fellows will take part in intensive training workshops in coaching and team-building during the summer. In the fall, Fellows will apply their skills to help incoming McCourt students and develop their own potential through community-building and individual identity exploration exercises. Throughout the year they will continue their personal development and build coaching skills through cohort-activities and continued engagement as they plan and lead activities for the McCourt community. Students will be able to apply in March to serve as a Fellow for the following year. Leadership Fellows receive a $2,500 stipend.

Colin McCollester Mission Fund

The Colin McCollester Mission Fund was established by the family of Colin McCollester (G’14), who died on December 12, 2019 as a way to remember his generous spirit of doing good by serving others. Recipients will receive a $5,000 stipend to participate in an international internship or short term study abroad program during the Summer or Fall.

Dean’s Scholarships For Returning Students

All part-time and full-time McCourt School students who will be returning in the following academic year (Fall, Spring) and have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.33 or higher are eligible to apply for the Dean’s Scholarships awards. Students are typically awarded scholarships in the range of $1,000 to $10,000. Scholarships are for one academic year and students who are returning for a 3rd or 4th academic year will need to apply again in the next year’s process. Scholarships are competitive and based on merit, the amount of funding previously received, and the level involvement in the McCourt community. Typically about 20-25 students receive awards.

Whittington Scholarship

The Whittington Scholarship is awarded each year to an outstanding McCourt student in honor of Leslie Whittington, a professor of Economics and Public Finance who was killed during the attacks on 9/11. The scholarship, created in remembrance of Leslie and her family, is typically around $15,000 for one academic year. Only full-time students who have a 3.5 or higher cumulative GPA are eligible to apply. This competitive scholarship is awarded based on academic achievement at McCourt and a student’s contributions to the McCourt community.

Fund for Experiential Learning

The McCourt School strongly believes in the value of experiential learning and internships for students who wish to apply their skills and gain experience while making a difference in their field of interest. This fund seeks to provide financial assistance to any student who wishes to pursue substantive and meaningful experiences and unpaid internships in and outside of Georgetown with a non-profit/NGO or public service employer. The Fund typically provides a stipend payment of approximately $3,000.