Pennsylvania State University - University Park - School of International Affairs

About this program

The Penn State School of International Affairs will help you build on your international experiences gained in the Peace Corps and equip you with the tools to make a positive difference in the world. We are an interdisciplinary program that provides an intimate, small-classroom environment while also giving you access to the wealth of academic resources available at one of the world's top research universities. We offer a personalized degree that you can shape to suit your interests and professional goals. We offer twelve optional concentrations ranging from human rights and humanitarian response to development policy, as well as the option to develop your own individualized concentration. In addition to international affairs courses with former ambassadors, military personnel, and scholars, we also allow you to take courses in any of Penn State's world-class graduate-level programs, allowing you to create the degree that's best for you and your future. In addition to our distinguished faculty and flexible academics, our students also benefit from the School of International Affairs' over 90% career attainment rate and the worldwide Penn State alumni network. We are your passport to a great global career. You want to change the world. We can help you do it.

• Year partnership began: 2016
• Fellowships awarded per year (average): 3

Application requirements

Two letters of recommendation, current resume or CV, copies of official transcripts from all previous institutions, and a statement of purpose. The GRE is optional and not required for admission.

Admissions process

In your statement of purpose, note your Peace Corps experience and indicate your interest in the attending the School of International Affairs as part of the Coverdell Fellowship Program. When notifying you if you’ve been accepted into the program, we will also indicate if you’ve been accepted as a Coverdell Fellow. Please upload a copy of your DOS and global language training, if applicable.

Degrees awarded

Master of International Affairs

Benefits and opportunities

Net cost is equal to tuition/fees minus fellowship value. For some universities, the fellowship value includes non-tuition/fee benefits such as health insurance or housing. See cost savings details for more.

Estimated annual cost of living: $16,474

Cost savings details

Fellows will receive a minimum scholarship of 50% of tuition/fees per academic year and an application fee waiver. The above figures are based on 21 credits in the first year of the program (12 credits in the Fall and 9 credits in the Spring). These savings are eligible to stack with additional merit-based scholarships from SIA. In fall 2025, 100% of new students received some level of merit-based scholarships from SIA.

Note: Tuition are subject to change every year, but the student will still receive 50% of tuition/fees of that year.

As an added cost savings benefit, and in recognition of completed Peace Corps service, the School of International Affairs will waive 6 hours of elective credit toward the MIA degree. This will reduce the number of required elective courses from 7 to 5 and will make it possible for Coverdell Fellows to complete the program in 3 semesters rather than 4 should they choose to take advantage of this benefit.

Internship

Coverdell Fellows at the Penn State School of International Affairs will work with local organizations and non-profits to benefit undeserved communities in the university and local community. We have established partnerships with Global Connections, a State College-based NGO that extends assistance to international populations in the region and promotes intercultural learning for all area residents, and the Jana Marie Foundation, a non-profit that promotes educational opportunities and scholarships to empower young women. Both organizations are eager to host Coverdell Fellows as interns. Additionally, the SIA Office of Career Services will work with Coverdell Fellows on an individual basis to identify other opportunities as needed to support our Fellows' interests and goals.

Other opportunities

Jobs for alumni

The Penn State School of International Affairs boasts an over 93.8% career attainment rate for our students in government agencies, private enterprise, and non-governmental organizations. Our graduates have gone on to work at the United Nations, the U.S. State Department, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the National Institutes of Health, Barclays Bank, Bloomberg LP, UN Population Fund, Booz Allen Hamilton, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative, the Organization of American States, D3 Systems, the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, the National Cooperative Business Association, the Corporate Council for Africa, and many more.

Nontraditional options

The Penn State School of International Affairs offers a joint J.D./M.I.A. program with Penn State Law, allowing Coverdell Fellows interested in international law to pursue both degrees simultaneously.

Penn State Law is housed in the same facility as the School of International Affairs, offering students extensive access to world-class professors and scholars at the top of their fields in both law and international affairs. Coverdell Fellows interested in the joint J.D./M.I.A. program must be accepted into both Penn State Law and the School of International Affairs. Financial assistance through the Coverdell Fellowship Program can only be applied to tuition for the School of International Affairs.