Admission Requirements for the PhD Program in International Relations

The following individuals are eligible to apply for the PhD Program in International Relations:

• holders of a Master’s degree or an equivalent academic degree. Applicants must submit a diploma confirming the award of the academic degree from an accredited higher education institution;
• graduates of foreign higher education institutions. Applicants must submit documentation confirming the recognition of the qualification obtained at a foreign higher education institution.

Prior to submitting the required documentation:

• applicants to the PhD program must complete online registration.

Applicants to the PhD Program in International Relations at the School of Governance shall submit the following documents:

1. a) a motivation letter for admission to the program and a curriculum vitae (CV);
   b) a notarized copy of the diploma confirming the award of a Master’s degree or an equivalent academic degree, together with the diploma supplement/transcript of records. The applicant must have completed an accredited higher education program;
   c) a copy of an identity document (ID card/passport);
   d) evidence of previous publications in the relevant field and/or participation in scientific research projects and events and/or at least two years of professional experience in the relevant field;
   e) a research thesis reflecting the candidate’s research interest, developed within the framework of the academic discipline of International Relations;
   f) a 1–2-page review and analysis of a book or academic article. The applicant should review any book or one academic article published in an international peer-reviewed journal in the field of International Relations that they have recently read. The review should indicate what the work was about, why the applicant liked or disliked it, and how relevant the research method used and the findings obtained were;
   g) a mandatory prerequisite for admission to the PhD Program in International Relations is knowledge of a foreign language, namely English, at a minimum B2 level. This must be confirmed by a submitted certificate or by a notarized copy of a diploma confirming completion of an English-language Bachelor’s or Master’s program. If the applicant does not hold a certificate/diploma confirming language proficiency, they will be required to take the School of Governance B2-level entrance examination in English;
   h) four photographs, size 3x4 cm, in both printed and digital format on a CD;
   i) for male applicants subject to military obligation, a copy of the military registration certificate or military service card.

Interview with the Admissions Committee

• An applicant who submits all required documents within the deadlines and meets PhD program admission prerequisites shall be admitted to an interview with the Admissions Committee.
• Members of the Admissions Committee for the PhD program shall assess the applicant in accordance with the evaluation form established by the relevant regulations. The maximum overall score is 100 points. An applicant shall be considered admitted to the doctoral program if they receive a score of at least 60 points out of the total score.

Stages of Admission to the Program

• Submission of documents: July 1 – September 15
• Internal English language test: September 18
• Interview with the Admissions Committee: September 24–25.
• The exact date and time will be communicated to applicants who proceed to the second stage.

Tuition Fee and Funding

• The tuition fee for the three-year PhD program is GEL 9,000.
• The doctoral student shall pay the tuition fee in two installments: GEL 4,500 in the first year and GEL 4,500 in the second year.
• Upon completion of the first year, high-achieving doctoral students will have the opportunity to obtain a grant from Caucasus School of Governance in the amount of GEL 4,500.