Admission Requirements

For admission to the Masters programs at the European Graduate School EGS, students must provide proof of an accredited Bachelor's Degree or its equivalent.

The Division of Philosophy, Art & Critical Thought at The European Graduate School / EGS offers students and scholars an exceptional academic experience centered on annual intensive seminar sessions led by eminent faculty in residence. This dynamic structure provides a critical and creative forum for students and scholars to engage with thinkers and artists distinguished in their fields.

In keeping with its cross-disciplinary purpose and its effort to orient its intellectual ambitions toward concrete worldly engagement, the EGS seeks to build a richly diverse and inclusive global community of scholars  Admission to our program is based upon standard academic criteria, but also professional and personal achievement where appropriate.  We welcome individuals of all ages from a broad range of professional and academic backgrounds.

To begin the application process for our degree programs click here: Online Application

To apply for our special 2024 auditing opportunity (described below) click here.

The application process is designed to allow us to identify independent-minded students who are prepared to accept both the challenges and the advantages of our cross-disciplinary, low-residency MA and PhD programs.  We seek creative individuals and those who will thrive in a diverse intellectual community.  We do not require special theoretical or philosophical expertise; we simply seek those who are eager to engage some of the most advanced cross-disciplinary thinking available.

REGISTRATION DEADLINES

Applications to the PACT Division of The EGS are accepted and reviewed year round. Students will only be fully registered when they have paid their full tuition, which must be at least 7 days before the start of their classes. In 2020 and 2021, the EGS functioned entirely online making several changes in its programming schedule. In 2024, we continue with our in person sessions in August (Saas-Fee) and October (Valetta). The seminars held in these sessions will be livestreamed and available to students who are unable to attend the session. Students can choose to complete their seminar obligations in person or online. There is a limited number of places for in-person study in the two sessions. Therefore, students are urged to submit their applications by July 1. The final  deadline for applications for the August Session is July 15. The deadline for the October session is September 15. We invite students pursuing online study in 2024 to submit their applications by the July 1 deadline.  We will communicate with all students regarding their preferences, and will recommend to students in the LMVT program courses that we feel are particularly suitable. The Dean approves all course programs. Guests may register for credit-bearing seminars at any time, at least one week in advance of the beginning of the seminar.  They should submit an application using the standard Slideroom portal.  Auditors can register for a seminar up to 24 hours in advance of a seminar with the Eventbee link.The academic schedule may be supplemented by other seminars and workshops.  Please follow our social media for information about these possible developments.

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS

All application documents must be submitted online.

Transcripts

Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges, universities, and graduate schools (post-secondary institutions) must be sent directly to Sarah Hannis (admissions@egs.edu). Copies of transcripts should also be included in the Online Application↗ when possible. Transcripts not originally in English, French or German must be submitted with certified translations in English or French.

Letters of Evaluation (Optional)

Applicants may submit up to three letters of evaluation/reference. Letters should include the evaluator’s signature and contact information.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or Interview with a Dean

The language of instruction at The EGS is English. Applicants who have not already completed a university degree where English was the language of instruction should submit TOEFL test results to The EGS.

TOEFL Educational Testing Service Code:
European Graduate School: 7418 or 7394

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Doctoral students must begin by meeting a requirement of 12 seminars, which are normally completed in the first two years. The doctoral student then must select an advisor (this may happen with the help of the dean) and fulfill one to three years of officially supervised dissertation work  They must register for this supervision and pay a fee in each year. The number of years will be determined by the student’s advisor in consultation with the dean. At the end of the third supervision year, if the student has not completed the dissertation and has not been approved to proceed to a defense, the student may continue to spend up to two more years working on the dissertation without formal supervision.  The student must complete their dissertation and have it accepted for defense by the student’s past supervisor by the end of this period (a total of seven years as a full-time doctoral student at EGS).  Requests for leaves of absence by reason of hardship or health issues can be considered (they should be addressed to the dean).  But if, after seven years, and in the absence of a formal request for a leave of absence, the student has not finished their thesis and completed all requirements, they will be obliged to leave the program.  After a successful completion of the defense, the student will be granted the doctorate.

Masters students must begin by completing 12 seminars, normally during their first two years in the program.  An MA thesis may be submitted after the completion of course work within the second year of study.  Normally, however, students will continue for a third year under supervision as they complete their thesis.  They must register for this supervision and pay the established fee. The dean, or an EGS Fellow, will serve as supervisor.  In some cases, students may arrange for supervision with an EGS faculty member (with the approval of the dean).  At the end of the third year as a full-time MA student, the thesis will be submitted to the supervisor for evaluation (no MA thesis defense is required).  Students who are not ready to submit the thesis at the end of the third year may obtain extra time only with permission of the dean. Once the thesis is accepted, the MA degree will be granted.

Students who complete the MA degree at EGS and wish to continue in the doctoral program must apply officially for the doctoral program and, if accepted, can enter the program only after all MA requirements are met. The accepted MA thesis and the conferred degree must be on file with the EGS before the student can begin doctoral studies. All seminars taken to meet requirements for the doctoral degree must be taken as part of the doctoral program. Seminars taken before acceptance into the doctoral program, even if taken as electives and not used for meeting MA requirements, cannot be used to meet doctoral requirements. In brief, students doing both the MA and the PhD at EGS will need to take a total of 24 seminars as matriculated students to meet both sets of requirements.

TUITION & FEES

The European Graduate School / EGS is a private, non-profit graduate school that is tuition funded. Committed to offering its students rewarding experiences of the highest academic standard affordably, The EGS strives to maintain low operating costs. We thus have less amenities than a full-service Higher Education Institution, but our costs are considerably lower than those of most private institutions of higher learning.  Our funds are directed first and foremost to the learning experience, and we deliver more extensive advanced course study, and of a consistently higher quality, than what one will find in many European institutions.  This is a strong claim, and perhaps surprising given our intensive structure, but we urge individuals to look closely at what we are offering in order to determine its validity.

FEES FOR 2024
The global pandemic obliged the EGS in 2020 to adopt an online platform for the first time. On the basis of our experience, we are confident that the online courses offered this year will continue to meet the very high standards of the EGS (our normal faculty are all participating); the technical apparatus in place is tested and strong.  As in the past 3 years, we are offering a discount for online study.  We have therefore reduced the price of online credit-bearing courses by 30% (to $1,220). 

Moreover, we have continue our online auditing option which allows participants to attend individual courses in their entirety at low cost: $360.  No application for this exceptional opportunity is required, and any visitor is free to join us via Eventbee. Participants may request a letter attesting to their online attendance in four or more courses.

Please note that for the online seminars of 2024, students will not be eligible for refunds once the seminar for which they have registered has begun. Only in documented cases of illness or hardship will requests for refunds or an extension of credit for future seminar study be considered. Please note that it will not be possible to switch seminars once they start during this session. 

Tuition Fees Summary 2024:

Tuition fees are calculated in USD and based on the number of required seminar and workshop credits (seminars are 4.0 ECTS credits; workshops are usually two credits). The normal course load for study leading to a degree is six seminars per year.

Tuition Deposit upon receipt of admission first year* USD 2,000.00
Individual credit-bearing in-person seminars (MA or PhD) USD 1,875.00
Individual credit-bearing online seminars (MA or PhD) USD 1,220.00
MA Thesis Supervision fee (per year)** USD 2,000.00
PhD Dissertation Supervision fee (per year)** USD 3,000.00
Elective Seminars for Matriculated Students or Guests (4.0 Credits) USD 1,875.00
Audited seminars USD 360.00

*The tuition deposit is credited toward coursework. Should a student withdraw from a program before beginning their studies, they will pay a $500 fee. The remainder of the deposit will be refunded. See our refund policy.
**Starting in 2022, students entering the program will be required to pay supervision fees for each year of supervision after the completion of their seminar study. Student have up to 5 years to complete the MA degree and up to 7 years to complete the PhD degree. 

All payments are made in USD. Tuition fees are subject to change on a yearly basis. Tuition fees do not include health insurance, living expenses, travel expenses and residency accommodation.

Payment Submissions: 

Successful applicants will receive detailed registration and enrolment information in their letter of admission, including payment instructions and deadlines for tuition fees. Keep in mind that foreign money transfers can take up to 8-10 working days. All payment submissions must include the student’s name and student ID number. Receipt of payments will be confirmed after the payment has been credited to the EGS bank account. Once the full tuition fee has been credited to the EGS bank account, students will receive an email confirmation of final tuition payment.

REFUND POLICY

The European Graduate School is not responsible for travel costs incurred by reason of cancellation.  Students are urged to buy tickets that are refundable or usable at later dates, should they have to be cancelled.
Tuition payments are also not refundable after 72 hours prior to the start of a session or a seminar for which a student has registered. Please note that for the online seminars, students will not be eligible for refunds once the seminar for which they have registered has begun. The EGS will normally extend credit for another course if a student is prevented from attending a course or courses for which they have registered.
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FINANCIAL AID

Financial Aid refers to government-sponsored education loan programs. Depending on your country of origin, student loans are made available to help pay for the cost of higher education.

Canada (British Columbia)

StudentAid BC helps eligible students with the cost of their post-secondary education through loans, grants, scholarships, and other programs. B.C. student loans are provided by the provincial government and Canada Student Loans are provided by the federal government. These loans are managed as a single Canada-B.C. integrated loan at the National Student Loans Service Centre↗ (NSLSC).

Canadian Ministry of Advanced Education Student Aid BC School Code

European Graduate School: MQKQ

Canada Financial Aid↗

United States of America

Please note that the EGS is no longer certified to participate in the US Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Program (FSA).

Other Countries

Please contact your government’s Department of Education or Education Ministry.

MATCHING SCHOLARSHIPS

For students in the PACT division, The EGS offers a Matching Scholarship program, in which the Higher Education Institution matches money raised by the student up to a limit of $2,000 per student per year. The money to be matched may be raised from any scholarship-providing organization – bank and government loans are not eligible for matching funds. The distribution of matching scholarships depends on available funds and will be disbursed to qualifying students on a first-come, first-served basis.

VISA REQUIREMENTS

Students from countries with visa requirements for entry to Italy, Switzerland or Malta can request payment confirmation and a letter of enrolment via regular post. These documents will serve as the student’s “letter of invitation” and should be presented when applying for their visa.

Students should give attention to the indications offered in an official statement from Malta’s Central Visa Unit. This information can be found here.

For further questions please contact the admissions office (admissions@egs.edu) or the financial aid office (financial.aid@egs.edu).