Enquire to study in the UK 
To successfully navigate the complexities of our world, study international relations. This discipline equips learners with the skills to comprehend, analyse and address the biggest challenges in global affairs — think such issues as migration crises, nuclear proliferation, great power competition, and economic inequality.
In 1943, as World War II was raging, two statesmen founded the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) to prepare a new generation of leaders to meet the complex challenges of a post-war world.
Today, Johns Hopkins SAIS is one of the world’s top schools of international relations and policy, preparing tomorrow’s leaders through cutting-edge coursework designed to solve real-world problems. SAIS remains steadfast in its mission, consistently producing graduates that shape global discourse and foster positive change.
Here are five compelling reasons why you should experience the world-class education that makes SAIS graduates stand out among their peers.
#1 Cutting-edge curriculum
At SAIS, you will be able to tailor your module to the issues closest to your heart. With a diverse array of interdisciplinary paths and specialised subject areas, the school offers you the flexibility to explore international relations, international public policy, cybersecurity, international economics and finance, strategic leadership, international law and human rights, climate change, and global governance, amongst many others.
Comparative and regional studies span Africa, China and Asia, Europe and Eurasia, the Middle East, the United States, and the Americas. Meanwhile, SAIS’s language studies programme emphasises current political and economic topics, enabling you to achieve proficiency in a non-native language.
SAIS’s three interconnected campuses are located in Washington, D.C., Bologna, Italy, and Nanjing, China. Source: Johns Hopkins University
#2 Three campuses across three continents
SAIS’s global presence extends across three interconnected campuses in North America, Europe, and Asia. Through robust exchange programmes, joint research initiatives, and cross-campus collaboration, expect to prepare yourself for career success through the benefits of both practical experience and cultural know-how.
The Washington, D.C. campus, housed in the state-of-the-art Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Centre, is the hub of SAIS’s academic and policy activities. With its location on D.C.’s iconic Pennsylvania Avenue, and its proximity to the United States Capitol, the White House, the Treasury Department, the Department of Justice, the Department of Energy, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, as well as a range of other government agencies, international organisations, and think tanks, SAIS students have access to key policymakers, practitioners, and leaders shaping global affairs.
Located in Bologna, Italy, the SAIS Europe campus is known as a laboratory for policy innovation, attracting faculty and students from more than 40 countries. Students at SAIS Europe join a uniquely close-knit intellectual community with a European perspective on global issues, share ideas with the broader SAIS family, and become part of an international professional network.
In Asia, the Hopkins-Nanjing Center is the oldest educational joint venture in contemporary China. The Center is a partnership between Johns Hopkins University and Nanjing University and offers a distinctive, tight-knit community and a rigorous bilingual education for people who aim to build careers in the areas where China encounters the world.
You can take a virtual tour of SAIS’ three campuses here.
#3 World-renowned faculty
SAIS’s faculty comprises more than 250 renowned experts with extensive expertise and real-world experiences. From seasoned practitioners to leading scholars, the school’s faculty members conduct research and policy analysis — some at the highest levels of government and international organisations — across critical issues like diplomacy, economics, environmental management, globalisation, international trade, policy making and implementation, US-China relations, women’s leadership, and more. They spend the rest of their time mentoring and guiding students.
#4 Immersive experiential learning opportunities
Come to SAIS and you’ll have access to immersive experiences designed to cultivate your practical skills, deepen your understanding and foster your personal growth. Through practicum classes, student teams collaborate with external client organisations on real-time projects that span regions and topics — ranging from economic development initiatives in Kenya to peacebuilding efforts in Cambodia. In the process, SAIS students hone key skills in field research, consulting, leadership, and teamwork.
Through annual study trips, SAIS students conduct on-the-ground research alongside local stakeholders. Recent destinations have included Colombia, India, Namibia, Peru, Korea, Japan, and Uzbekistan.
SAIS also offers a unique experience called international staff rides, which involve visits to historic battle sites and reenactments of key moments in history to gain lessons in strategy, leadership, and decision-making. A long-standing SAIS tradition in experiential learning, the international staff ride is an immersive, on-the-ground study of historical events and strategic decisions, with the goal to “think in time” and prepare future leaders for the challenges and opportunities they may face in their careers. Participants recently travelled to Berlin, Prague and Hawaii, where they analysed historical events and drew parallels to contemporary challenges.
To gain hands-on knowledge, SAIS students travel to various corners of the globe. Source: Johns Hopkins University
Internships are big at SAIS, too — 75% of two-year Master of Arts in International Relations students intern in the summer between their first and second years; and nearly half pursue part-time internships at some point of the academic year.
Employers include the Centre for European Policy Studies, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, China Institute of International Studies, German Marshall Fund of the United States, Human Rights Watch, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, National Assembly of Thailand, Korea Economic Institute, Lebanese Center for Policy Studies, The People’s Bank of China, The Washington Institute, the U.S. Department of State, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. Department of Commerce, and more.
#5 An expansive, engaged alumni network
Career counsellors in SAIS’s Office of Global Careers do not just secure internship opportunities for students. They also connect them with a dynamic worldwide network of alumni. More than 22,000 SAIS graduates hold influential roles across countries and continents in government, academia, NGOs, and the private sector. And Johns Hopkins University’s graduate network currently consists of nearly 260,000 accomplished individuals globally.
Spanning more than 70 alumni chapters around the world, what unites SAIS graduates is a shared dedication to empowering current students. Whether through sharing insights, conducting interviews, or facilitating crucial employer connections, their mission remains clear: to guide and shape the careers of students aspiring to follow in their footsteps — echoing the impactful mentorship they received during their time at SAIS.
Follow Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies on Instagram, LinkedIn Facebook, YouTube, and X
