Georgetown vs NYU for international relations: which is stronger for undergraduate IR?

Georgetown has the edge for undergraduate international relations. Its School of Foreign Service is built specifically around global affairs, the curriculum is deeper and more structured for IR than NYU’s, and its Washington, DC location gives undergrads unusually direct access to embassies, think tanks, federal agencies, and policy internships during the semester.

The biggest differentiator is academic structure. Georgetown SFS is one of the few undergraduate schools in the country designed around international politics, economics, history, languages, and regional study from the start. That means IR is not just one strong major among many; it is central to the school’s identity, and the course offerings, advising, and peer community are built around it in a way NYU does not quite match.

Internship access is another major advantage. Being in DC matters a lot for undergrads interested in diplomacy, security, development, or public policy because many organizations recruit Georgetown students regularly and semester internships are much easier to combine with classes. NYU offers excellent access to the UN, NGOs, media, and international business in New York, which is especially attractive if your interests lean toward global cities, economics, or international organizations, but for classic IR and foreign policy work, Georgetown’s ecosystem is tougher to beat.

Career and grad school preparation also tilt toward Georgetown because SFS has a long-established pipeline into government, consulting, international nonprofits, fellowships, and top graduate programs in global affairs. The alumni network in diplomacy and policy circles is especially strong. NYU can absolutely get students to impressive outcomes, but for a student who already knows they want to study international relations seriously at the undergraduate level, Georgetown is the more purpose-built option.