Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family

Key Highlights

• Independent Catholic graduate institution founded in Washington in 1988
• MSCHE accreditation reaffirmed in June 2025 through the 2032–2033 evaluation cycle
• Free-standing and juridically separate from The Catholic University of America
• Offers both civilly accredited and pontifical graduate degrees

Student Life & Environment

Student life reflects the Institute's scale and Catholic identity. The school organizes academic, liturgical, and social events around a close graduate community. Liturgical life includes Institute celebrations and a student schola that practices weekly, making worship and Catholic formation prominent parts of the experience for students who participate. All Institute courses are taught in McGivney Hall. A student lounge provides space for meals and informal conversation, while a reading room offers a quieter study setting. Through the cooperative relationship with Catholic University, students can obtain Cardinal Cards for access to the Mullen Library and may use specified university facilities and services, including athletic and fitness facilities. Academic support also extends to Catholic University's Writing Center. The Institute does not present itself as a residential campus. Students arrange their own accommodation, using resources such as the Institute's housing bulletin board and Catholic University's off-campus housing service. Listings vary in price, location, eligibility, and lease terms, so they should be treated as independent advertisements rather than Institute-provided housing. This arrangement offers flexibility but requires students, particularly those relocating to Washington, to budget and search for housing independently. Arts and culture programming may include a limited number of sponsored student tickets for regional performances. Washington's museums, churches, lectures, and cultural institutions provide additional options beyond organized Institute activities.

Location & Surroundings

The Institute is located in McGivney Hall at 620 Michigan Avenue NE, on The Catholic University of America's campus in Washington's Brookland area. The setting places students near the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Dominican House of Studies, and other Catholic academic and religious institutions. It is particularly well suited to students who want theological study within a concentrated Catholic institutional environment. The Institute describes McGivney Hall as one block from the Brookland–CUA Metro station. The Red Line provides public-transit access to central Washington and connections toward Reagan National Airport. Students can also reach federal institutions, museums, libraries, churches, policy organizations, and cultural venues across the metropolitan area. These resources may be especially useful for students interested in public policy, education, ministry, bioethics, publishing, or further research. Because the Institute does not supply its own residential system, location decisions depend on each student's budget and preferred commute. Current housing notices include options in Brookland and nearby parts of Washington and Maryland, but availability and prices change frequently. Applicants should verify the route, lease conditions, and total living costs directly with housing providers.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For the 2026–2027 academic year, full-time tuition is $10,000 per semester. Part-time study costs $985 per credit, and auditing costs $500 per course. Published charges also include a $75 application fee, a $60 annual registration fee, a $200 student-services fee per semester, and program-stage charges such as the $1,925 thesis or dissertation fee. Fees and tuition may change after the academic year, and students should calculate costs from their own enrollment status and degree stage. The Institute offers limited merit-based McGivney scholarships for full-time students, along with several other awards. Eligible U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens enrolled for at least six credits may apply for federal Direct and Graduate PLUS loans through FAFSA. However, the Institute states that fall 2026 entrants to the M.A. in Catholic Liberal Education are not currently eligible for federal student loans, so those applicants should discuss alternatives with admissions. Full-time domestic and all international students are required to carry health insurance. Housing is not included in tuition and must be secured independently in the Washington market. International applicants should also use the Institute's current cost-of-attendance documentation when proving financial capacity rather than relying only on tuition. The Institute identifies education, parish and diocesan ministry, research, public policy, law, medicine, journalism, publishing, business, and the arts as fields in which graduates have worked. These are possible pathways, not placement guarantees. No sufficiently current, program-level salary or employment-rate data were found to support earnings projections, so applicants should discuss recent outcomes and professional licensing implications directly with the program.