Graduate Admissions for International Applicants
To apply for admission, begin by reviewing the graduate admissions overview and then follow the step-by-step process. Please note that, in addition to the general application materials described under required materials and the Admission Requirements by Program pages, the following Web pages are important to international applicants:
The University’s fall semester begins in late August, spring semester in early January and summer sessions in mid-May. Not all programs admit students throughout the year; some offer admission only in the fall or spring semesters. International students are generally not admitted for the summer session.
Application deadlines, described under Timelines and Deadlines, vary by program and degree. Earlier deadlines are required for applicants who are interested in being considered for an assistantship or fellowship, as well as those who will be requiring a visa from GW. We encourage international applicants to submit their application and supporting documents as early as possible.
Application Tips for International Students
- When completing the application, be sure to provide your full legal name, as listed in your passport. If your transcripts or other supporting documents were issued in another name, also include that name on your application and attach a letter of explanation and evidence of the name change.
- Take standardized tests early enough to ensure that scores reach the admissions office before the application deadline.
- The $60 non-refundable application fee must be paid in U.S. dollars, by credit card (online only), international money order or check. Your name must be written on the check or money order. Cash, international postal money orders, or Eurochecks are not accepted.
- Include a photocopy of the biographic/identification page of your passport with your application.
- If you have any questions, please contact the admissions office for the program to which you are applying. Contact information and office hours (Eastern Standard Time) are listed at the bottom of the Program Admission Requirements pages.
The GW Experience
Students
All in the Family
Greg and Heather Hachenburg talk about their undergraduate experience at GW, one of many sibling pairs to share in the Colonials legacy.
Creating Next Generation Leaders
GW program helps female students connect with leading women across a variety of fields and develop their roles as future women in leadership.
Where the City is a Classroom
Freshman volunteers experience life beyond Foggy Bottom...
Faculty
Fighting Neglected Diseases
GW professor works to eradicate diseases that affect the health, education and economic development of the world's poorest people.
Building the Super Computer
Pioneering lab puts GW at the forefront of high-speed computing and offers GW students unprecedented access to science and skills of the future.
Blast From the Past
Students map an ancient—and dramatic—eruption as part of a geological research program in the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains.
Alumni
Giving Back to the District of Columbia
D.C. public health director calls GW education the foundation of his career.
GW Opens Doors
A chance encounter with a GW alumna helped give one GW undergraduate, an aspiring broadcast journalist from Texas, his big break.
The Legend Lives On
The $2 million bequest commitment caps a lifetime of philanthropy and service to GW, establishing the Elyse B. and Donald R. Lehman Endowed Professorship in Theoretical Physics.

