Graduate & Professional

Funding for International Graduate Students at GW

The George Washington University offers a variety of funding options for international students pursuing graduate study, including fellowships, scholarships, and teaching, research, and other assistantships. GW also assists students in finding cooperative education opportunities, part-time employment, and other external funding sources. Download our new e-brochure, Funding for International Students, that provides an overview of following information.

The Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships is a key resource for prospective GW graduate students. Its Web site provides information on a wide variety of financial assistance and graduate support opportunities.

Financial assistance for international students pursuing graduate study usually consists of one or more of the possibilities described below. Generally, most merit-based financial assistance opportunities (based on academic achievement rather than financial need) are open to international students.

Assistantships
Fellowships and Scholarships
Cooperative Education
Part-time Employment
Employer/Government Assistance
Other Funding Resources

Assistantships

Graduate assistants are generally responsible for teaching assistance, research in their fields of study, or for administrative duties. These awards, available in many GW departments, generally include salaries, stipends and tuition awards and are merit-based. Contact your prospective academic department to learn if such opportunities are available and what you should do to be considered for these positions.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs)
Graduate teaching assistantships are highly competitive, but provide an excellent opportunity to both fund your graduate education and prepare for a possible future in academia. Prior teaching experience is not required but is considered an asset. To be considered for a GTA appointment, applicants whose native language is not English or who are not citizens of countries where English is an official language must demonstrate sufficient English language skills through standardized tests prior to admission (TOEFL or academic IELTS -- see English Language Requirements for details) and, if appointed, through an oral interview and instructional practicum prior to admission. All new GTAs are also required to participate in a special GTA orientation program and complete a one-semester online course. A separate application is not required to be considered for any available graduate teaching assistantships; you simply have to answer "yes" to the question about fellowships and assistantships on the online Graduate Application for Admission.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA's)
Graduate Research assistantships provide an opportunity to assist with a faculty member's research and are funded by the university.

Graduate Administrative Assistants (GAAs)
A number of GW offices hire part-time graduate administrative assistants for up to 20 hours per week to help with the daily functioning of the office or special projects.

Resident Assistantships (RAs)
Resident assistants perform part-time counseling, advising and administrative studies in University residence halls. In return, a partial tuition award and furnished room is provided for the academic year.

Research Assistant Positions
Faculty members serving as principal investigators on research grants may hire GW students as research assistants.

Fellowships and Scholarships

Fellowships and scholarships are merit-based awards to fund master's and doctoral study and offer stipends and/or tuition awards. Although GW provides many such awards, a number of outside fellowships and scholarships are also available, usually sponsored by foundations, professional and learned societies, governments, industries and other organizations. Details about a few selected fellowships available to international graduate students are provided below. Click on the name of the award to open an Adobe Acrobat file with details on nationality and field of study eligibility, restrictions, amount of award and application deadlines.

GW-funded fellowships

Non-GW funded fellowships

Links to details about fellowship support offered within individual schools are available online. Although some fellowships and scholarships are limited to U.S. citizens, many are available to international students.

Cooperative Education (Co-Op)

Cooperative education allows you to combine salaried, study-related work experiences with your academic program. These positions are highly competitive and not based on financial need. Although opportunities in the public sector (U.S. government agencies) are limited to U.S. students, international students may participate in cooperative education within private companies and organizations. Students on F-1 visa must have been in-residence in the United States for nine months before beginning co-op employment. Details are available on the GW Career Center's Web site.

Part-time Employment

The GW Career Center posts part-time, summer, and internship positions for which graduate students may apply, and your academic department may also be aware of other job openings. However, numerous restrictions apply to international students seeking either on- or off-campus employment. Although students with F-1 or J-1 visa status are invited to take advantage of the opportunity to supplement their classroom experiences and personal funds through employment, students must obtain proper employment authorization BEFORE beginning work. For more information, contact the International Services Office.

Employer/Government Assistance

Many larger corporations, as well as some governments, pay part or all tuition costs for employees pursuing graduate study. In most cases, your program of study must be related to your career field and may require a commitment to continue working for the organization for a specific time period following graduation. Check with your employer and your government to determine if such support is available.

Tuition Assistance for GW Employees

After a three-month waiting period, new GW employees in full-time and some part-time positions may receive educational benefits. International students must obtain proper employment authorization through the International Services Office BEFORE submitting an application. If eligible, students should apply for GW jobs in person through Human Resource Services.

Other Funding Resources

The following Web sites provide information on financial assistance for international students:

Education USA	www.educationusa.state.gov
Edupass	www.edupass.org/finaid
International Education Financial Aid	www.iefa.org
Institute for International Education	www.fundingusstudy.org
Scholarship Research Network	www.srnexpress.com
Latin American Network Info Center (LANIC)	lanic.utexas.edu/la/region/scholarships/
International Education Finance Corporation (for loans)	www.iefc.com