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- Complete the Non-degree application
Students who simply wish to take a course or courses, and are not applying to a special non-degree program, should follow the step-by-step process described on Enrolling as a Non-Degree Student and select “General Study” on the application form.
Applicants who have been suspended from any educational institution for poor scholarship will not be eligible to enroll as a non-degree student for one calendar year after the effective date of the suspension. An applicant who has been denied admission to a degree or certificate program at The George Washington University will also not be eligible to enroll as a non-degree student for the same semester for which the application was denied.
Prospective and registered non-degree students are responsible for reviewing the University’s policies on non-degree students provided in the Undergraduate Bulletin or the Graduate Bulletin (under the section entitled “Other Schools, Programs, and Services”).
Please review the relevant sections below if you
- Are considering applying to a degree program,
- Are a visiting student from another college or university,
- Are an international student, or
- Plan to enroll at GW as part of a special non-degree program.
Prospective Degree Program Applicants| Visiting Students| International Students| Special Programs
Prospective Degree Program Applicants
If you are considering applying for a GW degree or certificate program, please carefully review the transfer credit policies for the school and program in which you’re interested. Most programs will transfer only a limited number of credits taken non-degree into a degree or certificate program. Please note that successfully completing non-degree coursework is no guarantee that you will be accepted in a program or, if you are accepted, that the coursework will apply toward the degree or certificate.
Visiting Students
Students interested in taking classes to transfer back to a degree program at another college or university are welcome to register as a non-degree student at GW. Before applying for non-degree status, you should review your home institution’s policies to ensure the course will be eligible to transfer and apply to your degree program.
Students enrolled at member institutions of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area who wish to register for courses at GW should review the following website: Consortium Students
International Students
International students are eligible to apply for non-degree status at GW, but the University cannot provide you with an I-20 or DS-2019 visa form unless you have been admitted to a program.
International students who wish to study at GW during the summer semester should enroll through the International Summer at GW program.
If your native language is not English or you are not a citizen of a country where English is the official language, you must submit official scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the academic English Language Testing System (IELTS). The minimum scores required are:
- 600 on the paper-based TOEFL, or
- 100 on the Internet-based TOEFL, or
- an overall band score of 7.0 on IELTS, with no individual score below 6.0
English language test scores (TOEFL and IELTS) may not be more than two years old.
Exceptions may be made for applicants who hold a degree from a high school or university located in a country in which English is the official language and also the language of instruction at the school or university.
Special Programs
GW welcomes a number of special groups of students who are registered in non-degree status. If you plan to enroll at the University as part of any of the programs listed below, please click on the link provided for application instructions.
