Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the admissions requirements?
A: Admissions requirements vary from school to school. The requirements are listed in the admissions section of the
school's homepage. Within a school,
different programs may also set different standards, so meeting minimal school requirements doesn't always mean being
accepted into a particular program.
Q: What is the tuition at GW? Are there additional fees?
A: Tuition for Academic Year 2007-2008 is posted on our website and may vary by program. Additional fees may also be applicable, so please
visit the Tuition and Fees webpage for
complete information. Please note that graduate tuition
and fees, though comparable to the national average for private institutions, are expected to increase yearly.
Q: How can I find out about financial aid opportunities?
A: For the all up-to-date and accurate information, visit the webpage of the
Office of Student Financial Assistance
and the
Office of
Graduate Student Assistantships and
Fellowships.
Q: Are Graduate Fellowships/Assistantships available?
A: Fellowships/assistantships are available in all of the schools, but please be aware that fellowship/assistantship
applicants have an earlier deadline than other applicants. All applications must be complete before they can be considered
for a fellowship/assistantship. Please visit the
Office of Graduate Student
Assistantships and Fellowships website for more detailed information, particularly about
special fellowships outside the University for which you may qualify.
Q: Is there funding for international students?
A: A variety of merit-based financial assistance opportunities are open to international students. Many receive funding
from GW, and many receive it from their home countries or the company for
which they work. Also contact your
department/program office as other program-specific funding may be available. International students applying for
teaching assistantships must demonstrate sufficient English language skills. Restrictions apply to international students
seeking on- or off-campus employment. For more information, contact the
International Services Office, 2033 K Street, Suite 310, Washington,DC 20052, phone 202-994-4477, fax 202-994-4488
or e-mail iso@gwu.edu.
Q: Where can I find information on housing?
A: GradLife's website
includes information on area neighborhoods located within an easy commute of the main campus; leases and legal issues;
security and safety issues; finding a
roommate; and vehicles and transportation.
Q: How can I contact a graduate student currently enrolled
in my area of interest?
A: You may contact the admissions office in your school or you may send an email to us at
askagrad@gwu.edu. Just let us know your area of interest and we will do our best to find a current grad student to
answer your questions.
Q: How can I find detailed information about my specific
program?
A:Our website provides a searchable database as well as links to program websites through our
searchable database and an alphabetical listing.
Detailed contact and program information can be found on this
website. If you still have questions after
studying the program website, please e mail the program directly.
You will find the e-mail address on the website.
Q: Where can I find information about the Law School or Medical School?
A: For information on the Law School, please visit their
website.
For information on the Medical School, please visit their website.
Q: What program or field of study should I choose?
A: The answer to this question depends on what you want to do professionally: you should
select the field of study that
provides the content expertise and credential necessary to be
both competent and competitive in your field of interest.
There are several ways to determine
what field of study or degree is necessary:
- Talk to working professionals in the field to discover how they got where they are today and what they are looking for
in hiring new employees.
- Contact professional associations—most will describe entry level qualifications, the current job market, and
future projections; what areas of expertise, knowledge, or skills are valued.
- Talk to GW faculty advisors in the field(s) of your interest explain what you want to do and ask questions to determine
whether their program would provide a good pathway.
It is also important to think about you personal strengths and interests. If you are
currently enrolled in at a
college or university, your career or counseling center should be
able to provide some tests and advice to help you focus
on what program would be best for
you.
Q: I didn't receive the program information I requested. What should I do?
A: Please allow 2-3 weeks for an program information packet to arrive. If after that time you still have not received it,
send an e-mail to gradinfo@gwu.edu and we will check to see when the packet was
mailed. Please note that beginning in 2006, applications for graduate admission will no longer be printed. Applicants are
expected to use our
online
application. The graduate bulletin is also available
online.
Q: What should I say in my Statement of Purpose?
A: You should always follow the guidelines of the school. Generally, in an essay of 250-500
words (these are general
parameters, the quality of your statement is more important than
the quantity of words), state your purpose for undertaking
graduate study in your chosen field.
Be sure to include your academic objectives, professional or research interests, and
career
plans. Also discuss your relevant qualifications, including collegiate, professional,
research, and community
activities, and any other substantial accomplishments not already
mentioned on the application form. Generally, doctoral
candidates are expected to write a
longer, more comprehensive essay focused on their scholarly experiences and interests.
Q: How culturally diverse is GW?
A: In the Fall 2005 semester, 55% of all students enrolled at GW were female and 45% were male. Also in the Fall 2005
semester, 8% were International, 8% African-American, .4% Native
American, 8.8% Asian, 4.4% Hispanic, 57.9% White,
and 13% unknown. A more detailed statistical
report on the ethnic and gender makeup of GW's student body can be found by
visiting the
Institutional Research website and
clicking on
Factbook.
Q: I have questions about taking standardized tests for admission (i.e., GRE, GMAT, TOEFL,
IELTS).
A: You should ask the school or program in which you are interested as a first step. Then,
make arrangements with the
Educational Testing Service (ETS) to take the GRE. You should
schedule the GRE so that the results will be received by
GW prior to the admissions deadline.
Information regarding the GRE is available through the
ETS website. Test scores that are more than
five years old are generally
not accepted for admissions review. Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL) and IELTS scores may not be more than
two years old.
Please make sure to enter the correct school code to ensure the appropriate admissions
office
receives your scores.
Q: How can I obtain general admissions information?
A: You can get in touch with your school's general admissions office by visiting our
website.
Q: How many years will it take me to complete my degree?
A: The length of time really depends on you, but on average, master's candidates
complete their degree in two to three
years and doctoral candidates in five to six years.
There are time limits on the number years a candidate can take to
complete a degree. Those limits are:
|
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences |
Master's | 4 years
|
Doctoral
| 8 years
|
School of Business |
Master's | 5 years
|
Doctoral | 7 years
|
Graduate School
of Education and Human Development |
Master's | 6 years |
Doctoral
| 8 years
|
Elliott
School
of International Affairs |
Master's | 5 years
|
School of Engineering
& Applied Science |
Master's (PT) |
5 years |
Master's (FT) |
3 years |
Doctoral |
7 years |
School of Public Health & Health Services
|
Master's |
5 years |
Q: How can I contact a faculty member in my program?
A: Many departmental and program websites include faculty listings and contact information. For
an alphabetical listing of
departments and programs, please click
here.
Q: How can I defer my admission to a later semester?
A: You may request, in writing, that your admission be deferred to a future semester within one
calendar year and you will
not be required to pay an additional application fee. If you wish
to defer your admission for more than one year,
you must submit a new application along with
the application fee. A request for deferment does not guarantee that you
will be admitted
again, as your application must be reevaluated with the applicant pool for that semester.
Q: Will my previous graduate credits transfer to GW?
A. Some programs will allow transfer of a limited number of post-bachelor's, graduate-level
course taken prior to degree
candidacy. You may request transfer of post-baccalaureate,
graduate-level course work taken prior to degree candidacy.
Generally, for a transfer of credit
to be approved, the course work must (1) have been taken at an accredited college or
university;
(2) be approved as part of your program of studies; (3) have been passed with a grade of
"B" or better;(4)
not have been used to fulfill requirements for another degree
program; and (5) have been taken for graduate credit.
Schools may have additional restrictions.
Q: Can I take courses as a non-degree student first and
will they transfer to my degree
program?
A: Generally, students may take courses on a non-degree basis without being officially
admitted to a program. Please keep
in mind, however, that successful completion of non-degree
courses does not guarantee admissions to a graduate program and
not all credits earned in
non-degree status can be transferred to a degree program. The rules and regulations governing
this varies from school to school, so be sure to contact the school directly should you have
any questions. For further
information about GW's non-degree option, please visit
the
Office of University Students's
website.
Q: What is the academic course load for graduate students?
A: This, too, varies from school to school. The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
requires students register for a
minimum of six hours per semester. The Elliott School of
International Affairs has no minimum number of credit hours for
which a student must be
registered. Contact the School of Education and Human Development, the School of Business
, and
the School of Engineering and Applied science for their requirements. Students must be
registered for at least nine
credit hours and be employed no more than 20 hours per week to
be considered full-time. Keep in mind that your course
load can affect your eligibility for
financial aid and/or visa status. Please check with the Office of Student Financial
Assistance
(202-994-6620) or the International Services Office (202-994-4477) for more information.
Q: Can I enroll in a graduate program as a part-time
student?
A: Yes, many of our students attend classes on a part-time basis.
Q: Where can I find information on employment or research
opportunities at GW?
A: Information on employment can be found at the
Human Resource
Services website
and the GW Career Center.
The Office of Research Services
gives a list of charted
centers and institutes at GW, but it is best to ask the faculty of the
program that interests you what research
opportunities are currently available.
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