George Washington University offers more than 100 undergraduate programs and more than 230 graduate programs at the certificate, master’s, and doctoral levels in its 14 different schools and colleges. If these options don’t work for the prospective candidates, they can always study from home through one of its more than 100 online programs.
Although a variety of evaluation criteria are necessary for a sound admission decision, evidence of a student’s potential is the primary consideration in the admissions process. So, the admission requirements vary according to different levels and types of degrees offered. The various admission requirements are explained below.
However, the details differ by curriculum and school, general guidelines are in place that will help the applicants plan.
The information appearing below is applicable to the following schools for applicants: College of Professional Studies, Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Elliott School of International Affairs, Graduate School of Education and Human Development, School of Business, School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and School of Nursing.
Applicants to the Milken Institute School of Public Health, the GW Law School, and the M.D. program should consult their school’s website for application guidance.
Completed Application Form
Except for applications to the GW Law School, MD program, or the Milken Institute School of Public Health, the students must submit their online application through the Graduate Application Center. The students must set up an account and can find instructions for completion once they log in. If they apply to more than one program, they will be needing more than one account.
Academic Records
To be eligible for admission, applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Applicants who have earned their degrees outside of the US must hold degrees from institutions in compliance with their national standards.
The applicants must submit a transcript, detailed marks certificate, or comparable document that shows all course work, grades, and proof of earned degrees from each institution they have attended. This is a mandatory requirement for all colleges and universities that the applicants have taken courses at, regardless of whether or not they earned credit, the program was completed or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript.
The applicants should upload unofficial transcripts to their online account. If offered admission, they will be required to submit official copies prior to enrolling. The applicants are requested to not submit official copies until they have been instructed to do so. If the transcripts or records are from a university outside of the United States, the applicants should carefully review the admission requirement for the applied program to determine what exactly they should upload to their application.
When uploading the transcripts, the applicants are recommended to:
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Scan it in black and white.
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Scan it at the lowest possible resolution that produces a legible copy (under 200 dpi - Recommended)
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Include one copy of the transcript legend or grading scale for each university
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Do not upload certified, encrypted or password-protected files.
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Ensure the copy is printable on letter size (8.5” x 11”) or A4 paper and the size of the uploaded document does not exceed 1,000 kb.
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Select “view document” on your applications once you’ve uploaded to make sure it is legible; illegible documents are not acceptable and will delay the processing of your application.
Statement of Purpose
The statement of purpose should be used by the applicants as an opportunity to tell GW about personal and professional interests and goals, and what about their background makes them a good fit for a graduate program at GW. The statement should follow the content and length requirements as described by the program the applicants are applying to.
It should also be original work – presenting the words, phrases, or ideas of another as one's own and failing to appropriately attribute quotations, paraphrases or borrowed information may result in being denied admission.
Recommendations
The number and type of recommendations the applicants are required to submit depends on the program they are applying to. GW strongly encourages the applicants to submit their recommendations online and they can request the university through the Graduate Application Center. The prospective candidates should contact their recommender at least one month in advance of the application deadline.
If they can’t complete the online version, the applicants are requested to send their respective recommender the paper recommendation form, which should be returned to them in a signed, sealed envelope for them to submit unopened to the admissions office.
Standardized Test Scores
Most graduate programs require standardized test scores, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). The applicants’ scores must be sent directly to GW by the testing agency.
The GRE institutional code for all GW programs is 5246. Codes for the GMAT and the Miller Analogies Test are provided within the program admission information page for each individual program. These scores cannot be more than five years old and the applicants should take the test early enough so they are sent to GW before the application deadline.
Check the respective program requirements to see if it is mandatory to submit these scores. International students must provide language test scores. Scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS) may not be more than two years old.
Additional Materials
Resumes, proof of specialized certification, writing samples, or other supporting documents may be required by the respective program of interest. The students are requested to check their respective program requirements to see what other documentation they are required to submit. These materials should be uploaded to their online application. International students also have additional requirements to complete.
