Admitted Graduate Students
Congratulations on your acceptance to GW's Columbian College of Arts and Sciences!
We are excited to be a part of your academic journey and look forward to helping you succeed in the classroom and beyond. This website is meant to be a resource for you to learn more about the GW community. We invite you to join your other newly admitted peers on the student-run CCAS Graduate Admitted Students Facebook group, which provides a great place to connect with your future classmates and learn more about GW and living in D.C. In addition to the resources available here, please visit our Graduate Ambassador page to contact current students eager to answer your questions about the GW experience.
Next Steps
- 1. Commit to GW
Review the benefits of a graduate education at CCAS and GW, and accept admission! The first step to enrolling is to confirm your attendance by responding to your Offer of Admission. Your admission letter is only sent to you electronically through your online application. Please print a copy for your records.
Your offer of admission will include any prerequisite coursework and/or any conditions placed on your admission. Please review these carefully. If you have any questions about these requirements, contact your Director of Graduate Study.
When you View Your Decision letter, you can accept or decline the offer of admission through the "Reply to Offer" link. Please ensure you Reply to Offer before the deadline indicated in your admission letter. You will be required to submit a tuition deposit by the same deadline.
- 2. Pay your Enrollment Deposit
In order to secure your place in the incoming class, you must submit a non-refundable $250 enrollment deposit by the deadline indicated in your admission letter. The deposit will be credited to your student account and applied toward your tuition for the first semester. The deposit is waived only for PhD, Combined Degree, and Classical Acting MFA students, and for GW employees using tuition benefits.
Visit the GW Student Portal (GWeb InfoSystem) to pay the deposit. To log into GWeb, enter your GWid (provided in your admission letter) and Personal Identification Number (PIN). By default, your initial PIN is your date of birth in this format: MMDDYY.Under the deposit category dropdown, select “CCAS Graduate Admissions.” GWeb will allow you to pay your deposit either through credit card or electronic check payment.
- 3. Claim your GW identity and join the GW community!
Your GW Identity
One full business day after you have paid the enrollment deposit, you will receive an email to your preferred email address, from [email protected] with the subject line Welcome to the George Washington University - Action Required. The email provides a link where you can verify your account. You must verify your account within 48 hours. If you cannot locate the email please check your Spam and Trash folders. If you still cannot locate the email please email [email protected], use the subject line "Verification email" and type Please resend the Welcome to GW email with verification hyperlink to and include your GWID and full name. For example Please resend the Welcome to GW email with verification hyperlink to GWID: G12345678, Name: George Washington. Please visit the How to Claim your GW Identity page for more information.
GWeb
To be able to access GW systems and register for classes you must set up your GWeb, which is the gateway to your student records. Through GWeb, you can search and register for classes, view grades, print unofficial transcripts, update your personal information and check your student account. To log into GWeb, enter your GWID number (provided in your admission letter) and your Personal Identification Number (PIN). By default, your initial PIN is your date of birth in this format: MMDDYY.
Join our Admitted Student Facebook Group
We encourage you to join our community and other newly admitted students on the CCAS Graduate Admitted Students Facebook Group. Here, you can connect with our current graduate student ambassadors as well as your future classmates to ask questions, learn about housing options in and around the D.C. area, and even find potential roommates. You may also reach out directly to our graduate student ambassadors at [email protected] with any specific questions you might have about student life at GW.
- 4. Review cost of attendance and funding sources
It is important to be aware of the cost of attendance and your funding options.
Your admissions letter will indicate if you are receiving a Columbian College award, or not. If you did receive an award, after you have completed Steps 1, 2, and 3, you will receive an award letter by email with further details about your funding offer. This will be sent to your GWU email address. Review the award letter carefully to be sure the registration requirements are clear, and ask questions if needed. Please ensure you follow the steps in your award letter to accept the award; these steps are different from the steps for accepting your admission letter. You will need to log in to the GWeb Information System to complete the online award acceptance form.
If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident applying for federal student loans, you will need to complete the GW Graduate Loan Questionnaire in addition to the FAFSA. The Office of Student Financial Assistance can provide information on the loan process. Important: If you did not include your SSN at the time you submitted your application for graduate study, you will need to contact us to add that to your record in order for the financial aid process to proceed.
Check out the Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships website for information on applying to other GW and external fellowship competitions.
If you are interested in obtaining a part-time job on campus while you are studying, visit the CCAS Graduate Career Services website for information on job opportunities and internships.
If you are a military veteran, active military or dependent, ensure you visit the Military and Veteran Services website to find information on using your military benefits while studying at GW.
- 5. Complete immunization requirements
WASHINGTON, D.C. IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
- The District of Columbia Immunization Law requires all students under the age of 26 to provide proof of certain immunizations prior to registration, to help prevent the spread of contagious, preventable diseases.
- All GW students who are younger than 26 years old as of the dates listed below must sign-in to the Student Health Center patient portal using their GW email address and password and complete the Medical Clearances section. If you have any questions regarding the immunization requirement, please refer to the Student Health Center Immunizations page or contact the Student Health Center directly at [email protected].
- If your completed form is not received by the appropriate deadline, a hold will be placed on your account and you will not be able to register for classes.
Age Requirements:
- New Spring 2025 Students: who are under the age of 26 on January 1, 2025 must submit proof of immunizations.
- New Fall 2025 Students: Students who are under the age of 26 on July 1, 2025 must submit proof of immunizations.
Document Submission Deadline:
- New Spring 2025 Students: December 15, 2024
- New Fall 2025 Students: June 15, 2025
COVID-19 VACCINATION
As of May 10, 2023, GW no longer requires students to have received COVID vaccinations, but it is still strongly recommended. Those who are vaccinated and have not previously provided documented proof of vaccination should do so in the medical portal. Please visit the GW Coronavirus Response website for more information.
- 6. Reach out to your faculty advisor
Using the Graduate Program Directors directory, contact your program's Director of Graduate Study (faculty academic advisor) to discuss your course selection for the upcoming semester and develop a program of study. When it is time to register for classes, it will be helpful to have your course selection ready in advance.
If you are enrolling in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration, you will receive a detailed letter with instructions on courses and do not need to contact an adviser unless you have questions that are not answered in the letter.
- 7. Register for classes
Pre-registration for Fall classes usually opens in early April, and for Spring classes in early November each year. After you have consulted with your faculty advisor regarding your course selection (Step 6), you may register for classes through the GWeb Information System, unless your program has provided you with other specific instructions for registration. As a reminder, to log into GWeb, you will need to enter your GWid (provided in your admission letter) and Personal Identification Number (PIN). By default, your PIN is your date of birth in this format: MMDDYY.
Consult the Schedule of Classes for details on which courses are available. Please note: for courses that require department approval, you may need to complete a paper registration form (RTF), which can take longer to process.
If you have any technical difficulties with registration or questions about the web registration process, call the Registrar's office at 202-994-4900 or email [email protected].
- 8. Consider your housing options
On-campus housing for graduate students is limited. Information on any available options can be found on our GW Graduate Student Housing Guide and the GW Housing website. The Foggy Bottom Campus is easily accessible via public transportation so there is a wide variety of convenient off-campus options. GW’s Office of Off-Campus Student Affairs has comprehensive information on living off-campus. They provide information on D.C. neighborhoods and local resources, tenant responsibilities, safety and how to get involved in the community. They also provide an off-campus housing website where you can search properties, listings and look for roommates.
- 9. Register for student health insurance
GW offers a comprehensive Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) through Aetna Student Health. Health insurance guarantees that you can obtain necessary treatment if you develop a serious illness or injury. It also guarantees that you can obtain preventative medical services like immunizations and physical exams.
Current GW policy requires that all students are registered in the SHIP plan. You have the option to waive out of the plan if you have your own comprehensive health insurance policy.
GW also offers voluntary Dental and Vision policies. The deadline to register for these policies is prior to the start of the semester, so please ensure you review the relevant policy information and registration deadlines.
More information on SHIP can be found on the Student Health Insurance website.
- 10. Get to know the campus
We encourage you to visit! Register for an in-person Foggy Bottom campus tour by visiting our event search page and selecting "Campus Tours" as the event category. Tours are available from 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Can't make it in-person? Use our interactive campus map to navigate GW and the surrounding D.C. area. For campus directions, parking, and street maps, see the GW Graduate Study "Visit & Events" website.
- 11. Send in any outstanding documentation
Send all outstanding official transcripts and/or official test score reports to Columbian College of Arts and Sciences before the first day of the semester. Copies of transcripts that you uploaded to your application when you applied are not official. Check out our Official Transcript Requirements page for more detailed information.
- 12. Attend orientation(s)
Visit our New Student Orientation page to view helpful orientation information.
Each program will host an orientation session for new students, often in the week before classes begin. Check with your program office to find out when they will hold their orientation.
The International Services Office (ISO) hosts mandatory orientation sessions for new international students on F-1 or J-1 visas about one week before the start of classes each semester.
- 13. Obtain your GWorld card
GWorld is the official ID card at GW. Your card serves as your university identification, holds your meal plan and cash accounts and allows you to access facilities on campus. You are eligible to receive your card once you a registered for at least one course. You can receive your GWorld card from the GWorld Card Office, located on the ground floor of the University Student Center. You must present a valid U.S. government issued photo ID to receive your card. No appointment is necessary to receive your card and it typically takes between 5 and 10 minutes.
- 14. Stay tuned!
Continue to check your email (both your GW email account and the email account you listed on your application) for updates, announcements and reminders!
Admitted Student Resources
Plan Your Visit and Find Your Way Around Campus
Parking & Transportation
GW is close to three airports: Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), Washington Dulles International (IAD) and Baltimore Washington International (BWI). GW-Foggy Bottom has a Metro stop right on campus as well as visitor parking garages.
Hotels Near GW
GW is in the center of the action in D.C. and is close to many hotels, both in the city and in surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia. Special rates are available at locations near campus through the GW Hotels program.
Campus Tours
Register for an in-person campus tour of Foggy Bottom today! Tours are available from 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Can't make it in-person? Check out our interactive campus map.
Nearby Restaurants and Activities
While you are here, why not take advantage of what the national capital has to offer! GW's location in the heart of Foggy Bottom gives you great access to a variety of restaurants, activities, museums and so much more!
- Restaurants in Walking Distance
Bindaas | $$ (sit-down service)
Beefsteak | $$ (counter service, mostly vegetarian)
Chipotle | $ (counter service)
Circa at Foggy Bottom | $$/$$$ (sit-down service)
District Commons | $$/$$$ (sit-down service)
District House Restaurants - DH Pizza & Pasta Co., True Burger, DH Taco House, Crisp, The Halal Shack | $ (counter service)
Duke's Grocery | $$ (sit-down service)
Founding Farmers | $$/$$$ (sit-down service)
North Italia | $$/$$$ (sit-down service)
Panera Bread | $ (counter service)
PAUL | $$ (counter service)
Roti Modern Mediterranean | $ (counter service)
Sweetgreen | $$ (counter service)
Tonic at Quigley's | $$ (sit-down service)
Western Market Foodhall | $-$$ (counter service)- Activities and Sightseeing
You can enjoy what our great city has to offer, whether you are visiting in-person or virtually. Many of the DC area’s museums and cultural institutions are free admission and have virtual ways to stay connected (and fill your days). We’ve put together a list of things you can do to experience what Washington has to offer, for free!
Activities
- Cherry Blossom Festival
- Gravelly Point Park
- Great Falls Park
- Kennedy Center Millennium Stage Concerts
- National Arboretum
- National Zoo
- Rock Creek Park
- Stroll along a waterfront (Georgetown, Old Town Alexandria, Wharf, C&O Canal Towpath)
- GW Textile Museum
Memorials
- Arlington National Cemetery
- President Abraham Lincoln
- Vietnam Veterans
- Korean War Veterans
- WWII Memorial
- Washington Monument
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- President Thomas Jefferson
- President Theodore Roosevelt Island
Museums
- National Air and Space Museum
- National Gallery of Art
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of Asian Art
- National Museum of the American Indian
- National Museum of Natural History
- National Portrait Gallery
- National Postal Museum
- National Zoo
- Renwick Gallery
Public/Government Buildings
- U.S. Botanic Garden (located near the U.S. Capitol)
- FBI Building
- Library of Congress
- National Archives
- Pentagon
- United States Capitol
- Supreme Court
- White House