Columbian College graduate students may be eligible to apply for additional funding opportunities that support research or academic activities. Interested students are invited to review the eligibility requirements and deadlines for each award.
For questions related to these funding opportunities, email Katherine Conaty, Associate Director of Graduate Admissions and Fellowships at [email protected].
In March the university suspended all upcoming non-essential, GW-affiliated international travel for students, faculty, and staff. This includes future group trips, spring break programs, and individual travel. It also includes requests for approval of future international travel. Due to travel restrictions of GW-affiliated travel for students, faculty, and staff the application for CCAS Dean's Graduate Conference Travel Gra
For updates refer to the campus advisory COVID-19 Travel
CCAS Dean's Graduate Conference Travel Grants provide reimbursement of certain expenses for students who must travel to present, exhibit, or perform at competitive academic conferences.
We must receive your completed online application before 12 pm Eastern Time on the day of the application deadline.
Quarter 4 Application Deadline: February 21, 2020. Applicants will be notified by email approximately three weeks after the deadline.
Note: If you miss an application deadline, you may apply to the next quarter. However, your travel must take place within the quarter you apply to. There are no exceptions to travel dates.
Many eligible applicants will not receive grants.
If you do not receive a grant, you may reapply for another quarter. Students who have not previously received a conference travel grant have first priority.
If you have additional questions that are not addressed, please call the Columbian College Office of Graduate Studies at 202-994-6210 or send an email to [email protected].
The CCAS Dean’s Graduate Instructorship (DGI) offers exceptional Ph.D. candidates the unique experience of designing and teaching their own undergraduate courses while obtaining financial support for their dissertation research. Awardees design and teach undergraduate seminars in their areas of expertise, enabling undergraduates to engage intellectually with the cutting-edge research programs of our advanced Ph.D. candidates.
Awardees teach a one-semester undergraduate course and receive the standard Graduate Assistant salary and stipend in their respective departments (typically $12,500). In addition, the DGI covers required tuition for the semester (up to 9 credits). Fellows whose tuition is covered by external funds receive, instead, a research fund of $500. Up to three (3) fellowships are awarded each semester.
DGI courses are subject to the course enrollment requirements of all CCAS undergraduate courses, which means that they must enroll a minimum of 10 students to run in any particular semester. Applicants should work with their departments to develop a plan for their proposed course to ensure that it will enroll the required number of students. DGI courses that are under-enrolled 30 days before the start of the semester may be canceled.
Applications are reviewed by the Office of Graduate Studies. Please access the online application here. Candidates must upload to the online application the following materials in a single pdf file:
Students must also request a letter of support from the chair of their department, which should be submitted by the chair at this link.
The department chair’s letter should explain (in one page) how the applicant’s proposed course will fit into the department’s curriculum (will the course fulfill any major/minor requirements or electives, WID or G-PAC requirements, etc.?) and how the department will publicize the course to its majors/minors and other potentially interested students. The department chair should note the course number under which the proposed course will run, for which semester (Fall 2020 or Spring 2021) the course is more appropriate, and the likelihood that the course will attract the required enrollment of 10 or more students.
The chair’s letter should outline any alternative teaching assignment that might be available for the DGI recipient, if the course must be canceled for failing to meet the enrollment threshold. The letter should also include, as appropriate, a specific departmental plan for covering any services the applicant would otherwise provide to the department as a Graduate Assistant during the semester in question, including any financial support that might be required from CCAS to replace the awardee. (No applicant will be placed at a competitive disadvantage for the DGI because their department requires financial support for a replacement.)
Candidates are responsible for reminding the Chair to submit a recommendation by the application deadline.
Direct questions to Katherine Conaty, Associate Director of Graduate Studies and Fellowships, at [email protected].
Thursday, March 12, 2020 - All applications for the 2020-2021 academic year (Fall 2020 and Spring 2021) are due by 5:00 p.m., on Thursday, March 12, 2020. Please note at the top of your required course syllabus the semester you would prefer to offer your DGI course.
CCAS invites eligible PhD candidates to apply for the Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship (DCF) for academic year 2020-2021. Each DCF includes a stipend equivalent to the normal GA salary and stipend in the recipient’s respective department for one or two semesters (typically $12,500 per semester), as well as an award of required candidacy tuition for the period of the fellowship. Fellows whose tuition is covered by external funds receive instead a research fund of $500. Three to six fellowships will be awarded for AY 2020-21.
March 30, 2020: All applications for the 2020-2021 academic year are due by 5:00 p.m., on Monday, March 30, 2020.
The Dean’s Dissertation Completion Fellowship is intended to facilitate the completion of the PhD. Therefore, applicants must:
Receipt of the DCF increases by one the total number of funded semesters that the awardee should expect to receive as a PhD student at GW, either from internal or external sources. Awardees may receive department, CCAS, and/or University funding for no more than one additional semester after receiving the DCF.
Applicants must complete the online application form. Email and paper submissions are not accepted. The form requires applicants to upload the following documents as a single pdf file (in the following order):
Applicants must also request a letter of support from their dissertation director. Each letter must:
To request a confidential letter of support, the applicant must share this recommendation link with the recommender. By sharing the link, applicants agree to waive their rights to access and examine the letter, now or at any time in the future. Applicants who wish to request a non-confidential letter should contact the Office of Graduate Studies for instructions. Letters emailed or delivered to CCAS will not be considered.
Applicants should remind recommenders to notify them after submitting letters. CCAS cannot respond to inquiries about missing letters. Direct questions to Katherine Conaty, Associate Director of Graduate Admissions and Fellowships, at [email protected].
Review criteria include the originality and potential impact of the proposed work, the reasonableness of the timeline, and the clarity of writing in the lay abstract.
Student recipients will receive funding that can be used to help reimburse payment for professional development opportunities that might be considered cost-prohibitive. For example:
The purpose of the Jean Stoner Tippett Endowment for Graduate Scholarships is to provide tuition support for graduate students in Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.
Please contact your academic department for information.
The purpose of the Lambert Graduate Stipend in Arts & Sciences is to provide a stipend to a graduate student at risk of leaving The George Washington University due to financial hardship.
Please contact your academic department for information.
The GW Career Services Council established the Knowledge in Action Career Internship Fund (KACIF) to encourage GW students to pursue high-quality, necessarily unpaid internships that foster their career exploration and enhance their academic program, while reducing the financial challenges associated with unpaid internships. Review eligibility requirements and information about the award and the application process below to help you prepare to apply for the award.
The GW Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships (OGSAF) provides information about funding opportunities at the Master's and PhD levels, including scholarships, fellowships and department funding.
My award says I should be registered full-time. May I register part-time?
Usually, no. Please contact the staff member listed as the point of contact in your award letter to see whether it is possible to adjust the terms of the award. Salary-only GAs are not required to be full-time students by the College.
When will my tuition award post to my account?
Once you have registered for a given term, the tuition award should post to your student account overnight. Note that you must meet the registration requirements for the award in order for the fellowship to apply. If the award requires full-time registration, it will not post until you have registered for a full-time schedule.
If you are receiving an award after you have already been billed for a given term, please allow 8-10 business days from the time you accept for the award to be posted.
My tuition award is not on my account. Who should I contact for help?
Please contact the staff or faculty member listed in your award letter as a point of contact for assistance.
Why do I have a balance on my account for University fees even though I have an award?
Student awards, even “full packages” for doctoral students, do not cover fees. Please review the terms and conditions linked in your award letter for details.
I am a GW employee using employee tuition benefits. Am I also eligible for an award?
No, employees may not combine employee benefits with merit awards.
I do not currently have an award, but I would like one. What are my options?
If you are a doctoral student, please consult with your Director of Graduate Studies. Many funding decisions are made by the Department.
Current students can find details on competitive scholarship opportunities at GW through the Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships: https://www2.gwu.edu/~fellows/
CCAS will distribute information about any other available opportunities that arise to the CCAS Graduate Student Listserv.
I am interested in being a Graduate Assistant. What is the process for becoming one?
Academic departments select Graduate Assistants (GAs). These positions are limited and not available in all departments. Interested candidates should indicate their interest in a GA position on their admission application, if applicable. Students can also contact their program’s DGS for more information about being a GA in a future term.
I am an international student/applicant planning to be on a visa. Am I eligible to be a GA or GRA?
The University requires a minimum TOEFL of 100 (IELTS overall of 7.0 with no individual score below 6.0) in order to be considered for a GA position. GRAs and Fellows are not required to have a TOEFL higher than the minimum for their program, but note that awards do not cover EAP (English for Academic Purposes) coursework. Students who were waived out of providing test scores for the English language requirement in the application are eligible. Current GW students who have successfully completed EAP (English for Academic Purposes) in a prior term are also eligible. If you are offered a GA or GRA award and you are in the US on a visa, you must be on an appropriate visa (F-1) to accept the award. If you are not on an F-1 visa, please contact your visa sponsor, as GW will request written permission from your sponsor to serve. This may not be possible depending upon your visa type.
I am a GA or GRA. May I take another job on campus?
Almost always, the answer is no. This is because students may not conglomerate positions that would otherwise equal full-time employment when none of those positions has been created to provide full-time benefits. Please contact the fellowship coordinator listed in your award letter if you have questions. Note that exceptions to this policy are not possible.
As an additional matter, students on F-1 student visas are not permitted to work more than 20 hours per week.
Students may work in another position outside of the academic year (summer months) if the term of the GA or GRA appointment is only the academic year.
How do I set up a Direct Deposit?
If you are a GA or GRA, you can find a direct deposit setup option in GWeb. For more instructions, see: https://payroll.gwu.edu/direct-deposit If you are a fellow (no salary) please visit the Faculty & Staff Service Center (currently in Rice Hall) to fill out the appropriate paperwork.
When do I receive my salary check?
Salaries are paid on the last business day of the month -- a salary is payment for services completed. The employment dates for your GA or GRA appointment will be in your award letter.
Where do I pick up my salary check?
Your salary check will be available from the Department/Program that is employing you as a GA. If you are being funded from a grant, please check with the Principal Investigator (PI) for your project. If you are not sure who this is, please reach out to the contact in your award letter. We strongly recommend you set up a direct deposit for your own convenience.
I did not receive my salary. Whom do I contact for help?
As an initial matter, please check with your Department/Program Chair or Admin to make sure all of your hiring paperwork went through. If you did not receive a check as expected, please contact the CCAS Finance Office at [email protected] for a CCAS award, or OGSAF for an award from their office ([email protected]). A point of contact will be listed in your award letter.
When will my stipend check be available?
Stipends are paid on the first business day of the month. Please consult your award letter for specifics on the duration of your award. If your award has been made late or you have accepted it late, payment will be delayed. Usually there are supplemental stipend payment runs 2-3 times per month.
Where do I pick up my stipend check?
Your stipend check will be available from the office that made your award. If this is CCAS, you can pick up your check from Smith 118 (Graduate Studies Office). For awards from the Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships, pick up the check from their office directly. If you are being funded from a grant, please check with the Principal Investigator (PI) for your project. If you are not sure who this is, please reach out to the contact in your award letter. We strongly recommend you set up a direct deposit for your own convenience.
I did not receive my stipend. Whom do I contact for help?
As an initial matter, please check with your Department/Program Chair or Admin to make sure all of the stipend was submitted in the proper payment systems. If you did not receive a check as expected, please contact the CCAS Finance Office at [email protected] for a CCAS award, or OGSAF for an award from their office ([email protected]). A point of contact will be listed in your award letter.
Have questions about the Student Health Insurance plan. Whom do I contact for help?
Please see the Colonial Health Center’s website for the most up to date information about the plan available and current rates: https://healthcenter.gwu.edu/student-health-insurance
For questions, please contact the Student Health Insurance Program at [email protected]
My letter noted that I am eligible for a Student Health Insurance Related Payment. When will I receive the payment and whom do I contact with questions?
The Student Health Insurance payment amount and timeline are noted in your award letter. Note that only students with a GA or GRA position for at least one semester of the academic year are eligible for the payment. You must also be enrolled in GW’s student health insurance
plan to receive the payment. The payment will post to your student account after the start of term as a credit. Usually this is done by November 15 for Fall and March 15 for Spring at the latest. You should pay the balance of your bill before the start of classes. For questions about the Health Insurance Related Payment, please contact the Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships ([email protected]).
How do I request a refund for the Health Insurance Related Payment or another credit on my bill?
For instructions, please see the website for the Office of Student Accounts: https://studentaccounts.gwu.edu/refunds. You may also leave the credit on your bill to be applied toward a future term.
