Student Newsletter - June 2025

Welcome to the CCAS Graduate Student Newsletter! Designed to keep you up to date with news and events, policies and processes, and all things for CCAS graduate students!

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June 2025

The Student Services Team is here to advise, guide, and provide you with resources to aid in your success, as well as help you navigate university policies and procedures. Our office is located in Smith 118, and we are open during normal business hours on Monday – Friday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. You can schedule a virtual, phone, or in-person appointment with your Student Services Coordinator and Career Counselor.

For our June newsletter, we have the following topics:

• Important Reminders
  • Summer Graduation Deadline
  • Summer Sessions
  • Key Registration Dates this Month
  • Summer ETD Deadlines & Resources
  • Summer 2025 Ph.D. ETD & Copyright Workshops
• Registration Policy Reminders & Tips
  • Fall 2025 Course Registration
  • Requesting Leave of Absence
  • Registering for Courses with Variable Credit Hours
  • Student Accounts Late Fee Policy
  • Choosing Between RTF & RTF-EZ Forms
• Gelman Library Closure & Available Resources
• Career Services
• Funding, Fellowships, Internships & Employment Opportunities

Important Reminders

Summer Graduation Deadline

The deadline to apply for Summer 2025 graduation is July 15, 2025. All students who plan on completing their requirements in the summer need to apply to graduate through GWeb by the deadline. Online graduation application instructions can be found on the Registrar’s Office website. If you will be completing your thesis or dissertation in Summer 2025, please reach out to us at ccasgradservgwu [dot] edu (ccasgradserv[at]gwu[dot]edu) for help registering appropriately.

Summer Sessions

Summer Session offers students a variety of courses designed to broaden the mind and enhance skills. You can fulfill program requirements, take in-demand courses that fill up quickly during the regular academic year, and get a leg up on prerequisites.

Summer Session I this year is scheduled for May 19 - June 28; Summer Session II is scheduled for June 30 - August 9. To find available summer courses, please consult the Schedule of Classes. Tuition rates can be found on the Student Accounts Office website, and registration deadlines are listed on the Registrar’s Office website.

Key Registration Dates this Month

Please review the Registrar’s Office Summer Sessions page for a full list of Summer Session registration deadlines.

Please keep in mind the Student Accounts Tuition Refund Policy if you make adjustments to your summer schedule after the start of classes for that session. Summer Session I is a 6-week session, so partial refunds will be determined by the number of calendar days that have passed since the first day of classes.

Summer 2025 ETD Deadlines

If you will be completing your thesis or dissertation in Summer 2025, please continue to be mindful of ETD clearance deadlines for both Ph.D. students and for Master’s students completing a thesis. Ph.D. students should visit our Ph.D. Clearance Deadlines page, and Master’s students completing a thesis should review our Master’s Thesis ETD Submission page.

Don’t forget to check out the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs website for guidelines on CCAS formatting requirements, GW formatting requirements, and MS Word & LaTeX resources!

Ph.D. ETD Workshops

Students completing their dissertation in Summer 2025 or in the near future are strongly encouraged to attend our online Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) workshops.

• Summer 2025 Ph.D. ETD Workshop
  Thursday, June 5 from 3:00 - 4:00pm | Virtual (Zoom)
  
  Learn more about the ETD submission process, formatting requirements, and upcoming deadlines for CCAS Ph.D. students. Students planning to defend in the Summer term are strongly advised to attend this workshop. Please register in advance to attend.
   
• Summer 2025 Ph.D. ETD Copyright Workshop
  Wednesday, June 25 from 3:00 - 4:00pm | Virtual (Zoom)
  
  Join us for this informative copyright workshop hosted by members of the GW Libraries Scholarly Communications Team. CCAS Ph.D. students whose dissertations will include previously published works are strongly encouraged to attend this workshop. Please register in advance to attend.

Registration Policy

All CCAS graduate students are required to register continuously each fall and spring semester until the completion of their program. You are not required to register for courses over the summer unless otherwise specified by your program, but may choose to do so if there are summer courses which interest you, or if you would like to get some requirements out of the way before the start of the 2025-2026 academic year. If you have questions about your program’s requirements or which courses you should take to meet those requirements, please reach out to your academic advisor.

Fall 2025 Course Registration

General registration for Fall 2025 courses will remain open in GWeb until August 24th, 2025. Please visit the Registrar’s Office website for instructions on course registration. You can consult the Schedule of Classes for a list of available courses and descriptions. If you are unsure which courses you should take, please reach out to your Director of Graduate Studies.

Requesting Leave of Absence

If you wish to take a Leave of Absence (LOA) during Fall 2025, please review our LOA policy and discuss this option with your Director of Graduate Studies. If you choose to take an LOA, please complete a Leave of Absence Application Form and submit it to us at ccasgradservgwu [dot] edu (ccasgradserv[at]gwu[dot]edu).

Registering for Courses with Variable Credit Hours

Certain courses, including thesis, dissertation, internship, and research courses, have variable credit hours. This means that you can choose the number of credits you will be earning when you register for the course.

When you register for a course with variable credit hours, the registration system will automatically default to 1 credit hour registered. If you would like to register for more than 1 credit, you will need to adjust the number of credits using the following steps:

1. Within the registration system, click on the Schedule and Options tab on the Register for Classes menu.
2. Under the Hours column, any courses that have variable credits will be underlined.
3. Click on the credits displayed and a box will open up to enter your credits.
4. Enter the credits you wish to register for within the valid range and click Submit at the bottom of the page to save the changes.

Please note that if you register for a course with variable credit hours, it is important to adjust the number of credits you register for by the end of the second week of classes. This is because your tuition fees are determined by the number of credits you register for each semester, and it is possible to make changes to course registration within the first two weeks of the semester for a 100% tuition refund. If you need to make changes to the number of credits you register for after the first two weeks of the semester have passed, you may be billed for additional tuition fees. The next section of this newsletter will cover how changes to your registration can impact your Student Accounts balance.

Student Accounts Late Fee Policy

Tuition, health insurance charges, and other fees are due by the first day of the semester, or upon registration if the semester has already begun. This means that changes to your registration once the semester has started may impact your Student Account.

Even if you paid your balance in full prior to the start of the semester, it is important to check your Student Account eBill in GWeb any time your registration changes. For example, if you choose to take an additional course or increase the number of credits you take for a course, you will automatically be charged additional fees and have an outstanding Student Account balance. Additionally, if you drop one course and pick up another course after the 100% tuition refund period has ended, you may have an outstanding Student Account balance even if the courses both have the same number of credits.

Any outstanding balance on your Student Account after the start of the semester may be subject to a late payment fee. The Student Accounts Office charges late fees for each semester in two rounds: a flat, $75 fee earlier in the semester, and a 5% fee based on the total amount owed later in the semester. In fall, the $75 late fee is charged in November, and the 5% fee is charged in December.

More information on the late fee policy, as well as the full fee schedule, can be found in the Late Payments section of the Student Accounts Office website. Information on course exchanges can be found in the Adding & Dropping Courses section of the Student Accounts Office website.

Choosing Between RTF & RTF-EZ Forms

As we gear up for fall registration, you may have seen some references to forms called the RTF (sometimes called the RTF Classic) and the RTF-EZ. Students can register for most courses online via GWeb. When a student cannot self-register online, we use a registration form - either the RTF or the RTF-EZ - to help them register.

Please note that these forms also differ in how they are submitted:

• RTF-EZ: submit to the Registrar’s Office
  registrargwu [dot] edu (registrar[at]gwu[dot]edu) or in-person at the USC Student Services Hub
• RTF Classic: submit to Graduate Student Services
  ccasgradservgwu [dot] edu (ccasgradserv[at]gwu[dot]edu)

More information on the RTF and RTF-EZ can be found in the Registration section of the CCAS student handbook. If you are ever unsure which registration form you should use, please reach out to us at ccasgradservgwu [dot] edu (ccasgradserv[at]gwu[dot]edu) for guidance.

Gelman Library Closure & Available Resources

The Gelman Library building will be closed through August 17, 2025 to accommodate major HVAC maintenance, which should ensure a more sustainable and comfortable library environment for GW community members. This project will continue for two consecutive summers: Summer 2025 and 2026. The library will reopen for fall and spring semesters.

While the Gelman library building is closed for summer, library services will still be available. Please visit the Gelman Library Building Closure page on the GW Libraries website for more information on accessing books, course materials, and study spaces during the library closure.

Career Services

Thank you for utilizing Career Services this year! Whether you attended our Career Readiness Workshops or 1:1 Coaching Appointments, you took intentional steps to invest in your future.

Erin Ahart and Dr. Johnette Ruffner-Ceaser are available to meet with CCAS students and alumni throughout the year and all summer long! Schedule an appointment on Handshake, or visit our website or email ccas_careersgwu [dot] edu (ccas_careers[at]gwu[dot]edu) for more information.

Minute Mentor Podcast: 10 Tips for Navigating the Current Job Market in Spring 2025

Two new episodes of Minute Mentor: Quick Tips for Career Success are available to help you with your job search!

Episode 8: 10 Tips for Navigating the Current Job Market in Spring 2025

- We break down practical strategies—from avoiding self-blame and doom-scrolling to maximizing LinkedIn—plus how to stay grounded in the face of uncertainty.

Episode 9: Listen to This if Your Job Search is Driving You Crazy!

- Erin and Paul discuss why the current job market is NOT hopeless and why you don't need to panic, even if it feels like it! This episode is your pep talk: full of empathy, encouragement, and tips to stay motivated.

Listen now on Spotify!

Funding, Fellowships, Internships & Employment Opportunities

Knowledge In Action Career Internship Fund (KACIF)

Fall Application Dates: August 1 - 15, 2025

The GW Career Services Council established the Knowledge in Action Career Internship Fund (KACIF) to encourage GW students to pursue high-quality unpaid internships that foster career exploration and enhance their academic program, while reducing the financial challenges associated with unpaid internships. KACIF provides grants ranging from $750 to $3,000 to GW students pursuing internships that are necessarily unpaid. Necessarily unpaid internships are typically those with non-profit, governmental, educational and non-governmental organizations that genuinely lack the financial resources to pay salaries or wages to their interns.

Please review the eligibility requirements and application process to help you prepare to apply for the award. More information on this award, as well as a link to the application, can be found on the GW Career Center’s KACIF page.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program

2026-2027 Competition Deadline: October 7, 2025 at 5:00pm ET

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program expands perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue. Fulbright creates connections in a complex and changing world. In partnership with more than 140 countries worldwide, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers unparalleled opportunities in all academic disciplines to passionate and accomplished graduating college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals from all backgrounds. Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research, or teach English abroad.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is open to U.S. citizens who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program. Please review their Eligibility page for full eligibility details. Student applicants to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program apply through their current institution - here are the details for GW’s Fulbright Program Advisors. More information on the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, including a breakdown of their award types, an award search, and links to information sessions and application tutorials can be found on their Getting Started page.

Updated June 4, 2025.