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Graduate Study

 

Application Requirements

While the specifics vary by program and school, there are general requirements that will help you prepare. The information that appears below is pertinent to applicants to the following schools: 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, you must submit your online application through the Graduate Application Center. You must set up an account and once you log in, please follow instructions for completion. If you apply to more than one program, you need more than one application.  

 

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.

You must submit a transcript, detailed marks certificate or comparable document that shows all course work, grades and proof of earned degrees from each institution you’ve attended. This is required for all colleges and universities where you have taken academic courses, regardless of whether or not you earned credit, the program was completed or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript.  

You should upload unofficial transcripts to your online account. If you are offered admission, you will be required to submit official copies prior to enrolling. Do not submit official copies until you have been instructed to do so. If your transcripts or records are from a university outside of the United States, carefully review the admission requirement for your program to determine what you should upload to your application.

When uploading your transcripts, we recommend that you:

  • Scan it in black and white.
  • Scan it at the lowest possible resolution that produces a legible copy; we recommend under 200 dpi.
  • Include one copy of the transcript legend or grading scale for each university
  • Do not upload certified, encrypted or password-protected files.
  • Ensure the copy is printable on letter size (8.5” x 11”) or A4 paper and the size of your uploaded document does not exceed 1,000 kb.

 

Statement of Purpose

Use your statement of purpose as an opportunity to tell us about personal and professional interests and goals, and how your background makes you a good fit for a graduate program at GW. Your statement should follow the content and length requirements as described by the program to which you are applying. Your statement of purpose should be your own 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 you are required to submit depends on the program you are applying to. We strongly encourage you to submit your recommendations online and you can request them through the Graduate Application Center. You should contact your recommender at least one month in advance of your application deadline. If you can’t complete the online version, send your recommender the paper recommendation form, which should be returned to you in a signed, sealed envelope for you to submit unopened to your admissions office.

 

Standardized Test Scores

Some graduate programs require standardized test scores, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). Your 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 you should take the test early enough so they arrive at GW by your application deadline.  Check your program requirements to see which scores are required for your program.

International students must provide English 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.

If you’ve previously applied to or attended GW, you must provide official copies of score reports for any required tests, even if these reports have been submitted as part of an earlier application.

See International Student Application Requirements for more information.

 

Additional Materials

Résumés, proof of specialized certification, writing samples or other supporting documents may be required by your program of interest. Check your program requirements to see what other documents are required. These materials should be uploaded to your online application. International students also have additional requirements to complete.