First Year Applicants

You should apply to the George Washington University (GW) as a first-year applicant if you are currently in your senior year of high school or have earned a GED or completed high school but never enrolled in college courses. We are looking for students who have the academic preparation, personal qualities, and motivation to thrive in GW’s dynamic environment.

The GW Admissions Committee carefully reviews each applicant based on academic background, the rigor of high school coursework, and GPA. In addition, the committee takes into consideration essays, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities. Submitting standardized test scores is optional for most applicants.

Start Your Application

• First Year Application Steps
• International Application Steps
• Special Interest Programs

When to Apply

First Year Application Steps 

Submit an Application

Complete and submit the Common Application online. The application requires a nonrefundable application fee of $80 for students.

Note that there are multiple decision plans at GW. We offer Early Decision I, Early Decision II, and Regular Decision. Early Decision plans utilize a binding agreement, meaning that you are required to attend should you be admitted to the university. The Early Decision agreement form can be found on the Common App website. Be sure to pay attention to application deadlines.

The essay portion of the application provides an opportunity for applicants to demonstrate their English language writing skills. Applicants will choose one of two specific prompts that best allows them to share their story with the Admissions Committee. Detailed instructions can be found in the Common Application.

In addition to the Common Application essay, the applicant can complete the optional Writing Supplement. The GW supplemental essay question is a chance to show their personality and make connections between their experiences and GW’s institutional values.

Please note: The application is not complete and we cannot begin the application review until we receive all required information. Be sure to complete the last step after Summary and Review, which finalizes payment of the fee, and be certain it is successfully submitted. The Common Application opens in early August for fall and spring admission.

Supporting documentation, including School Report, transcripts, and letters of recommendation, can be submitted (or requested) electronically via the Common Application, via email to gwadmgwu [dot] edu (gwadm[at]gwu[dot]edu), or via mail to our office:
     The George Washington University
     Office of Undergraduate Admissions
     800 21st St NW Suite 214
     Washington, D.C. 20052

Please note that electronic submission is preferred and will allow us to complete your application in a timely manner.

Please allow us several weeks from the time the application is submitted to process all documents and post them in the GW Admissions Portal. During the busy application period, the portal is the best resource, as we are continually updating students' applications and documents. You will receive a link to the portal with instructions on how to log in after your application is submitted.

Please ensure that the applicant's legal name is included on all corresponding documentation. For applicants who use a name that differs from their legal name, please use the Chosen Name field to include that information. All international applicants must provide a permanent, physical mailing address (that is not a post office box).

If you are applying to any of these academic programs, you must submit the required supplemental essay(s) or portfolio and/or schedule an audition. Further information about these programs can be found on our undergraduate admissions website.

• School of Media and Public Affairs
• BFA Programs in the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design

Apply to Special Programs (Optional)

Applicants may choose to apply to a special interest program on their application. These include:

• Cisneros Scholars
• Civic House
• Corcoran Scholars
• Politics & Values Program
• Seven-Year B.A./M.D. Program (Additional requirements)
• University Honors Program (Essays required)
• Women's Leadership Program

For further information on these programs and any additional requirements, visit our Special Program webpage.

Submit a Writing Supplement (Optional)

All applicants have the option to submit an optional writing supplement. While this optional essay may give additional context to the application, those who do not submit it will not be penalized.

Send Official Transcripts

First-year applicants must have transcripts for their entire secondary school career (four years of academic study including the current year in progress). Transcripts are required from each secondary school attended as well as marks from any national examinations. Also, applicants are expected to submit a mid-year report from their senior year which includes grades for all classes. For Early Decision I students, first quarter or first trimester grades will fulfill this requirement.

Your School Counselor or other School Official may send an electronic transcript and School Report directly to our office. They may also email your transcript and School Report to gwadmgwu [dot] edu (gwadm[at]gwu[dot]edu). The transcript must be sent directly from the sender's school email address in order to be considered official.

Send Optional Test Scores

GW is test-optional, meaning students applying for first-year admission are not required to submit standardized test scores (SAT or ACT). GW requires SAT/ACT scores from the following groups:

• Applicants applying to the accelerated Seven-Year B.A./M.D. (if submitting ACT scores, the Science section is required for B.A./M.D. applicants)
• Program Applicants who are homeschooled
• Applicants who attend secondary schools that provide only narrative evaluations rather than some form of grading scale

Should you submit SAT or ACT scores, please be mindful of GW’s test score codes:

     SAT Code: 5246
     ACT Code: 0664

Note, GW considers only the critical reading and math sections of the SAT for admission. Except for B.A./M.D. applicants, the ACT Science section is not required.

Because we take a holistic approach to the application review process, we have no minimum GPA or SAT/ACT requirements for admission. However, admission to GW is competitive; admitted students are typically strong academic students in their high school graduating class.

Applicants indicate their test option on their application for admission. Once an application has been submitted, students have a limited time to change their selection in their portal. After that window has closed, the selection cannot be changed. If an applicant has previously submitted test scores to our office but indicates on the application that they would not like their scores considered, test scores will not be viewed during application review.

Please note that following the release of our admissions decisions, we will ask students who were admitted without test scores to submit scores for research purposes.

Submit a Letter of Recommendation/Teacher Evaluation

GW requires one letter of recommendation/evaluation, which can be from a high school counselor or an academic teacher. The letter must be submitted directly by the recommender. Online submission is preferred, but letters may also be sent to our office by the recommender by email to gwadmgwu [dot] edu (gwadm[at]gwu[dot]edu) or post to our office.

Submit a Portfolio (Corcoran Only)

Portfolio reviews are required for our BFA programs, with the exception of the BFA in Interior Architecture. Your portfolio should tell your story in a way that makes sense to you. We have no restrictions or requirements on what should be in your portfolio other than what you believe to be your strongest work. It is important to make sure that this is the best representation of you as an artist, and of your work up to the point of your application. Here are a few portfolio guidelines:

• All students are required to submit 12-20 completed works of art.
• The included work should be your best and most recent work.
• If possible, the work should be related to your area of interest.

Important Note When Selecting Your Intended Major in the Application

It is very important that the majors match on both your admissions application and SlideRoom. Please take care when selecting the program (e.g., B.A. in Fine Arts vs. B.F.A. in Fine Arts), and make sure you've selected the same major in both locations.

Submit College-Level Coursework

You may receive credit for college-level coursework through International Baccalaureate (IB) or College Board Advanced Placement (AP) examinations, allowing you to skip introductory courses, enter higher-level classes, and fulfill general education requirements.

Find out if you can bring credits to GW.

Check Your Application Status

After submitting your application, please allow 7-10 business days for GW to receive it. Upon receipt, we’ll send you an acknowledgment email with instructions about how to log in to your GW Admissions Portal where you can track application materials and view your admission decision.

Please allow several weeks from the date you submit your application to process your documents and post them in your GW Portal. During the busy application period, your GW Portal is your best resource, as we are continually updating students' applications and documents.

If you have any questions about the application process, visit our contact us page.

Have Questions? 

GW's Office of Undergraduate Admissions is here to help you navigate the application process and to answer any questions you may have. Find your counselor or send our office a message.