International Student Aid
International Student Aid
GW awards exceptionally qualified international students with merit scholarships in recognition of their academic accomplishments. See details on merit scholarships below. GW is unable to offer need-based or U.S. government aid to international applicants.
U.S. law requires international students to submit financial documents proving the ability to pay for one year of study before an institution can send out visa immigration documents. Most international students will submit a bank statement, certificate of deposit, scholarship or sponsorship award letter, or a combination of those three to meet this requirement. The funds can be in any currency as long as the amount is equivalent to the published cost of attendance; however, GW will only accept financial documents in English or with official English translations. Complete details are on our International Applicant webpage.
Paying Tuition and Fees
Tuition, fees, and GW housing charges are due on the first day of each semester. All charges must be paid in full by the deadline. More information is available from the Student Accounts Office.
The published cost of attendance is for the nine-month academic year, which runs from late August, when classes begin for the academic year, through early May, when they end. Students who are married or bringing families should allow for an additional $10,796 per academic year for a spouse and $5,394 per academic year for each child. Information on housing costs is available from GW's Campus Living and Residential Education office.
Merit Scholarships
International students will be automatically considered for merit scholarships during the application review process; only the You Are Welcome Here Scholarship requires an additional application. You may meet the qualifications for more than one merit scholarship; however, students can only be awarded one scholarship. You are not eligible for these scholarships if you receive GW employee benefits. Any scholarship awarded will be noted in your offer of admission.
If you are a first-year applicant and receive a merit scholarship, your award will continue for up to 10 consecutive semesters of undergraduate study as long as you maintain continuous full-time enrollment and satisfactory academic progress. Unless otherwise indicated, all scholarships and merit awards can only be used toward undergraduate tuition expenses. The value of these scholarships vary.
- Presidential International Scholarship
Any non-U.S. citizen or non-permanent resident who is admitted to GW as a first-year undergraduate for the fall semester and possesses strong academic credentials is eligible for consideration for a Presidential International Scholarship. The value of the scholarship varies but can cover full tuition.
Automatic consideration will be given to eligible applicants. Recipients will be notified in their admission letter.
- Presidential Academic Scholarships
International first-year applicants who graduate from high schools in the U.S. are automatically considered for Presidential Academic Scholarships. The value of the scholarship varies.
Automatic consideration will be given to eligible applicants. Recipients will be notified in their admission letter.
- International Engineering Scholarships
The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (GW Engineering) offers a generous program of scholarships through the Presidential Academic Scholarship Program, and all international applicants to the school are considered for them. You are required to enroll in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences to receive the award. The value of the scholarship varies.
Automatic consideration will be given to eligible applicants. Recipients will be notified in their admission letter.
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Scholarship
First-year applicants who are on track to graduate secondary school with an IB Diploma are automatically considered for the IB Scholarship. The value of the scholarship varies.
Automatic consideration will be given to eligible applicants. Recipients will be notified in their admission letter.
- You Are Welcome Here Scholarship (Application required)
We are excited to offer two full-tuition scholarships each year to international applicants who are dedicated to furthering the #YouAreWelcomeHere message by bridging intercultural divides. Applicants will need to present their ideas for advancing intercultural learning and understanding on their future campus through an essay or video response. Applicants who wish to be considered for this scholarship are also required to submit a CSS Profile with their application. Read more details about the scholarship requirements and the application process.
Recipients will be notified in their admission letter.
Scholarship Partner Organizations
GW works with organizations around the world that offer additional funding opportunities for qualified international applicants.
Davis United World College (UWC) Scholars: GW is proud to partner with the Davis UWC Scholars program to offer scholarship opportunities to UWC graduates looking to study in the United States. UWC graduates who are admitted and choose to attend GW will be provided with need-based scholarships for their undergraduate studies. The scholarship amount can vary based on the financial need of the applicant but can cover full tuition and fees. UWC applicants who wish to be considered for this scholarship are required to submit a CSS Profile with their application.