Prerequisites & Materials

All Elliott School graduate programs (M.A., M.I.P.P., M.I.S., and graduate certificates) offer fall and spring* admission.

*Please note that spring applicants to the M.A. in International Development Studies, M.A. in International Science and Technology Studies, and M.A. in Middle East Studies programs must agree to complete the program over five semesters instead of four. This excludes summer sessions.

Fall Admission (August Start)

November 1st: Early Notification and Bachelor's/Master's Combined Program Deadline
- Receive Admissions Decision by January 1st
- All application materials must be received by the November 1st deadline in order to be considered for Early Notification and fellowships. Applications that are submitted but incomplete by November 1st will be considered for regular decision.
November 1st: Bachelor's/Master's Combined Program Deadline (Spring 2026 Graduation)
- Receive Admissions Decision by January 1st
- All application materials must be received by the November 1st deadline in order to be considered for admission and fellowships.
January 7th: Fellowship Consideration Deadline
- Receive Admissions Decision by mid-March
- Applications for admission will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis after the Fellowship Consideration Deadline.
  - While preference in awarding fellowships will be given to applicants who meet the Fellowship Consideration Deadline, applicants applying after the deadline may be considered for fellowship funding based on availability.

Spring Admission (January Start)

October 1st: Fellowship Consideration Deadline
- Receive Admissions Decision by mid-November
- Applications for admission will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis after the Fellowship Consideration Deadline.
  - While preference in awarding fellowships will be given to applicants who meet the Fellowship Consideration Deadline, applicants applying after the deadline may be considered for fellowship funding based on availability.
March 15th: Bachelor's/Master's Combined Program Deadline (Fall 2026 Graduation)
- Receive Admissions Decision by early May
- All application materials must be received by the March 15th deadline in order to be considered for admission and fellowships

Admission Prerequisites

Please note that each program has different prerequisites. It is the student's responsibility to understand the prerequisites and contact [email protected] with any questions.

M.A. Asian Studies

Foreign Language

Academic coursework in an Asian language, which will prepare students to complete the program’s language requirement*, must be shown at the time of application. This can be demonstrated by:

Study that is equal to four semesters of university-level coursework or equivalent, reaching at least the upper-intermediate level.
Completion of formal language training as part of employment (ex. Peace Corps).
Growing up in a household where the language is spoken.

*Students need to have a strong foundation in a foreign language before enrolling to be successful in completing the language requirement during the program.

M.A. Global Communication

Foreign Language

Academic coursework in a foreign language, which will prepare students to complete the program’s language requirement*, is required at the time of application. This can be demonstrated by:

Study that is equal to four semesters of university-level coursework or equivalent, reaching at least the upper-intermediate level.
Completion of formal language training as part of employment (ex. Peace Corps).
Growing up in a household where the language is spoken.

*Students need to have a strong foundation in a foreign language before enrolling to be successful in completing the language requirement during the program.

Economics

Course background in economics (micro- and macroeconomics) is a prerequisite to help prepare students to complete the graduate- level economics course(s) required within the M.A. in Global Communication curriculum. Course(s) must be successfully completed (grade of C or higher) through a regionally accredited institution in:

Introductory Microeconomics
Introductory Macroeconomics

-OR-

Principles of Economics (I and II)

Spring applicants must fulfill this prerequisite at the time of application.

Fall applicants may be admitted even if they have not fulfilled the economics prerequisite. In this case, the student is required to take the course(s) at a regionally accredited college/university prior to enrollment at the Elliott School. It is the student’s responsibility to complete the required coursework before classes begin.

Enrolling students who have completed these courses at the time of application will be required to complete online assessment(s) prior to the start of classes. AP credit cannot be used to meet the Economics Prerequisite. The Elliott School will not accept courses taken through services such as Coursera, Udemy, and other massive open online course (MOOC) services.

M.A. International Affairs

Foreign Language

Academic coursework in a foreign language, which will prepare students to complete the program’s language requirement*, is required at the time of application. This can be demonstrated by:

Study that is equal to two semesters of university-level coursework or equivalent.
Completion of formal language training as part of employment (ex. Peace Corps).
Growing up in a household where the language is spoken.

*Students need to have a solid foundation in a foreign language before enrolling to be successful in completing the language requirement during the program.

Economics

Course background in economics (micro- and macroeconomics) is a prerequisite to help prepare students to complete the graduate-level economics course(s) required within the M.A. in International Affairs curriculum. Course(s) must be successfully completed (grade of C or higher) through a regionally accredited institution in:

Introductory Microeconomics
Introductory Macroeconomics

-OR-

Principles of Economics (I and II)

Spring applicants must fulfill this prerequisite at the time of application.

M.A. International Development Studies

Foreign Language

Academic coursework in a foreign language, which will prepare students to complete the program’s language requirement*, is required at the time of application. This can be demonstrated by:

Study that is equal to four semesters of university-level coursework or equivalent, reaching at least the upper-intermediate level.
Completion of formal language training as part of employment (ex. Peace Corps).
Growing up in a household where the language is spoken.

*Students need to have a strong foundation in a foreign language before enrolling to be successful in completing the language requirement during the program.

Economics

Course background in economics (micro- and macroeconomics) is a prerequisite to help prepare students to complete the graduate-level economics course(s) required within the M.A. in International Development Studies curriculum. Course(s) must be successfully completed (grade of C or higher) through a regionally accredited institution in:

Introductory Microeconomics
Introductory Macroeconomics

-OR-

Principles of Economics (I and II)

Spring applicants must fulfill this prerequisite at the time of application.

M.A. International Economic Policy

Applicants to the M.A. International Economic Policy program must have successfully completed (grade of C or higher) both introductory microeconomics and introductory macroeconomics courses at the time of application. AP credit cannot be used to meet the Economics Prerequisite. The Elliott School will not accept courses taken through services such as Coursera, Udemy, and other massive open online course (MOOC) services.

M.A. International Science and Technology Policy

There are no prerequisite requirements for the M.A. International Science and Technology Policy.

M.A. Middle East Studies

Foreign Language

Academic coursework in an approved Middle Eastern language, which will prepare students to complete the program’s language requirement*, is required at the time of application. This can be demonstrated by:

Study that is equal to four semesters of university-level coursework or equivalent, reaching at least the upper-intermediate level.
Completion of formal language training as part of employment (ex. Peace Corps).
Growing up in a household where the language is spoken.

Approved languages for the M.A. in Middle East Studies are: Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic), Persian, Hebrew, Kurdish and Turkish.

*Students need to have a strong foundation in a foreign language before enrolling to be successful in completing the language requirement during the program.

M.A. Security Policy Studies (On-Campus or Online)

There are no prerequisite requirements for the M.A. Security Policy Studies program.

Master of International Policy and Practice (MIPP), (On-Campus or Online)

Experience

Applicants must possess seven or more years of full-time professional experience or already possess an advanced degree (e.g. M.A., M.S., J.D., L.L.M., Ph.D.) to qualify for the MIPP program.

Master of International Studies (MIS)

International Partnership

Applicants must be current students or recent alumni (within 3 years) of Masters' programs at one of our Elliott School International Partners.

In some cases, students may have credits transferred from the partner institution to the Elliott School. In determining transfer credits, the MIS Program Director will work closely with the student to determine the most appropriate use of transfer credits towards the degree requirements.

More information can be found on the GW University Bulletin.

Foreign Language

Upper-intermediate, college-level language coursework (4 semesters of university-level coursework) in a modern foreign language is required at the time of application to the M.I.S. program. Applicants who are native speakers of English may explain their language experience within the application.

Economics

Course background in economics (micro- and macroeconomics) is a prerequisite to help prepare students to complete the graduate-level economics course(s) required within the M.I.S. curriculum. Course(s) must be successfully completed (grade of C or higher) through a regionally accredited institution in:

Introductory Microeconomics
Introductory Macroeconomics

-OR-

Principles of Economics (I and II)

Spring applicants must fulfill this prerequisite at the time of application.

Combined Bachelor's/Master's Degree Program

Eligibility

Applicants must be a current Third Year* undergraduate student at the Elliott School with at least 60 credits** earned
- *Students completing undergraduate studies in fewer than four years should apply when they have earned at least 60 credits and have at least 3 semesters remaining in their undergraduate degree. Contact your advisor if you have questions.
- **Students with fewer than 60 credits earned may submit an application with a support email from their undergraduate academic advisor indicating you will graduate in the appropriate semester listed below. Contact your advisor if you have questions.
Applicants must have a 3.4 cumulative GPA or higher
Applicants must meet all standard admissions requirements for the M.A. program of their choice

Foreign Language and Economics

Applicants must meet the foreign language or economics prerequisite of the M.A. program they choose, if applicable. Please check the program prerequisites above for more information.

Graduate Certificates

There are no prerequisite requirements for the Graduate Certificates in Global Gender Policy, International Science and Technology Policy, or Nuclear Policy Studies.

U.S. citizens may apply for a graduate certificate. Non-citizen visa applicants are not eligible for graduate certificates.

U.S. Foreign Policy Summer Program

Admission to the U.S. Foreign Policy Summer Program at the Elliott School is competitive.

For this reason, only graduate students and advanced undergraduate students are eligible to apply. See below for additional eligibility requirements:

Graduate students, graduates, and professionals should have at least a bachelor’s degree and some work experience,
Undergraduates must have at least junior standing (60 credits of college-level course work complete) as well as some experience in the field. The program does not accept first or second-year college students, nor high school students.

The program encourages applications from people with backgrounds in fields related to international affairs. International participants contribute an important dimension to the study of foreign policy and the program welcomes applications from abroad.

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Application Materials

Application/Fee

The application can be found online at GW's Graduate Application Center. There is an $80 dollar application fee, which may be waived.

Please note that you must click on the "Submit Your Application" button after you have completed your application. Online payment confirmation for your application does not submit your application for review.

The $80 application fee must be paid by credit card (Visa or MasterCard) online, or by mailing a check or money order. International applicants may pay via credit card online or international money order only. Checks and money orders must be received by the application due date for the semester in which you are applying.

Please note you may not change the method of payment once you submit your application and application fees are non-refundable.

Fee Waiver

There are four ways to receive a fee waiver before submitting an application.

1. The application fee is automatically waived for GW alumni, current GW degree or certificate students, and U.S. military personnel*. These applicants do not need to request a fee waiver.
- *Veterans who were on active duty more than three years ago will not have their fee automatically waived and will need to request a fee waiver in the payment section of their application, see #4.
2. Applicants who attend an information session will qualify for a fee waiver. Once granted, this application fee waiver can only be applied once and for one new** application.
- **Please note that the application fee is non-refundable after submission and fee waivers cannot be used retroactively. If you plan to use a fee waiver obtained through an information session, please attend the information session before submitting your application.
3. The application fee is also waived for applicants who fall into one of the categories below. If you are eligible for a fee waiver under one of the categories below, select the option in the Financial Aid section of your application. Do not pay the application fee when submitting your application as making your selection will automatically waive the fee for you.
- Current McNair Program scholars and Gilman Scholars
- Clarke, Fulbright, Payne, Pickering, PPIA, and Rangel Fellowship recipients (applicants and finalists are not eligible for a fee waiver)
- AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, Teach for America and Teach for China volunteers
- Mandela Washington Fellows
- Students who received a Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited minority-serving institution (MSI) in the U.S.
- First-Generation college students (students whose parents did not complete a baccalaureate degree)
4. Veterans who were on active duty more than three years ago and GW Alumni Referral recipients may request a fee waiver. Requests must be made at least two business days before the fellowship deadline for consideration and approval. If an applicant submits an application and pays the fee, the fee cannot be refunded.
- Veterans who were on active duty more than three years ago: when choosing this option, proceed to the payment section of your application and select "Fee Waiver" as your payment option. Indicate "Veteran" in the "Application Fee Notes" section.
- GW Alumni Referral recipient: when choosing this option, proceed to the payment section of your application and select "Fee Waiver" as your payment option. Include the name of the alumni, school, year of graduation, and email in the "Application Fee Notes" section.

Resume

Applicants must submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) with their application. There is no page limit for these documents.

Resumes/CVs must include dates of employment (if applicable) and date of degree conferral or expected degree conferral. A minimum of a U.S. Bachelor's degree or equivalent is required to be eligible to apply to any of the Elliott School graduate programs or certificates. Please save as a PDF and upload to your application.

Statement of Purpose Prompts

Statements should be saved in PDF format before being uploaded to your application. All applicants are required to submit an essay of approximately 500 words that answers one of the two questions below:

State your purpose in undertaking graduate study at the Elliott School. As part of your statement of purpose, describe your academic and research interests, career objectives, how a degree from the Elliott School will enable you to achieve your goals, and what unique skills, talents and/or perspectives you will bring to your program. Please be specific.
- OR -
Please discuss an issue of international importance you wish to address in your professional career. Please include how the Elliott School and the academic program to which you have applied will prepare you to address this global issue.

International Policy and Practice (MIPP) Essay Prompt

ONLY MIPP applicants must submit a second essay. MIPP applicants should include this essay in the same PDF document as their Statement of Purpose, separating both documents by the title - Statement of Purpose and MIPP essay.

The MIPP essay should be approximately 500 words addressing the following topic:

Identify a specific leadership challenge that you personally would like to tackle within the next five years. How will this leadership project build on your professional and life experiences to date, and how will your education in the MIPP program help you succeed in this task?

Letters of Recommendation

Two (2) letters are required for any of the master's programs and graduate certificates. Applicants should plan to submit one (1) academic reference and one (1) professional reference.

Recommenders must use their professional email address, i.e. "@gwu.edu" and not a personal account, i.e. "@yahoo.com", "@gmail.com". Letters should come from faculty, supervisors, and others who know you well in an academic or professional setting. At least one letter should come from a faculty member who taught you in a class and can speak to your potential for rigorous graduate study. Recommendations submitted by the applicant are unofficial and will not be accepted.

Once you save a recommender's contact information in the appropriate section of the online application, the system will prompt an auto-email with a formal request to submit a recommendation. Please note that these automatic emails may appear in spam/trash folders. Letters may be uploaded any time before or after you have submitted your application. You may also manually re-notify recommenders at any time.

NOTE: If you need to change ANY recommender information in an application, click "Remove Recommendation". DO NOT type over pre-existing recommender information.

Transcripts

Transcript Accuracy

Transcripts must be true and accurate. Inaccurate records may result in application denial or dismissal from The George Washington University.

Transcript Requirements for Applicants

Due to mail delays, unofficial transcripts and emailed transcripts are highly encouraged and preferred.

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 a degree equivalent to a U.S., 4-year Bachelor's degree.*

Please upload unofficial transcripts in PDF format and in the correct, upright orientation to your application. Do not submit certified, encrypted, or password protected files. Fall semester applications submitted after December 31 must also include grades from the applicant's most recent fall semester.

NOTE: All documents uploaded to the application portal (or sent via e-mail) by the applicant are considered unofficial.

Please see "Tips for Uploading Documents" below to ensure that documents will upload correctly and are in the correct format. You must submit a transcript, detailed marks certificate or comparable document in English (or with a certified English translation**) that shows:

Name of applicant
Name of the institution
All coursework (name of courses)
Grades for each course
Transcript legend/grading scale
Proof of degree conferral from each institution where degree earned

This is required for all institutions that you’ve taken courses at, regardless of whether or not you earned credit, the program was completed, or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript. This includes:

All institutions where a degree or certificate was conferred (i.e. Bachelor institution)
Community College (including dual enrollment courses)
Study Abroad
Language immersion programs
Joint Services Transcript (JST) for all U.S. military applicants; Air Force applicants must submit a transcript from Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)
Other institutions where coursework was completed

Transcript Requirements for Enrolling Students

Electronic delivery of transcripts is highly encouraged.

If you are admitted and choose to enroll at the Elliott School, we require official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended (and certified English translations** sent by the translation service provider, where applicable), regardless of whether you completed your degree program, or credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript.

A transcript is official when it has been mailed directly to us from your institution; or, if the transcript has been mailed to you, it remains sealed (closed) in the original envelope provided by the institution. We will not accept a transcript if the envelope has been opened. We also accept transcripts sent via a secure e-scrip delivery service to [email protected]. An email from a school representative is not secure, and is not accepted as official. For questions, email us at [email protected].

Please note the following:

The checklist in your application portal does not track the receipt of official versus non-official documents. If you are uncertain which of your official documents are missing, please email [email protected] to inquire.
Degree transcripts (B.A., M.A., J.D., etc) must be both official and final. Please do not have your official transcript sent until after your school has posted the degree awarded date on the document, otherwise you will have a resend your transcript.

Please review our blog to see what distinguishes official from unofficial transcripts.

Transcripts sent to our office via email must be sent to [email protected] directly by the institution.

Transcripts sent to our office via post, FedEx, UPS, or DHL must be sent to:

Office of Graduate Admissions
1957 E. St. NW, Suite 301
Washington, DC 20052

Transcripts sent to a different address may not reach our office. If documents are sent to an incorrect address, applicants will be responsible for re-sending these documents to the correct address.

Any transcripts received by our office that have been opened are considered unofficial. Check our blog to see what distinguishes official from unofficial transcripts.

Costs for obtaining transcripts and translations (if applicable) are the responsibility of the applicant.

Please note that all official transcripts become the property of the George Washington University once they have been submitted and will not be returned to the student or the issuing institution.

*Most 3-year degrees outside of the Bologna process are not equivalent to a US 4-year Bachelor Degree. Please note, if a US 4-year Bachelor degree equivalency is not demonstrated, students will be required to provide a course-by-course credential evaluation from a NACES or AICE member organization that certifies the coursework as meeting our 4-year Bachelor's requirement and includes overall GPA.

Examples of NACES or AICE membership organizations include:

**If academic records are in a language other than English, a certified English language translation must be provided. Translations uploaded or e-mailed by the applicant are considered unofficial. If an applicant submits an unofficial transcript for translation, that translation is considered unofficial. This includes official transcripts that have been opened by the student.

For a translation to be considered official, all of the documents you submit must be:

Official (printed and issued by your undergraduate institution);
Original (no photocopies or scans);
Translated into English, if applicable. Please submit both the original document and the translation.

Test Scores

GRE/GMAT

All graduate programs at the Elliott School are either test-blind or test-optional.

Test-blind means that the GRE/GMAT is not accepted and will not be considered in the review process. For test-blind programs, please do not submit scores.

Test-optional means that we accept GRE/GMAT scores if you choose to send them, but they are not required for admission. Scores from exams taken within the past five years can be sent directly to the university (GRE institution code: 5246; GMAT institution code: QK4-4F-40) if you would like them to be considered in your application to these programs.

If you have submitted GRE scores but do not wish for them to be considered in your application, please notify us at [email protected] within 48 hours of submitting your application requesting in writing that your GRE scores be removed from your application.

If the GRE or GMAT Test is taken more than once, the highest score from each test will be considered. Test scores may take 10-15 business days after you have submitted your application to appear in your application checklist.

Test-blind programs:

M.A. in Asian Studies
M.A. in Global Communication
M.A. in International Affairs
M.A. in International Development Studies
M.A. in International Economic Policy
M.A. in Middle East Studies
Master of International Policy and Practice (MIPP)
Master of International Studies (MIS)
Graduate Certificate in Global Gender Policy
Graduate Certificate in International Science and Technology Policy
Graduate Certificate in Nuclear Policy

Test-optional programs:

M.A. in International Science and Technology Policy
M.A. in Security Policy Studies

English Language Tests

All international and Permanent Resident applicants are required to submit official English Language Test Scores. We accept official English Language Test Scores from Duolingo, IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE only.

We do not accept any document(s) other than official Duolingo, IELTS, PTE, or TOEFL English Language Test scores as proof of English Language proficiency. The George Washington University reserves the right to request proof of English proficiency from any applicant.

Please review the English Language Requirements tab on the International Applicants page for details.

The English Language Test Requirement can only be waived under conditions outlined on the International Applicants page under the English Language Test Exemptions Tab. No other exceptions will be made.

International & Undocumented Applicants

International Applicants

International Applicants may be required to submit official English Language tests scores with their application.

We accept official English Language Test Scores from Duolingo, IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE only.

For our minimum English Language Test requirements, please review the English Language Requirements tab on the International Applicants page.

Apply to GW as an Undocumented Individual

GW English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses

Admitted applicants may be required to take one or two English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course(s) at The George Washington University. For more details, please review the English for Academic Purposes (EAP) tab on the International Applicants page.

U.S. Military & Veteran Applicants

All military and veteran applicants are required to provide a record of all professional military education completed while serving in the armed forces. The specific documentation required depends on the service branch in which you were enlisted or commissioned as an officer.

If you are an active duty member, reservist, or veteran of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, then you will need to provide your Joint Services Transcript (JST) in addition to your college transcripts at the time of application.

If you are currently or have previously been enlisted in the Air Force, then you are required to provide your Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) transcript in addition to your college transcripts at the time of application. If you have only served in the Air Force as a commissioned officer, then you may provide a copy of your Air University transcript or your DD-214 instead of a CCAF transcript.

As with other required transcripts, you may submit an unofficial transcript at the time of application, but will need to provide official transcripts if you choose to enroll.

If you are applying upon completion of an undergraduate degree at a military academy or an ROTC program, you do not need to provide a JST, CCAF transcript, Air University transcript, or DD-214.

Uploading Documents

Please follow the directions below when uploading documents to your application:

Save as PDF
Do not upload certified, encrypted, or password-protected files
Do not upload .png, .jpeg, .html files
Upload documents in their correct orientation (Rotate documents uploaded sideways or upside-down)
Include one copy of the transcript legend or grading scale for each university
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.
Select “view document” on your applications once you’ve uploaded to make sure it is legible; illegible documents are not acceptable and will delay the processing of your application; please use a high-quality scanner.
Make certain to scan all pages of the transcript, including the reverse side if necessary.
After your application has been submitted, you will not be able to upload add additional documents or edit your application directly. After submitting your application, please email any additional documents or edits to [email protected].

It is imperative that all uploaded document(s) are accurate and legible. Transcripts that are illegible will delay the application, and additional copies may be required.

Inaccurate records may result in application denial or dismissal from The George Washington University.

U.S. Foreign Policy Summer Program

Required Documents

Applicants to the U.S. Foreign Policy Summer Program (USFP) will need to fill out an online application in addition to:

submit a copy of their resume/CV (no page limit); must include dates of employment (if applicable) and date of degree conferral or expected degree conferral. Please save it as a PDF and upload it to your application.
your most recent transcripts (please note that degree conferral is not required for undergraduate applicants)
personal statement

Because applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, sessions might entirely fill up before the deadline. Students are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible.

For more detailed instructions on applying for the program, please visit the U.S. Foreign Policy Summer Program page.

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