Application Information

The Office of Graduate Admissions accepts applications for designated degree and certificate programs through a secure, electronic submission process. Please see more information below regarding the application process and requirements.

Application Requirements Checklist

Application Form

Submission of the electronic application form will activate your application to your chosen graduate program. All hard copy documents submitted in support of the application should be submitted according to the guidelines outlined in the sections below. Start your application here!

Please note that materials submitted with your application are considered final and cannot be amended once you have submitted your application. Prior to submission, changes can be made to your application. Once submitted, the application is considered final and will be reviewed as submitted. Please check your work carefully before submitting the application.

Application Statements

Academic Statement of Purpose: An Academic Statement of Purpose is required for your application. Be sure to check your academic program of interest for any specific requirements regarding the statement. If there are no specific program requirements, your statement of approximately 500 words should address your intellectual interests, academic and professional objectives, and proposed topic(s) of graduate study. Please review the academic program pages for any additional guidelines for the statement of purpose.

Optional Statement (Diversity, Personal Background, and Contributions): As Georgetown is a diverse, global community, we encourage you to upload a brief statement of up to 500 words to help the Admissions Committee understand the contribution your personal background and individual experiences would make to our community. As appropriate, you may wish to address any educational, economic, and social experiences that have helped to shape your educational and professional goals; or how your background (e.g., first generation student, travels outside the U.S.) or activities (e.g., community service and leadership) will contribute to the diversity of perspectives and ideas at Georgetown University.

Transcripts, Translations, and Evaluations

Applicants are required to upload to the application copies of official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended where more than 15 credits of coursework have been completed or where program prerequisites have been completed (any number of credits). We consider these uploaded transcripts to be “unofficial” as they are submitted by the applicant. Transcripts from both degree and non-degree coursework provide the admissions committee a more complete picture of academic preparation for graduate study. Only transcripts that have been uploaded to the application by the student are required for the application review. Applicants who receive an offer of admission will be required at that time to submit official final transcripts (transcripts that have been submitted directly to Georgetown University by the institution) for verification prior to enrolling. Do not send electronic or paper copies of your official transcripts before receiving an offer of admission.

An acceptable transcript is a copy of an official transcript produced by the institution. This includes:

We do not accept screen shots or photos, and we do not accept downloads of the “student’s view” from your institution’s website. 

Review our Transcript FAQs for additional details regarding required content, format, and submission.

Official Recommendations

Three official recommendations are required by the Office of Graduate Admissions, unless your program only mandates two. These recommendations must be from persons in positions to appraise the applicant’s potential for graduate study. Some programs have specific requirements for recommendation providers.

The Office of Graduate Admissions requires use of the online recommendation system, which utilizes a secure platform that will:

Official Test Results

Some programs require applicants to take standardized entrance examinations, such as the GRE, GRE subject tests, GMAT, MCAT or others. Please refer to academic programs for the examinations required by individual programs. All official examination results must be:

Submitting Test Scores

Official test scores should be requested and sent to the following:

English Proficiency: TOEFL/IELTS

All applicants are required to demonstrate a level of proficiency in the English language sufficient to meet the admission requirement of the Office of Graduate Admissions. Proficiency can be demonstrated by the receipt of a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or from a university where English is the primary language of instruction (please note that applicants receiving degrees at universities in U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, are required to submit the TOEFL or IELTS unless the primary language of instruction at the institution is English).

All other applicants must achieve at least a minimum score on either the TOEFL or IELTS test. Test scores must be received by the application deadline date. Applicants should allow six to eight weeks from the test date for the reporting of scores to the institution. Applications will not be considered without TOEFL/IELTS scores.

Note: Do not upload unofficial score reports to the application. Only official scores provided by the testing agency will be reviewed by the admissions committee.

Resources for International Applicants

Supplemental Application Data

Some departments and programs require the completion of supplemental data or submission of materials such as writing samples, resumes, and language proficiency forms. Review the application requirements of your program of interest to determine if supplemental questions and/or materials are required. If so, this will be included as an additional section in the application to which may be asked to provide additional information about prior coursework, upload your resume, a writing sample, etc.

Application Fee and Submission

Each application submitted requires a non-refundable fee of $90. The fee can be paid by Visa or MasterCard only.

Check Receipt of Your Materials and Application Status

When you apply online, you have convenient access to an application status portal. You can verify your address, upload missing materials and review your application checklist to verify what application items have or have not been received. The status page is available after you submit your application and is updated as materials are received. Online recommendations are automatically updated to a status of “received” when submitted by the recommender.

Please note that your online checklist is a tool for you to see what has been received.  For more detailed application requirements, please consult your individual program requirements and website.


Eligibility for Admission

Applicants for admission must meet certain program-specific and University-wide eligibility requirements set by the Joint Committee on Graduate Studies and the graduate departments and programs. Applicants are admitted, via official letter, by the appropriate school dean who oversees their program of application.

Admission Criteria

Admission to a degree program may be granted to applicants:

Special Student Status

Occasionally, an applicant not meeting the above criteria may be admitted to their school as a Special Student. Applicants may not apply for Special Student Status, but may be admitted to this status at the discretion of the department or program and school. Special Students are not admitted to a degree program and may be enrolled for no more than a single semester. They may take a maximum of six credits of graduate coursework during that semester. Consideration for admission to degree status includes meeting minimum requirements outlined in the Special Student admission letter. Special Students who desire degree status should submit a written request to the Office of Graduate Admissions before the end of the initial semester of admission. Please note that students admitted to Special Student status have limited access to resources such as financial aid and student health insurance. Please check with the appropriate offices for eligibility requirements.


Additional Policies and Resources for Applicants

Applicant Responsibility

It is the responsibility of the applicant to make certain that all admission materials are received by the designated application deadline. Neither the Office of Graduate Admissions nor the departments can assume the responsibility of informing the applicant about erroneous or missing materials.

All materials (original, copies, or electronic documents) submitted in support of an application become a part of Georgetown University application records and cannot be released to the student or a third party.

If application materials are suspected or found to be forged, falsified, or altered, the Office of Graduate Admissions reserves the right to confirm with and/or notify any and all relevant officials including, but not limited to, the individual or institution purported to have issued the document(s). Submission of forged, falsified, or altered materials will disqualify an applicant for admission.

Notice of Non-Discrimination

View Georgetown’s Notice of Non-Discrimination in education.

Students with Disabilities

The university’s Academic Resource Center is available to assist and guide students with disabilities who may need access to accommodations. Contact information:

Location: Leavey Center, Third Floor
Telephone: 202-687-8354
Email: arc@georgetown.edu

Privacy Policy

Georgetown University’s Privacy Policy describes the University’s general approach to protecting your personal information. If you have any questions, please contact GUprivacy@georgetown.edu and reference “Graduate Admissions.”

Our processing of personal information provided by EU/EEA residents may also be subject to the General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR”). When EU/EEA residents submit information to Georgetown University or use Georgetown University’s websites and/or electronic services, they consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of that information as described in the Admissions Privacy Notice- EU.