Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies

Admissions

For International Students

Welcome
We are proud of our robust international student population which includes students from over 40 countries around the globe, including matriculated students from the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Canada, Germany, South Korea, Brazil, and Nigeria among others.  On this page, you will find important information about three requirements related to international students:  English Language Proficiency, International Transcripts, and Georgetown's International Student Immigration Questionnaire.  If you have any questions about these or other requirements, please contact our Admissions Office for guidance. 

English Language Proficiency Exams
In order to succeed academically at Georgetown, students must be able to excel in courses that are reading-and-writing instensive and which require superlative command of written and spoken English.  Therefore, all applicants are required to demonstrate a high level of English language proficiency to meet the admission requirements of our programs. If English is not your native language, evidence of proficiency in its use will be decisive in the review for admission.  English can only be considered your native language if it is the only official language of your home country and the primary language spoken in your home. 

The School of Continuing Studies requires any applicant whose native language is not English, or who is an international student, to submit scores from either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). These scores are required of applicants regardless of whether they have attended another U.S. institution or participated in an English Language Testing System program.

Test of English as a Foreign Language is administered by the Educational Testing Service. The School's policy is to admit only students who have a minimum score of 600 (paper-based test), 250 (computer-based test) or 100 (iBT).  These minimum criteria cannot be waived. 

International English Language Testing System is jointly managed by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. The minimum score is 7.5.  The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies (BALS) program does not permit the IELTS in its reviews. 

These tests should be taken in time to allow the official results to be sent to the Office of Admissions by the appropriate application deadline. They must be sent directly from the testing agency. Photocopies, personal copies, notarized copies or faxed documents may not be used to fulfill this requirement.

Test of English as a Foreign Language
The Educational Testing Service
P.O. Box 6155
Princeton, NJ 08541-6155
Telephone: (609) 771-7100
www.ets.org/toefl/
School of Continuing Studies Institution Code: 5986

International English Language Testing System International
100 East Corson St., Suite 200
Pasadena, CA 91103
Telephone: (626) 564-2054
ielts@ieltsintl.org

Transcripts from International Schools
All transcripts from schools outside of the United Statues must be evaluated officially and sent from World Education Services or Educational Credential Evaluators. Foreign transcripts without this evaluation will not be reviewed or accepted.  This process can take a fair amount of time to complete; therefore, we encourage all international students to begin this process well in advance of the application deadline to ensure timely receipt and review by the Admissions Office. 

The International Student Immigration Questionnaire and Visa Support
The Office of International Programs works closely with non-U.S. citizen students to ensure the proper completion of all immigration paperwork. All incoming students who are not U.S. citizens are required to complete the International Student Immigration Questionnaire regardless of whether or not they need visa support through the University. This document provides the Office with important information and helps determine whether visa support can be obtained through Georgetown. This completed form and all supporting documentation should be submitted to the Office of International Programs before any non-U.S. citizen begins his or her studies at Georgetown.

Please note that admission into an academic program does not guarantee conferral of a visa through the Office of International Programs, and only full-time students formally admitted to degree programs in the School of Continuing Studies are eligible for visa consideration. Full-time status for graduate students is defined as 9 credit hours in fall/spring semesters and 6 credit hours in summer. At this time, the Office does not provide visa support to undergraduate Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies (BALS) or Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) students.

Semester in Washington Applicants
The Semester in Washington program is a non-degree, undergraduate program at Georgetown University that is offered during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.  Students applying to this program typically secure advance permission from their home institution with the goal of earning credit that can be considered for transfer back to that college or university.  International applicants who are currently enrolled in degree programs at English-speaking institutions are therefore not required to present TOEFL/IELTS scores for this specific program.  However, students should keep in mind that strong English-language skills are needed to succeed in this program.  Non-native English speakers applying from foreign institutions must meet the school-wide TOEFL or IELTS criteria described above under "English Language Proficiency Exams."  As with all other programs, Semester in Washington applicants must complete the International Student Immigration Questionnaire regardless of whether or not they need visa support through the University.  Students in need of visa support through the Office of International Programs must be enrolled full-time (12 credits in the spring semester; 6 credits in the summer) for consideration. 

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