The George Washington University

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Costs, Housing and Funding

Tuition and Fees   Housing and Living Expenses   Funding Your Graduate Education

Tuition and fees at The George Washington University are comparable to the national average for U.S. private universities. These costs, set by the GW Board of Trustees, generally increase from year to year and may vary by program and location.    

2012-2013 Tuition and Fees Foggy Bottom and Mount Vernon campuses

2012-2013 Tuition and Fees Off-campus, Online, and Virginia Science and Technology Campus

Housing and Living Expenses

Housing on the Foggy Bottom campus is available at GW, but in a limited capacity.  Most graduate students live off-campus.  GradLife provides a searchable database of available off-campus housing to help you find a place to suit your style.  They also have message boards to help you find a roommate or furniture.

Although actual living expenses vary considerably, depending on students' housing and lifestyle preferences, the following is an estimate of the minimum costs for graduate students in the Washington metropolitan area (excluding tuition and fees):

$19,980.00 housing, meals, transportation, and personal expenses (full year)
$500.00 books and supplies (academic year)
$2,200 health insurance (estimate for full year)

Funding Your Graduate Education

Fellowships and Assistantships   Loan Assistance   Employment Opportunities

Graduate students can fund their education in various ways and often utilize multiple resources. Brief descriptions of the general types of funding available are described below. For more detailed information, please visit the following Web sites:

The Graduate Section of our Costs and Financial Planning Web site describes types of funding and assistance, including department based support.

The Office of Student Financial Assistance offers loans for admitted students.

GW Career Center has information about Federal Work-Study, part-time jobs, internships and cooperative education.

Fellowships and Assistantships

Most merit-based assistance (graduate teaching assistantships, research assistantships and fellowships) is awarded through the schools or programs. Applicants who would like to be considered for assistantships and fellowships should consult the appropriate program’s Web site for further information. If you are applying for a fellowship/assistantship, answer “yes” to this question on the online application for graduate admission and, if required by your school or program, submit a separate fellowship/assistantship application and other materials that may be required.

PLEASE NOTE that the application for fellowships and assistantships is Jan 15 for the fall semester and Sept 1 for the spring semester. All admission materials are due by this deadline, even if this is earlier than the stated deadline for your program of interest. Applications received after the deadline will be considered for these awards only if funds remain available.

Loan Assistance

The Office of Student Financial Assistance (OFSA) oversees the processing of all loans for students who have been admitted to a GW graduate degree or approved graduate certificate program. Federal loan programs require U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status and at least half-time attendance.

Credit-based consumer loans are available to supplement other sources of aid, and OSFA can provide school certification for any alternative program you choose. You should compare rates, fees and repayment options when choosing among the programs available.

Instructions for applying for these different types of loans are provided online. To have a loan processed before classes begin, all application materials must be on file in the Office of Student Financial Assistance by:

Fall Semester May 1
Spring Semester October 1
Summer Semester March 1

Employment Opportunities

Many graduate students obtain employment to help fund their studies, often using the following resources:

• Information on full-time, part-time, internship, cooperative education, temporary and summer positions are available on GW Career Center's Web site.
• The  Jobs at GW Web site, maintained by the Division of Human Resource Services, provides information about full-time and regular part-time positions. After a three-month waiting period, new GW employees, as well as the spouses and children of full-time employees, may receive educational benefits. (Note: Graduate students employed full- or part-time on a research grant may use their tuition benefits immediately if they begin their employment before the first day of classes.
• Student & Academic Support Services lists available positions on their Opportunities for Graduate Students Web site.
• The Federal Work-Study Program, available to U.S. citizens, provides jobs for graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses.

International students with F-1 or J-1 visa status may be able to supplement their classroom experiences and personal funds through employment, co-operative education or internships, but proper employment authorization must be obtained BEFORE beginning work.For more information, contact the International Services Office.