Study Abroad
Georgetown is a recognized leader in study abroad participation and programming. The following are academic policies and regulations related to global education at Georgetown. Please refer to the Global Education bulletin page for information about study abroad, including the Office of Global Education staff, financial notes, and program highlights.
- Program Application
- Course Approval
- Registration and Enrollment Status
- Credits, Grades, and Residency
1. Program Application
Students wishing to participate in a study abroad program as part of their Georgetown undergraduate degree program should consult the Office of Global Education (OGE) to meet with an advisor and begin the application process.
General requirements for admission include: good academic and disciplinary standing, approval of the Dean’s Office, and overall suitability for the program, including sufficient language preparation (if applicable). In the case of programs in which the language of instruction is not English, students must demonstrate they have the required language level prior to the application deadline. Students are responsible for following all of the policies, guidelines, and protocols set forth by the Office of Global Education.
Applicants are expected to be in good standing at Georgetown University or their home university. To remain in good standing, a student must maintain a strong, consistent academic record, meet the academic standards set forth by the University, and exhibit a history of good citizenship and student conduct. Students are not eligible to participate in an overseas studies program while on active academic, housing, or disciplinary probation.
Students interested in applying to semester or full year programs that are not sponsored by Georgetown University must submit an Independent Petition application to the Office of Global Education by OGE’s application deadline, and are also responsible for applying directly to the program sponsor.
2. Course Approval
As part of the Office of Global Education’s application process, students must design a study proposal to be signed by appropriate advisors before the application deadline. Depending upon a student’s GU school and the term of study, the initial course approval may be completed by the student’s major/minor department(s). In all cases, students must seek course approval from their curricular dean.
If students need or want to change their course selection upon arrival, they must obtain approval for the requested change(s) from their curricular dean and the Office of Global Education.
3. Registration and Enrollment Status
Students who are approved through OGE’s selection process, either for a Georgetown-sponsored program or for a program approved through the Independent Petition process, are eligible to receive credit for work completed abroad. Students will be administratively registered for the appropriate overseas program and, in some cases, for the individual courses, as determined by OGE.
All approved study abroad participants will be enrolled in the GU Education Abroad Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan. Participants are required to register for sufficient credits abroad and will be eligible to apply for both Georgetown and federal financial aid.
Students who are not approved through the Independent Petition process but choose to attend such programs must take a leave of absence. Coursework completed while on a leave of absence is not eligible for transfer credit.
4. Credits, Grades, and Residency
Georgetown will award credit toward the undergraduate degree for all previously approved courses, provided students earn a grade equivalent to at least a C, and provided students present acceptable documentation from the host university or program sponsor. A maximum of 17 credits per semester (12 credits per summer session) may be applied to the Georgetown degree from overseas programs.
If students complete a course of study that is considered to be a full course load for local students at the host university, full credit will be awarded for the overseas program. Credits may be applied toward core requirements, the major or concentration, the minor, or electives, at the discretion of the appropriate Georgetown academic officers.
All grades (including grades for courses for which no credit is granted by Georgetown) will be recorded on the Georgetown academic transcript as reported to Georgetown by the overseas program.
Students should consult the Office of Global Education’s website for a list of GU-approved summer programs. In the case of students studying on unapproved programs during the summer, students’ applications are not evaluated by OGE. However, students requesting credit for unapproved programs during the summer must follow the Georgetown International Travel Policy. In addition, students must obtain a transcript from an accredited degree-granting institution in order to request transfer credit for summer coursework taken overseas.
Coursework taken at Georgetown’s Villa le Balze, GU-Qatar, or Georgetown-faculty led programs earn grades directly from Georgetown, and these grades are computed in the cumulative Quality Point Index (QPI). On other affiliated programs, grades earned overseas are listed on the transcript but are not computed in the cumulative QPI.
Coursework completed during a semester study abroad program will not count toward fulfilling the academic residency requirement unless completed at Georgetown’s Villa Le Balze or GU-Qatar. These programs count toward academic residency requirements.