Undergraduate Admissions
Georgetown University admits qualified students of any age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, color, disability status, religion, citizenship, immigration status, and national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, disability status, color, religion, citizenship, immigration status, or national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.
- High School Preparation
- Standardized Tests
- Application Procedure
- Early Action
- Campus Visits
- Interviews
- Deferred Enrollment
- Transfer Students
- Transfer Undergraduate School within the University
- International Students
- Visiting Student Program
- Immunization Requirements
1. High School Preparation
While the Committee on Admissions is most interested in the quality of a student’s work, general promise, and seriousness of purpose, it is recommended that secondary school preparation include four years of English, a minimum of two years of social studies, modern language, and mathematics and one year of natural science. Students who plan a concentration in mathematics or science should include four years of mathematics and at least three years of science. Candidates for the majors in the School of Nursing and the School of Health should include at least three years of mathematics and must include one year each of biology and chemistry. Students interested in the McDonough School of Business should complete a minimum of three years of mathematics, through advanced algebra and trigonometry, as calculus is required of all students in the program. Two years of natural science are recommended. Students interested in the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics or the Walsh School of Foreign Service are recommended to have a background in a modern foreign language or Latin.
2. Standardized Tests
All applicants are required to take the SAT or the ACT. Both tests are acceptable, and on neither test will a Writing component be utilized in admissions decisions. All tests should be taken by January of the senior year in order to allow time for the results to reach Georgetown by early February. We continue to recommend that students who have A.P. (Advanced Placement) scores submit them to supplement their admissions file.
The University requires that all scores from standardized tests be submitted directly from the testing agency; please indicate Georgetown’s code number when requesting score reports (SAT code 5244; ACT code 0668).
It is important to note that, while objective test results provide important information about candidates, the Committee on Admissions is far more concerned with school record, academic program, and rank in class than with test scores. There are no cut-off scores.
3. Application Procedure
All first-year student applications are due in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by November 1 for Early Action and January 10 for Regular Decision. These applications should contain the results of three and one half years of high school work. A complete application should include:
- Georgetown Application for First-Year Admission
- Georgetown Application Supplement
- Secondary School Report (including transcript and counselor recommendation)
- Teacher Recommendation
- Nonrefundable Application Fee
- Results of the SAT examination or the ACT sent directly from the testing service
- No application will be considered until all of the above credentials have been received. A notice of missing credentials will be sent via e-mail, but students should make every effort to ensure credentials are submitted on time.
- Students seeking financial assistance should submit a copy of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS PROFILE (administered by the College Board). Financial need is considered separately from the application for admission.
4. Early Action
The Early Action program is designed to enable superior students to learn of their admission early in their senior year. Students offered admission at Early Action are those whom the Admissions Committee members feel confident would be admitted at Regular Decision. Georgetown’s Early Action program is grounded in the belief that students should be free to choose among colleges until the Candidates Reply Date, May 1. Accordingly, accepted students will have the same reply date (May 1) as all candidates.
In keeping with this principle, students applying under the Early Action program may not apply at the same time to binding Early Decision programs since they would not be free to choose Georgetown if admitted. Students are welcome to apply to other Early Action programs or other Regular Decision programs while at the same time applying to Georgetown’s Early Action program. No candidates are denied admission during the Early Action review. Candidates not accepted under the Early Action program are deferred to the regular review. Deferred Early Action candidates are given the same full and fair consideration as Regular Decision candidates.
Applicants for Early Action must indicate their interest in being considered for this program in the space provided on the application form. The admissions application and all credentials for Early Action must be received at Georgetown by November 1. Please note that the Early Action review is based on information from first, sophomore, and junior years, so it is not necessary to rush SAT Subject Test results to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Fall scores will be added to an applicant’s file if the student is deferred to the Regular Decision review. Early Action decisions will be announced December 15.
5. Campus Visits
Students interested in Georgetown are encouraged to visit the University. A campus visit will provide prospective students with a clearer understanding of Georgetown’s educational programs, environment, and social setting.
Information sessions, conducted by members of the Admissions staff, offer prospective students and their parents an opportunity to learn more about the academic programs and student life at Georgetown, as well as the admissions process and procedures. Information sessions and tours are held on weekdays and Saturday mornings throughout the year on a variable schedule. Please contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at (202) 687-3600.
6. Interviews
Another important part of the selection process at Georgetown is an interview with a member of an Alumni Admissions Program committee which are located in all fifty states and in many foreign countries. As applications are received by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, each student who lives or attends boarding school within a committee’s jurisdiction is provided with the name of an alumni interviewer and asked to make arrangements for an interview. This interview provides candidates an opportunity to highlight particular aspects of their background and achievements which they would like to call to the attention of the Admissions Committee, as well as to learn more about the University from the point of view of the local alumnus.
7. Deferred Enrollment
Georgetown has a policy of allowing admitted first-year students to defer their enrollment until the following year. Further details can be obtained from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Transfer students may not defer admission.
8. Transfer Students
Georgetown welcomes transfer applications to its undergraduate programs. Transfer applicants should have completed one full-time semester of at least twelve transferable credits, or the equivalent, on the college level; otherwise they should follow the first-year student application procedure. Students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree at another college or university are not eligible for admission to Georgetown’s undergraduate degree programs. Students who have an undergraduate degree are welcome, however, to apply to take courses at the undergraduate level as a special non-degree student either through the School of Continuing Studies or one of the five undergraduate schools according to the relevant policies of the school.
Transfer students admitted for the fall term, may begin studies during the summer term if they wish. Credit toward Georgetown degrees may be given for work done at other accredited institutions subject to the following limitations:
- Credit for required courses will be given if the course is similar to the one required at Georgetown.
- Credit for electives will be given if the course is similar to courses offered at Georgetown. Credit for courses not offered at Georgetown will be considered on an individual basis.
- Grades earned must be at least one level above minimum passing level, e.g., C. Passing grades on a Pass/Fail system are acceptable if defined as C or better.
- The maximum number of transferable credits is one-half of the total required for the degree. Students must spend a minimum of four full semesters in residence at Georgetown to earn a degree. Summer sessions will not count toward fulfilling the residency requirement. Work completed on semester study abroad will not count toward fulfilling the academic residency requirement unless completed at one of Georgetown’s Global Living and Learning Communities or at SFS-Qatar. These programs count toward academic residency requirements.
An evaluation of courses accepted for transfer will be sent with or shortly after the notification of acceptance. The following materials should be submitted no later than March 1:
- Georgetown Transfer Application
- Georgetown Transfer Application Supplement
- Nonrefundable Application Fee
- Secondary School Report, to include high school transcript
- SAT/ACT results (Waived only for applicants who graduated from high school five or more years prior to intended matriculation at Georgetown)
- Official college transcripts from current institution and any previously attended institution(s)
- A list of the courses planned for the term(s) not included in the current transcript
- Dean’s Report from current college/university
- Professor’s Report from a professor preferably in major area of study
- Students seeking financial assistance should submit a copy of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS PROFILE (administered by the College Board). Financial need is considered separately from the application for admission.
Applications will be reviewed as soon as possible after these materials have been received and admissions decisions will be sent June 1. In some cases it will be necessary to wait for the final transcript before a decision can be reached. Students who are offered admission by June 1 will be expected to confirm their enrollment by June 15.
9. Transferring Undergraduate School within the University
Since the five undergraduate schools are distinct colleges under the jurisdiction of separate deans, a student wishing to transfer within the University must make an application in writing to the school to which he or she wishes to transfer. Each undergraduate school establishes its own admission standards for students. Students considering a change in program should consult with their undergraduate advising deans to learn about deadlines and procedures. Students who switch programs should expect to complete all of the degree requirements of the undergraduate school to which they transfer.
10. International Students
Georgetown welcomes applications for admission from well-qualified international students. Deadline dates are the same as those established for students applying from within the United States. Please note that the application fee must be in U.S. dollars.
Along with final application forms, students should submit complete, translated, and official transcripts of all secondary and, when applicable, university credentials along with subjective evaluations from teachers and tutors when obtainable. Similarly, students applying from countries offering Matriculation Examinations must submit results of such examinations as soon as results are available. These credentials will be considered for admission as well as for placement at the proper level when the application file is complete.
All candidates studying in non-U.S. educational systems whose native language is not English are required to demonstrate a level of competence that would indicate their ability for successful study in English. It is recommended that such students submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), including the Test of Written English (TWE), given at test centers throughout the world. International applicants are required to take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing Program (ACT) examination. These tests are available in virtually every foreign country, and should be taken prior to January 1 to allow the results to be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in time for review. Complete information for International Students is available from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
11. Visiting Student Program
Due to limitations of space, Georgetown is only able to offer admission to a limited number of students via our Visiting (non-degree) Student Program. Applications must be approved by the dean of the school in which the student wishes to study. Admission for the Visiting Student Program is for one semester.
Application forms may be obtained from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website. Completed applications (including transcripts and application fee) must be submitted by November 15 for admission in January, and by July 15 for admission in September. No applications will be accepted after these dates. Final decisions will be made by August 10 for the fall semester and by December 20 for the spring semester.
Students who are earning degrees at schools other than Georgetown and who wish to attend Georgetown as Visiting Students must include with their application materials a letter from the current dean approving the courses to be taken at Georgetown. Such students are expected to attend full time in the school to which they are applying at Georgetown.
Approval for Visiting Student status does not mean automatic acceptance into the courses requested and approved. Enrollment in specific courses is determined on a space-available basis only. Visiting Students are ineligible for financial aid; campus housing may be available but is not guaranteed.
12. Immunization Requirements
Mandatory immunizations and health screenings are based on District of Columbia Law as well as guidance from the CDC and the American College Health Association. Requirements vary based on a student’s age, history, and course of study. Student specific requirements can be found within their account in the GU Immunization and Health Information Database Portal. Students must submit all required information and documentation electronically through this portal upon matriculation. Required immunization and testing information must be entered into the Georgetown immunization database portal, along with accompanying verification signed by a health care provider. The deadline for incoming fall semester students to enter this information is September 1 (December 15 for students entering in the spring semester). Failure to meet this deadline may result in a penalty fee and prevent students from registering for classes. If, after reviewing the immunization requirements, you or your health care provider have questions, please contact the Georgetown Student Health center through a secure message in the immunization database portal or by calling the Student Health Center immunization line at 202-687-3100.