Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Graduate School offer tours or information sessions?

The Graduate School offers information sessions that end with a campus tour every other Friday.  To reserve a spot in an Information Session, click here. 

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions also offers campus tours on a more regular basis. See their website for more information: http://www.georgetown.edu/undergrad/admissions/CampusTours.htm

If you are not available to attend a scheduled information session, the Office of Graduate Admissions also holds online chat sessions.  For a schedule of chats, please click here. 

Can I pay the application fee late or request a waiver of the fee? How do I pay my application fee?

With the online application, you have the option of paying online by credit card.  Otherwise, you may mail a check or money order to our office.  Please do not send cash.  The Graduate School requires that an application fee accompany any online or paper application to one of our graduate programs.  We do not waive fees.  Applicants will not receive a Graduate School decision on their application if the application fee is not paid.

Do all the GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES departments use the same application form?

Yes, all of the Graduate School departments use the same application form.  Applying online is the preferred method of application to all departments within the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.  Ninety-five percent of our applicants apply online.  You can access the online application here.  The MBA program offers a separate application and admissions process.

A paper application is also available and can be used to apply to all departments.  You can download a copy of the application from the admissions website. 

If I use the online application, what do I do with my supplemental materials?  Do I have to send all my materials together or can they come separately?

The Graduate school recommends and prefers that you use the online application.  The online application will allow electronic submission of the majority of your supplemental materials.  This is the fastest and safest method of submitting these materials.  All supplemental materials which are not submitted through the online application must be mailed in a self-assembled packet to the Graduate School or designated office (see the address question posted below).  Official transcripts, and letters of recommendation not submitted online, can be returned to you in a sealed envelope, signed across the flap, and submitted with other application documents in a single package.  The submission of your materials in a self-assembled package will expedite the processing of your application; however, the Admissions Office will accept materials that arrive individually.

To what address should I send my application and supplementary materials?

Send your application materials to the following address:

Office of Biomedical Graduate Education
Georgetown University
Attn: Credentials – (Program Name)
3900 Reservoir Road, NW
Med-Dent NE  303
Box 571411-P
Washington, DC  20057-1411

Do all of my application materials need to be received by the deadline?

Yes.The deadline for Spring semester applicants is November 1 st and the deadline for Fall applicants is July 1 st. We emply rolling admissions process where applicants are notified of their decision as soon as their file is completed and subsequently reviewed.

What should I say in my Personal Statement?

In general, your personal statement should be approximately 500 words and should state your goals and objectives for graduate study overall, and at Georgetown University specifically.  A few programs require more specific personal statements that address questions pertinent to the program.  Review the program admission requirements for more details.

The personal statement allows you to highlight areas of your background or interests that may not be clear in other areas of your application.  Therefore, it is very important to write a clear and concise statement that expresses your interest in the program of application, and what you hope to gain from, or bring to, the program of study.  You may address special features of the program that made it the right fit for you, or you may address specific topics that you are interested in studying and what your experience has been related to these topics.  You may wish to address aspects of your personal, academic, and work related experiences that would make effective contributions to the program or would showcase your knowledge and interest in your chosen area of study.

Whom should I ask to write my recommendation letters?

Your recommendation letters should be written by an authority on your academic and/or professional experience. This can be a professor, advisor, supervisor, etc.

How do I report my GRE or TOEFL scores?  IELTS scores?

You need to request that ETS (Educational Testing Services) send your GRE or TOEFL scores to Georgetown University.  To request scores, use the Georgetown Institution code, which is 5244.  It is not necessary to specify any other departmental code. We are not able to accept copies or unofficial score reports. You may contact ETS at 1-800-473-2255 in regard to GRE scores and at 1-800-468-6335 regarding the TOEFL.  Testing service websites are www.gre.org and www.toefl.org respectively. From the time you request for your scores to be sent from ETS, it takes four to six weeks for them to be received and then processed in the admissions office.  Please plan ahead!

The IELTS is administered by Cambridge ESOL, British Council, and IDP:IELTS Australia.  Official score reports should be sent to Georgetown directly from the testing agency.  Please go to the IELTS website at www.ielts.org for more information.

Do I need transcripts from every school I've attended?

YES! You do need to request official transcripts from every institution you have attended beyond secondary school, even if you did not receive a degree from a specific institution.  This includes junior and community colleges. 

How do I know if the documents I have submitted are official?

Documents, such as letters of recommendation and transcripts, are official if they arrive at the Graduate School in a sealed envelope with either the recommender or the registrar's signature across the seal of the envelope.  If you have applied online, the electronic submission of your letters of recommendation is considered official.  

TOEFL and GRE scores are only considered official if they arrive directly from ETS.  Score reports received from the applicant are not considered official.

If you have questions about the documents you have submitted you can send an email to gradmail@georgetown.edu or call the Graduate School at (202) 687-5568 X4.

Will I be notified when the Admissions Office receives my materials?

You will receive, via email, an Application Verification letter once the Graduate School has received your application form.  The verification letter does not, however, contain information regarding supplementary materials (i.e. statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, transcripts, etc.).   If you would like to know the status of your supplementary materials, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at (202) 687-5568 X4, or send an email to gradmail@georgetown.edu and include your full name, birthdate, and department to which you have applied.  If you have applied online, you can check the status of your supplemental materials by viewing the online status checklist within the online application.

What is the process once the application has been sent to the Graduate School?

Once the Graduate Admissions Office has received your application, we match any documents that might have arrived before the application and include them in your file.  As your materials are received (either electronically or via regular mail), they are updated in our computer system.  After initial processing in the Graduate Admissions Office, the application is available for the graduate department to review.  Once the department committee has reviewed the file, they will recommend a decision on the application to the Graduate Admissions Office.  The Admissions Office will then conduct a final review of the application and make a final admissions decision.  An official decision letter will be mailed to every applicant by the Graduate School Dean.

Can I check on the status of my application while I'm waiting for a decision?

Yes.  If you have applied online, you can check the status of your supplemental materials by viewing the online status checklist within the online application.  If you have not applied online, you can send an email to gradmail@georgetown.edu.  Please include your full name, your birthdate, and the department to which you have applied.  If you do not have access to email you can call the Office of Graduate Admissions at (202) 687-5568 X4 during the work hours of 9am-5pm Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.  The Admissions Office can confirm the receipt of your application and supplementary materials, and can determine if your file is under review by the admissions committee.  The Admissions Office cannot give you specific information regarding the date of a decision, as the schedule for each departmental committee varies.  The Admissions Office also cannot release admissions decisions over the phone or by email.

When will I know the decision on my application?

The average timeline for you to receive your decision letter after your application is complete is 4-8 weeks.

Do you accept international funds for the application fee?

No.  The Office of Graduate Admissions does not accept international funds for the application fee.  If you apply online, you can pay by credit card or you can request a money order in US dollars from your bank.

If I am admitted conditionally and I am required to submit an official transcript showing conferral of my undergraduate or graduate degree, should I send my one and only copy of my diploma through the mail to the Graduate Admissions Office?

No.  Please hold on to your diploma and bring it to the Graduate Admissions Office once you arrive on the Georgetown campus.  If you have multiple copies of your official transcript or diploma, then please send one of these copies (via mail) to the Graduate Admissions Office.  The transcript must remain in the sealed envelope signed across the seal by the registrar.

How do I confirm my intent to enroll?

Please fill out and return the Enrollment Confirmation Form to the Graduate Admissions Office.  This form will arrive with your letter of admission.  If you are required to submit a deposit, please make the check or money order payable to " Georgetown University".

How do I apply for a deferral and when will I be notified of a decision?

You can download a deferral request form from our Prospective Student Forms page.  Complete the form and mail or email the form to the Graduate Admissions Office.  We will contact your department for a decision on your deferral request.  Please note that not all departments allow deferral requests.  You may wish to talk over your decision to defer admission with the department prior to completing the deferral request form.  If the department approves your deferral, you will receive follow up confirmation from the Graduate Admissions Office.  Deferral processing normally takes 4-6 weeks.

I applied a year ago and would like to do so again.  How do I re-activate my application?

To re-activate your application, send the Reactivation Form on our website to the Graduate Admissions Office.  Along with this form, you also need to submit the following items: an updated Statement of Purpose, one new Letter of Recommendation, the Graduate School application fee ($55) and any items missing from your previous application (e.g. GRE scores, writing sample).

I applied more than a year ago and would like to do so again. How do I reapply?

If it has been more than one year since you last applied, you will need to follow the guidelines for the normal application process.

How can I receive "print" materials, such as an Overview Booklet and Application Packet?

The most up-to-date and complete information about graduate studies at Georgetown University can be found online, and we strongly encourage prospective applicants to utilize our online resources as much as possible. For links to online resources, please click here.

If you prefer to receive a printed copy of our Graduate Admissions bulletin, and wish to join our electronic mailing list to receive periodic email updates regarding application information, please click here.