International Eligibility & Visa Requirements for College Intensive

All programs are open to international students; however, GW only provides F-1 visa sponsorship for students applying to College Intensive 3 and 6-week sessions. Full-time study of two courses (minimum 6 credits) is required.

Students interested in other Pre-College programs often attend while in the United States on other visitor visas.

Eligibility Requirements for 6-Week Sessions

International students who are currently the equivalent of grade 10 or 11 in the U.S. may apply to our College Intensive 6-week session. Students should be academically qualified to manage the challenges of university-level work.

English Language Requirements

Students should be academically qualified to manage the challenges of university-level work and must demonstrate proof of English language proficiency by meeting the minimum required scores for one of the tests if English is a second language:

Internet-based TOEFL: 80

Paper-based TOEFL: 550

IELTS: Overall band score of 6.0 and no individual band score below 5.0

Students with TOEFL scores between 550 and 600 (or other equivalents) are required to take one English for Academic Purposes course. Students attending schools where the primary language of instruction is English are not required to submit TOEFL. We ask that students submit an unofficial copy of test scores with your application.

Visa Requirements for 6-Week Sessions

The College Intensive 6-week sessions are open to international students who require visa sponsorship for short-term study in the U.S. If you do not require visa sponsorship, contact us to find out more about program options.

F-1 Student Visa

Full-time enrollment, which is defined as registration for a minimum of 6 credits, is required of international students requesting an F-1 visa for the College Intensive 6-week sessions.

For Students Requiring Sponsorship

Students who are receiving GW sponsorship for the F-1 student visa must document that they have sufficient funds to support their studies in order to receive an I-20 form for submission with their visa application to the US Consulate. Please submit the Visa Application and Financial Certificate (PDF) with supporting documents as part of your application.

*Note: If you enroll in the 6-Week College Intensive session and plan to take 6 credits (or two courses), please submit this 6 credit Visa Application and Financial Certificate (PDF).

Please note: GW-sponsored students must pay a non-refundable I-20 express mailing fee upon admission and will receive further details on the mailing process, managed through UEMS/eShipGlobal. They are also automatically enrolled and billed for GW's 6-week summer health insurance plan.

For Students with Sponsorship by Other Universities

Students who are enrolled in another school program on an F-1 Student Visa in spring semester, and who will continue studying at that same school in fall semester, are eligible to study at GW on their current visa. Students in this situation may be eligible to study full time or part time and will need to talk in advance with their current F-1 sponsor.

Current F-1 students whose I-20s will expire or whose school programs will end before enrolling in the Pre-College Program must obtain an I-20 from GW for their summer study.

Other Visas

If you are currently in the US on a visa other than the F-1 visa (J-2, H-1, H-4, etc.), you may be eligible to participate in the Pre-College Program, depending on your immigration status.

If you have any questions about your immigration status, please contact us; we're happy to help.

Eligibility Requirements for 3-Week Session

Students currently enrolled in the equivalent of grade 10 or 11 may apply to our College Intensive 3-week session. Students for whom English is a second language must have demonstrated proof of English language proficiency through unofficial test scores. The College Intensive sessions require proof of minimum 550 TOEFL or equivalent.

Visa Requirements for 3-Week Session

The College Intensive 3-week sessions are open to international students who require visa sponsorship for short-term study in the U.S. If you do not require visa sponsorship, contact us to find out more about program options.