Want to take your academic experience beyond GW campus? Short-Term Abroad Programs are a great way to take your education to the next level with hands-on abroad experiential learning, and the Office of Global Initiatives is here to help!
Financial Aid
CCAS Office of Global Initiatives offers need-based financial aid for students enrolled in Short-Term Abroad Programs. Any students applying for a CCAS STAP and is eligible for Financial Aid is eligible to apply. This tuition award is meant to supplement travel expenses and not intended to cover the full program cost. It is also contingent upon the student's participation in the STAP.
There are also external scholarships students are encouraged to apply for if they are eligible for. The Office of Study Abroad also offers tips and resources on budgeting for abroad.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Accepted into a CCAS STAP course.
- Be a current student in good academic integrity standing
- Have submitted a FAFSA form for the current academic year.
Please note: Students may apply for multiple sources of financial aid.
How to Apply
- Apply to participate in a CCAS STAP course via GW Passport.
This is mandatory. Payment is not required at the time of course registration. Program acceptance decisions will be sent in time for students to drop the courses with no financial or academic penalty if they do not receive a scholarship or if they turn it down. If accepted, this award will show up as a credit on the student ebill. - Apply for CCAS STAP Financial Aid.
Other Financial Aid
| Gilman Scholarship Are you a Pell Grant Recipient interested in studying abroad? Don't miss out on your opportunity to be awarded up to $5,000 (or $8,000 if studying a critical language). Learn more about the scholarship and how to set yourself up for your best chance at success with the support of OSA - they have a dedicated Gilman advisor, Gilman peer advisor (SACA), and Gilman events. Apply for Gilman | Meet the Gilman Advisor | Check out Gilman Events |
| Fund for Education Abroad Scholarship Planning to go abroad in the upcoming Spring semester? Fund for Education Abroad is a great opportunity to help you fund the experience for Spring 2024. One application puts you in the running for several scholarships! The deadline is upcoming on September 20 so don't delay! Apply for Fund for Ed Abroad |
Other Policies
Once accepted into a short-term study abroad program, students must decide by the Commitment Deadline whether to commit or decline acceptance to the program. Those who wish to commit to the program must submit a $500 Program Deposit and click “Commit” in their application.
If a student has not clicked “Commit” and paid the Program Deposit by the Commitment Deadline, CCAS will assume that the student no longer wishes to participate and will forfeit the seat in the program. In that case, the student will be withdrawn from the program.
Withdrawal and Refund Policy
Students who complete the commitment steps and decide to withdraw after the Commitment Deadline must contact CCAS in writing by emailing ccasglobal@gwu.edu. Students who withdraw will be subject to the following withdrawal and refund policy:
- Withdrawal prior to Commitment Deadline: Nothing is owed—student receives full refund, including his or her $500 Program Deposit if previously paid.
- Withdrawal 30 days or more prior to program start date: Student forfeits the $500 non-refundable Program Deposit and remains responsible for paying the unrecoverable program costs (“Unrecoverable costs”).
- Withdrawal 29 days or less prior to program start date: Student forfeits the $500 non-refundable Program Deposit and remains responsible for paying the full cost of the program (“Program Fee”).
- Withdrawal after CCAS enters contract with third party travel provider: In the event that the STAP travel is facilitated by a third party travel provider, CCAS often enters into a contract with the vendor 60 days or more prior to the program start date. If the withdrawal occurs after the deadline specified in the contract, the student forfeits the $500 non-refundable Program Deposit and remains responsible for paying the full cost of the program (“Program Fee”).
*The Withdrawal & Refund Policy relates only to expenses billed to students by the university for participation in the study away program. The university does not in any instance reimburse for non-billable/out-of-pocket expenses.
Registration Policy
Students who have completed their STAP application in GW Passport and paid their deposit by the Commitment Deadline will be registered by the Office of Global Initiatives to their STAP course when registration opens for that semester.
Non-Degree Student Application
Students must submit an application to apply for non-degree status at GW. You will first be prompted to create a username, confirm your email address, then create a password. References, standardized test scores and transcripts are not required for non-degree applicants for general study. A non-refundable application fee of $25, payable by check or credit card, is required. If you choose to pay by check you will not be processed for enrollment until the check arrives. This fee is waived for:
- GW alumni (those holding a GW degree or graduate certificate)
- Current GW faculty and staff
- U.S. military personnel who have been on active duty within three years of submitting their application for admission
Please refer to the Non-Degree Student Office for important dates and deadlines, as well as application assistance.
Peer-to-Peer Lodging Policy
Please note that students traveling on GW business that is funded or reimbursed by the University are prohibited from using peer-to-peer lodging services. If the use of peer-to-peer lodging is deemed necessary for the completion of the student’s University mission, students must obtain prior written approval from their student advisor’s office using this Petition form. The student advisor will consult with the Risk Management office to assess the request in advance of travel. Once all the above is completed, students need to submitted the filled out petition form to ccasglobal@gwu.edu.
Definition of Terms
- Commitment to Program: Students commit to a program by paying the program deposit and clicking "Commit" on their program application in GW Passport after they are accepted. Committing to a program indicates that the student is responsible for adhering to the refund schedule listed above.
- Commitment Deadline: The date by which students must complete the Commitment to Program steps of paying the program deposit and clicking “Commit” on their program application in GW Passport. The program-specific Commitment Deadline is listed on the program brochure page in GW Passport and in the program acceptance email.
- Program Deposit: The program deposit will appear in the student’s account as “Short Term Abroad Prog. Dep.”. When the student pays this deposit, it will appear as a credit on his/her student account.
- Program Fee: The Program Fee is used to pay for on-the-ground logistics, such as lodging, group meals, group transportation, cultural excursions and travel health insurance. Program fees will vary due to price parity, program logistics, and program length. Services included in a program fee for one program may not be included in another. The program fee will appear in the student’s account as a “LABS” fee titled “Short-Term Abroad Prog Travel”.
- Program Start Date: The day the program begins off-site.
- Non-billable Costs/Out of Pocket Costs: These costs are paid directly by the student to a vendor, and may include such items as passport and visa fees, vaccinations, and airfare. These expenses are the student’s responsibility and will not be reimbursed by GW. Students are advised to purchase refundable airline tickets and/or trip cancellation insurance covering all travel expenses not billed through the university; participating students accept the risk associated with these items.
- Unrecoverable Costs: Unrecoverable costs are those non-refundable expenses that have been incurred by GW on behalf of the student to secure services (e.g., lodging, tours, meals) in a study abroad program. These costs vary across programs. They may include items such as lodging, group transportation, and group meals. Students are provided with an estimate of program costs, also called “non-billable” expenses or costs, on each program’s webpage. When students withdraw late (see table of withdrawal deadlines), the charges for any unrecoverable costs incurred will be communicated via email within a week of the student’s withdrawal.
Consular issues: Students must acquire the proper immigration documents to enter the destination country and/or secure transit visas and are advised to do so well ahead of departure dates. The Office for Study Abroad may provide visa support letters if necessary, but will not complete visa applications or collect visas on behalf of students. If a student’s visa application to travel to the program location is denied by the embassy or consulate in question, the student is responsible for program costs according to the refund schedule outlined above.
