Columbian College of Arts & Sciences
Travel to Israel, West Bank, Gaza
Due to the current conflict affecting Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, GW affiliated or supported travel to these areas will require a High Risk Travel Proposal. The High Risk Travel Proposal process is linked below. This requirement for review / approval will be in place through 10/31/23 at a minimum. This applies to Undergraduate, Graduate, Faculty and Staff travelers.
Last update: 10/9/23
Updated March 30, 2023.
Faculty may consider making an elective course into a faculty-led short-term abroad course. The travel component of these courses usually take place during spring break or the course is run during the summer terms.
Proposals that include travel outside of Thanksgiving break, spring break and summer will rarely be approved as they conflict with student's other academic obligations. A proposal for short-term study abroad for a different time period will be reviewed by CCAS Global on an exceptional basis and the approval can only be granted after CCAS Global consults with CCAS Undergraduate Dean and the CCAS
Undergraduate Committee as needed. Proposals requesting exceptional approval for a travel period when other classes are running must address the uniqueness of the timing with a comprehensive explanation of why the course cannot be shifted to the spring, Thanksgiving or summer break. In instances where courses receive exceptional approval, they must operate on an early admissions schedule. Students admitted to the course will be required to submit a "planned absence" form where the approval signatures from the instructors of all other courses taken during the same semester as the STAP course are shown. Without the approval of other instructors, the student may not participate in
the short-term study abroad.
Students taking this type of STAP course are responsible for completing the missed academic work and cannot expect special accommodations from other course instructors. Students should understand that instructors may not grant approval if the timing of the STAP travel causes disruption to critical learning due to the nature of the respective in-person course.
Updated February 03, 2022
We are pleased to welcome back guests and visitors to our campuses this spring! This semester, we will require all guests and visitors aged 5 and older to our campuses to be up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccines, (i.e. fully vaccinated and boosted, if eligible). To help streamline the verification process, GW has partnered with CLEAR Health Pass to provide an easy and secure way to demonstrate proof of vaccination. The CLEAR Health Pass, which is used nationally in airports and other major event venues, will be available for campus visitors beginning February 3, 2022.
We encourage visitors to all GW facilities, including the University Student Center and the Charles E. Smith Center, to enroll and complete the CLEAR Health Pass prior to their arrival on campus. Instructions on how to enroll are available online.
Using the CLEAR Health Pass is not required. Individuals who do not register through the CLEAR Health Pass will need to be prepared to show a copy of their Centers for Disease Control (CDC) vaccination card and a government-issued photo ID (for those 18 and up) during their visit.
Limited exemptions will be permitted for those who are medically exempt or unable to take the vaccine out of a sincerely held religious belief. These guests should be prepared to provide their event sponsor with the following:
Please note that this guidance for visitors also applies to GW events that are held off-campus. There are no visitor requirements for guests under 5 years of age.
If visitors are unvaccinated, they will need to arrange testing on their own before visiting campus. Visitors are not eligible for COVID-19 testing at GW’s test centers.
If a visitor is unable to present their CLEAR Health Pass or CDC vaccination card OR proof of a negative COVID-19 test within the last 24 hours, they are not permitted to access university facilities. Guests who are visiting spaces open to the public, such as dining areas, will not be subject to these procedures. GW’s residence halls continue to operate with a limited outside guest policy. Outside guests are not permitted in GW’s residence halls.
As a reminder, the District of Columbia requires that all individuals age 12 and up show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter certain indoor venues, including restaurants and entertainment establishments.
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