Mandatory Orientation and Pre-Arrival Newsletters

Mandatory Orientation and Arrival Dates

All newly admitted international students are required to attend several orientation sessions. Please see below for the specific requirements of your program.

During orientation sessions, the Office of Global & Experiential Education provides important information that will help international students adjust to campus life and access the many resources available to members of the GW community.

International students enrolled in a Specialized Master’s degree program must also attend the International Student Orientation hosted by the International Services Office (ISO) and any orientation session organized by their individual program.

Orientation Schedules

Orientation Schedule | Incoming Global MBA Students

Orientation Schedule | Incoming Global MBA (GMBA) Students

Global MBA (GMBA) International Runway and GMBA Runway are both mandatory parts of the GMBA program for F-1 and J-1 international students.

The 2025 GMBA International Student Runway will take place from July 28 - August 1, 2025. Students should plan to attend sessions from at least 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. each day. Agendas and additional information will follow in the coming weeks. For questions about the GMBA International Student Runway, please contact Global & Experiential Education at [email protected].

The GMBA Runway will begin on August 4, 2025 and continue throughout the month of August. A detailed schedule will follow in the coming weeks. For questions about the GMBA Runway, please contact the GMBA Program Team.

Orientation Schedule | Incoming Accelerated MBA, Specialized Master’s, and Doctoral Students

Orientation Schedule | Incoming Accelerated MBA, Specialized Master’s, and Doctoral Students

Please contact your individual program for orientation dates:

In addition to your program orientation, the following two orientations are required of all international students in the Specialized Master’s, Accelerated MBA, and Doctoral programs:

New International Student Orientation, hosted by the GW International Services Office (ISO).
GWSB International Student Orientation, hosted by GWSB Global and Experiential Education (G&EE).

Other Important Information

Early Arrival

Remember, you are allowed to enter the United States up to 30 days before the program start date listed on your I-20/DS-2019. It is recommended that you enter the U.S. at least two weeks prior to your orientation to give yourself time to acclimate to the city of Washington, D.C.

Health Insurance

Please note, as an F-1 or J-1 student, you are automatically enrolled in GW’s health insurance plan. For students beginning their studies in the Fall 2025 semester, insurance coverage begins August 12, 2025. Visit the GW Student Health Insurance Plan (GW SHIP) website for additional details.

Pre-Arrival Newsletters

In the weeks leading up to the start of the semester, G&EE distributes a weekly newsletter containing valuable information that may help facilitate your transition to our campus in Washington, D.C. Links to the Fall 2024 Global MBA Program Newsletters and the Spring 2025 Accelerated MBA, Specialized Master's, and Doctoral Program Newsletters are available below.

Remember to periodically revisit this page; the newsletters are updated as they are sent out each semester. For the Fall 2025 semester, we expect to start sending Pre-Arrival Newsletters in late June 2025.