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.

At the International Student Institute (ISI), the Office of Global & Experiential Education will provide important information that will help 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

The International Student Institute (ISI) and Global MBA (GMBA) Runway are both mandatory parts of the GMBA program for international students.

The 2022 GMBA International Runway will take place from August 1-5, 2022. Students should plan to attend sessions from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. each day. Agendas and additional information will follow in the coming weeks. Register here for the GMBA International Runway.

The GMBA Runway will take place from August 8-26, 2022. A detailed schedule will follow in the coming weeks. For questions about the GMBA Runway, please contact the GMBA Program Team.

Orientation Schedule | Incoming Specialized Master’s Students

Orientation Schedule | Incoming Specialized Master’s 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 and Accelerated MBA programs:

August 23, 2022 | 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - New International Student Orientation, hosted by the GW International Services Office (ISO). Register here for the Auguest 23 orientation.
August 25, 2022 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - GWSB International Student Orientation, hosted by the GWSB Global and Experiential Education (G&EE). Register here for the Auguest 25 orientation.

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. 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 2022 semester, insurance coverage begins August 12, 2022. Visit the student health website for 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 each newsletter are available below. Remember to periodically revisit this page; the newsletters are updated as they are sent out each semester.