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 dates of these programs are below.

GMBA International Student Institute

Monday, August 3, 2020 – Friday, August 7, 2020

Please plan on attending orientations every day this week.

GMBA Runway

Beginning Monday, August 10, 2020

Visit the GMBA orientation page for details.

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 programs:

August 25, 2020 (Morning)

International Services Office, International Student Orientation (ISO). Register here.

August 25, 2020 (Afternoon)

School of Business, International Student Institute (ISI). Register here.

Other Important Dates

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 spring, insurance coverage begins August 12, 2020. 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.