Application Guide: Master's Program

Application Checklist

Step 1: Review Application Requirements

GW Business programs may have additional application requirements or deadlines that vary. Select your program area below for more information:

• MBA Programs
• Specialized Master's Programs
• Joint/Dual Degree Programs
• Master's + Graduate Certificate Programs
• 4+1 Programs

Familiarize yourself with the additional international student requirements, if applicable.

Step 2: Create an Application Account

Create an Application Account and complete initial information on the GW application portal.

Our secure, online application portal sends all materials directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Your application is not completed until you submit all required materials, detailed in Step 3.

Step 3: Upload Supporting Materials

Supporting documents can be added to your account in the application portal before and post-submission as needed. Please do not mail hard copies of documents during the application process. Documents not uploaded can be emailed to businessgwu [dot] edu (business[at]gwu[dot]edu).

Resume	List your entire work history including start and stop dates. You can upload the resume in the Employment History section of the online application form.
Statement of Purpose/Essay	In approximately 500 words, describe your interests, academic and professional objectives, and proposed topic(s) of graduate study. Explain why the GW School of Business is the best fit for your goals, and how you will leverage your past professional experience and future academic development at GWSB to achieve your aspirations.
Transcripts	Applicants are required to upload and submit copies of transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended, whether or not the program was completed or the credit appears as a transfer credit on another transcript. For Study Abroad and/or Transfer Coursework: If your undergraduate transcripts contain study abroad courses and/or transfer credits showing an Indigenous Grade Letter (excluding “P” Pass or “T” Transfer grades) earned and does not exceed 12 credits, you do NOT need to list these institutions separately or upload transcripts. If courses are not listed on your primary institution’s transcript or the transfer courses do not show course grades, please list the institution(s) separately and upload the transcript(s). Coursework exceeding 12 credits from an institution outside of the United States will require a credential evaluation. Please reference the International Student Requirements section on this page, under International Transcripts for requirements information. We accept unofficial transcripts during the admission process. If you are admitted, you will be required to submit official copies of your transcripts. Please note: We do not accept screenshots or photos of your transcripts, and we do not accept downloads of the “student’s view” from your institution’s website. If submitting foreign transcripts, please reference the International Student Requirements section below for detailed information on requirements.
Letters of Recommendation	One official letter of recommendation is required by the GW School of Business unless your specific program mandates two or more. The recommendation(s) must be from an individual in a position to appraise the applicant’s potential for graduate study (i.e. manager, professor, mentor, etc.). Some programs have specific requirements for recommendation providers. Within the application portal, once you enter your recommender’s contact information, the online application will automatically send an email requesting the recommendation. You may also send reminder emails to your recommenders after you have submitted your application.
Official Test Results	The GRE or GMAT test is not required for Specialized Master’s, MBA, or graduate certificate programs — however, if you feel that submitting your scores will strengthen your application, you are welcome to submit them. GRE or GMAT scores are a requirement for the doctoral programs. Please refer to your academic program for examination requirements and waiver information. Submitting Test Scores GMAT code: QK4-4F-40 GRE code: 5246
Supplemental Application Data	Some departments and programs require the completion of supplemental data or submission of materials such as certificates or writing samples. Review the application requirements of your program of interest to determine if supplemental questions and/or materials are required.

Step 4: Submit Your Application and Pay Application Fee

Once you have completed all required fields, be sure to click the final "Submit Your Application" button. The application must be submitted with an $80 non-refundable application fee. You can pay this fee online (credit cards are accepted, cash is not accepted). Learn more about application fee waivers >

You may submit your application before test scores and recommendations are received, but your application will only be considered for admission once it is complete.

Step 5: Check Your Application Status

Log on to your online application at any time to view its current status. 

• Your application will be updated as we receive your official test scores and recommendations. Please allow two business days for our office to process your supporting documents after we receive them.
• Online recommendations are automatically updated to a status of “received” when submitted by the recommender.
• Our admissions team will review all documents for readability and completeness. Your checklist items will be updated to reflect any items missing, along with a personalized note from our admissions team. Our admissions team may send you an email to follow-up on any missing documents.

You will be notified via email when your admissions decision is ready to be viewed in the application portal.

International Student Requirements

International applicants follow the same graduate admissions process as all other candidates, but those who require a U.S. study visa must also submit additional materials.

English Proficiency

All applicants are required to demonstrate a level of proficiency in the English language sufficient to meet the admission requirement of the School of Business. Applicants who have not completed a post-secondary degree from a U.S. institution are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, or the Duolingo English Test scores to be considered for admission. Scores may not be more than two years old.

Exceptions

Exceptions are granted to applicants who:

• Hold the United States Permanent Resident/Green Card or a citizen of one of the following countries.
• Hold (or will earn before matriculation) a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from an institution where English is the official language of the country in which the university is located AND is the language of instruction for the entire degree.
• Hold (or will earn before matriculation) a combined bachelor’s degree where a minimum of 2 years (60 Consecutive credits) was completed at an institution in which English is the language of instruction AND the official language of the country in which the university is located.
• Hold (or will earn before matriculation) a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from an institution where English is the official primary language of the country in which the university is located OR the institution is accredited by a U.S. regional accrediting agency.
• Have lived and worked in an English-speaking country for the past two or more years.

If you are unsure whether you qualify for an exception, please contact us at businessgwu [dot] edu (business[at]gwu[dot]edu).

Minimum Score Requirements

• TOEFL: Score of 81 on the Internet exam (iBT) or 550 on the paper exam
• IELTS: Score of 6.5 overall with no individual score below 5.5
• PTE Academic: Score of 59  (Please note: the PTE Academic Test is not accepted by Doctoral programs.)
• Duolingo English Test: Score of 115   (Please note: the Duolingo English Test is not accepted by doctoral programs.)

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Course Exemptions

 If you achieve the following scores, you are also exempt from taking EAP courses:

• TOEFL: Score of at least 100 (internet-based test) or 600 (paper-based test)
• IELTS: Score of 7.0 with no individual score below 6.0
• PTE Academic: Score of at least 68
• Duolingo English Test: Score of 125 with no individual score below 110

Submitting Test Scores to GW

We must receive scores directly from the testing service. Do not wait for your test scores before submitting your application. We will match them to your file once they arrive.

• TOEFL: Please follow the instructions outlined by ETS. Use institution code 5246 when sending scores to GW.
• IELTS: GW now accepts electronic test score submissions. Please follow the instructions on the IELTS website to send score reports to us. Alternatively, you can email us at businessgwu [dot] edu (business[at]gwu[dot]edu) with a PDF of your unofficial test taker score report.
• PTE Academic: Please follow the instructions outlined by Pearson to send scores reports to GW. No institution code is required.
• Duolingo English Test: Please follow the instructions outlined by Duolingo. Select "The George Washington University School of Business" when sending scores to GW.

International Transcripts

A course-by-course credential evaluation is required for applicants who have attended institutions outside of the United States. Evaluation services that are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) will be accepted. Many students submit evaluations from the following evaluation agencies based upon their individualized needs: (ECE, IEE, JS&A, Spantran, and WES). If the evaluation does not include a copy of the transcripts that were evaluated, applicants must upload both the transcripts from the institution and the credential evaluation as one document to the application.

• For transcripts from institutions in India: Please scan individual mark sheets demonstrating the grade received in each course for each semester.
• For transcripts not in English: Applicants who attended and/or received a degree from a foreign institution must submit transcripts in English as well as the original language. Documents should also be accompanied by a credential evaluation.

Applicants who have attended institutions outside of the United States should combine and save their English translated transcripts and course-by-course credential evaluation into a single PDF document before uploading to the online application form. If you are unable to provide these documents at the time of application submission, you will need to email it to businessgwu [dot] edu (business[at]gwu[dot]edu) at your earliest convenience. Your application will not be reviewed for decision until this document is received and approved. Please do not mail hard copies of transcripts during the application process.

Visa Request Documents 

It is not mandatory to submit the visa request form or other visa-related documents as part of the application package. Although there is a section on the application where you can upload these documents, it is not necessary to do so. You will only be required to provide these documents once you have received admission to the School of Business and accepted your admissions offer. Providing or not providing these documents does not penalize or delay your application's review in any way.

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