II. REGISTRATION
II.A. Registration Eligibility
Students are officially admitted to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences only through a letter of admission from the Dean of the Graduate School, and only students who have been admitted in this manner may register in the Graduate School. Neither registration for graduate-level courses through the School of Continuing Studies, nor admission to a graduate-level program offered by the School of Continuing Studies, constitutes or implies admission to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
All graduate students are required to provide official transcripts or documents showing conferral of all degrees previously awarded. If a particular degree had not yet been awarded when the student applied for admission, the student must submit documentation of the degree conferral by the time of first registration. A student who fails to submit the required documentation will be blocked from registering for the second semester of study.
Eligibility to enroll in some of the registration categories below is determined by whether the student is pursuing a "thesis" or a "non-thesis" degree program. See Section IV. Requirements for Degrees for further information.
The policies and procedures described below apply equally to all phases of the registration process, including all courses added or dropped after the student's initial program of courses for the semester has been recorded.
II.B. Registration Requirements
All Graduate School students are required to register each Fall and Spring semester from matriculation to award of the degree. Students enrolled in dual-degree programs that combine a Graduate School degree with a degree from the Law Center or the Medical School are not required to register in the Graduate School during semesters when they are registered in those other Georgetown University units.
Graduate students begin the registration process by meeting with their faculty advisors to discuss their enrollment plans for the coming semester. Once they have been advised, graduate students register via the Internet using MyAccess at: http://myaccess.georgetown.edu. Online registration for continuing graduate students is open through the Add/Drop period. Detailed instructions are sent via e-mail to all students before the start of each registration period. Students need their Georgetown University NetID and password, both of which are supplied by the Office of the Registrar. Students who do not have a NetID and password, or who are unable to gain access to MyAccess should contact either the University Information Services (UIS) HelpDesk, (202) 687-4949 help@georgetown.edu, or the Office of the Registrar, (202) 687-4020 univregistrar@georgetown.edu.
Students who fail to register by the end of the Add/Drop period will be considered to have withdrawn and must contact the Graduate School for special permission to enroll; those who are permitted to enroll late will be assessed a late registration fee.
Students are personally responsible for insuring that their registration is accurate and complete. At the end of every registration period, both the graduate programs and the Graduate School will review each student’s enrollment. Enrollment is subject to change pending review by the advising faculty.
Students who have registered assume the responsibility for financial charges for the entire semester, regardless of their attendance in class and regardless of the method of payment used. All students must pay their bills in full by the deadline set by the Office of Student Accounts.
II.C. Enrollment Certification
Graduate School students may be certified as enrolled on a full-time, three-quarter-time, half‑time, or less than half-time basis. Enrollment status in a given semester is based on that semester's registration, and may be certified only by the University Registrar. For information on the level of enrollment certified for specific forms of enrollment, see Section II.F. Standard Modes of Registration and Enrollment Time Status.
II.D. Enrollment Requirements of International Students
By provision of federal law, the Department of Homeland Security has instituted strict reporting requirements for schools that enroll foreign nationals. Before the start of each semester, all newly-enrolled international students at Georgetown University who are on non-immigrant visas are required to attend the Immigration Reporting Session given by the Office of Global Services (OGS) at: http://globalservices.georgetown.edu/. OGS will provide all new international students with detailed information concerning the time, date, and location of the session before the start of the semester; this information will also be posted on OGS's website. Those who fail to attend the session will not be allowed to complete registration or to attend classes. For further questions and information, please contact the Office of Global Services by calling (202) 687-5867.
In addition, all non-U.S. citizens, including permanent residents, are required to report accurate citizenship and visa type to the Office of Global Services. Any student who does not provide this information to the Office of Global Services will be ineligible to register the following semester.
Federal law may require international students to adhere to more restrictive registration requirements than those that apply to U.S. citizens. Consequently, international students who have any questions regarding their registration requirements or any of the other policies and regulations contained in this Graduate Bulletin should confer with their international student adviser in the Office of Global Services, located in Suite 140 of the Car Barn, prior to the start of each semester.
II.E. The Registration Process
1. Registration Holds
A registration hold may be placed on a student's record for a variety of reasons. Common causes: failure to supply documentation of immunization; an outstanding balance with the Revenue, Receivables, and Payables Department (formerly Office of Student Billing & Payment Services); failure to complete Scholarly Research & Academic Integrity ("Honor Council") tutorial or the Sexual Assault Prevention for Graduates ("Title IX") training; incomplete forms with the Office of Student Financial Services; or incomplete academic records with the Graduate School, including official transcripts from previous institutions.
If a registration hold has been place on a student's record, the student must contact the appropriate office or department and clear the hold before they will be permitted to register. Students must clear registration holds and register before the end of the Add/Drop period or they risk being withdrawn from the University for failure to register.
2. Registration
Students who are currently enrolled in Graduate School degree programs are encouraged to register for the following semester according to the published schedule. Those on an approved Leave of Absence must contact the Graduate School to request reinstatement in order to participate in registration for the semester of their return. Newly enrolling students will register shortly before the start of their first semester. Dates will be published by the Office of the University Registrar.
3. Language Study Scholarships
The Graduate School will provide tuition scholarships to graduate students in Main Campus programs. The scholarship will cover enrollment in one approved language course per semester.
Award of Language Study Scholarships will be subject to the following conditions:
a. During Fall and Spring semesters
(1) Ph.D. students may register for courses at any level that are taken for the purpose of developing research abilities.
(2) Master's students may register for courses designed to improve their language skills. Normally, these are courses at the 3000 level or below as the intention of the scholarship is for basic language instruction. Exceptions must be requested in writing by the Director of Graduate Studies and accompanied by a justification. In the rare case an exception is granted, the course will not count toward the degree requirements.
(3) The language course must be taken for a letter grade; S/U grading is not permitted. Graduate students may audit a language course only with approval from the course instructor; however, they cannot use the language scholarship to cover the cost of the course. Exceptions will be considered from only Ph.D. students who require the language to develop research abilities. The Director of Graduate Studies must make this request in writing with supporting justification.
If a student withdraws from a language course, the scholarship will be revoked and the student will be responsible for any charges remaining after the tuition refund policy has been applied.
If the student receives a failing grade (a grade of “F”), the scholarship will be revoked retroactively and the student will be responsible for the entire tuition charge due for the course. This provision will apply whether the failing grade is the result of poor academic performance or from failure to attend class and to participate as required, and whether or not the student has continued to enroll in the Graduate School. The student will also forfeit eligibility for any future Language Study Scholarship support.
Note that under the per-credit tuition policy (effective Fall 2010), students will be responsible for the specified tuition charges even if their remaining enrollment is 12 or more credits.
(4) The Graduate School will post Language Study Scholarships for students enrolled in eligible courses, with the goal of having them appear on the student’s account before the payment due date. Scholarships will continue to be posted up to seven (7) calendar days after the end of the Add/Drop period.
b. During the Summer term
The same policies will apply during the Summer terms as during the Fall and Spring semesters, except that Summer Language Scholarships are available only to Graduate School students who are enrolled in a Ph.D. program, including those who are pursuing a dual master's/doctoral degree. Summer Language Scholarships are not available to students who are enrolled only in master’s programs.
Summer Language Study Scholarships for doctoral students will cover courses that extend over the entire Summer term, even if the course is broken into two parts with separate registrations in Session 1 and Session 2.
Summer Language Scholarships will normally be granted only for courses taught at Georgetown University, not to courses taken at other local universities via Consortium enrollment. Exceptions will be considered for PhD students whose research requires a language that is not taught at Georgetown. Such exceptions must be requested in writing by the Director of Graduate Studies and accompanied by a justification. Under no circumstances will scholarships be provided for direct enrollment in courses at another university.
Scholarships will not be provided for English language courses for non-native speakers of English.
4. Tuition and Fees
The majority of Graduate School students who are enrolled in Main Campus degree programs are charged tuition on a per-credit-hour basis, regardless of the number of credits for which they enroll. The rate in effect for the 2023-24 academic year (Fall 2023 and Spring 2024), as approved by the University’s Board of Directors, is $2,458 per credit hour. Exceptions to the per-credit hour tuition rate can be found at the following location: https://finaid.georgetown.edu/graduate/aid-by-program/2023-24-graduate-program-cost-of-attendance/
For more information, refer to Section IX.J. Student Billing and Payment Policies.
5. Late Registration and Late Payment Fees
Any student who initiates course registration after the start of the term will be assessed late registration and late payment fees. The Student Accounts Office also will assess late payment fees and a service charge on any tuition and fees that are not paid by the stated deadline.
6. The Add/Drop Process
The Add/Drop period for the fall and spring semesters generally begins the first day of classes and lasts for ten days; see the Academic Calendar published each semester on the website of the University Registrar at http://registrar.georgetown.edu/ for exact dates. See the School of Continuing Studies website at https://summersessions.georgetown.edu/academic calendar for dates for summer sessions. During the Add/Drop period, students may make registration changes, including changes of grade status (i.e., letter-grade, S/U, pass/fail, or audit); make changes to courses already selected; add tutorial courses; or change the number of credits assigned to a variable-credit course. In the case of variable-credit courses, the number of credits indicated in the Schedule of Classes will remain on the student's record unless it is changed during the Add/Drop period.
During the Add/Drop period, students must use an Add/Drop Form ( https://georgetown.app.box.com/s/kn0v82i97e0byiq07i25p7n2kx6swb7u ) to add or drop a course; these changes cannot be made in MyAccess. For information on registration changes involving tutorial courses, see Section II.F. Standard Modes of Registration and Enrollment Time.
Courses dropped during the Add/Drop period will not appear on a student's transcript, however, courses dropped after the Add/Drop period will appear on the transcript with a "W" to indicate that the student withdrew from the course.
Courses cannot be added after the Add/Drop period.
After the Add/Drop period, students may withdraw from one or more courses only by submitting an Add/Drop form through the Graduate School and the Office of the University Registrar. Students may withdraw from courses up to, but not including, the last week of classes. The last date on which graduate students may withdraw from courses is noted each semester on the academic calendar published on the website of the University Registrar at http://registrar.georgetown.edu. While students are encouraged to notify the instructional faculty or the sponsoring department or program when they stop attending a course, such notification alone is not considered an official withdrawal from a course.
7. Withdrawal From Courses and Refund Schedule
Should a student voluntarily withdraw from a course, a tuition credit will be calculated according to the following percentages from the date the Graduate School receives notification in writing:
___________________________________________________________________________
Refund Schedule for Full-Semester Courses
Week of Semester Percent of Tuition Charges Refunded
1st or 2nd week: 100%
3rd or 4th week: 80%
5th or 6th week: 70%
7th or 8th week: 50%
9th week: 40%
10th - 15th week: 0%
___________________________________________________________________________
The first week of classes is considered the week of the official start (the “First Day of Classes” as noted in the Academic Calendar) of the semester; it does not correspond to the first-class meeting for a particular course.
Students are advised to consult the Withdrawal and Refund Schedule before withdrawing from a course. The refund dates for the current academic year are posted on the website of the University Registrar at http://registrar.georgetown.edu/registration/refunds-and-tuition/.
Students who are recipients of financial aid should review the terms of their awards before dropping a class. In particular, recipients of the Graduate School’s merit-based scholarships should be aware that if they drop a course after the end of the Add/Drop period, the Graduate School scholarship for that course will be withdrawn and the student will be responsible for any portion of the tuition charge not refunded. Note that students enrolled in Main Campus programs will be responsible for such charges even if their remaining enrollment is 12 or more credits. No credit is given for fees, including the Yates Field House fee, regardless of the date of withdrawal.
Students in graduate programs that follow a special calendar should consult with their program regarding the withdrawal and refund schedule before withdrawing from a course.
International students on visas should consult with their International Student Advisor in OGS before dropping or withdrawing from a course(s).
II.F. Standard Modes of Registration and Enrollment Time Status
1. Academic Course Credits
During fall and spring semesters, students registered for 9 or more credit hours will be certified as enrolled full-time; those registered for 6 credits up to less than 9 credits will be certified as enrolled three-quarter-time. Students registered for 4.5 credits up to less than 6 credits will be certified as enrolled half-time; those registered for fewer than 4.5 credits will be certified as enrolled less than half-time.
During the summer term, students registered for 6 or more credits will be certified as enrolled full-time; those registered for 4.5 credits up to less than 6 credits will be certified as enrolled three-quarter time. Students enrolled for 3 credits up to less than 4.5 credits will be certified as enrolled half-time; those enrolled for fewer than 3 credits will be certified as enrolled less than half-time. Enrollments in the summer sessions will be added to determine the total summer enrollment for certification purposes.
2. Tutorial Courses
Students who wish to register for a reading or research tutorial must work with the tutorial instructor to register for a tutorial. The instructor should contact either their program or department or the Academic Affairs office, at gradstudentservices@georgetown.edu, for guidance on how to complete the Online Tutorial Registration Form. The online tutorial form must be completed no later than the final day of the Add/Drop period.
The form requires the instructor to specify:
● a title for the tutorial course
● the number of graduate credits to be awarded
● a course description
● a bibliography
● a schedule of meetings with the student
● assignments or the nature of the research to be undertaken
● the manner of assessment (e.g., a final examination, a research paper, etc.)
The course description and schedule of meetings must be consistent with the number of course credits proposed. The Online Tutorial Form must be completed by the instructor, who outlines the scope of work to be accomplished and the resources to be used. If the form is not submitted and approved, no credit will be awarded for the tutorial. Students are advised to communicate with their Director of Graduate Studies and graduate program staff of their interest in taking a tutorial. Additionally, students should also ensure that the tutorial appears on their registration before the last day of the Add/Drop period.
3. Prerequisites and Skills Courses
Sometimes a student will be admitted to a graduate program lacking certain prerequisite courses or certain skills, such as statistics or computer programming. Such deficiencies may or may not be apparent at the time of admission; in some cases, they may not become apparent until the student has chosen a research topic.
The student may be advised to remedy such deficiencies or gain such skills by enrolling in an undergraduate course at Georgetown. If that is the case, the student must officially enroll in the course, either for credit or as an auditor. The course will appear on the student’s undergraduate transcript and the appropriate tuition will be charged for that enrollment.
In the case of language courses, the student may be eligible to receive a Graduate School Language Study Scholarship; see Section II.E.3 Language Student Scholarships.
Students will not be granted graduate credit for enrolling in undergraduate courses (those numbered below 4000).
Note that federal visa regulations require that international students cannot be admitted to a program if they are lacking any prerequisites, so they cannot be required to take such courses once they have enrolled. They may take additional courses to acquire necessary skills, but enrollment in such courses will not extend the time they are permitted to complete their degree requirements.
4. Thesis Research
Registration for Thesis Research is limited to students who are enrolled in a master's thesis program or doctoral dissertation program. Three sections of Thesis Research have been established to recognize different stages of the student's progress toward the degree. A student enrolled in any section of Thesis Research will be certified as enrolled full-time. Each section of Thesis Research is assessed a different registration fee.
Registration for Thesis Research and payment of the associated tuition charge acknowledges both the student's own academic efforts in preparation of a thesis and the student's use of University resources, including facilities and faculty services. Students are not eligible to register for Thesis Research until they have completed, or nearly completed, the coursework registration requirements for a thesis master's program or a doctoral program. Specifically, they must not use this registration mode prior to that point in order to gain full-time enrollment status.
Once a student has started registering for Thesis Research, they must continue to do so in each subsequent semester until all degree requirements have been met except incomplete course grades.
Once a student has registered for Thesis Research - 9999, Section 1, they will be registered automatically in each subsequent Fall or Spring semester, in the appropriate section of Thesis Research according to their academic progress and fellowship status. Students not on scholarship support will be responsible for the tuition and fees associated with the automatic registration unless they either are approved for a Leave of Absence or withdraw from the University.
a. Thesis Research - 9999, Section 1
Graduate students enrolled in a master's thesis program or a doctoral program who have completed all coursework must register for Thesis Research - 9999, Section 1, in each Fall and Spring semester. For the 2023-24 academic year the registration fee is $2,750 per semester. This requirement includes students who have completed all course work and plan to take language proficiency examinations or comprehensive examinations before beginning research and writing of the thesis or dissertation.
Those who wish to receive thesis direction during the summer must register in the Graduate School for Thesis Research - 9999, Section 61, for the summer term; no registration fee is charged for Thesis Research registration during the summer.
b. Thesis Research - 9999, Section 3
Students enrolled in a master's thesis program or a doctoral program who are near the end of their coursework, and for whom registration for the remaining required course credits would result in less than full-time enrollment, may register for Thesis Research - 9999, section 3.
Those who do not need to be certified as enrolled full-time are not required to do so. No additional registration fee will be assessed for this enrollment (i.e., the student will be charged only the tuition rate for the enrolled course credits). Note that a student who is enrolled solely in courses to develop language proficiency, for which they have received a Graduate School Language Study Scholarship, may not enroll in Thesis Research, Section 3; the student must enroll in Section 1, for which a registration fee is charged.
Students cannot self-enroll in Thesis Research - 9999, Section 3. Rather, the student's department or program must communicate the student's need to be registered in this section of Thesis Research to the Graduate School before the close of the Add/Drop period for the semester.
c. Thesis Research - 9999, Section 5
Students who are the primary instructor of record for a course will be appointed as Teaching Associates and will be permitted to enroll in Thesis Research - 9999, Section 5. No additional registration fee will be assessed for this enrollment.
Students cannot self-enroll in Thesis Research – 9999, Section 5; rather, the student's department or program must communicate the student’s status as a Teaching Associate to the Graduate School as soon as the teaching assignment is finalized. This section of Thesis Research is open only to students appointed as Teaching Associates and only during the semester(s) in which they hold such a teaching appointment.
5. Continuous Registration
Two sections of Continuous Registration have been established to recognize different stages of the student's progress toward the degree. Each section of Continuous Registration certifies a different level of enrollment.
Enrollment in Continuous Registration and payment of the associated tuition charge acknowledges both the student's own academic efforts in completion of degree requirements and the student's use of University resources, including facilities and faculty services. Students who have completed the coursework registration requirements for a master's program must register for Continuous Registration in each subsequent semester until all degree requirements have been met.
Note that students enrolled in non-thesis master's programs will be certified only on the basis of their credit hour or Continuous Registration enrollment, as defined below. They are not eligible to register for any section of Thesis Research.
a. Continuous Registration - 9991 / 9992, Section 1
This section is used by students in non-thesis master's programs who, without other registration, are studying for comprehensive examinations or for language proficiency examinations, or who are working on their master's research papers; it also applies to graduate students awarded an external fellowship that requires active matriculation in a graduate degree program during the period of abroad study or research (e.g., the Boren Graduate Fellowship). For the 2023-24 academic year, such students will be charged a registration fee of $1,475 per semester. A student enrolled in Continuous Registration - 9991 / 9992, Section 1, will be certified as enrolled half-time. A student may register for Continuous Registration - 9991 / 9992, Section 1, for no more than two semesters.
During the summer term students would register in the Graduate School for Continuous Registration - 991, Section 61; no registration fee is charged for Continuous Registration during the summer.
b. Continuous Registration – 9993 / 9994, Section 1
This section is used by master's students who have completed all degree requirements except incomplete course grades, or by master's and doctoral students who have completed all degree requirements, including defense of the doctoral dissertation, but have not yet graduated. Students may register for this course only with permission of the Graduate School. No registration fee is charged. A student enrolled in Continuous Registration – 9993 / 9994-01, will be certified as enrolled less than half-time.
II.G. Other Modes of Registration
1. Enrollment under Special Student Status
Applicants cannot seek admission to Special Student status. This is a category of enrollment that may be offered by the Graduate School to some students who have applied in the normal manner, but who are found to require one semester of additional coursework before their application can be properly evaluated. Because Special Student is not a degree-seeking status, it may not be an available option for some international students.
Special Students may be enrolled for no more than a single semester, during which they may take a maximum of six credits of graduate coursework. "English as a Foreign Language" courses may be taken in conjunction with and in addition to these six credits of coursework. Special Students are not eligible for Graduate School assistantships, scholarships, or fellowships, and may not register for courses through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.
To be considered for subsequent admission to a Graduate School degree program, a Special Student must earn no less than a "B" in each course taken as a Special Student.
Non-native-English-speaking students admitted to Special Student status must earn the requisite TOEFL score before they can subsequently be admitted to a degree program. Individual departments and programs may have higher standards.
Requests for changes from Special Student to regular student status will be evaluated by the department or program, which will make a recommendation to the Graduate School. If approved, such a change in status will be authorized in writing by the Dean of the Graduate School. Courses taken while enrolled as a Special Student also must be reviewed by the department or program for the purpose of making a separate recommendation to the Graduate School on whether these credits should be counted towards the student's graduate degree program.
2. Enrollment during Summer Session
Courses offered during the Summer Session are offered under the auspices of the School of Continuing Studies.
Students who are currently enrolled in a Graduate School degree program and who wish to register for courses during the University's Summer Session must obtain approval from both their department or program and the Graduate School. Credit earned during Summer Session by students who are currently enrolled in the Graduate School will be recorded on the graduate transcript as regularly enrolled courses and will not require transfer in order to be applied toward satisfaction of their degree requirements.
Students who have been admitted to a Graduate School degree program effective Fall Semester and who wish to begin their studies in the preceding Summer Session should contact the Graduate Admissions Office to determine whether their term of admission can be changed to the Summer. A student whose admission term has been so changed may enroll for courses during the Summer Session and have them applied toward satisfaction of their degree requirements as described in the preceding paragraph.
Students who have not yet been admitted to a Graduate School degree program, and who are considering enrolling in graduate-level courses during the Summer Session by registering through the School of Continuing Studies should refer to Section III.B.1. Transfer of Credit toward the Master’s or Doctoral Degree concerning the restrictions placed on the transfer of such coursework to satisfy the requirements of a Graduate School degree. Enrollment for graduate-level courses through the School of Continuing Studies does not constitute admission to the Graduate School, and there is no obligation on the part of the Graduate School or its degree programs to accept coursework taken prior to admission by enrollment through the School of Continuing Studies.
Graduate students generally may enroll for no more than a total of six credits during the combined first and second sessions of any one Summer term. No Graduate School degree may be obtained by attendance during Summer terms alone.
Currently-enrolled students who intend to complete any non-coursework degree requirements during the Summer term, including comprehensive examinations, language examinations, or thesis or dissertation defense or revisions, must register for Thesis Research or Continuous Registration, as appropriate.
3. Enrollment through the Consortium
Georgetown partners with thirteen institutions in the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area: American University, The Catholic University of America, Corcoran College of Art and Design, Gallaudet University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, Howard University, Marymount University, National Defense Intelligence College, National Defense University, Trinity Washington University, University of the District of Columbia, and University of Maryland, College Park.
Students enrolled in a Graduate School degree program may enroll for courses through the Consortium, subject to the following limitations:
a. Graduate School students may not enroll through the Consortium for courses that are available at Georgetown University.
b. Graduate School students may not audit Consortium courses, nor may they enroll in undergraduate language courses through the Consortium for the purpose of meeting the language proficiency requirement for a Georgetown degree.
c. Special Students may not register for courses through the Consortium.
d. Students who are simultaneously matriculated at another Consortium institution are not permitted to cross-register between Georgetown and the other institution via the Consortium.
e. Tuition for courses registered through the Consortium will be billed at Georgetown University rates and paid to Georgetown University.
f. Course records and grades for Consortium registrations will appear on the Georgetown University transcript. The visited institution will not issue transcripts for Consortium courses. Grades posted to the Georgetown transcript for Consortium registrations will be those of the institution offering the course; those grades will not be used in the determination of the student's Georgetown GPA.
g. Graduate students who are enrolled in a master’s-only program must complete at least 75% of the credits required for the master’s degree at Georgetown. Consequently, Consortium enrollments and transferred credits combined may not account for more than 25% of the credits required for the degree.
All Graduate School students should note that if they enroll in courses by registering directly at a Consortium institution, rather than by registering at Georgetown using the Consortium procedures, those courses will appear on the other institution's transcript. Similarly, courses taken at another Consortium institution prior to admission to Georgetown University, as well as any Georgetown University courses taken while enrolled at another Consortium institution, will appear on the other institution's transcript. Such courses may be applied to a Georgetown University Graduate School degree only by means of transfer, subject to the Graduate School's overall transfer limit of 25% of the total credits offered for the degree, and only if they have not been applied toward a degree at the other institution.
h. Students enrolled via the Consortium will be responsible for abiding by all regulations of the other institution regarding enrollment, attendance, and withdrawal.
Detailed procedures for Consortium registration are published on the University Registrar’s website at this link: http://registrar.georgetown.edu/registration/consortium/ .
4. Enrollment in Georgetown University Law Center Courses
Main Campus students are admitted to Law Center courses on a space-available basis. Students who wish to register for courses at the Law Center must submit their request to the Law Center Registrar during the Law Center’s Add/Drop period. Note that the Law Center calendar differs from the Main Campus calendar; it is the responsibility of the student to know and follow the Law Center calendar. Law Center courses not registered in this manner will not appear on the Graduate School transcript.
5. Enrollment in Study Abroad Programs
Graduate School students who are enrolled in official Study Abroad programs administered by Georgetown University, and for which they are registered at Georgetown University, will be certified as full-time on the presumption that their Study Abroad program has been designed to engage them in full-time coursework or research.
II.H. Withdrawal from the Graduate School
1. Voluntary Withdrawal
a. Withdrawal from one or more courses
A voluntary withdrawal from one or more courses will always be granted on request to any student who is not subject to disciplinary action. The student requests such a withdrawal by submitting an Add/Drop form to the Graduate School. In the case of withdrawals requested after the end of a semester’s Add/Drop period, the University Registrar will record this action on the student’s transcript by posting a "W" after each dropped course. Failure to withdraw properly may result in grades of "F" in the current semester's coursework and, if the student does not return the following semester, removal from the University's rolls for failure to register.
b. Withdrawal from a Graduate School degree program
A student who wishes to formally withdraw from a Graduate School degree program must notify the Graduate School in writing to gradstudentservices@georgetown.edu .
Whether the student is withdrawing from one or more courses or from a degree program, a percentage credit toward tuition due for the dropped course(s) will be calculated from the date the Graduate School receives the request to withdraw, according to the refund schedule printed in Section II.E.7. Withdrawal from Courses and Refund Schedule.
Whether withdrawing from one or more courses or from a degree program, the student must notify the Office of Student Financial Services (in person, when possible) if they have received financial assistance from Georgetown University or from a state-guaranteed or federally-insured lender outside the University. Withdrawal may result in a reduction in the financial assistance the student is eligible to receive.
Students who withdraw from the University must also consult with a Student Accounts representative to ensure that their financial records are in order. By act of registration, students accept financial responsibility for tuition and fees for the entire semester regardless of attendance in class or the method of payment used.
A student who is subject to disciplinary action may request withdrawal from a course or from a Graduate School degree program, but such a request will not exempt the student from appropriate disciplinary procedures.
2. Forced Withdrawal for Failure to Maintain Registration
All Graduate School students are required to register or confirm they are appropriately registered each Fall and Spring semester from matriculation to award of the degree. A student who fails to register by the end of the Add/Drop period and who is not on an approved Leave of Absence, or who has failed to submit a formal request to extend an authorized Leave of Absence, will be withdrawn from the rolls of the University. The department or program will be notified that the student has been withdrawn, the student's records will be retired, and the statement, "Withdrawn: Failure to Register," will be recorded on the student's transcript.
3. Reinstatement or Readmission to the Graduate School after Withdrawal
Students who have voluntarily withdrawn, or who have been withdrawn for failure to maintain registration, may request reinstatement or readmission, as appropriate.
If such a student wishes to resume enrollment within a subsequent three-year period dating from the end of the semester or summer term in which the student was last registered, they must notify the Graduate School in writing at gradstudentservices@georgetown.edu to request reinstatement. The student's request will be reviewed by, and must be approved by, both the student’s department or program and the Graduate School.
Students who are approved for reinstatement will be required to pay a reinstatement fee, currently set at $1,475 for the 2023-24 academic year. A record of all breaks in registration will remain on the student's transcript. Approval of reinstatement after withdrawal for failure to register does not constitute an extension of the time permitted for completing a degree. Consequently students who have been reinstated will be expected to complete their degrees as if no break in registration had occurred.
Students who desire to resume studies after having not been registered for more than three years dating from the end of the semester or summer term in which the student was last registered may not seek reinstatement, but must apply for readmission to the degree program as though they were newly-entering students.
These procedures apply only to students voluntarily withdrawn, or who have been withdrawn for failure to maintain registration. Students whose degree candidacy has been terminated for other reasons should refer to Section III.G. Appeals Regarding Termination of Degree Candidacy.