Frequently Asked Questions for Prospective Students

Georgetown University offers a variety of graduate training opportunities in the biomedical sciences, including master’s, Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D. programs and certificates.

Applicants to BGE programs may apply for a variety of merit-based aid, based on academic credentials, prior service activities and other qualifications. Some of our awards have deadlines based on when you submit your enrollment application, so you should browse merit-based aid opportunities while working on the enrollment application.

If you are a student at one of BGE’s international institutional partners including in China, India, and Taiwan, you may be eligible for additional scholarships.

Biomedical Graduate Education requires that applicants submit their entire application, including all recommendations, via the online application system.

Checklists indicating the status of your admissions application can be found on the online application system. The checklists are posted the day after the application is submitted, and application materials received are logged daily. Online recommendations are automatically updated to a status of “received” when submitted by the recommenders.

Application requirements may vary by program. Visit the program‘s website for program-specific requirements.

General Requirements

• Online application
• 4-year bachelor’s degree
• Grade point average of 3.0 or higher
• Nonrefundable application fee
• Academic statement of purpose
• Transcripts
• 3 letters of recommendation (Applicants who use Interfolio: please enter each permalink for each letter provider provided by interfolio in the Recommendation section of the application or applicants may request interfolio to send letters of recommendation directly to BGE Admissions office email address: bgeadmissions@georgetown.edu)
• GRE/MCAT score (if applicable)
• TOEFL/IELTS score (if applicable)
  • TOEFL: Georgetown Univ. Code for BGE: 5244, department code is not require thus use “Department not listed,” department code: 99.
  • IELTS: Georgetown Univ. Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

Yes. You will be required to self-report your grade point average(s) (GPA) for undergraduate and (if applicable) graduate coursework in the Self-Reported GPA section of the application. The GPA represents the combined GPA of all credits applied toward the primary degree. All applicants will provide the self-reported GPA for their primary undergraduate degree. Those who have attended a graduate program will need to calculate a second GPA for the graduate degree.

Instructions on how to calculate your GPA can be found in the online application system.

Applicants applying to more than one program must submit separate applications, supporting documents and application fees for each program. Each application is processed, reviewed and acted on independently by each program.

The application process begins with the Georgetown School of Medicine. The M.D./Ph.D. program requires only an application to the Georgetown School of Medicine. A separate application to the Ph.D. program of interest is not required. For more information about the M.D./Ph.D. program, visit the School of Medicine M.D./Ph.D. program page.

Master’s Programs: Interviews are generally not required, but some master’s programs recommend InitialView for international applicants. Find program-specific requirements on the program‘s website.

Ph.D. Programs: A formal interview is required. Programs will contact applicants directly about the interview process.

M.D./Ph.D. Programs: Formal interviews are required for a select pool of applicants. Applicants will be contacted by the program.

Not all programs have supplemental applications. Check the program‘s website to find supplemental application requirements and information.

Biomedical Graduate Education follows the application fee set forth by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

To be considered for the Early Application Fee Waiver, the applicant must:

• Be applying to an eligible BGE master’s program¹ or graduate certificate program. If you are applying to multiple BGE programs in the same admission cycle, only one program application can receive a fee waiver.
• Meet the admission requirements for your program. Visit BGE How to Apply and your program’s Admissions page to review requirements.
• Successfully complete the following sections of the online Georgetown Grad Application before submitting your fee waiver request: Personal Information, Program, Academic Statement of Purpose, Background and Experience, Academic History, Self-Reported GPA, Input the contact information for each letter provider for letter of recommendation requirements (please see program’s How to Apply page for program specific requirements), Proficiency in Languages (if applicable), Self-Reported Test Scores (if applicable). Do not submit your program application yet!
• Submit the Early Application fee waiver request form on or before October 15, the Early Application deadline. Do not submit your program application yet!
• Wait for your fee waiver request to be processed. Fee waiver requests will be processed Monday through Friday during normal business hours, with the exception of holidays and breaks when the university is closed. Allow up to 3-10 business days for your request to be processed.
• We will inform you if your fee waiver request has been approved or denied. Now you may submit your program application! If you have already paid the application fee, we cannot give you a refund.

Notes

1. PostbacCAS applications to the M.S. in Pharmacology, the Special Master’s in Physiology & Biophysics or the regular M.S. in Physiology & Biophysics are not eligible for the BGE application fee waiver.

If you have any questions, please contact bgerecruitment@georgetown.edu.

Applicants who have participated in various programs and organizations may be eligible for a fee waiver.

To be considered for the Affiliation- and Recruitment-Based Application Fee Waiver, the applicant must:

• Be applying to an eligible BGE program¹. If you are applying to multiple BGE programs in the same admission cycle, only one program application can receive a fee waiver.
• Be affiliated with one of the programs or organizations listed below.
• Meet the admission requirements for your program. Visit BGE How to Apply and your program’s Admissions page to review requirements.
• Complete the following sections of your graduate application before submitting your fee waiver request: Personal Information, Program, Academic Statement of Purpose, Background and Experience, Academic History, Self-Reported GPA, Input the contact information for each letter provider for letter of recommendation requirements (please see program’s How to Apply page for program specific requirements) Proficiency in Languages (if applicable), Self-Reported Test Scores (if applicable). Do not submit your program application yet!
• Select the qualified affiliation(s) under the application details section in the online Georgetown Grad Application.
• Fill out the Affiliation-and Recruitment-Based Application Fee Waiver Request Form. Provide documentation (e.g., a verification letter of previous or current participation in program/affiliation, certificate of completion, conference attendance, employee letter, for G2 applicants: George Mason University Advance Biomedical Science (ABS) official transcript) in the fee waiver request form that verifies your participation in one of the programs listed below. The request and any applicable supporting documentation must be received at least 14 days before your program’s application deadline. Do not submit your program application yet!
• Wait for your fee waiver request to be processed. Fee waiver requests will be processed Monday through Friday during normal business hours, with the exception of holidays and breaks when the university is closed. Allow up to 3-10 business days for your request to be processed.
• We will inform you if your fee waiver request has been approved or denied. Now you may submit your program application! If you have already paid the application fee, we cannot give you a refund.

Eligible Programs/Affiliations

• American Cancer Society – Diversity in Cancer Research (DICR) Internship Program
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
• AmeriCorps
• Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS)
• Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholar
• Bonner Foundation
• Careers Opportunity Research/NIMH (COR/NIMH)
• EducationUSA’s Opportunity Funds Program
• Federal Academic Alliance
• GeorgeSquared (G²) ABS Certificate to M.S. Pathway
• Georgetown University faculty, staff or AAP eligible for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
• Graduate Student Mentorship Initiative (GSMI)
• Institute for Recruitment of Teachers (IRT)
• Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD)
• Jackie Robinson Foundation
• Jesuit Volunteer Corps
• Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Program
• Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP)
• Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows Program
• Meyerhoff Scholars Program
• Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC)
• Minority Biomedical Research Support Program (RISE)
• National Association of African American Honors Programs (NAAAHP)
• NIH Blueprint Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (BP-ENDURE)
• NIH Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP)
• Peace Corps
• Posse Foundation
• Quad Fellowship by Schmidt Futures
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP)
• Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program
• Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
• Teach for America
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund) Scholarship Recipients
• Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) – Mandela Washington Fellowship
• Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) – Regional Leadership Centers (RLCs)

Notes

1. PostbacCAS applications to the M.S. in Pharmacology, the Special Master’s in Physiology & Biophysics or the regular M.S. in Physiology & Biophysics are not eligible for the BGE application fee waiver.

If you have any questions, please contact bgerecruitment@georgetown.edu.

If you get an error message when trying to submit your payment, the most common reason for this error is that the address an applicant enters does not exactly match the address of their credit card. Make sure that the address is correct and matches their address on file with your bank and/or credit card company. In addition, we recommend logging out and back in again and trying to use a different browser (suggested browsers). Additionally, sometimes when there is an error, a bank statement will show the charge as pending, but the charge does not go through. If you continue to have an issue with your application fee payment, please contact our office and we can assist you further.

Yes; however, Georgetown faculty, staff and AAP employees who are eligible for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) can fill out an Affiliation- and Recruitment-Based Application Fee Waiver request to apply without paying the fee. See instructions above.

List your postsecondary institutions in your application, and upload a transcript for each institution. Applicants are required to list/upload to the application copies of official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended where more than 15 credits of coursework were completed and/or where program prerequisites were completed (any number of credits). This gives the admissions committee a more complete picture of your academic preparation for graduate study.

You must upload electronic or scanned copies of your transcripts (as detailed below) to the online application system.

An acceptable transcript upload is a copy of an official transcript produced by the institution. This includes:

• Scanned copies of paper transcripts issued by the institution. Request an official transcript to be mailed to you from the institution’s registrar office. When you receive the transcript, open it, scan it, and upload it to the online application system.
• Electronic transcripts issued by the institution (not a download from your institution’s web portal). Make a request through the institution’s secure transcript service (e.g., eScrip-Safe, Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, Transcript Network, Transcript Plus) for an official electronic transcript be sent to you by email/electronic delivery. Open the transcript, save it as a PDF, and upload it to the online application system. For secure encrypted PDFs, you should print, scan and upload the document.

Transcript formats we do not accept include:

• Screenshots or photos
• Downloads of the “student’s view” from your institution’s website

Examples of acceptable and unacceptable transcripts for applications submission:

International transcripts: Some programs require a credential evaluation for international credentials. Please check your program to see if this is a requirement.

Applicants who use World Education Services (WES) ICAP evaluations, which should include course-by-course evaluation of post-secondary/university coursework, verification of transcripts documents, and (if applicable) degree documents should type in “Georgetown University” as the institution and for the School/Division select “Biomedical Graduate Education” as the recipient.

Please note: unofficial WES reports are not acceptable. We do not accept scholaro GPA in lieu of transcripts or official evaluations.

Applicants who use the Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) Course-by-course evaluation should select “Georgetown University, Biomedical Graduate Education (BGE) – Office of Admissions” as the institution and recipient.

Applicants who use SpanTran: TEC – Divisional Course Analysis transcript evaluation which upon selection should be for graduate application and should include secondary and post-secondary level credentials, can do the following through SpanTran when selecting an electronic recipient please request an electronic copy of the Divisional Course Analysis Evaluation to be sent via email delivery to our admissions office email address: bgeadmissions@georgetown.edu.

Applicants who use International Education Evaluation (IEE) – Divisional Educational Course transcript evaluation, which upon selecting should be for graduate application and should include secondary and post-secondary level credentials, can do the following in their IEE web portal to send an IEE report, when selecting a recipient please do the following:

Click on the Add a Recipient button from your web portal. From the Name of the Institution List, select “Not Listed” and for the Recipient Name type in: “Georgetown University, Biomedical Graduate Education, Office of Admissions”. Click Save. To Request a copy of your Divisional Educational Course transcript evaluation to be sent via email delivery to our admissions office: Select the Email Delivery Method and type in our admissions office email address: bgeadmissions@georgetown.edu.

Please note: original credentials must be sent from the institutions of study to IEE for verification and official evaluation, BGE does not accept provisional evaluations.

Applicants who use Academic Evaluation Services, Inc. Comprehensive Evaluation which upon selecting should include verification of transcripts documents, and (if applicable) degree documents. The evaluation should establish the equivalent degree(s) or years of study for higher education document(s) submitted and include a course-by-course analysis with credits, equivalent grades and grade point average. Credits are identified as L/lower-division (freshman/ sophomore), U/upper-division (junior/senior), G/graduate level, or P/professional (medicine, law, etc.) credits; courses may either reflect the same order as in the original document(s) or be organized by fields of study. To Request a copy of your Comprehensive Evaluation evaluation to be sent via email delivery to our admissions office: Select the Efile Delivery method and request the evaluation to be sent to our admissions office email address: bgeadmissions@georgetown.edu.

Applicants may use other credential evaluation services that are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Upload the course-by-course evaluation of post-secondary/university coursework, including grade point average calculation, upper-division course designation, verification of transcripts documents, and (if applicable) degree documents directly to the application. If the evaluation does not include a copy of the transcripts that were evaluated, you must upload the transcripts from the institution and the credential evaluation as one document.

Please note: unofficial WES reports are not acceptable. We do not accept scholaro GPA in lieu of transcripts or official evaluations.

Transcripts not in English: These documents must be accompanied by an English-language version provided by the academic institution. If your institution does not provide English-language copies, you are responsible for providing a certified or notarized translation along with a copy of the original transcripts.

Applicants may upload an evaluation from a credential evaluation service. This must include course and grade information. If not included in the evaluation, the transcript from the institution must be included as well. Both the evaluation and original transcript should be submitted in the application as one document.

If you are experiencing technical issues with uploading your transcript, please contact the BGE Office of Admissions by email at BGEAdmissions@georgetown.edu for assistance.

International transcripts: Some programs require a credential evaluation for international credentials. Please check your program to see if this is a requirement.

Applicants who use World Education Services (WES) ICAP evaluations, which should include course-by-course evaluation of post-secondary/university coursework, verification of transcripts documents, and (if applicable) degree documents, should type in “Georgetown University” as the institution and for the School/Division select “Biomedical Graduate Education” as the recipient.

Please note: unofficial WES reports are not acceptable. We do not accept scholaro GPA in lieu of transcripts or official evaluations.

Applicants who use the Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) Course-by-course evaluation should select “Georgetown University, Biomedical Graduate Education (BGE) – Office of Admissions” as the institution and recipient.

Applicants who use SpanTran: TEC – Divisional Course Analysis transcript evaluation which upon selection should be for graduate application and should include secondary and post-secondary level credentials, can do the following through SpanTran when selecting an electronic recipient please request an electronic copy of the Divisional Course Analysis Evaluation to be sent via email delivery to our admissions office email address: bgeadmissions@georgetown.edu.

Applicants who use International Education Evaluation – Divisional Educational Course transcript evaluation can do the following in their IEE web portal to send an IEE report, when selecting a recipient please do the following:

Click on the Add a Recipient button from your web portal. From the Name of the Institution List, select “Not Listed” and for the Recipient Name type in: “Georgetown University, Biomedical Graduate Education, Office of Admissions”. Click Save. To Request a copy of your Divisional Educational Course transcript evaluation to be sent via email delivery to our admissions office: Select the Email Delivery Method and type in our admissions office email address: bgeadmissions@georgetown.edu.

Applicants who use Academic Evaluation Services, Inc. Comprehensive Evaluation which upon selecting should include verification of transcripts documents, and (if applicable) degree documents. The evaluation should establish the equivalent degree(s) or years of study for higher education document(s) submitted and include a course-by-course analysis with credits, equivalent grades and grade point average. Credits are identified as L/lower-division (freshman/ sophomore), U/upper-division (junior/senior), G/graduate level, or P/professional (medicine, law, etc.) credits; courses may either reflect the same order as in the original document(s) or be organized by fields of study. To Request a copy of your Comprehensive Evaluation to be sent via email delivery to our admissions office: Select the Efile Delivery method and request the evaluation to be sent to our admissions office email address: bgeadmissions@georgetown.edu.

Applicants may use other credential evaluation services that are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). Upload the course-by-course evaluation of postsecondary/university coursework, including grade point average calculation and upper-division course designation, verification of transcripts documents, and (if applicable) degree documents directly to the application. If the evaluation does not include a copy of the transcripts that were evaluated, you must upload the transcripts from the institution and the credential evaluation as one document.

Transcripts not in English: These documents must be accompanied by an English-language version provided by the academic institution. If your institution does not provide English-language copies, you are responsible for providing a certified or notarized translation along with a copy of the original transcripts.

Applicants may upload an evaluation from a credential evaluation service. This must include course and grade information. If not included in the evaluation, the transcript from the institution must be included as well. Both the evaluation and original transcript should be submitted in the application as one document.

If you are experiencing technical issues with uploading your transcript, please contact the BGE Office of Admissions by email at BGEAdmissions@georgetown.edu for assistance.

Applicants are to upload copies of official transcripts to the application portal for the purpose application review. Unless specified please do not request official electronic or paper copies of official transcripts to be sent directly to our admissions office before receiving an offer of admission. If applicable transcript conditions will be indicated on the admissions letter, please follow the instructions indicated in the Admissions FAQ section Offer Acceptance | I was offered a conditional letter of admission. How do I submit my outstanding conditions of admission?

You need to request your official GRE test score through ETS (Educational Testing Services) and use the Georgetown University Code for BGE: 5244. A specific department code is not required thus input, ‘Undecided’ code: 0000 or ‘Any Department code not listed’ code: 5199. Official GRE scores are valid for five years from the exam date. We are unable to accept copies of unofficial or invalid GRE score reports.

You can send in your MCAT score through your AMCAS (American Medical College Application Services) application or email the pdf. MCAT score report with verification link directly to BGEAdmissions@georgetown.edu.

All applicants, regardless of citizenship, are required to demonstrate a level of proficiency in the English language sufficient to meet the admission requirement of the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. Proficiency can be demonstrated by the receipt of a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or from an accredited university where English is the language of instruction. (Please note that applicants receiving degrees at universities in U.S. territories, such as Puerto Rico, are required to submit the TOEFL or IELTS unless the language of instruction at the institution is English).

For universities outside the United States or non-English speaking countries: if your transcript does not clearly state that the language of instruction is English, then please upload supporting documentation on institutional letterhead from your university’s registrar’s office or equivalent along with your transcript.

Applicants who are in progress and will confer a bachelor’s or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or from an accredited university where English is the language of instruction before the start date(s) of our graduate programs are not required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Please note: we do not offer TOEFL or IELTS waivers. We do not accept Duolingo. We do not accept TOEFL myBest Score. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake. We do not accept the Cambridge Assessment English test.

TOEFL iBT test or TOEFL iBT Home Edition: You need to request that ETS (Educational Testing Services) send your TOEFL scores to Georgetown University. To request scores, use the university test code: 5244. A specific department code is not required thus input, Department not listed: Use the department code 99. The minimum TOEFL score for admission is 80 (Internet-based test) and 550 (paper test). Official TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the exam date.

IELTS (academic test) or IELTS Online (academic test): Official score reports should be sent electronically by the testing center to Georgetown University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The minimum IELTS score for admission is 7.0. Official IELTS scores are valid for two years from the exam date.

We are unable to accept copies of unofficial TOEFL or IELTS score reports sent by applicants via email attachments.

Yes. ETS announced that the GRE and TOEFL exams can be completed online for those impacted by the closure of testing centers. For more information and registration details visit the following ETS pages: TOEFL  and GRE. IELTS which is administered by Cambridge ESOL, British Council, and IDP:IELTS Australia has announced its IELTS online academic test which can be completed online for those impacted by the closure of testing centers. For more information and registration details visit the following IELTS website page.

We are unable to accept copies of unofficial test score reports sent directly by applicants.

Applicants are notified of their admissions decision via the online application system.

Financial aid award(s) will be available for viewing in GU Experience under the Financial Services tab.

Applicants who have been accepted for admission are required to officially accept their offer through the online application system and submit a $500 nonrefundable deposit to secure their seat. Confirming intent to enroll with individual programs, whether in writing or verbally, is not sufficient.

Please visit the University Registrar Certifications page to access the university’s Certificate of Enrollment Request Form.

To request a deferral of admission, follow the instructions on our How to Apply page under Deferral Request.

Requested transcripts indicated in the admissions letter are to be sent directly to the BGE Office of Admissions by the set deadline shown on the admissions letter for verification purposes. 

Note: please be advised that all transcripts received directly from applicants/students via email attachments will be marked as unofficial. Transcripts must be received directly from the transcript service of the university or university registrar’s office to our admissions office for verification.

Before requesting your transcripts to be sent to our admissions office we would recommend that you contact your institution’s registrar’s office to confirm the date on which the conferral of degree(s)/certificate(s) will be printed on official transcripts and/or when official degree diplomas will be officially conferred/awarded.

You may request your transcripts to be mailed or sent to our office using one of the following methods:

(Option 1) Send Official Electronic Transcript(s):

Official electronic transcripts must be sent directly through your institution’s registrar’s or equivalent secure electronic delivery service (e.g. eScrip-Safe, Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, and Transcript Network, for example). If your institution can issue official electronic transcripts and/or diploma documentation please request through your institution’s transcript service to send official electronic documents directly to Georgetown Univ. Biomedical Graduate Education Office of Admissions, BGEAdmissions@georgetown.edu as the recipient.

(Option 2) Send Official Transcript Evaluation:

You may request a transcript evaluation report from one of NACES services that confirm/verify coursework and conferral of your degree to be sent to Georgetown University, Biomedical Graduate Education, Office of Admissions. Most use WES or ECE.

For instructions on how to submit your transcript evaluation please visit the Biomedical Graduate Education Admissions FAQ Section | Transcripts | How do I submit my transcript from a university outside the United States?

(Option 3) Send mailed official transcripts and (if applicable) degree documents:

Copies of official transcripts and official degree documents must be contained in a sealed envelope(s) issued by the institution and sealed by the Registrar. To send a mailed copy of official documents that confirm the conferral of your degree, you may request your institution’s registrar’s office to mail them directly to our Admissions Office mailing address:

Georgetown University, Biomedical Graduate Education Office of Admissions
3900 Reservoir Road NW
SE 106 Medical-Dental Building
Washington, DC 20057-1411

In response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), our office has shifted to a hybrid service environment, effective February 1, 2022. Therefore there will be a delay in processing mailed official transcripts, as our mail delivery is operating on a modified schedule.

Please contact your program and review the New Student Checklist and Current Students page.