How to Apply

Thank you for your interest in Georgetown's Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies. Please note that our degree completion program is fully online. Learn more about the program and how to apply.

To make applying as simple and straightforward as possible, we've put together a checklist of everything you need to complete your application. From detailed requirements to helpful how-to articles, the checklist below and our Admissions Policy Handbook will help you navigate the application process. And if you have any questions along the way, please feel free to contact me.

Are you applying to the correct program?
Our Bachelor's Completion Program is for adult learners looking to finish their degrees. Classes are offered part-time in the evenings and online. To apply to Georgetown's four-year undergraduate program, visit uadmissions.georgetown.edu.

Transfer Credits

The successful applicant for the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies degree completion program will typically have completed some course work at a postsecondary institution or have professional, military, or life experience prior to applying to the program. The School of Continuing Studies accepts up to 64 transfer credits, including military training, which can be applied toward elective credits on a case-by-case basis. Official transfer credit evaluations are completed by the academic advising team only after an applicant has been admitted and has accepted their enrollment. Applicants who do not have previous post-secondary college experience may be considered for provisional admission; we strongly recommend that these applicants submit at least a resume with their other application materials. Additional information about transfer credit can be found at the bottom of this page. 

Required Application Materials

1. Completed Online Application

Our application is conveniently located online for you to complete at your own pace. Applications received after the priority deadline will be subject to a $25, non-refundable fee. The School of Continuing Studies is currently offering automatic application fee waivers for:

• Applicants who apply by the priority deadline.
• Military-connected applicants, including those who are an Active Duty Service Member, Reservist or Guardsman, ROTC Candidate, Veteran, Dependent Child, Surviving Child, Parent, or Spouse.
• Current or recently separated (between April 1, 2024 and now) US federal civil government employees or contractors.
• Alumni of Georgetown University’s undergraduate, graduate, or professional certificate programs.
• Applicants affiliated with one, or more, of the programs, organizations, or DMV-based conditions on this list of application fee waivers.
• Applicants who are US citizens with financial need demonstrated by one, or more, of the qualifications on this list of approved qualifications of demonstrated financial need.

2. High school/GED transcript or course-by-course evaluation

Applicants to the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies program must have received, or will receive, their high school diploma (or a diploma equivalent to a US high school diploma) or GED certification prior to the start of their first term in the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies program. A high school/GED transcript or course-by-course evaluation must be received by the admissions office in order to review your application.

Applicants who are enrolled in their final year (if they maintain a 3.00 GPA or better at the time of application) or final term (anyone regardless of GPA) of their secondary education program can apply to this program. These applicants must provide a transcript or course-by-course evaluation that lists the courses in progress in order to be considered for admission.

Unofficial transcripts from US high schools/GED transcripts can be uploaded into the application system prior to submission. Pictures or copies of your diploma will not satisfy this requirement. Applicants may need to contact the school district or entity that awarded the high school diploma or GED for a transcript. In most states, the parents/guardians/instructor is expected to maintain the transcript of a homeschooled student. For closed schools, applicants may need to contact their state’s Department of Education. If an applicant does not upload a high school transcript to their application prior to submission, it will not be reviewed until one is sent to our office.

Applicants who attended high school outside of the U.S. must have an official course-by-course evaluation of their high school credentials from TEC, WES, or ECE sent to our office in order to ensure that U.S. accreditation standards, degree, course, and credit equivalencies are met.

High school transcripts, without the need for a course-by-course evaluation, are accepted from institutions located outside of the U.S. that are accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or for applicants who graduated with an IB diploma (both the applicant’s IB transcript and their school transcript must be provided for the admissions review in a single file).

3. Transcripts from All Previously Attended For-Credit Higher Education Programs

Current Georgetown University students intending to switch into this program should review the Admissions Policy Handbook and consult with the admissions team regarding the steps they must take to do so. Applicants who order a transcript or course-by-course evaluation that does not meet the requirements for review are responsible for any additional charges incurred if the committee requests an updated document from the applicant.

Applicants who attended an institution(s) in the United States must submit (official or unofficial) transcripts from:

• all higher education institutions attended for credit (regardless of whether or not credits were transferred to another institution)

All US institutions must be accredited through one of the bodies officially recognized by the US Department of Education.

In order to ensure that U.S. accreditation standards, degree, course, and credit equivalencies are met, applicants who attended an institution outside of the U.S. must submit an official course-by-course evaluation from TEC, WES, or ECE of:

• all higher education coursework
• Please ensure the evaluation organization evaluates both your high school and post-secondary coursework if needed

For information on study abroad transcripts, please see our policy handbook at the top of the page. Information on sending official documents and completing conditional admissions requirements can be found further down.

4. English Language Proficiency Exams

Coursework at Georgetown University is reading- and writing-intensive and requires proficiency in written and spoken English. All applicants who did not earn a high school diploma or a degree (Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctorate) from an accredited institution (or program) where the primary language of instruction is English are required to complete one of the following English proficiency examinations unless they meet one of the additional waiver conditions. An application will not be reviewed unless the minimum requirement is met.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

• TOEFL: Required overall score of 100 with no individual category scores below 23 (original TOEFL iBT score scale) or 5 with no individual category scores below a 4.5 (new TOEFL iBT score scale beginning January 21, 2026)
  • TOEFL iBT MyBest™ scores are accepted for admission to undergraduate and graduate programs.
• School of Continuing Studies Institution Code: 5986

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

• IELTS: Required overall score of 7.0 with no individual category scores below 6.5
• School of Continuing Studies Institution Code: 5986

Duolingo English Test (DET)

• DET: Required overall score of 130 with no individual category scores below 120
• School of Continuing Studies Institution Code: 5986

Students should plan well in advance to complete the necessary tests and allow time for the Georgetown SCS Office of Admissions (institution code 5986) to receive the results. Exam scores are valid for two years.

Additional Options for Waivers:

• Has completed the highest level of intensive English at Georgetown University or another member institution of the UCIEP.
• Has completed Level 402 or higher of the Intensive English Program at the International Center for Language Studies.

Optional Application Materials

Though not required, the admissions team will accept any of the following additional materials as part of your application. If choosing to provide optional materials, please have them uploaded in the application prior to submission. The use of generative AI to write these documents is prohibited.

Optional: Resume or CV

Submit an up-to-date version of your resume or CV that is no more than 2 pages.

Optional: Statement of Purpose

Please respond to the following prompts (200-300) words each. Your response should be Times New Roman, 12pt font, and double-spaced:

1. What have you been doing since you were last a student?
2. What goals do you hope to achieve if you are accepted into the Georgetown University Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies program? What qualities make you an ideal candidate for this program?
3. Explanations of any previous educational experiences or GPA addendums that you wish to share (Optional)

Optional: Written Response

Briefly discuss a current global issue, including why you consider it important and what you think should be done to address it (no longer than 500 words). Your written response should be Times New Roman, 12pt font, and double-spaced.

Sending Official Documents & Meeting Conditional Admissions Requirements

Some admissions documents such as course-by-course evaluations, English proficiency tests, and conditional admissions requirements must be official. A document is only considered official if it is sent directly to our office from the issuing organization; a document sent by the applicant is not official. Below is a guide to sending official documents to our office. Please allow up to one week for the processing of official documents once they have been received by our office.

Course-by-Course Evaluations (Required for Admission)

• Must come directly from TEC, WES, or ECE
• Can be sent electronically (preferred) or by mail

English Proficiency Tests (Required for Admission)

• Must come directly from TOEFL, IELTS, or DET
• Can be sent electronically (preferred) or by mail
• School of Continuing Studies Institution Code: 5986

Satisfying Your Conditional Requirement (If Applicable)

• Your conditional requirement can be found near the top of your admission letter.
• Admitted applicants who plan to enroll must provide an official high school/GED transcript and official transcripts or requested course-by-course evaluations from every institution they attended for credit.
• Other types of conditional documents may be added by the admissions committee to an admissions letter.
• All conditional documents must be received no later than the first day of classes for the term to which the applicant was admitted. Failure to meet this deadline will result in the student being removed from any classes they are registered for and a hold placed on their account.

How to have an official document sent to our office:
Preferred Method - Electronic:

• Send it through an electronic service - National Student Clearinghouse or Parchment are the most common.
• Have your institution(s) email your document to our office at scsadmissions@georgetown.edu.

Alternative Method - Mailed in a Sealed Envelope:

• Have your institution(s) mail your document to our office at:
  Georgetown University
  School of Continuing Studies
  Attn: Office of Admissions
  111 Massachusetts Ave NW
  Suite 6102
  Washington, DC 20001

If your document is sent to another school at Georgetown University by mistake, you will need to reorder the document and have it sent to the School of Continuing Studies.

Additional Transfer Credit Information

The Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies program honors up to 64 transfer credits for completed courses with a minimum C grade from regionally accredited institutions. Transfer credit evaluations are conducted on a case-by-case, individual basis by the program only after an applicant has been admitted and has accepted their enrollment. Factors considered when reviewing transfer credit include, but are not limited to, accreditation, timeliness of content (computer science and technology courses no older than 10 years), and overall academic relevance within the program. In addition, CLEP exam credit (B-level and above), AP exam credit (grade of 4-5), and all Joint Services Transcripts completed prior to matriculation will be considered for transfer.

Students applying to the program who have previously attended another Georgetown University undergraduate program should be aware that their entire undergraduate academic record will be reflected on their transcript. This means that all courses, grades, and credits earned at Georgetown University will be factored into the cumulative GPA and credit totals, without exception. While all previously completed undergraduate coursework will be reflected on the transcript and will be applied towards the cumulative GPA and credit totals, students are still responsible for completing all of the program requirements, including a minimum of 56 credits within the program and all required courses.

*Applicants who have completed all sections through the “Application Information” section of their admissions application are eligible to have their transcripts evaluated. Moving forward, both prospective and current students can request a transfer credit evaluation using the Transfer Credit Evaluation Request Form. If admitted, an official review will occur after your first term, which may adjust the credit count. Decisions on credit recognition are at the discretion of Georgetown University, and the official review determines final transfer decisions.