Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies
How to Apply

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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 will help you navigate the application process. And if you have any questions along the way, please feel free to contact me.

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 your concentration or 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 a resume with their other application materials.

Deadlines

Required Application Materials

1. Completed Online Application

   Our application is conveniently located online for you to complete at your own pace. There is no application fee for our Bachelor’s program.

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2. Official high school transcripts/GED certification 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. An official high school transcript/course-by-course evaluation/GED certification must be received by the admissions office in order to review your application.

   Transcripts must either be mailed in an envelope sealed by the school, sent via an official online transcript provider, or emailed by the school directly to scsadmissions@georgetown.edu.

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

   When necessary, please indicate scsadmissions@georgetown.edu as the intended recipient of the official course-by-course evaluation.

   Applicants who are enrolled in their final semester or quarter 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 for their final term and must state an expected graduation month and year in order to be considered for admission.

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

   Applicants who attended an institution(s) in the United States must submit:

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

   Applicants who attended an institution outside of the U.S. must submit:

   • an official course-by-course evaluation of higher education coursework from SpanTran/TEC, WES, or ECE
   • Please ensure the evaluation organization evaluates both your high school and post-secondary coursework if needed

   In order to ensure that U.S. accreditation standards, degree, course, and credit equivalencies are met, transcripts from higher education institutions outside the U.S. must be evaluated by a recognized foreign educational credential evaluator from the list below:

   • SpanTran/TEC: The Evaluation Company (TEC)
   • World Education Services (WES)
   • Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE)

   When necessary, please indicate scsadmissions@georgetown.edu as the intended recipient of the official course-by-course evaluation.

   The Office of Admissions can request a transcript from a study abroad program or an official course-by-course evaluation if deemed necessary during the review of an admissions application. In certain cases, students who have participated in a formal study abroad program through their home institution may not need to submit a separate transcript from their visiting school. Please contact the Office of Admissions for more information regarding your particular circumstances.

   If an applicant has been admitted and would like to enroll, official transcripts from all institutions where any credit was earned are required. The official transcript(s) must be sent to the Georgetown SCS Office of Admissions prior to the start of the term to which a student was admitted.

   Preferred Method - Electronic (Select One Method):

   1. Send it through an electronic service - National Student Clearinghouse or Parchment, if available.
   2. Have your institution(s)'s Registrar email us your official transcript(s) to our Admissions Office at: scsadmissions@georgetown.edu

   If your institution(s) only offers hard copy transcripts, then by mail:

   Georgetown University, School of Continuing Studies
   Attn: Admissions Office
   640 Massachusetts Ave NW
   Washington, DC 20001

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

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

   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, AP exam credit (grade of 4-5), and all Joint Services Transcripts 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.

   Please contact the Office of Admissions at scsadmissions@georgetown.edu should you have any specific questions regarding your transcripts or application.

4. English Language Proficiency Exams

   Undergraduate coursework at Georgetown University is reading- and writing-intensive and requires proficiency in written and spoken English.

   All applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose first language is not English or did not earn a degree from an accredited institution where the language of instruction is English are required to complete one of the following English proficiency examinations or the highest level of the Intensive Academic English Program at Georgetown University’s English Language Center:

   Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

   • TOEFL: Recommended score of 100 (iBT), 600 (paper-based test), or 250 (computer-based test)
     • TOEFL iBT MyBest™ scores are accepted for admission to undergraduate and graduate programs.
   • TOEFL Essentials exam is not accepted.
   • School of Continuing Studies Institution Code: 5986

   International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

   • IELTS: Recommended score of 7.0.
   • 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.

   Georgetown University Intensive Academic English Program

   • Please note: Acceptance into, and completion of, the Intensive Academic English Program does not guarantee acceptance into a degree program at Georgetown University.
   • An applicant may be accepted into a degree program on the condition that they complete the highest level of the Intensive Academic English Program before the start of their first term in the degree program.

   There are additional requirements for international applicants.

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 ChatGPT to write or edit these documents is prohibited.

1. Optional: Resume or CV

   Submit an up-to-date, one- or two-page version of your resume or CV.

2. Optional: Statement of Purpose

   Write an essay explaining why you are interested in pursuing this degree. Your essay should be two to three pages in length, typed, and double-spaced. It should describe:

   • What you have been doing since you were last a student
   • Why you are applying to the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies program
   • Any other qualities that make you an ideal candidate for the Georgetown University Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies program
   • Previous educational experiences or GPA addendums

   Tips for Statements of Purpose

3. 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. Your written response should be no longer than 500 words.

4. Optional: One Letter of Recommendation

   Though not required, the Office of Admissions will accept one letter of recommendation as part of your application packet. If you would like someone to submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf, please enter their name and email in the application when prompted and click "save." Recommenders will then be sent an email request with instructions for submitting a recommendation through the application portal.