How to Apply

Applying to graduate school is a big step. 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.

The SCS Admissions team generally works Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, excluding holidays and commencement week. Walk-ins are welcome on Tuesdays; all other weekdays are available by appointment by contacting your admissions recruiter.

Your Admissions Recruiter
Sara Currie
Admissions Recruiter
sc2650@georgetown.edu
202-687-5495

If you are an international applicant who requires F-1 or J-1 visa support, you should submit all required application materials by the priority deadline and accept your enrollment, if admitted, soon after your decision is posted to ensure alignment with the Office of Global Services visa processing timelines. Additional information on the visa process can be found on Georgetown's Visa and Immigration Documents page.

Application Checklist

1. Completed Online Application

Our application is conveniently located online for you to complete at your own pace. There is a $75, non-refundable fee.The School of Continuing Studies is currently offering automatic application fee waivers for:

• Military-connected applicants, including those who are an Active Duty Service Member, Reservist or Guardsman, ROTC Candidate, Veteran, Dependent Child or Spouse, Surviving Child, Parent, or Spouse.
• Current or recently separated (between April 1, 2024 and now) U.S. 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 the list of application fee waivers.
• Applicants who are US citizens with financial need demonstrated by one, or more, of the qualifications on the list of approved qualifications of demonstrated financial need.
  
  

2. Statement of Purpose

The committee wants to learn how a student's academic, intellectual, and experiential goals will benefit from the structure of the Doctor of Liberal Studies program. Please respond to the following prompts (appx. 300 words each). Your response should be Times New Roman, 12-point font, and double-spaced.

• Explain how the Doctor of Liberal Studies program's emphasis on academic methodologies that focus upon human values (particularly within the foundational courses) relates to your interest in the program and your academic journey.
• Explain the direction of your thesis/intended thesis and identify faculty or courses at Georgetown that may be able to contribute to your thesis development (faculty and courses identified here are not guaranteed to be eligible electives for the program).
• What specific academic and professional qualities do you possess that you could draw upon to help you excel within this program?
• What goals (personal and professional) do you hope to achieve if you are accepted into this program?
• (Optional, but required if you were previously terminated from a program at Georgetown University) ExplanationsExplain of any previous educational experiences or GPA addendums that you wish to share.

3. 20 Pages of Academic Writing

Please submit 20 pages of academic writing (a bibliography should be included when relevant; it is not included in the page count). The applicant's name and the degree(s) for which the paper/section was written must be written clearly on the first page of the paper/section. Other examples of writing may be substituted with approval from the Director of the Doctor of Liberal Studies program, but academic writing is strongly encouraged.

4. Resume or CV

Please submit an up-to-date version of your resume or CV (no more than two pages).

5. Two Letters of Recommendation

Through the online application portal, you will be prompted to provide the contact information of two recommenders. Immediately upon saving your application, your recommenders will receive an electronic request with instructions for submitting their recommendation. An editable PDF can be downloaded and sent directly from the recommender to the program’s admissions advisor—see contact above—if they are having trouble accessing the electronic recommendation. Please note that our electronic recommendation form works best in Chrome or Firefox.

• While we accept a variety of recommendation types, academic letters of recommendation are preferred due to the emphasis on pedagogy in this program. We will, however, accept recommendations from former supervisors or professional associates capable of appraising your academic and professional capabilities, and your present ability to pursue independent graduate work if academic letters are not available.
• Letters of recommendation may be submitted at any time once an application is started, including before the application is submitted.
  
  

6. Transcripts from Previously Attended Undergraduate and Graduate Level Institutions

To be eligible for review, applicants to the Doctor of Liberal Studies program must either hold both a conferred Bachelor’s and Graduate-level degree or hold a Bachelor’s degree and be actively enrolled in the final term of their Graduate program. Applicants currently completing the final term of their graduate program must submit a transcript or course-by-course evaluation that clearly lists all courses in progress and includes the anticipated graduation month and year to be considered for review. Current Georgetown University students intending to switch into this program should review the Admissions Policy Handbook at the top of this page 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 a U.S. institution must submit (official or unofficial) transcripts from:

• all undergraduate institutions where 16 or more credits were earned
• all graduate institutions where any credit was earned

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 international institution must submit an official course-by-course evaluation from TEC, WES, or ECE of:

• all undergraduate institutions attended for more than one term
• all graduate institutions where any credit was earned

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.

7. English Language Proficiency Exams

Graduate 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.

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 official transcripts or requested course-by-course evaluations from every institution where they earned a bachelor’s degree or completed any graduate-level coursework. These documents must clearly indicate that the degree has been conferred (if applicable).
• Other types 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:

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.