GW Study Programs
GW Study Programs offer the very best in study abroad. Each program combines access to top universities and cultural immersion with the support of in-country GW staff who are there to make each student’s experience a success.
GW Study Programs are located in Chile, France,and Spain and each has a specific program model. All share a guiding principle of giving students direct access to high-level academics at some of the best universities in the world, allowing for immersion in the host culture, while also providing an environment of additional GW support. In some programs, students directly enroll in all host university classes with local students. In others, students may choose a full curriculum of GW university classes taught by host-country faculty, or some have the option for a combination of both. Unlike other study abroad programs, GW Resident Directors are available on-site to provide orientation, cultural activities, excursions and 24/7 health & safety support throughout the semester. By offering a balance of immersion, support and cultural insight, GW Study Programs offer students the opportunity for an exceptional study abroad experience.
Applications typically open in December, for Fall or Academic Year applicants, and July, for Spring applicants. Deadlines and application requirements vary by program. Find the right GW Study Program for you from our options below.
Benefits of GW Study Programs
Offer both cultural immersion and GW support from start to finish
Students can take GW numbered courses that will impact their GPA (on select programs)
On-site GW staff are available 24/7 for assistance in-country
GW Study Program Locations
GW Chile
GW Chile offers a fully immersive experience, with options for Spanish speakers of all levels. Students benefit from unparalleled academic opportunities, with courses at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and Universidad de Chile, two of the highest ranked universities in Latin America and the world, as well as optional GW program courses and internships for credit. Beyond the classroom, students improve their Spanish by leaps and bounds by living with a host family. They have the support of on-site staff, who organize excursions that highlight Chile's breathtaking geography and rich history. All of this takes place against the backdrop of a country that is a regional business leader and cultural capital, leaving students with a wider academic perspective that incorporates worldviews from the Global South.
- GW Chile Program Information
In Santiago, students find themselves in an immersive program, in which they live with host families and are constantly exposed to the Spanish language. They live the life of a Santiaguino, commuting daily to the university and interacting with Chilean classmates. In this environment, students begin to perfect their Spanish skills, acquiring an invaluable asset for any future career.
Students take courses from the Universidad de Chile, the oldest and most prestigious university in Chile, which offers courses in 69 undergraduate programs. Students also take courses at the Pontificia Universidad Católica. In this way, GW Chile participants experience both university environments simultaneously, with full access to the facilities and extracurricular life at each institution.
The GW Chile program offers three optional GW courses: Historical Memory and Human Rights in Chile, an Advanced Spanish Oral Communication course with a focus on Chilean culture, and the option to do an internship for credit.
With an on-site resident director who provides ongoing support throughout the semester and arranges cultural activities and excursions for students, the GW Chile program offers students both the experience of a new life in Chile and the familiarity of an ongoing GW community.
GW Madrid
The GW Madrid program is designed for students who have an intermediate to advanced level of Spanish and who want to strengthen their Spanish language ability while taking classes in liberal arts, international affairs, business, and other areas of study. The program is based at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM), a premier national university in Madrid, within the Department of Philosophy and Liberal Arts. GW Madrid participants partake in primarily GW numbered classes but also have the option to take coursework directly at UAM and have full access to UAM’s facilities and extracurricular programs.
- GW Madrid Program Information
In Madrid, students will find themselves in an immersive program, living with host families and enjoying constant exposure to the Spanish language. They live the life of a Madrileno, commuting daily to the university and interacting with their Spanish professors. In this environment, students perfect their Spanish skills, acquiring an invaluable asset to any future career.
The GW Madrid on-site staff provides support and arranges cultural activities, seminars, and excursions for students, in addition to facilitating internships, homestay living, and opportunities to meet Spanish students inside and outside of the classroom. The GW Madrid program balances the students’ experience of a new life in Spain with the familiarity of a GW community.
GW Madrid courses are taught by UAM professors. Some courses are taught in Spanish while others are taught in English. Students with advanced Spanish may elect to directly enroll in at least one course taught in Spanish at UAM, where they can take classes alongside Spanish classmates.
GW Paris
GW Paris students are hosted at three of Europe’s top universities –the Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris, or Sciences Po, Université Paris-Dauphine, and the ESSEC Business School. Students participate in classes taught in English and French alongside French, American, and other international students. Classes can be large lectures or small discussion groups – offering the opportunity to experience very different sides of the French teaching and learning styles.
- GW Paris Program Options
Sciences Po
The Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris, known internationally as Sciences Po, is the premier French institution concentrating in the social sciences. GW students at Sciences Po are immersed in the French university system and study alongside other international and French students at Sciences Po. They can choose to study in either Paris or Reims.
Paris-Dauphine
Located in the former headquarters of NATO in the 16th Arrondissement of Paris, Paris-Dauphine is an exciting addition to the GW Paris offerings. Dauphine is a highly selective school focused on Economics, Finance, Math and Business Strategy. Classes are also available in Environmental Studies, International Relations, French society and more. Students can take classes entirely in English, entirely in French or a mix of both. Dauphine is also a founding member of Université PSL, one of the highest rated young universities in the world.
ESSEC Business School
ESSEC is one of the leading institutions in Europe for business education and has developed a unique learning experience that integrates professional and international experience. The campus is just a short train ride from downtown Paris, and the undergraduate program content is inspired by current business practices and incorporates real world experiences. ESSEC is also the first undergraduate program in France to receive AACSB and EQUIS accreditations.
Is a GW Study Program Right for Me?
Questions to consider:
- Are you looking for a linguistically immersive program? (GW Chile or Madrid)
- Are you comfortable with a homestay? (GW Chile or Madrid)
- Would you like to improve your GPA by taking GW-numbered coursework? (GW Madrid and GW Chile-optional)
- Have you been abroad before in your life? Would you feel comforted by the added support of GW Resident Director staff? (all Study Centers)
- Does the program offer the coursework you need? Have you verified this in GW CATS?
- Will this program allow you to achieve your goals for study abroad?
"I chose to study in Santiago for two main reasons: to improve my Spanish and to have a completely different experience than I had ever had before. I traveled before with my family, but I knew that living by myself with a host family and taking classes at a host institution in a different language would be unlike any of those experiences. Not only do I feel like both goals were fulfilled, this experience has exceeded my expectations and taught me so many life lessons I had never thought about before. In regards to my Spanish, I feel like my level of understanding and speaking skyrocketed. Throwing myself into this new environment was scary at first, but I was able to adapt quickly and get the most out of the few short months I had here. More than this, I learned to not be afraid to ask for help, to challenge previously-held beliefs, and to appreciate the present. I would strongly recommend this experience to anyone!"
Ava Svolos
GW Chile - Spanish Track
Sociology Major
