GW Study Programs

Jeslyn Zakes snaps a shot of her GW Chile cohort at Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia.

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, England, 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.

Lock in a spot for a fall semester abroad with Fall Early Decision and secure your nomination, additional scholarship benefits, and other fall semester perks in advance! Applications for Fall Early Decision open for select GW Study programs each summer!

Explore GW Study Programs in GW Passport

Learn More about the Process

Benefits of GW Study Programs

A GW England student smiles for a photo in London.

Offer both cultural immersion and GW support from start to finish

A GW Madrid student in front of a lake in Madrid.

Students can take GW numbered courses that will impact their GPA (on select programs)

A GW Paris student posing in front of the Eiffel Tower.

On-site GW staff are available 24/7 for assistance in-country

GW Study Program Locations

View over Santiago, 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.

Browse and Apply for GW Chile Programs

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.

Big Ben and the Parliament Building in London, United Kingdom.

GW England is a full immersion experience. Students take classes alongside British and international students in the English tradition of tutorials or seminars – regular, intensive, small group sessions that lead to lively debate. Students live in university housing, integrated with other host university students and have access to university facilities and extracurricular life in addition to the support and activities offered by the GW Resident Staff.

Browse and Apply for GW England Programs

GW England Partners In London

King's College London

King's College London, one of the founding members and most respected colleges of the University of London, has multiple campuses in downtown London, specializing in the humanities, biomedical sciences, and health and life sciences.

London School of Economics and Political Science

London School of Economics and Political Science, with its world-wide academic reputation and an international student body, offers a full range of courses in the social, political, and economic fields.

Queen Mary, University of London

Queen Mary, University of London, is located in London’s vibrant East End and offers programs in business, social sciences, natural sciences, arts, engineering and mathematical sciences. Queen Mary features the largest self-contained campus in inner London and a highly diverse student body.

School for Oriental and African Studies, University of London

School for Oriental and African Studies, University of London, located in the heart of London, is one of the world's leading institutions specializing in the study of Africa, Asia, and the Near and Middle East.

University College London

University College London, offers students a world-class education in more than 55 different academic departments spanning a broad spectrum from humanities to engineering, from life sciences to social sciences.

GW England Partners Outside of London

Pembroke College, University of Oxford

Pembroke College, University of Oxford, one of about 40 residential colleges at the University of Oxford, offers vigorous and challenging study in the liberal arts through a small community of 400 students fully enrolled at the oldest university of the English speaking world.

St. Anne's College, University of Oxford

St. Anne's College, University of Oxford, one of about 40 residential colleges at the University of Oxford, offers challenging coursework in the liberal arts and stands out as a modern and informal college with a strong sense of academic purpose.

Pembroke College, University of Cambridge

Pembroke College, University of Cambridge, offers an academically rigorous program tailored to students who wish to follow a regular Cambridge degree course as fully matriculated members of the university.

Royal Holloway, University of London

Royal Holloway, University of London, located at a park-like campus in Surrey next to a 600-acre national park near Eton and Windsor Castle and within easy access to downtown London, offers courses in 21 major fields, including drama and media arts, English, history, physics, and psychology.

The Plaza de Toros in Madrid. The building is constructed of red bricks.

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.

Browse and Apply for GW Madrid 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.

An aerial shot of Paris on a clear day. The Eiffel Tower is visible in the background.

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.

Browse and Apply for GW Paris Programs

GW Paris Program Options

Sciences Po Direct Enroll

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.

Universite Paris Dauphine Campus

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)
Are you flexible and adaptable to an entirely different academic structure which focuses on lecture-style teaching and final exams as the main overall grade? (GW England)
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?

Udochi Esomonu

GW England - School of Oriental and African Studies
Political Science & Sociocultural Anthropology Major

"I truly loved my time abroad! Not only did I love SOAS, but I loved London as a whole, it's such a lovely city with so much to do (literally always). I chose GW England: SOAS because of SOAS's dedication to educating people on Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, which are generally geographic parts of the world that aren't covered as often, and when they are, severely lack much regard for people and their experiences. Not only did SOAS provide me with a challenging academic environment, but it opened me up to a unique social environment, one where I was exposed to all kinds of people, cultures, backgrounds, and livelihoods. My experience abroad has definitely helped steer my professional interests to where I want it to be."