International Services Office

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where is the ISO office located and when can I talk to an advisor?
2. What is walk-in advising?
3. How many credits must I register and maintain in order to meet the requirements of ‘full time status’ ?
4. I just moved. What do I do to update my address?
5. What documents do I need to travel and reenter the US?
6. Can International Students get financial aid? Loans? What about fellowships, GTAs or Scholarships?
7. What do I do if I need a letter of enrollment?
8. How do I apply for a social security number?
9. What about paying taxes?

1. Where is the ISO office located and when can I talk to an advisor?

The International Services Office is located a few blocks from the main campus at 2033 K Street, NW, Suite 310. The building entrance is located on 21st Street, (just north of K Street and directly opposite of the Stevens Elementary School.)

The ISO is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00am - 5:00pm for document pick-up and drop off and for scheduled appointments.

To speak with an advisor, please make an appointment. Please click here for advisor contact iformation.

Phone: 202-994-4477

Fax: 202-994-4488
E-Mail: iso@gwu.edu

2. Can I speak with my advisor during his/her office hours?

Office hours are meant to answer questions related to your immigration status or address any other concerns you may have related to your academic, personal or cultural adjustment. They are designed for short-duration advising (20 minutes or less) where students are seen on a "first come, first served" basis. Both F & J students may come to the ISO during their advisor's office hours, however, you may be asked to make an appointment if your case requires more than 20 minutes. We strongly encourage you to make an appointment.

When coming for a scheduled appointment or during office hours, please bring your valid passport with your visa stamp in it, your white I-94 card stamped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (also called an Arrival/Departure record) and your GW I-20 (or DS-2019 for J-1 visa holders).

If you have a request that requires additional paperwork and/or signatures from your academic advisor or the Dean of your school (Full-Time Certification, Reduced Course Load, leave of absence, social security letter), please bring the original documents with you to the ISO. In addition, after your record has been checked for eligibility and if there are no complications, travel signatures and social security letters can be processed while you wait during your advisor's office hours. However, during peak travel seasons (before holidays and summer break), please come at least 10 business days before you plan on traveling.

3. How many credits must I register and maintain in order to meet the requirements of ‘full time status’ ?

All international students at GW must be full time. For undergraduate students, full time means taking at least 12 credit hours a semester. For graduate students, this means taking at least 9 credit hours a semester. If for some reason you cannot meet this requirement, you should meet with an ISO advisor.

4. I just moved. What do I do to update my address?

As a student in F-1 or J-1 immigration status, you are required to update you current local street address (where you physically reside) in the GWeb Information System within 10 days of moving. Please remember that every time you move, you must update your address.

As an international student it is also important that you keep your permanent address updated with your home country address. Please do NOT update your permanent address in Gweb with your current address.

Follow the procedures below to ensure that your address is updated properly in Gweb.

First, go to http://my.gwu.edu
Click on “GWeb Info System”
Enter your User ID and Pin
Go to “Personal Information Menu”
Go to “Update Addresses and Phones”
Select “Current” as the type of address to insert.
Click the “Save” button at the bottom of the page.

Verify that your address was updated correctly.

If you need to update this address in the future, click on the “Current” link to the left of the address and insert the new information.

J-1 Students- If the George Washington University is not your J-1 sponsor then please also notify your sponsor of the change.

5. What documents do I need to travel and reenter the US?

As an F-1 and J-1 student, you can travel outside of the US if you are maintaining your legal immigration status, but you must have your immigration documents (Form I-20 or DS-2019) signed by an international student advisor prior to your departure. Page two of your I-20 or (page one of your DS-2019) specifies that the travel signature is valid for one year, however we recommend that if you are going to be applying for a new U.S. Visa stamp or are applying for a visa to any other country that you get a more recent signature.

While the immigration officer at the port of entry may not ask to see the following documents that we have listed below, they are within their rights to ask to see the following documents when you try to reenter, so please have them with you when you travel:

F-1 Students

I-20 (with travel signature)
Passport, Valid for at Least Six Months
A Valid F-1 Visa Stamp
Evidence of Financial Support
Official GW Transcript or Letter of Enrollment
Gworld Card

J-1 Students

§ DS-2019 (with travel signature by J-1 sponsor)

§ Passport, Valid for at Least Six Months

§ A Valid J-1 Visa Stamp

§ Evidence of Financial Support

§ Proof of Medical Insurance

§ Official GW Transcript or Letter of Enrollment

§ GWorld Card

6. Can International Students get financial aid? Loans? What about fellowships, GTAs or Scholarships?

Financial aid is often difficult for international students to secure because federal aid requires US Citizenship. However, for the most update information on financial aid and student loans, please visit the Office of Financial Assistance.

Office of Student Financial Assistance
2121 Eye Street, NW
Rice Hall, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20052
(202) 994-6620

The Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships provides general information and assistance with graduate support opportunities. Services include information about GW Fellowships, Fellowships Outside of GW, Study Abroad Fellowships, International Student Help and Schedules of Fellowship Deadlines.

The George Washington University Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships
Rice Hall, 602
2121 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20052
(202) 994-6822
E-mail: gradfell@gwu.edu

7. What do I do if I need a letter of enrollment?

The International Services Office cannot verify a student’s enrollment. The Registrar can produce various letters for current and past students that certify enrollment, registration, graduation status, and academic standing. Any information that is based on and supported by the academic record of the student can be certified by the registrar’s office. Requests take approximately two business days to complete.

Click here to complete a request online.

Or visit
The Registrar's Office
Rice Hall, Suite 101

2121 I Street, NW,

Washington, DC, 20052

Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm

8. How do I apply for a social security number?

Only students who have an employment offer are eligible to apply for social security numbers. The process of getting a social security number requires that you obtain an offer letter from your employer, bring this letter to the ISO where we will issue another letter of support, and then take these two original letters to the Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administration is located at 2100 M Street. They will issue you your number on the same day; however, you will not have your social security card for several weeks. Please refer to www.ssa.gov you have questions. You can also download the basic guidelines from our website.

8. Can I work?

F-1 Students are eligible to work up to 20 hours a week on campus as soon as they arrive. After a student has been in F-1 status for one academic year (two semesters), they are eligible to engage in paid internships that relate to their program of study with ISO permission. For further information on this topic, please see the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) instructions on our website. As a benefit of being an F-1 student, you may also be eligible for a year of full time work authorization in the United States after you graduate. For more information on this topic, please see the Optional Practical Training (OPT) guidelines on our website.

J-1 students are eligible to work up to 20 hours a week on campus during the academic year, but must first get authorization from the ISO or your J-1 sponsor. J-1 students who would like to work off-campus or engage in an internship must make an appointment with your J-1 advisor in the ISO or your J-1 sponsor to discuss specific situations.

No student should engage in any off campus employment without first receiving prior written approval from the ISO office.

9. What about paying taxes?

The staff of the International Services Office is not equipped to answer tax questions. For any questions about taxes please visit:

The GW Tax Department

Rome Hall 100

801 22nd Street, NW

Washington DC 20052

Office Hours:

Mon/Wed/Fri: 9am - 3pm

Tue/Thr: 9am-11am and 2pm-5pm

More Information Can Be Found At:

The US Department of State (visa information):

http://travel.state.gov/

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (SEVIS FAQs for Students):

http://www.ice.gov/sevis/faq.htm

By visiting or calling the International Services Office.