Georgetown University Summer Programs Foreign Policy Academy

Georgetown's sample weekday is full: two blocks of lectures, off-site visits or lab work, then an hour for a discussion section or your capstone project, finishing at 4:30 p.m. After dinner, evenings until curfew go to optional events such as lecture series, movies, game nights, cookouts and concerts, and Georgetown's residential living program adds off-campus outings and weekend trips. Georgetown says activities vary from year to year.

You get a Certificate of Participation if you complete the program, plus a Pass or Fail grade on a Georgetown non-credit transcript. A Pass means you met all course and attendance requirements. No college credit comes with it.

What you take away beyond the paperwork is the work itself: case studies, simulation exercises, panel presentations and a capstone project. Academy students also get access to The Edge, a soft-skills learning platform run by Ascend Now.

You can apply if you're in 8th to 12th grade in the school year before the program and have at least a 2.0 GPA. Georgetown looks at your grades, the courses you've taken, a school official's reviewer form and your personal statement, and it decides on a rolling basis. We couldn't find an acceptance rate or class size from Georgetown.

Homeschooled students can apply, but the reviewer form can't come from a family member or a paid tutor. International students don't need TOEFL scores, although Georgetown recommends English good enough for technical discussions and easy conversation with native speakers. Georgetown says Academy students don't need a student visa such as an F-1 or J-1, but it gives no visa help for non-credit Academies, so check US entry requirements with the official source before you commit.

If you want to commute, you must live with a parent, guardian or an adult they designate, close enough to reach campus in 45 minutes or less at any time of day, including rush hour. Georgetown reviews each Commuter Form and its decision is final.

In 2026 the academy cost $9,085 if you lived on campus, which covered tuition, a room and 19 meals a week, or $7,085 as a commuter, with no housing or meals. On top of that comes a non-refundable $50 application fee, waived if you apply by 31 January, and international students pay $135 for required health insurance. Commuters can buy an optional meal plan from Georgetown Dining. Georgetown says all tuition rates and fees can change, so check the 2027 price when it's posted.

Georgetown offers a limited number of need-based scholarships, which are competitive and cover tuition only. You can apply only once you've been admitted, and the application asks for two essays. The Academy scholarship application for summer 2027 is scheduled to open in late December 2026, with a deadline of 2 March and decisions by the last week of March. Late applications aren't reviewed.

Refunds shrink quickly once you're within three weeks of the start. After that point you have to email your withdrawal to Georgetown, and the refund depends on the date it receives your request:

Resident counselors live in every residence hall and supervise all students, and one is on duty in each hall throughout the day. Evenings until curfew are supervised residential time, and commuters are assigned a resident counselor too. The program follows Georgetown's Protection of Minors Policy, campus police patrol regularly and have full arrest powers, and there are blue-light emergency call boxes across campus.

The rules are strict. Possessing or using alcohol or drugs, or even being around them, means immediate dismissal from the program and the residence halls. Georgetown also expects students to manage their own time, meals, sleep and laundry, which is worth thinking about if you've never been away from home. Campus leave policies are set out in the Academies Welcome Packet.

Applications go through Georgetown's Academies application portal, and one application covers every Academy.

1. 1

   Submit the application with a 300- to 500-word personal statement on why you want to attend Georgetown's summer programs. Applying by 31 January waives the $50 fee, and the final deadline is 15 May, although Georgetown reviews later applications case by case.

2. 2

   Name a school counselor (Georgetown's preference), advisor, teacher or principal who can speak to your academic readiness and confirm your GPA. They'll get an emailed reviewer form, and Georgetown only reviews your application once it's back.

3. 3

   Allow up to three weeks after your application is complete for a decision by email.

4. 4

   Once admitted, set up Duo two-factor authentication and your Georgetown password, then register in the MySCS portal and pay full tuition by credit card. Admission alone doesn't hold a seat, and places go to whoever pays first.

5. 5

   Complete your Student Life Forms through CampDoc seven weeks before the program starts, including the Commuter Form if you'll commute.