Consortium
General Information
Consortium registration is not guaranteed – courses may be closed, or subject to approval from the Dean/department at the visited institution. The Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area is a cooperative arrangement in post-secondary education that is designed to permit the sharing of academic resources by member institutions and to offer qualified students the opportunity to enroll at other institutions for courses not available on their own campus.
The George Washington University offers its qualified bachelors and graduate degree-seeking students the opportunity to enroll in courses at American University, The Catholic University of America, Gallaudet University, George Mason University, Georgetown University, Howard University, Marymount University, Montgomery College, Prince George's Community College, Trinity Washington University, the University of the District of Columbia, University of Maryland-Global Campus and the University of Maryland-College Park.
Students from other Consortium universities may register in courses listed in the Schedule of Classes only when there is space available and when the registration is properly processed through the Consortium Coordinator at their home institution. See Courses below for a listing of courses that are not open to Consortium students. Visiting students should check with the Consortium Coordinator at their home institution for any further restrictions on enrollment.
Consortium for GW Students
New for Fall 2024: The George Washington University has contracted with Acadeum Course Share to assist with cross-registration through the Consortium. Students will receive status updates on registration requests from GW Consortium and Acadeum Course Share.
Participation in the Consortium program is restricted to main campus (Foggy Bottom/Mount Vernon) bachelors and graduate degree candidates in good academic standing. Non-Degree students and students in off-campus programs are ineligible to take courses through the Consortium program.
- Full-time bachelors students may enroll in approved courses through the Consortium to the extent that the total number of credit hours does not exceed six (6) per semester or twenty-one (21) per degree program. Semester/credit restrictions apply to all course activity during the summer, regardless of session designation, as one (1) semester. Undergraduate students in the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Business, the School of Engineering & Applied Science, the Elliott School of International Affairs, and the Milken Institute School of Public Health may not take Distance Education/Online courses through the Consortium during the Fall and Spring semesters.
- Part-time bachelors students may enroll in approved courses through the Consortium to the extent that the total number of credit hours does not exceed six (6) per academic year or twenty-one (21) per degree program.
- Graduate students may enroll in approved courses through the Consortium to the extent that the total number of credit hours does not exceed nine (9) hours for a Master's program or twelve (12) hours for a Doctoral program.
- Students enrolled in two (2) or more Consortium institutions are not eligible to participate in Consortium cross-registration among those institutions, either outgoing or incoming.
Courses: Enrollment in Off-Campus (not including Distance Education/Online courses), Independent Study, Study Abroad, Canon Law, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Physical Education, and Vocational Theology courses is prohibited. Undergraduate students in the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, the School of Business, the School of Engineering & Applied Science, the Elliott School of International Affairs, and the Milken Institute School of Public Health may not take Distance Education/Online courses through the Consortium during the Fall and Spring semesters. Registration in courses that are the equivalent of a GW course that is being offered in the same semester will not be approved. Except for candidates for the degree of Master of Laws at The George Washington University and Georgetown University, law courses are also excluded from participation. Further restrictions to enrollment may apply. Please contact the Consortium Coordinator for additional information.
Grades: Courses may only be taken for a letter grade; they may not be taken on an Audit or Pass/No Pass basis. Courses will factor into your GW GPA and be considered "resident credit." The course will appear on your transcript and will contain a designation as to where you took the course and the course title. Graduating students should alert their consortium instructors that they are graduating and that their grades are necessary for degree clearance.
Registration Procedures: Students who wish to register for Consortium courses should submit a Consortium Registration form. In addition, a Consortium Equivalent Approval form is required (except for ROTC) which will designate the closest GW equivalent or special topic, and will, in turn, be used to determine how the course will apply on DegreeMAP. Both forms should be submitted at the same time by the deadline to avoid delays in processing. Consortium registration requires approval of the GW academic department and your academic advisor before the Advising Office or student submits the forms to the Office of the Registrar for final approval and processing. Faculty and Advising Office signatures are not required for ROTC registration requests. Be sure to read through the step-by-step procedures located on the forms.
The visited Institution will typically wait until the start of classes to begin processing Consortium Registration Forms. Availability of classes cannot be guaranteed. If special permission is needed, it is the responsibility of the student to obtain written permission from the instructor and submit it with their consortium request.
Students requesting to drop or withdraw from Consortium courses must complete the Consortium Drop/Withdrawal Form and submit it to their Advising Office.
Registration Deadlines: All completed and approved forms must be submitted by the end of the first week of classes during fall and spring, and prior to the start of the summer. Registrations for UMD's Winter term should be submitted prior to the end of Fall final exams to allow ample time for processing before their deadline. Please see the Fall/Spring Registration Schedule and Summer Sessions Registration websites for specific dates.
Tuition and Fees: Tuition for courses taken under the Consortium arrangement is assessed at the current GW tuition rate and paid to GW. Additional course fees may be charged by, and must be paid to, the visited institution. Dropped courses are subject to GW's main campus refund schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions for GW Students
Consortium for Visiting Students
Visiting Consortium students should check with the Consortium Coordinator at their home institution for any restrictions on enrollment or specific registration requirements.
Courses: Students from other Consortium universities may register for courses listed in the Schedule of Classes when there is space available and when the registration is properly processed through the Consortium Coordinator at their home institution. The current course schedule will indicate those courses that are not open to Consortium students. Enrollment in Off-Campus (not including Distance Education/Online), Independent Study, Study Abroad, Canon Law, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Physical Education, and Vocational Theology courses is prohibited. Except for candidates for the degree of Master of Laws at The George Washington University and Georgetown University, law courses are also excluded from participation.
Grades: Grades for visiting students are reported to your home institution in a batch(es) at the end of each semester, including courses which end prior to the standard semester end date. In accordance with the Consortium agreement, courses will only appear on the transcript at your home institution, so you do not need to request (and we will not be able to provide) transcripts of your coursework taken at GW through the Consortium cross-registration program.
Registration deadlines: Registration forms must be received from your Consortium Coordinator by the end of the first week of classes during fall and spring, and prior to the start of the summer. Please be sure to submit them as early as possible to ensure there is ample time for processing, to secure any necessary approvals, and for submission by the deadline. Please see the Fall/Spring Registration Schedule and Summer Sessions Registration websites for specific dates.
Tuition and Fees: Tuition for courses taken under the Consortium arrangement is assessed at the current home institution tuition rate and paid to the home institution. Additional course fees may be charged by, and must be paid to, GW. Online courses carry a $35 registration fee per semester which must be paid to GW.