December 2025 Student Newsletter |
Dear CCAS Graduate Students,
We hope that you have a relaxing winter break!
This month's newsletter is full of important reminders and resources, including upcoming events, a rundown on consortium registration, key dates for Fall 2025 graduates, and more!
Looking for past issues of our newsletter? Check out our revamped Student Newsletter page for the archives!
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Upcoming Graduate Student Events |
Finals Week Survival Goodie Bags |
Monday, December 8 through Friday, December 12 | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Smith Hall, Ste 118
Stop by the CCAS Office of Graduate Studies in Smith Hall 118 during the last week of Fall 2025 classes, December 8 - 12 between 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, to grab your goodie bag filled with energizing snacks and beverages to help boost you through finals!
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End-of-Semester Food Drive for The Store |
Wednesday, November 12 through Tuesday, December 9 | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Smith Hall, Ste 118
In our November 2025 Student Newsletter, we highlighted The Store as an important resource for GW students. In support of The Store's mission to address food insecurity among our students, the Graduate Student Services team will have a collection box for The Store’s End-of-Semester food drive in our office. If you can, please stop by our office in Smith 118 during normal business hours before December 9 to drop off your favorite food, grains, legumes, pantry staples, breakfast food, and snacks!
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Doctoral Students: Enter the 3-Minute Thesis Showdown! |
Application deadline: Thursday, December 18 at midnight
Preliminary round: Monday, February 9 - Wednesday, February 11
Final round: Thursday, February 19 at 2:00 PM
The 3-Minute Thesis Showdown (3MT) challenges doctoral students to present their research in just three minutes using one static slide and language the layperson can understand. It’s a fast-paced, university-wide competition celebrating clarity, creativity, and the art of making research accessible.
Selected finalists will compete live in front of an audience for cash prizes up to $1,000, campus prestige, and the title of GW's Top Scholar Communicator. The First Place winner will be GW’s nominee for the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools (NAGS) 3MT Competition in April.
If you would like to participate in 3MT, check out the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs 3MT page for the application, eligibility requirements, and relevant deadlines.
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Important Reminders & Resources |
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University offices will be closed from Wednesday, December 24, 2025 through Friday, January 2, 2026 in observance of Winter Break.
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GW is proud to be a founding Institutional Member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the world’s largest multidisciplinary scientific societies. Through this partnership, GW students, postdocs, faculty and staff are eligible for free AAAS Elemental Memberships, unlocking access to professional development resources, member communities, policy alerts, and special events. Sign up today and join a network that is advancing science for the benefit of all!
- The CCAS Office of Graduate Studies is simplifying our Graduate Student Forms! Beginning in Spring 2026, our updated Graduate Student Petition form and our new Late Registration Change/ LOA/ Refund Request forms will be live on our Graduate Student Forms page.
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Be sure to check your Student Accounts eBill to see if you have an outstanding balance due. Per GW’s Student Accounts Past-Due Policy, payment of all tuition charges and other applicable fees is due by the first day of the semester, unless you are actively participating in a GW monthly payment plan.
- Students with an outstanding Student Account balance on December 15 will be charged a late fee equal to 5% of the outstanding balance.
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Both the Late Payments policy and a full breakdown of financial due dates and deadlines can be found on the Student Accounts Office website.
- If you will be completing your thesis or dissertation in Fall 2025, please continue to be mindful of ETD clearance deadlines for both Ph.D. students and for Master’s students completing a thesis.
- Please review the Registrar’s Office Fall/ Spring Schedule page for a full list of Spring 2026 registration deadlines.
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The first day of Spring 2026 classes will be Monday, January 12, 2026.
- The deadline for consortium registration will be Friday, January 16, 2026. See our Resource Highlight below for more information on taking classes through the consortium!
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If you wish to take a Leave of Absence (LOA) during Spring 2026, please review our LOA policy and discuss this option with your Director of Graduate Studies. If you choose to take an LOA, please complete a Late Registration Change/ LOA/ Refund Request form and submit it to us at ccasgradserv@gwu.edu.
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You may have seen some references to forms called the RTF (sometimes called the RTF Classic) and the RTF-EZ. Students can register for most courses online via GWeb. When a student cannot self-register online, we use a registration form - either the RTF or the RTF-EZ - to help them register.
- RTF-EZ: submit to the Registrar’s Office
registrar@gwu.edu or in-person at the USC Student Services Hub -
RTF Classic: submit to Graduate Student Services
ccasgradserv@gwu.edu -
More information on the RTF and RTF-EZ can be found in the Registration section of the CCAS student handbook. If you are ever unsure which registration form you should use, please reach out to us at ccasgradserv@gwu.edu for guidance.
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Resource Highlight: Consortium Courses |
Did you know that GW students can take courses offered by other DC-area universities, at their current tuition rate and for GW credit? GW is part of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, which includes 18 colleges and universities in the greater DC area. As Consortium members, GW students are eligible to register in courses at any of the listed universities. This is a great opportunity to take a course you may not otherwise take, and to expand your academic and professional network beyond the GW bubble!
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- Review the Registrar’s Office Consortium page for a full breakdown of registration procedures.
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Please complete the Consortium Registration and GW Equivalent Approval form in its entirety, and email the completed form to us at ccasgradserv@gwu.edu.
- You must request permission from your department to register for a Consortium course.
- You must be in good academic standing and in a program located on the Foggy Bottom campus.
- Master’s students may complete up to 9 total credit hours through Consortium courses; Doctoral students may complete up to 12.
- When registering for a Consortium course, you should identify a suitable GW equivalent course. Once you have completed the Consortium course, it will take the place of its GW equivalent in your DegreeMAP record.
- You cannot register for a Consortium course if the GW equivalent course is being offered at GW in the same semester.
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While tuition will be charged at your current GW tuition rate, the visited university may charge additional course fees.
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If you have any questions about Consortium registration, please review the Consortium FAQs or reach out to us at ccasgradserv@gwu.edu.
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Fall Career Readiness Workshops |
Thank you for attending our Career Readiness Workshops this semester! In our recent series, AI & The Future of Work, Erin Ahart and Dr. Ruffner-Ceaser addressed the current job market and skills CCAS graduate students need to thrive in an AI-driven world. Watch past Career Readiness Workshop recordings on our CCAS Career Services YouTube channel.
We are excited to launch our NEW Professional Branding Bootcamp program in Spring 2026! More exciting information about our spring workshops and events is coming soon.
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1:1 Career Coaching Appointments |
The holidays are a wonderful time to revisit your career goals! Career counselors Erin Ahart and Dr. Ruffner-Ceaser are available to meet with students throughout the year to discuss your unique career strategy. Students can schedule an appointment on Handshake. Visit our website or email CCAS_careers@gwu.edu for more information.
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Fall 2025 Graduation Reminders |
Students completing their final program requirements in Fall 2025 must submit an online graduation application for Fall 2025 in order to graduate and receive their diplomas (or certificates).
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Key Application Deadlines |
Please visit the Registrar's Office Application Deadlines page for a full list of graduation application deadlines. If you need to review your graduation application to check your diploma name or mailing address, please log in to GWeb and select "View Graduation Application."
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- ASAP: Submit the online graduation application via GWeb
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December 20: Deadline to submit name changes (complete the Biographical Update Form, making sure to indicate that you have Applied for Graduation - step 4 in the graduation application instructions)
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December 20: Deadline to submit diploma mailing address changes (complete the Biographical Update Form, making sure to indicate that you have Applied for Graduation - step 5 in the graduation application instructions)
- January 9, 2026: Degree conferral date, which will be printed on your diploma
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March 2026: Begin checking your GW inbox for details about GW Commencement and CCAS graduation celebrations! Review the GW IT site for information on keeping your GW email active.
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Other Important Reminders |
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Funding, Fellowships, Internships, & Employment Opportunities |
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Please feel free to reach out to us at ccasgradserv@gwu.edu if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
The Student Services Team
Office of Graduate Studies
Columbian College of Arts and Sciences
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