G&EE Pre-Arrival Newsletter One:

Hello! Congratulations on your admission to the George Washington University School of Business (GWSB)! My name is Elisa Boyea and I am the Program Manager for International Student Services in the Office of Global & Experiential Education (G&EE) at the GW School of Business.

My team and I have communicated with each of you to ensure the issuance and receipt of your I-20 or DS-2019. I am eager to meet you face-to-face and learn about your personal, academic, and professional goals. I also look forward to helping you make the most out of your time at GW!

Here at G&EE, we aim to provide you with visa processing assistance, orientation and social programming, and general support. As a result, you will receive newsletters from our office starting now up to orientation. These newsletters will cover:

Newsletter One (Today!): Housing, GWSB International Student Advisory Board (ISAB) & Orientation
Newsletter Two (July 14): Immigration, Arrival, and Public Transportation 
Newsletter Three (July 21): Health Insurance and Healthcare
Newsletter Four (July 28): Finances
Newsletter Five (August 4): Campus Life and Resources

As always if you have questions or concerns, please direct them to me at sbglobal@gwu.edu.

Best, 

Elisa Boyea
Program Manager, International Student Services
GWSB Global & Experiential Education

Due to the limited housing available on-campus, GW does not offer on-campus housing for graduate students. However, our team has collected a number of resources over the years that are designed to help you, as an international student, secure housing in Washington, D.C.!

Graduate students have a number of different options for housing. As a first step, we encourage you to take a look at the following websites and documents:

At this point, we also suggest thinking about your "must have" list. What features and amenities are you unable to live without? What's nice to have, but not a requirement? This will help you decide which apartments to visit once you arrive in Washington, D.C. For example:

You've got the tools, now it's time to decide where you want to live!

First, we recommend learning about your new city and virtually exploring the many different neighborhoods in and around Washington, D.C. A broad overview of D.C. neighborhoods can be found here, and below you will find information about some of the most popular neighborhoods in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. The information includes average commute time to GW's Foggy Bottom campus and average rent prices.

We strongly encourage you to visit any apartment you're interested in - photos can be deceiving, so make sure to check it out in-person! You can use the Apartment Search Checklist when visiting a house or apartment to be sure you find an apartment that meets your wants and needs.

If you have questions about tenant rights, legal issues, or signing a lease, you can always contact the GW Off-Campus Student Affairs office for assistance.

Sometimes, talking to someone who has been in your shoes and knows exactly how you're feeling is the best way to ease your concerns! 

The GWSB International Student Advisory Board (ISAB) is comprised of one international student representing each of GWSB's graduate programs that have significant international student communities. One of ISAB's main goals is to help incoming international students as they prepare to come to the U.S. and adjust to life in D.C. and at GWSB.

Our ISAB members would love to hear from you! All our current ISAB members' contact information can be found on the ISAB website: International Student Advisory Board (ISAB). Don't feel shy about contacting any of our members, even if they aren't enrolled in your program - they're all here to help you!

Join the GWSB Global & Experiential Education (G&EE) team and International Student Advisory Board (ISAB) for the Fall 2026 GWSB Pre-Arrival Q&A Session!

During this optional session you'll have the chance to ask questions, get advice on GW's processes and procedures, and connect with current GWSB international students to get their perspectives about life at GW. The Fall 2026 GWSB Pre-Arrival Q&A will start with a brief presentation, but the majority of the session will be dedicated to an open Q&A with Elisa and members of the GWSB International Student Advisory Board (ISAB)!

Friday, July 17, 2026, 9:00-10:00am EDT

Fall 2026 GWSB Pre-Arrival Q&A Session
Hosted by GWSB Global & Experiential Education (G&EE)
Location: Zoom - Link will be sent in the registration confirmation email
Register Here!

Note that the below-listed mandatory orientation programming will be held in July and August and will provide pertinent information for new Global MBA international students relating to immigration and the academic culture at GWSB. Note that the GMBA International Runway and GMBA Runway are required of all Global MBA international students studying on an F-1 or J-1 visa:

Global MBA International Runway

Virtual sessions will be on July 20, July 23, July 27, July 30, August 3, and August 6

All virtual sessions start at 9:00am EDT

An in-person GMBA International Runway session will be held on

Thursday, August 20 from 10:00am-12:00pm EDT in Funger Hall, Room 520

Hosted by GWSB Global & Experiential Education (G&EE)

Additional information (including Zoom links for virtual sessions and detailed agendas) coming soon!

For questions, please email G&EE at sbglobal@gwu.edu.

Global MBA Runway

Begins on Monday, August 10, 2026

All Global MBA students are required to attend GMBA Runway. Students will receive additional information in the coming weeks.

Questions about GMBA Runway should be directed to the GMBA Program Team.

ISO F-1 International Student Orientation

Tuesday, August 18, 2026 10:00-11:30am EDT

Hosted by the International Services Office (ISO)
Location: Zoom - Link will be sent in the registration confirmation email
Register Here!

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