Continued Suspension of Study Abroad and Non-Essential Student Travel

Dear GW Community:

The semester is flying by as it always does, despite the unusual circumstances. I hope you are all staying safe and healthy.

We announced recently that, in consultation with university leadership, GW will continue with virtual instruction for the spring semester. As part of this decision, we are announcing that study abroad programs and other non-essential student travel will remain suspended for the spring semester. The Office for Study Abroad will contact all students who had hoped to study abroad in the spring to provide guidance on changing plans. Additionally, students in programs with an international experience requirement will receive more information from their schools.

I also want to note that we recognize that the global citizenship, intercultural learning, and exciting research opportunities that study abroad provides are an important part of the GW experience, and we look forward to being able to offer these opportunities again as soon as it is safe to do so.

We know that you may have additional questions about GW’s spring semester plans. We will provide more information as soon as possible, and we plan to hold several virtual question-and-answer forums for members of the community over the coming weeks. You will receive information on how to attend these forums as they are scheduled. We also will update the COVID-19 website regularly with more information.

As always, I am grateful for the strength of the GW community and your support of one another during this challenging time. Please continue to stay safe.

Sincerely,

M. Brian Blake
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs