Georgetown University Scholarships (2026–2027)
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Last Updated on June 19, 2026
What This Page Covers:- Tuition, housing, and average family net price
- Automatic merit ranges and qualifier benchmarks
- Flagship and hidden-gem awards
- Honors and stacking strategy
📊 Admissions Snapshot
- Acceptance Rate: ~12%
- Middle 50% ACT: 34
- Middle 50% SAT: 1490
- Average GPA: 4.15
🧭 Quick Admissions Strategy (based on where your student falls)
- Below the typical ranges: This is a high reach. Georgetown’s admit rate and academic profile are elite, and they require test scores. Build a strong balanced list with financial safeties.
- In the typical ranges: You’re competitive for admission, but admission is still unpredictable. Focus heavily on essays, rigor, and fit—and don’t expect merit money to make this affordable.
- Well above the ranges: Even top students are not guaranteed admission here. Georgetown doesn’t use merit to “buy” students—so your leverage is limited compared to other elite schools.
Comparing multiple schools?
Try the Scholarship Tool to search by GPA, test scores, and state →
📌 Georgetown University at a Glance
Average Net Price
$39,433/year
Average paid.
Automatic Merit
Check college site
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
14 opportunities
8 competitive · 4 hidden gem · 2 honors
Merit Evaluation
Holistic Review / Varies
Merit depends on profile rigor.
Testing Policy
Test-required
Superscores ACT/SAT.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Nov 1 • FAFSA: Feb 1
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA & CSS Profile
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Georgetown University (Read This First)
- There are very few merit scholarships—most aid is strictly need-based :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
- Georgetown is test-required—you must submit SAT or ACT scores
- The CSS Profile is required, which can significantly impact what your family is expected to pay
- They meet 100% of demonstrated need—but that number is based on their formula, not yours
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? No — Georgetown University is test-required.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 34; SAT: 1490.
Average net price? About $39,433/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No — private school; same rate for all.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Georgetown University 2026-2027
📅 2027–2028 Planning Note: The costs below reflect the most recently published figures (2026–2027). Universities typically finalize the next year’s rates in the spring, and we’ll update this page once official 2027–2028 numbers are released.
Planning tip: At large public universities, tuition, fees, and housing usually increase modestly each year (often in the 2–5% range). For early budgeting, families may want to plan for roughly $1,000–$1,500 more in-state or $2,000–$3,000 more out-of-state in total direct costs once new rates are published.
| Category (2026–2027) |
In-State |
Out-of-State |
| Tuition & Mandatory Fees (2 semesters) |
$71,338 |
$71,338 |
| Housing & Meals (typical) |
$21,202 |
$21,202 |
| Total (Direct Costs) |
$92,540 |
$92,540 |
Average Federal Net Price: $39,433 — this is what families actually paid after grants and scholarships (no loans), based on the most recent federal data. Your specific cost could be significantly lower or higher depending on your financial aid eligibility and merit scholarships. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
District of Columbia Tuition Assistance Grant (DCTAG): DC residents may receive up to
$2,500 per year when attending eligible private DC colleges like Georgetown.
Example: $71,338 tuition − $2,500 DCTAG =
$68,838 before other aid. Apply through OSSE. Some Georgetown scholarships also require the
CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA.
Cost & Aid FAQ
Who qualifies for DCTAG?
Legal residents of Washington, DC who enroll at eligible institutions like Georgetown.
How much can it save?
Up to $2,500 per year at Georgetown. It can be combined with federal, state, and institutional aid (up to the full cost of attendance).
Is it automatic?
No. Students must submit the DCTAG application each year through OSSE and complete the FAFSA and CSS Profile as required.
Sources:
https://finaid.georgetown.edu/cost-of-attendance/
https://uadmissions.georgetown.edu/applying/first-year-application/
https://bulletin.georgetown.edu/admissions/
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?131496=
https://osse.dc.gov/publication/dctag-fast-facts-brochure
✅ Automatic Merit Scholarships
Georgetown University does not offer automatic, GPA- or test-based merit scholarships. All institutional aid is determined by financial need, and admission alone does not trigger automatic awards. This distinguishes Georgetown from many public universities and some private peers.
This institution does not offer designated Automatic Merit scholarships at this time.
Note: Georgetown does not participate in National Merit, the Stamps Scholarship, or the QuestBridge National College Match for undergraduate merit aid.
Automatic Aid FAQ
Does Georgetown offer automatic scholarships based on GPA or test scores?
No. All Georgetown aid is based strictly on demonstrated financial need, determined through FAFSA and CSS Profile.
Does Georgetown superscore the SAT or ACT?
Yes for the SAT, no for the ACT. Georgetown does superscore the SAT, considering your highest section scores across test dates.
Can outside merit awards be stacked with need-based aid?
Outside scholarships generally reduce loans or work-study first and may only impact Georgetown grant aid if total aid exceeds need or as required by federal rules.
Sources (all official university):
Undergraduate Financial Aid Overview: https://uadmissions.georgetown.edu/financial-aid/
Official Financial Aid Office: https://finaid.georgetown.edu/undergraduate-scholarships/
Financial Aid Policy Details: https://bulletin.georgetown.edu/financial-aid/
Outside Awards Policy: https://finaid.georgetown.edu/outside-benefits/
🏆 Competitive Scholarships
Unlike many large public universities, Georgetown does not run a broad slate of competitive merit scholarships for undergraduates. The very limited university-level awards are either tied to financial need or are highly selective nominations, usually for top graduates of Jesuit high schools. Most families will not find major competitive merit opportunities here, as Georgetown relies primarily on need-based aid.
Automatic
1789 Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 (financial aid priority deadline; nominations happen during the admission cycle)
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Here's the sweet part — the $3,000 doesn't sit on top of your aid, it reshapes it. Each year, $3,000 of what would have been loan money becomes grant money instead. Your total aid stays anchored to demonstrated need, but the mix gets healthier and you graduate with less borrowing. It layers cleanly with all your other Georgetown grants up to full demonstrated need.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named for the year Georgetown was founded, the 1789 Scholarship is a donor-funded award that quietly rewrites your financial aid package: $3,000 per year of what would have been loan aid becomes grant aid instead. Recipients are also welcomed into the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP), a tight-knit community that supports first-generation and high-need students all the way through graduation. No separate application — Admissions and Financial Aid nominate students based on materials you've already submitted.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Admitted undergraduates in Georgetown's higher-need bracket — often first-generation, from under-resourced high schools, or navigating college without much family playbook. Selection is quiet and happens during the admission cycle, so the best move you can make is file the FAFSA and CSS Profile by Feb 1 and let the process work.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
ARCS Foundation Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Contact the Office of Student Financial Services for the current cycle's deadline
Non-Renewable
🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
The ARCS Foundation Scholarship layers on top of your Georgetown aid package as a merit-based research award — it's about recognizing scientific promise, not filling need. It stacks with other institutional grants up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Reach out to Georgetown's Office of Student Financial Services or your department's dean's office to request nomination materials. You'll need to describe your current research project in the hard sciences and explain how it could feasibly contribute to a breakthrough technology or discovery aligned with U.S. technological competitiveness.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
One of Georgetown's GU Incentive Scholarships, the ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Foundation Scholarship is awarded to junior or senior students whose core research in the hard sciences could feasibly serve a breakthrough technology or discovery — with the fundamental goal of advancing our country's global technological competitiveness. Real research chops and a mentor who can advocate for you both matter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Georgetown juniors or seniors doing substantive, faculty-mentored research in the hard sciences — biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, engineering, math — whose work has real potential to contribute to breakthrough technology or discovery. If you're the kind of student already thinking about grad school or a research career, this is on your radar.
Automatic
Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Scholarship for Peace
📅 Deadline: Aligns with Georgetown's international financial aid application deadlines (typically Feb 1 for regular decision applicants)
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is one of Georgetown's named institutional awards folded into the need-based aid package for international admits. It doesn't add new dollars on top; it identifies part of your Georgetown grant with the Arrupe legacy, which recipients can honor through an optional Scholarship Impact Statement.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named for Father Pedro Arrupe, S.J. — the former Superior General of the Society of Jesus and a globally significant Jesuit voice for peace — this scholarship was established by donors specifically to make a Jesuit education at Georgetown accessible to international students with financial need. Undergraduate recipients are selected from the pool of international students who have been admitted to the University, on the recommendation of the University admissions committees.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
International students admitted to Georgetown who demonstrate financial need for scholarship assistance. Georgetown does award financial aid to international students, but the pool is limited — this named scholarship is one of the vehicles that makes it possible.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
John Carroll Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 (financial aid priority deadline)
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is one of the named funds inside Georgetown's need-based grant aid — it doesn't add new dollars on top of your package, but rather identifies a portion of your Georgetown grant with a specific donor legacy. Recipients may be asked to submit an optional Scholarship Impact Statement to share with donors; it does not affect your aid package.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named for Georgetown's founder, Father John Carroll (1736-1815) — the Jesuit who conceived of the university back in the 1780s — the John Carroll Scholarship is one of Georgetown's donor-funded, named institutional awards. Recipients receive it automatically as part of their need-based aid package; there's no separate application. Award sizes aren't published because they scale to each recipient's demonstrated need.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Admitted undergraduates who show meaningful financial need through their FAFSA and CSS Profile. Selection is folded into Georgetown's overall aid awarding — you don't apply for this one directly, you're identified for it after your aid picture is assembled.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Kalsi Family Hilltop Presidential Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 (financial aid priority deadline)
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is a named designation within your need-based Georgetown aid package — a portion of your grant aid gets tagged as the Kalsi award. It doesn't add new dollars on top of your package, but it's a real recognition of your enrollment in McDonough and connects you to the donor's story.
💡
Strategic Detail
Donated by Karamji Singh Kalsi (B'90), this scholarship provides assistance to undergraduates in the McDonough School of Business who demonstrate financial need for Georgetown scholarship aid. It's one of Georgetown's named institutional awards, folded into the need-based aid package without a separate application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Admitted McDonough School of Business undergraduates who demonstrate financial need. Selection is folded into Georgetown's overall aid awarding, so there's no additional hoop — just make sure McDonough is your school of choice on the application and that your aid materials are in by Feb 1.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Peter F. Karches (B'74) Memorial GU Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 (financial aid priority deadline)
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is one of the most parent-friendly kinds of named awards — the whole design goal is helping recipients graduate with as little student debt as possible. It's folded into your Georgetown need-based grant aid, and combined with Georgetown's 100%-of-need promise, it can meaningfully reshape what borrowing looks like at the end of four years.
💡
Strategic Detail
Donated by Susan A. Karches (C'74) in memory of her late husband Peter, this scholarship was created specifically to assist undergraduates who would be the first in their family to attend college or who face significant financial challenges. The intent is direct and refreshing — help recipients graduate with little or no student debt. It's folded into Georgetown's need-based aid; no separate application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Undergraduates who would be the first in their family to attend college, or who face significant financial challenges. Georgetown's aid office identifies recipients from within the pool of high-need admitted students. If you're a first-gen family reading this, be sure to indicate first-gen status clearly on the application.
App Required
Maguire Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 (Georgetown financial aid priority deadline); separate Maguire Foundation college scholars application submitted in spring
✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
🏫 3.0+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is a *last-dollar* award, which is one of the friendliest kinds — it fills whatever gap remains after your other grants and scholarships have stacked, up to demonstrated need. It doesn't push out other aid; it plugs the hole so you can actually attend.
📄
How to Apply
Two tracks to complete: (1) file your Georgetown financial aid application (FAFSA + CSS Profile) by the Feb 1 priority deadline, and (2) submit the Maguire Foundation's online college scholars application through the Georgetown Maguire scholarship page. Once you're a scholar, you'll need to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, stay in good academic standing, and participate in community service each year.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The Maguire Scholars Program is funded by the Maguire Foundation and administered jointly with Georgetown. It's built specifically for students coming out of Philadelphia-area high schools (or partner schools identified by the Maguire Foundation) who need help closing the gap between other aid and Georgetown's cost. Once selected, you're expected to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, stay in good academic standing, and participate in community service — this is a program that expects you to give back.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: A small cohort of graduates from Philadelphia-area high schools (or from Maguire Foundation partner high schools) who show real financial need alongside solid academics, service, and leadership. Selection is joint — you need both a strong Georgetown application AND a competitive Maguire Foundation application, so treat these as two connected efforts.
Automatic
President's Scholarship for D.C. Students
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 (financial aid priority deadline)
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is a named designation inside your need-based Georgetown aid package rather than a separate top-up. It's funded by three endowment streams (the Father Edward B. Bunn S.J. Scholarship Fund, the Ellen S. Devine Scholarship Fund, and the President's D.C. Scholarship Fund), and recipients may be invited to submit an optional Scholarship Impact Statement for the donors.
💡
Strategic Detail
Established by former University President Leo J. O'Donovan, S.J. in recognition of Georgetown's partnerships with the District of Columbia, the President's Scholarship for D.C. Students provides need-based awards specifically for students coming out of high schools located in D.C. It's a program built to keep Georgetown accessible to the community that surrounds it. Funded by three endowment streams: the Father Edward B. Bunn S.J. Scholarship Fund, the Ellen S. Devine Scholarship Fund, and the President's D.C. Scholarship Fund.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted Georgetown students who graduated from a high school located in the District of Columbia and who demonstrate financial need through the FAFSA and CSS Profile. If you're a D.C. student thinking about Georgetown, this is one to be aware of — the university's partnership with the District is real and this scholarship program reflects it.
* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Competitive Aid FAQ
Does Georgetown offer full-ride or full-tuition competitive scholarships?
No. Georgetown does not offer full-ride or full-tuition competitive scholarships for undergraduates; all major awards are need-based or tied to special nomination.
Are there any nomination-based merit scholarships?
Yes, the Bellarmine and Ignatian Scholarships are for exceptional Jesuit high school graduates and are generally need-based in their effect, replacing loans/work but not serving as general merit awards.
Should families spend time searching for Georgetown-specific competitive merit awards?
Not beyond the programs above. Most funding is allocated through demonstrated financial need. Use the FAFSA, CSS Profile, and search for outside scholarships for added aid.
Sources (all official Georgetown and major program):
Georgetown Financial Aid: https://finaid.georgetown.edu/undergraduate-scholarships/
Georgetown Bulletin: https://bulletin.georgetown.edu/financial-aid/
Maguire Foundation: https://www.maguirefoundation.org/
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
Georgetown doesn’t offer traditional merit aid, but there are several programs and fellowships that can quietly make a difference—especially for first-generation students, ROTC cadets, veterans, and students pursuing research or study abroad.
Automatic
Bellarmine & Ignatian Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 (financial aid priority deadline; nominations occur during the admission cycle)
✓ Renews (8 yrs)
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
For students with financial need, these awards replace loans and work-study in their aid package; for students without need, a one-year $1,000 honorary scholarship is provided instead.
💡
Strategic Detail
This program appears both as a flagship nomination-based scholarship and here as a hidden-gem aid lever because the main impact is replacing loans and work expectations rather than adding new merit money.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Valedictorians and other top graduates of Jesuit high schools who are admitted to Georgetown and, in many cases, demonstrate financial need.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Donor-Funded Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 (priority financial aid application deadline)
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000–$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Named scholarships are integrated into the overall Georgetown Scholarship package to meet 100% of demonstrated need; they can replace general Georgetown grant funds but still count as need-based aid rather than additional merit money.
💡
Strategic Detail
Individual donor-funded awards include many named GU and NHS scholarships; amounts typically range from about $1,000 to $10,000 per year depending on fund and need.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Undergraduates with financial need whose background, major, class year, or other characteristics align with specific endowed or annual scholarship criteria set by donors.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Penner Family Experiences Award
📅 Deadline: Check the Penner Award webpage for the current application window and deadline
Non-Renewable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is enrichment funding on top of your regular aid package, not a tuition offset — it doesn't compete with your Georgetown scholarship. Think of it as removing the financial 'no' from an experience you'd otherwise skip.
📄
How to Apply
Visit the Penner Award page on the Georgetown Provost's Office site (provost.georgetown.edu/academicaffairs/penneraward) for the current cycle's application instructions. You'll typically propose a specific experience — study abroad, research travel, unpaid internship, summer project, conference — and describe how it extends your core academic work.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Here's a lovely hidden-gem grant for the enrichment side of your Georgetown experience — study abroad, unpaid internships, research travel, conferences, summer projects that don't fit neatly into the standard financial aid box. The Penner Family Experiences Award was donated by the Penner Family specifically to reduce financial barriers so students can pursue transformative experiences that are extensions of their core university education. It's administered through the Provost's Office of Academic Affairs, and you apply directly through the Penner Award webpage.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Georgetown undergraduates who identify a specific, transformative experience — study abroad, research travel, an unpaid internship, a summer project, a conference — that meaningfully extends their coursework, and who need financial help to make it happen. The clearer the connection between the experience and your academic story, the stronger the case.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Georgetown Room & Board Grant (ROTC)
📅 Deadline: Aligned with national ROTC award timelines (e.g., Army by early March, Air Force by early December); institutional grant is finalized with the financial aid package.
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Room and board grants are intended to supplement ROTC full-tuition awards so that housing and meal plan expenses are covered; they coordinate with other institutional and external aid within cost-of-attendance limits.
📄
How to Apply
Receive a full-tuition ROTC scholarship and enroll at Georgetown; the Financial Aid office then awards a room and board grant for eligible ROTC scholars as a supplement to federal ROTC funding.
Selection criteria: Awards are contingent on possessing a qualifying ROTC scholarship and maintaining satisfactory academic and ROTC standing.
💡
Strategic Detail
Details focusing on exact dollar caps for room and board grants are not fully itemized publicly; students should confirm current policy directly with Financial Aid and ROTC staff.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Georgetown undergraduates who hold full-tuition ROTC scholarships and meet institutional eligibility criteria for housing and meal support.
Full TuitionApp Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
ROTC Scholarships (Army/Air Force)
📅 Deadline: Army: around March 4, 2026 for high school applicants; Air Force: around Dec 1, 2025 for high school scholarship boards
✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
ROTC tuition or room-and-board scholarships with book and stipend benefits
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
National ROTC scholarships typically cover either full tuition and mandatory fees or a defined room-and-board amount, plus about $1,200 per year for books and a monthly stipend; Georgetown’s need-based grants may be adjusted when ROTC funding is applied but support can stack up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to the appropriate service branch’s national ROTC scholarship program (Army or Air Force), list Georgetown as a school choice, complete medical and fitness qualifications, and then enroll in ROTC at Georgetown if selected.
Selection criteria: National ROTC boards consider academic achievement, leadership potential, physical fitness, and suitability for commissioning as an officer.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Award structures follow national Army and Air Force ROTC guidelines; standard benefits include full tuition or room-and-board coverage, a book allowance, and a monthly subsistence stipend when contracted.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Cadets with strong academics, leadership, and physical fitness who are selected in national Army or Air Force ROTC board competitions.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP)
📅 Deadline: GSP invitations are sent with admission decisions; Necessity Fund micro-grant requests are accepted on a rolling basis.
✓ Renews
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Micro-grants supplement the standard need-based aid package and do not reduce existing Georgetown scholarship or grant eligibility; awards are intended for one-time or short-term expenses.
💡
Strategic Detail
GSP’s Necessity Fund offers small micro-grants to cover expenses like medical co-pays, emergency travel, professional clothing, mental health costs, and other unforeseen needs; thousands of such grants are made annually.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: First-generation and low-income undergraduates invited into GSP who remain active in the program and demonstrate unexpected or emergency financial needs during the year.
* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Disclaimer: All deadlines reflect the latest published national ROTC/partner timelines. Renewal is subject to ongoing eligibility and fund-specific criteria.
- First-gen, ROTC, and donor/aid-based opportunities use the university’s FAFSA/CSS Profile priority deadline: Feb 1 (for new admits).
- Pat Tillman Foundation and national ROTC programs use external calendar deadlines listed above.
Hidden Gems FAQ
Are all these awards automatic? No—most are awarded with your aid file, nominated by Admissions, or require a national ROTC/external application.
Are deadlines strict? Very. Submit FAFSA, CSS Profile, and ROTC/external applications by published dates to maximize eligibility.
Can these awards stack with need-based aid? Yes. Awards generally supplement or reduce loan/work portions within the cost of attendance.
Does Georgetown participate in QuestBridge? No; high-need students should use Georgetown’s internal deadlines and file requirements.
Sources (all official Georgetown or national partner):
Georgetown Financial Aid: https://finaid.georgetown.edu/undergraduate-scholarships/
Georgetown Bulletin: https://bulletin.georgetown.edu/financial-aid/
GSP: https://gsp.georgetown.edu/
ROTC: https://rotc.georgetown.edu/ • https://goarmy.com/rotc/scholarships.html • https://catalog.georgetowncollege.edu/air-force-rotc
Pat Tillman: https://veterans.georgetown.edu/pat-tillman-foundation/ • https://pattillmanfoundation.org/apply/
🎖️ Honors College
Georgetown does not have a single university-wide Honors College. Instead, it offers selective honors and fellowship-style cohorts within its schools. These programs are designed for highly motivated students who want smaller classes, mentorship, and research opportunities alongside Georgetown’s rigorous academics.
What a Typical Georgetown Honors Student Looks Like:
• GPA: 3.8+ in high school coursework (often top 5–10%)
• Strong AP/IB or advanced coursework background
• Demonstrated leadership or research interests
• Commitment to service, social impact, or professional exploration
Perks of Georgetown Honors Cohorts:
• Faculty mentorship and research guidance
• Small, seminar-style classes
• Access to alumni and professional networks
• Priority programming and leadership development
• Opportunities for thesis work or immersive field projects
App Required⚠ Sophomore Only
Baker Scholars Program (CAS)
📅 Deadline: Late January noon ET (annual sophomore application cycle; typically the last Wednesday of January) · 📢 Results: Applicant status notifications in early March; semi-finalist interviews mid-March; finalist interviews and selection announcements in April
✓ Renews (3.5 GPA)
🎓 Sophomore
✚
Stacking & Combining
Baker Scholars who demonstrate financial need can receive Baker scholarship dollars through Georgetown's standard need-based aid process — funded by a family of endowed funds (Baker Scholars Scholarship Fund, Royden B. Davis S.J. Fund, Luckett Fund, McShain Incentive, Ross Incentive, Sippel Fund, Zimmel Fund). No separate scholarship application beyond your regular FAFSA and CSS Profile.
📄
How to Apply
Sophomores in the College of Arts & Sciences: attend a fall or spring info session (or a Baker Scholar coffee chat), then complete the online Baker Scholars Program application form when it opens in late December. Submit a one-page PDF resume through the online system and have one letter of recommendation emailed directly to bakerscholars@georgetown.edu by the late-January noon ET deadline. Semi-finalists interview with current Baker Scholars in March; finalists interview with Trustees and administrators in April.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Baker Scholars is one of Georgetown's most beloved and quietly prestigious programs — a tight cohort, one-on-one mentorship from working business leaders (the Trustees), and immersive city trips visiting companies, nonprofits, and social enterprises. It lives in the College of Arts & Sciences (not McDonough), built on the idea that liberal-arts thinkers make excellent business leaders. You need to be on campus for at least three of your remaining semesters, so students planning to spend all of junior year abroad or graduate early aren't eligible. The financial aid piece is real but flows through Georgetown's need-based process rather than a separate scholarship award.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: College of Arts & Sciences sophomores with strong academics, a real interest in business or business's social impact, community service on their record, and the kind of curiosity and character that show up well in interviews. Baker Trustees are explicit: they're looking for who you are as much as what you've done.
App Required
Carroll Fellows Initiative (College of Arts & Sciences)
📅 Deadline: Early December, noon ET (end of first semester of freshman year); summer before enrollment for sophomore transfers
✓ Renews (3.33 GPA)
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
CFI is an honors research program, not a tuition scholarship — there's no direct funding attached to being a Fellow. What you get is mentorship, structured research training, the Carroll Forum seminar, and a supportive community of peers pursuing an honors thesis. It stacks alongside any Georgetown aid you already have.
📄
How to Apply
Step one is faculty endorsement — email carrollprograms@georgetown.edu to request that the endorsement form be sent to a Georgetown professor who knows you well. Once endorsed, download the CFI Application Guidelines and Forms, complete the paper dossier (cover sheet, essays, and other materials specified in the guidelines), scan everything except the letters into a single PDF, and email your application to carrollprograms@georgetown.edu by the early-December deadline. Sophomore transfers apply during the summer before enrollment.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
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Strategic Detail
The Carroll Fellows Initiative (CFI) is Georgetown's flagship undergraduate honors research program, run through the Office of Fellowships, Awards, and Research for Undergraduates (GOFAR). It kicks off spring of freshman year with the Carroll Forum — a two-semester seminar — and builds toward a senior honors thesis. Fellows design their own Carroll Plan, an individualized academic roadmap that mixes CFI's programmatic requirements with each student's research and leadership goals, reviewed with GOFAR staff at semiannual meetings. It's an add-on to your regular studies, not a replacement, so it takes real time and energy — but for students who want a research-focused Georgetown experience, few things compare.
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Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Freshmen (and sophomore transfers) who show early intellectual drive, want serious research mentorship, and are genuinely excited about writing a senior thesis. It's small and highly selective — historically, class cohorts range from ~30 to ~70 Fellows. Building at least one strong faculty relationship in your first semester is essential, because faculty endorsement is the gate.
* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Available Honors & Cohort Programs
| Program |
Eligibility |
Application/Selection |
Deadline |
| Carroll Fellows Initiative (College of Arts & Sciences) |
First-years or sophomore transfers in the College; strong academics, leadership, research interest |
Separate application and interview; typically fall term for first-years, late summer for soph transfers |
Early October (first-years); late summer (transfers) |
| Baker Scholars Program (CAS) |
Second-semester sophomores with strong academics and business/service interest |
Extensive application, résumé, one rec letter; semi-finalist/finalist interview rounds |
January 29, noon ET |
| School-Specific & Departmental Honors |
Juniors/seniors in good standing, often 3.5+ GPA |
Application or nomination to departmental/program honors |
Varies by department; November (Nursing junior fall); spring (SFS/MSB/Health junior year) |
Honors FAQ
Is admission automatic?
No. Honors programs at Georgetown require separate applications or invitations, usually based on academic distinction and fit with the program’s mission.
Does joining an honors cohort add time to your degree?
No. These programs are designed to integrate with a student’s four-year plan.
Are there scholarships tied to honors?
No. Georgetown’s honors cohorts focus on enrichment, not tuition discounts. Need-based scholarships remain separate through OSFA.
When should students apply?
Most programs accept applications during freshman or sophomore year. Families should check deadlines on each school’s site to avoid missing opportunities.
Sources (all official Georgetown):
Carroll Fellows: https://college.georgetown.edu/honors-and-research/carroll-fellows-initiative/
Baker Scholars: https://bakerscholars.georgetown.edu/apply/
College, SFS, MSB, and Nursing Honors: https://bulletin.georgetown.edu/college/#honorstext
Nursing Honors: https://nursing.georgetown.edu/academics/honors-program/
⭐ College Specialty
Georgetown is best known for preparing students who want to make an impact on the world. Its location in Washington, DC gives undergraduates unmatched access to government, policy, and global institutions. Families should know that many programs here are ranked among the best in the nation, and the university’s reputation opens doors well beyond the classroom.
Signature Program: The Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) — founded in 1919, it is widely considered the #1 undergraduate program in international relations in the United States (Foreign Policy Magazine, 2023).
Note: Georgetown is classified as a private R1 Research University, the highest research category in the Carnegie Classification.
- Political Science & Government: Consistently ranked among the top programs nationwide, leveraging DC internships and faculty connections.
- McDonough School of Business: Undergraduate program ranked top 20 nationally (U.S. News & World Report, 2024), with 96% job placement and $100k+ average starting salary.
- Law & Public Policy Pipeline: Georgetown Law is ranked #14 nationally (U.S. News, 2024), and undergraduates benefit from pre-law advising and research centers tied directly to legal and policy studies.
- Health Studies & Nursing: Georgetown’s School of Nursing & Health Studies is recognized for its strong clinical placements and health policy emphasis, tied closely to DC’s major hospitals and federal agencies.
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Georgetown’s scholarships look very different from what you’ll find at big state schools. Instead of automatic merit, Georgetown leans on a strong commitment to meet 100% of demonstrated need and pairs that with smaller hidden-gem opportunities like GSP, 1789 Scholarships, and ROTC benefits. For families—especially first-gen or DC residents—the key is understanding how the need-based process works, filing the FAFSA and CSS Profile on time, and then layering in programs like ROTC or donor-funded fellowships. The result can be a pathway that makes one of the nation’s most prestigious private universities financially realistic.
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