Graduate Student Resources

Political science graduate student forms and support information can be found below. For further guidance, visit the online graduate student handbook and graduate student newsletter webpages with the Columbian College. PhD students may also visit the department's PhD Policies & Resources page.

Forms

All current forms and documents for political science graduate students are available below or by emailing [email protected].

Graduate Student Forms

Available on the CCAS Graduate Student Forms Page:

Transfer Credit Form
Registration Transaction Form (RTF and RTF-EZ)
Consortium Registration Form and Consortium Drop Form
Graduate Student Petition Form
Leave of Absence Form
Half-Time/Full-Time Certification Form (FTC)

Dissertation Forms

GW Resources

Expense Reporting with GW iBuy+ Concur

Student recipients are encouraged to receive payments electronically for stipends and reimbursements. Simply complete the Direct Deposit Authorization Form and return to GW's Payroll Services.

Important Reminders

A student can create reports and upload receipts, but a GW employee acting as a delegate for the student has to submit the report. Contact [email protected] with questions.
Submit expense reports via iBuy+ Expense. Expense reports with receipts should be submitted for approval within 30 days after completion of travel for timely expense reporting. Out-of-pocket expenses related to travel must be submitted no sooner than the first day of travel (except for travel arrangements booked via the iBuy+ Travel Portal) and no later than 60 days following the last day of travel. See, Travel Helpful Guidelines.
The university reimburses air travel in coach/economy class for domestic and international flights. Acela Business Class rail is allowable if more economical in time and money when compared to airfare.
Students traveling on GW business that is funded or reimbursed by the University are prohibited from using peer-to-peer lodging services (e.g., Airbnb). See Peer-to-Peer Lodging Guidelines.
Students are not authorized to rent vehicles for GW purposes when traveling internationally. See the Travel, Entertainment and Business Expense Reimbursement Manual for requirements on domestic vehicle rentals used for university purposes.
Before foreign travel, GW travelers should consult the International Travel Approval Policy, which includes Pre-Travel Requirements.

Research Funding Opportunities

Internal University Funding

GW has many options when it comes to applying for research support funds. Internal funding opportunities for students can be explored with the Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships (OGSAF) and on the Columbian College Funding Opportunities webpage.

External Funding

The Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) supports the university’s research mission by providing oversight of externally-sponsored research. Graduate students within our program are able to utilize university administration should they receive external funds or awards to support their research. Past external funding has been received by our graduate students from organizations like the National Science Foundation (NSF), Smith Richardson Foundation, Charles Koch Foundation, and more.

Professional Development

Image of a conference meeting, three individuals discussing

Limited funds are available each year from Columbian College for PhD students attending scholarly meetings or conferences. A PhD student must be presenting a talk or paper at the meeting in order to be eligible for funding. Requests for funding must be submitted at least one month before the meeting occurs. Interested students should contact [email protected].

Graduate roundtable seminar course

GW belongs to the Consortium of the Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. This means students are invited to take graduate-level courses at fellow consortium member schools, like: American University, George Mason University, Georgetown University, and the University of Maryland. Approval for consortium classes must be submitted through a form from the Office of the Registrar.

PSC Graduate Caucus

The political science graduate caucus is a student-led program within the department that hosts opportunities for peer networking and casual get-togethers alike. Past events hosted by the Caucus include career workshops, National Mall lawn game outings, and attending D.C. sporting events. The purpose of the Caucus is to provide peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and support while attending our graduate program. Each year, the Columbian College provides limited funds to support Caucus programing.

Contact the PSC Graduate Caucus at [email protected].