Affordability
GW’s Commitment to Access, Success, and Affordability
The university will continue to engage talented students from across the nation to enroll at GW, thrive in Washington, DC, and graduate prepared for success with meaningful financial support that helps minimize financial burden.
GW’s Core Belief About Affordability
At the George Washington University, we believe that a dedicated student’s potential, not their family’s financial circumstances, should define their opportunity to enroll, graduate, and succeed. Our approach to affordability reflects a deep and ongoing institutional commitment to excellence, access, and affordability.
Purposeful Investment in Student Success
GW’s financial aid model is designed to support access, promote on-time graduation and launch strong career pathways. The university invests significantly in merit scholarships and need-based financial aid to ensure that talented students from across the United States can pursue a world-class education in the nation’s capital. Through a combination of institutional grants, scholarships, and targeted affordability initiatives, we work to reduce financial barriers while maintaining our strong academic profile and a nationally representative student body.
Strategic Framework in Action
As highlighted in GW’s new Strategic Framework Raising Higher: OneGW's Path to Preeminence, the university is committed to expanding its affordability initiatives in a number of initiatives. By utilizing enhanced need-based aid, multi-year scholarship guarantees, and income-based tuition support programs, the university is creating a structure to provide greater predictability and financial stability for students and families for years to come.
Keeping Student Loan Debt Manageable
A key measure of GW’s affordability commitment is the limited reliance on student borrowing among our graduates. Only about one-third of GW undergraduate students utilize federal student loans during their academic experience. For those who do borrow, outcomes have remained manageable: the Department of Education shows the median federal student loan debt for recent GW graduates is approximately $20,449, with typical monthly payments around $217. These outcomes reflect a deliberate strategy to prioritize grant aid and minimize long-term financial burden.
GW's Revolutionary Promise