About the D.C. Semester Program

The D.C. Semester Program is open to seniors, juniors, and exceptional sophomores from William & Mary or any accredited four-year institution. There is no minimum GPA required to apply, but GPA is considered in the admissions process.

First-year, first-time college students and transfer students will need to have completed one academic year before seeking participation in the D.C. Semester Program. There are no exceptions to this rule. The W&M Washington Center welcomes participants from other institutions to apply to and enroll in the D.C. Semester Program.

Students on academic probation during the time they are abroad are not eligible to participate in Study in D.C. opportunities. If you are on academic probation or on a medical withdrawal or underload, you must receive approval from the Office of Academic Wellbeing in order to participate in Study in D.C. opportunities.

Students who are on Disciplinary Probation or Deferred Suspension status are ineligible to participate in Study in D.C. opportunities during their first full semester in such status. If a sanction endures beyond one full semester (15 academic weeks), the student may petition the Office of Student Accountability & Restorative Practices for an exception. The Director, or designee, will make the final decision in consultation with Washington Center staff, and that decision will be final and cannot be appealed.

If you do not get approval, you may NOT participate in Study in D.C. opportunities. Students are required to report to the Washington Center any changes in academic or judicial status, even after acceptance into a program, which may affect their eligibility to participate in their accepted program, even if such a change results in a financial loss.

The W&M Washington Center welcomes participants from other institutions to apply to and enroll in the D.C. Semester Program.

Once you have been accepted into the D.C. Semester Program, you must complete two forms to enroll in William & Mary for the semester: the Application for Admission (Unclassified Status) and the Application for Virginia In-State Tuition Privileges if you are a Virginia resident. We will provide you with each of these forms. You must be in good standing at your current or a prior institution to qualify for unclassified admission to William & Mary.

It is your responsibility to determine your status with your current institution for the semester you will be gone. We recommend that you ask your Registrar to allow you to maintain your status as a "Full-time, engaged" student, as you will be enrolled at W&M only as a "Non-Degree Seeking, Visiting" student.

You are responsible for determining how the W&M courses will transfer to your current institution. Each college/university has a process for applying for transfer credits. We recommend you use the course descriptions and fill out any necessary paperwork with your Registrar and/or Academic Advisor to see how the courses and credits may transfer to your institution before you begin your semester with W&M.

The cost structure for the D.C. Semester Program is simple: students pay their regular on-campus tuition and fees, plus an additional program fee of $1,000. This fee covers costs for programming, events, and internship support for the time students are in Washington, D.C.

If you choose to live in housing provided by the W&M Washington Center, there is an additional non-refundable cost of $6,000* for a double room or $8,000* for a single room. Housing is optional and rooms are located within a shared space.

*Housing fee is subject to change based on market availability.

Any Study in D.C. student is eligible for a scholarship through the W&M Washington Center once they have been accepted to a program.

Financial Aid
Check with your Financial Aid Counselor at the W&M Financial Aid Office. Students may be eligible for financial aid (student or parent loans) to help cover their costs. Contact your Financial Aid Counselor to check your eligibility.

Virginia 529
The Virginia529 Prepaid plan only pays the full-time (or part-time for PT students) tuition charge on the student account. It does not pay any individual course or program fees.

If a family has one of the other Va529 programs (inVEST, CollegeAmerica or CollegeWealth) those funds may cover D.C. program fees depending on the individual program guidelines. Questions regarding your plan may be obtained from the website www.virginia529.com or by calling toll free 888-567-0540.

For questions, please contact the Bursar's Office at 757-221-1300.

There is no residency requirement for the D.C. Semester Program, but the W&M Washington Center holds apartments for students to stay in during the Semester.