Global Residency Course Offerings, Costs, and Eligibility

Every year, GSPM faculty lead short-term study abroad courses that explore the political environment of a country outside the United States and engage with alumni in the country. Upcoming global perspective residencies include Mexico and Germany. Students recently traveled to Brussels and the United Kingdom.

Where are our faculty and students going next? Upcoming residencies include:

Brazil: August 10-August 16, 2025 - Applications being accepted until June 1!
Spain: December 14 – December 20, 2025 - Applications being accepted until September 1!
United Kingdom: Spring 2026 - more information coming soon!

For more info about the residencies contact Jessilyn Larsen by email at jlarsen9gwu [dot] edu (subject: Global%20Residency) (jlarsen9[at]gwu[dot]edu) or call (202) 994-0684.

Brazil: Summer 2025

The four-week asynchronous course will familiarize students with the largest country in South America and the continent’s powerhouse. Rich in natural resources and an important exporter, Brazil is one of the most influential emerging economies. It is also a country with complicated politics—vacillating between authoritarianism and democracy—and powerful civic movements. While learning about politics, policies, security, and business, students will also explore Brazil's extraordinary history, diverse culture, and social trends as well as its significant role in international affairs—regionally and globally.

Application Deadline: June 1, 2025
Asynchronous Coursework: July 14 – August 9, 2025
Immersion Week in Brazil: August 10 – 16, 2025

Apply for the Summer 2025 Global Residency in Brazil

Student group in Spanish governmental chambers

Spain: Fall 2025

The four-week asynchronous course will familiarize students with the country at a crossroads of Europe, America, and Africa. An ally of the United States and a strong supporter of the European Union, Spain also has close relations with Latin America. It is a country offering enlightening lessons about the political system of a parliamentary monarchy, the transition from military rule to full democracy, a
decentralized state (Estado de las autonomias), and separatism. While learning about politics, policies, security, and business, students will also explore Spain's more than 3,000-year history and diverse and exuberant culture.

Application Deadline: September 1, 2025
Asynchronous Coursework: November 10 – December 13, 2025
Immersion Week in Spain: December 14 – December 20, 2025

Apply for the Fall 2025 Global Residency in Spain

Our Global Residency Program courses are offered in a variety of locations around the globe. Due to the international nature of these courses, the costs associated with them vary by time and location.

Registration Process

Registration to GSPM's Washington D.C. Residency is handled through GWeb, similar to other GW course registration.

Application to GSPM's international courses are handled through GW Passport. (Direct links to the application are provided below for their respective courses). After the application deadline passes, GSPM reviews each application and notifies the students individually about acceptance into the program and provides the information on how to register with the GW Registrar's office.

Costs

We understand that financing your education can be stressful and challenging! With this in mind, we want to provide for you a clear picture of where your money paid to GSPM’s Global Residency Program is going – and why.

Think of the cost of a Global Residency Program as existing in two buckets: tuition and group expenses.

Tuition

Each course is billed tuition that corresponds to the number of credits in the course. The tuition is a figure set annually by GW and, depending on which GSPM program you’re in, will be similar to what you would pay for a D.C.-based course. Tuition does not go toward any travel expenses. This is the bare-bones cost to simply run a course, as decided by GW.

Group Expenses

This charge covers arrangements made by GSPM on behalf of the student. What is included varies based on the residency location, but this typically includes on-location (that is, in the residency country) group transportation, group meals, lodging, and some cultural events. GW-mandated (required for study abroad under GW) health, safety, and emergency evacuation insurance is always included at $1/day, minimum $17.50. GSPM keeps none of this money. It goes directly to student expenses and often saves students out-of-pocket money, since group and bulk purchases can often be achieved at a discount.

Individual Expenses

Separate from these two GSPM payment buckets are your own controllable travel expenses. This includes non-group meals, transportation to and from airports, airfare, souvenirs, and any necessary travel documents based on the location (passports, visas, etc.). You can choose to be as frugal or as extravagant as you wish. You can pursue additional federal student aid for airfare, visa fees, meals, transportation, and other out-of-pocket costs that aren’t charged by GSPM. Please contact GW’s Office of Student Financial Assistance to explore your options.

Total Cost

It is important to note that the total cost (including tuition and group expenses) fluctuates depending on a few things, both inside and outside of your control:

The location: Some countries are cheaper to visit than others.
The year/time: Costs fluctuate based on economies.
Your personal travel preferences: Extra leg room? Filet mignon on your flight? Bringing extra bags (meaning extra bag fees)?

$6,000-$7,000 total charged to your GSPM Student Account. And, then you can choose and pay for your own non-group meals, transportation to and from airports, airfare, and any necessary travel documents based on the location (passports, visas, etc.)

Generally speaking, for a three-credit Global Residency Program course:

Tuition

Group Expenses ($1,400-$2,000, location- and season-dependent)

Why so expensive? Keep in mind two aspects of any GW study abroad program:

Per-credit tuition is charged. Three- or six-credit tuition applies to each Global Residency Program course.
Traveling is expensive. GSPM aims to mitigate this by booking your in-country group transportation, several group meals, and lodging at discounts based on group rates and our relationships with vendors.

GSPM does not charge anything over what it costs to have you take a three- or six-credit course at GW and also to pay for your group expenses abroad.

Scholarships

For questions on scholarships, please contact academic advisors sydney [dot] roigemail [dot] gwu [dot] edu (Sydney Roig) or joshua [dot] adamekemail [dot] gwu [dot] edu (Josh Adamek).

Cancelation Process

If you need to cancel your Global Residency Program course, please contact Jessilyn Larsen by email at jlarsen9gwu [dot] edu (subject: Global%20Residency) (jlarsen9[at]gwu[dot]edu) or call (202) 994-0684.