Academic Forms

Below are the forms commonly needed by students in the Milken Institute School of Public Health. Most of these forms require a dean's signature, but you do not need to acquire this signature yourself. Fill out the form(s) and  submit to our Records team at [email protected] we will take care of rest. We are here for you!

General Forms

Registration Transaction Form

This form can be used if you are having challenges using GWEB or if the instructor requires permission! Check out this Registration Step-by-Step guide for help! Fill out this form (get the required signature if needed!) and submit to our team at [email protected]

Professional Enhancement Form

This is one requirements for ALL of our students! You must supplement your academic curriculum with relevant public health activities. Download this form and document your professional enhancement activities. Please email your completed document to [email protected].

Incomplete Contract

We know that sometimes events happen that are beyond your control and you may need more time to complete the work of a course you are taking. Talk to your advisor and professor and see if you can work together to come up with a plan to complete the course after the end of the term. This is a contract between you and your professor to allow more time to help you achieve academic success, it must be done before the last day of the class.

Request a leave of absence or continuous enrollment

Do you need to take a term or semester off? Talk to your advisor to make sure you are staying in academic status. A leave of absence (LOA) or a continuous enrollment (CE) may be helpful. A continuous enrollment may also be useful when you try to graduate since you must be enrolled the term you apply to graduate.

Undergraduate Complete Withdrawal Form

Graduate Complete Withdrawal Form

We don't want to see you go and hope we can help, please talk to your advisor if you plan to leave GW.

Graduation Forms

Application for Graduation

You must complete the Registrar Office's online application for graduation by the appropriate deadline. View the step-by-step instructions. Keep an eye on the deadlines!

  • MARCH 15 for students completing degree requirements in the spring semester and for summer graduates who are eligible to participate in May Commencement.
  • JULY 15 for students completing degree requirements in the summer sessions.
  • NOVEMBER 15 for students completing degree requirements in the fall semester.
Undergraduate Forms

Please meet with your Academic Advisor prior to submitting these forms.

GWSPH Undergraduate Independent Study Policy and Form

This course is designed to provide the student with an opportunity to gain or enhance public health knowledge and to explore an area of interest related to public health research or the delivery and/or administration of health services.

GWSPH Undergraduate Declaration Form

This form can do the following: 

  • Declare, remove, or change a major in Exercise Science, Nutrition Science or Public Health
  • Declare, remove, or change a minor in Public Health, Exercise Science, Nutrition Science, or Bioinformatics ​
  • Declare, remove, or change a concentration within Exercise Science, Nutrition Science or Public Health

This form should only be used for majors/minors/concentrations in the School of Public Health. To declare a minor/major in another school (Elliot School for example), please use the form for that School or program.

Refer to the Undergraduate Student Handbook for additional information and guidelines.

Transfer Credit Approval Form

This form should be used by students who plan to take course outside of GW. Students may take nine credits or three courses (up to 12 credits) at an outside university and must gain prior approval prior to taking the course. Students should send the transfer credit approval form to the appropriate academic department at GW for signature and then to their academic advisor for submission. Once students have completed their course, they should send their transcript to [email protected].

 

Graduate Degree Forms

Request for Certification for Half-Time / Full-Time Student Status

Certification for graduate student financial aid is based upon the total number of credit hours for which you register in a given semester. Half-time status requires being registered for 5-8 credit hours; students registered for 9 credit hours or more are considered full-time. Students registered for fewer than the requisite number of credit hours may be approved for half-time or full-time certification if they are working on their culminating experience, dissertations, residencies, internships, or practicums, or are preparing for comprehensive exams. Note: This form is not to be used by international students on F or J visas, we highly recommend working with the International Services Office.

GWSPH Graduate Independent Study Course Description & Form

This course is designed to provide the student with an opportunity to gain or enhance public health knowledge and to explore an area of interest related to public health research or the delivery and/or administration of health services. 

Graduate Admissions Petition

Use this form for:

  • Readmission Requests 
  • Change of Program

 

Refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for guidelines on graduate petition eligibility/requirements.

Early submissions will ensure processing before registration to avoid complications. Students interested in petitioning are advised to first identify when course registration begins each semester to plan accordingly.

Students should NOT submit an Admissions Petition until all account holds have been rectified.

Readmission

  • Deadline for readmission petitions is no later than three (3) weeks prior to the first day of class. For all spring petitions, please account for university closure during winter break.
  • Students must apply for and be approved for readmission.  Requests for readmission will only be accepted for readmission to the program in which originally enrolled. 
  • Readmitted students will be subject to the regulations and program requirements in effect at the time of reenrollment.

Students who have fallen out of status:

  • Students who did not register during the immediate, preceding semester/module (excluding summer sessions) or who have not taken any courses at GW in over a year, are out of status and must apply for readmission by completing an admissions petition.

 

Students who have been suspended:

  • Students who were suspended from GWSPH may only apply for readmission after at least one academic year has passed and must apply through SOPHAS Express.

Change of Concentration

  • Current students are eligible to use this petition to switch programs. It is recommended that students wait to submit their concentration change petition until after they have completed one semester at GW and grades have posted.
  • Prior to submitting a petition to change concentration, students must contact the program director of the desired concentration.  Students will need to indicate that they have had contact with the program director in order to submit the petition.  (For students applying to the Public Health Certificate, it is not necessary to contact a faculty member.)  Program Directors and their contact information can be found on the program-specific webpages.

Contact the Office of Admissions at [email protected] or (202) 994-2160 with questions.

Graduate Records Petition

When a student wishes to make a request that requires an exception to GW or GWSPH policies and procedures, or one representing a change in program of study, a petition must be filed and approved. The Graduate Records Petition allows students to:

  • Waive a required course
  • Substitute a course for a required course
  • Attend two schools simultaneously
  • Transfer graduate credits to the GW graduate transcript
  • Register for continuous enrollment versus continuous research
  • Extend the time limit for graduation
  • Drop a course after the deadline and receive a full or partial refund
  • Add a course after the deadline and waive the late fee

Email this form to [email protected].

Level Change Request

Students who took a non-degree course(s) at GW prior to enrolling in a graduate degree program are eligible to have those credits applied to their graduate degree program via a level change request form. Please email [email protected] to request having non-degree credits changed to graduate credits to be applied to degree program.

 

Doctoral Forms

PhD Annual Review Form - 2023

PhD Advising Worksheet Optional

PhD Dissertation Forms 

DrPH Dissertation Forms - 2022 & 2023 Cohorts

DrPH Dissertation Forms - 2021 & Earlier Cohorts

PhD Handbook 2023-2024