Q:
What is my class schedule?
A: You attend seminar classes
three days a week. Because you meet with several
guest speakers each week, your schedule on seminar
days depends on when the speakers are available.
Your professor will give you a weekly schedule
in advance.
Q:
When do I work at my internship?
A: You
intern two consecutive days per week. You internship
schedule remains constant. For more information,
check the internship section.
Q: When do I start
my internship?
A:
Typically, students are given the first two
weeks of the semester to secure an internship.
If you have secured an internship prior to your
arrival in Washington, you may start interning
immediately on the designated days.
Q: What kind of
visa do I need and how do I get it?
A:
If you do not already possess an immigration
status or visa that allows you to study in the
United States, you will apply for an F-1 or
J-1 visa. To get your visa, you must obtain
an I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1) certificate of
eligibility from American University. See the
Visa Requirements section of this Web site for
more information.
Q: Where is the
Washington Semester Certificate Program located?
A:
Administrative offices, most classes, and residence
halls are located on American University's Tenley
Campus. For airport transportation and hotel
information, consult the Visit Us section of
the Web site.
Q: What are the
residence halls like?
A: The Tenley Campus residence
halls house Washington Semester students form
both the U.S. and abroad. Each of the three
Tenley Campus residence halls offers single,
double, and triple occupancy rooms, as well
as laundry facilities and kitchens. In addition,
a reading room, computer lab, and dining hall
are located on Tenley Campus.
Q: Do I have to
stay on campus?
A: You
do not have to campus. However, the Washington
Semester Program cannot help students to find
off-campus housing. You may, however, view off-campus
housing listings provided by the university.
Q: What are the
application deadlines for the Washington Semester
Program?
A: The
Washington Semester Certificate Program accepts
students on a rolling admission basis, which
means that we review and decide upon applications
as we receive them. There is no absolute deadline,
but we recommend that you submit your application
by May 1 for admission to the fall semester
or year program and by November 1 for admission
to the spring semester. Please allow 1-4 weeks
for visa issuance, depending on your home country.
Q: Does the Washington
Semester Program offer scholarships, loans,
financial aid, or assistantships to international
students?
A: The Washington Semester
Certificate Program understands that many international
students receive a free or subsidized education
in their home countries. For this reason we
have made special arrangements with American
University officials to offer international
students a reduced rate of over 50% on tuition
compared to what students who attend U.S. universities
pay. International students are eligible to
work on-campus part-time (up to 20 hours per
week) to help support their studies in Washington,
D.C. There are a few Dean's Scholarships, which
offer partial tuition support, available to
international students applying for the year
program. However, all students are expected
to be responsible for the majority of their
tuition and fees.
Q: What are the
dates for the semester and academic year programs?
A: The fall semester runs from
late August to mid-December; the spring semester
runs from mid-January to mid-May. The year program
takes place from late August to mid-May or mid-January
to December. Exact dates vary slightly each
year. For specific dates, contact the International
Student Assistant at gotodc@american.edu.
Q: Do I need to
take an English proficiency test before enrolling
in the Washington Semester Certificate Program?
A:
All non-native speakers must submit certified
proof of English fluency. Most Washington Semester
Applicants take the TOEFL, but we will also
accept IELTS (International English Language
Testing System) MELAB (Michigan English Language
Assessment Battery), Advanced Placement International
English Language Exam (APIEL), or Test of English
for International Communication (TOEIC) scores
as proof of English fluency. We require that
students meet the following scores:
