Financing Your Degree

As the demand for public health leadership grows,1 so too does the need to deliver accessible, top-quality public health education. It is our responsibility to prepare the next generation of public health professionals as we work together to improve the health of our communities and world.

Our online Master of Public Health (MPH@GW) program maintains the same standards, rigor and quality of the on-campus equivalent. Therefore, the tuition rate is also comparable.

  • MPH@GW consists of 45 credits, with each credit costing $1,835. The estimated tuition for this program is $82,575. This rate is reflective of the 2023-24 academic year tuition rate and is subject to annual review and adjustment.

Please note the cost of tuition does not include out-of-pocket expenses such as books, additional course materials, immersions or other fees. While immersion fees include a majority of associated expenses, students are still responsible for travel costs, as well as some food and miscellaneous charges throughout the immersion experience.

Funding and Financial Aid Options

There are a number of options available to help you fund your degree, including merit-based scholarships, private loans and federal loans. Please see below for helpful resources:

Scholarships

MPH@GW is guaranteeing a tuition scholarship of $10,000 to students who are accepted and enrolled into the upcoming cohort. Contact your Admissions Counselor for more information.

Federal Student Aid

The FAFSA is available October 1st for the upcoming academic year. New students planning to use federal student aid should complete the FAFSA while applying for admission; you do not need to wait until you are admitted. 

Continuing students will need to submit a FAFSA each year they plan to receive federal student aid. Eligibility for federal student aid does not carry over from one award year to the next, you will need to complete the FAFSA for each award year for which you are or plan to enroll.

Please reference the chart below to determine which FAFSA academic year to complete based on your desired start, continue/return date:

StartTermFAFSA Year
January 2024
Spring 1 2024
2023-2024
April 2024
Spring 2 2024
2023-2024
July 2024
Summer 2024
2023-2024
September 2024
Fall 2024
2024-2025
January 2025
Spring 1 2025
2024-2025
April  2025
Sprint 2 2025
2024-2025
July 2025
Summer 2025
2024-2025
September 2025
Fall 2025
2025-2026
January 2026
Sprint 1 2026
2025-2026
April  2026
Spring 2 2026
2025-2026
July 2026
Summer 2026
2025-2026
September 2026
Fall 2026
2026-2027
January 2027
Spring 1 2027
2026-2027
April 2027
Spring 2 2027
2026-2027
July 2027
Summer 2027
2026-2027

An academic year at GWU starts in the fall and ends in the summer. This is used to calculate your federal eligibility for one academic year.  

Example: If you start in Summer (2022), and register for Summer (2022) and Fall (2022), you will need to complete both the 2021-2022 FAFSA and the 2022-2023 FAFSA.

Example: If you start in Fall 2022, and register for Fall (2022), Spring (2023) and Summer (2023), you will only need to complete the 2022-2023 FAFSA.

Example: If you start in Spring 1 or 2 (2023), and register for Spring (2023), Summer (2023) and Fall (2023), you will need to complete both the 2022-2023 FAFSA and the 2023-2024 FAFSA.

Financial Aid for International Students

While international applicants will be considered for institutionally funded scholarships, eligibility for federal student aid is limited to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents and eligible non-citizens who are currently living within the United States for purposes other than studying.

International students should explore funding options in their home countries and talk with their employers about tuition benefits that may be available, including tuition reimbursement and low-cost loans.

Please note that international students in online degree programs are not eligible to participate in the U.S. Student Visa process.

1Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor (2020). Occupational Outlook Handbook: Health Educators and Community Health WorkersRetrieved Nov. 4, 2020.