New Student Guide
Welcome, New Hoyas!
We are excited to have you join our community, and this guide highlights key information and university requirements. Just follow the directions below to ensure your smooth transition to Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q). In the summer, new students will receive an invitation to enroll in Hoya 101, a special orientation program to learn more about student life, services and support at GU-Q.
Congratulations on your acceptance! To process your enrollment, you need to submit a few documents and applications. You will also need to activate your NetID and Georgetown email account.
Health & Wellness
Learn about immunization compliance, health insurance, and emergency contact information.
NSO & Convocation
Find out about the mandatory New Student Orientation (NSO) and the Convocation ceremony which officially makes you a GU-Q student.
International Students
Information about immigration, airport transportation, orientation, housing, and what to pack.
Program Information
View the calendar and available courses, and understand requirements including the core curriculum, registration, and foreign language proficiency.
Academic Resources
Find out about academic accommodations and academic support services offered.
Useful Information
View other useful information regarding IT services, facilities in the GU-Q building, finances, and student employment.
Student Housing
Learn how to apply for housing and the housing dates!
Start Here!
Please follow this link to submit your enrollment form. The deadline will be announced. For questions, please contact The Office of Admissions.
After you have submitted a deposit to secure your place in the incoming class, you will receive a letter from the Office of Admissions with information about your NetID, along with a temporary password. This step is very important to access all services. Password management is critical for the security of your work and personal accounts. Check out the updated NetID password standard and videos and other information about how to navigate password security and management: https://security.georgetown.edu/best-practices/password-management.
Please change your temporary password by going to http://password.georgetown.edu/ within the next 48 hours. This site will enable you to securely enroll in Password Station to set responses to security questions, DUO two factor authentication and create a permanent password.
If you have any questions regarding your NetID password, please contact the GU-Q IT User Support at +974 4457 8130 and if you need assistance in resetting the password then please visit: https://admissions.qatar.georgetown.edu/register/NewStudentPasswordReset2025.
Your university e-mail address is «NetID»@georgetown.edu. After setting a permanent NetID password, you can log into your Georgetown email at https://apps.georgetown.edu/.
Be sure to check your Georgetown University email account for all official Georgetown correspondence. Official University messages are sent only to your Georgetown email address. For information about using Google Apps, please go to https://uis.georgetown.edu/google-apps/.
Have Your Final Transcript Sent to GU-Q
Final transcripts must be sent to Georgetown University in Qatar as soon as they become available. Transcripts submitted by students are considered unofficial and will not be accepted. Official transcripts should be received directly from your school/counselor via email or online from the examination board (IB, Cambridge, EdExcel, College Board… etc).
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your high school transcripts, please contact the Office of Admissions.
Advanced Credit for Credit at GU-Q
If you have completed an advanced credit program, such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or British A/AS-Levels, you might be eligible for university credits that will impact your fall class schedule. Report your scores to GU-Q Academics as soon as they are available. Unofficial scores can be reported as long as you follow up with the official scores when they are available.
Transfer Students
If you are a transfer student, you must provide an official copy of your final academic transcripts from previous academic institutions, as well as course syllabi, in order to evaluate the courses for transfer. It is important to receive transcripts early, as these can affect fall class registrations. Transcripts and syllabi can be submitted by email to GU-Q Advising.
You are required to submit a digital passport size photo for your student ID card. Your ID card will allow you to have access to the Georgetown building, as well as, access a variety of functions such as the student lounge, library and transportation services. Failure to provide a photo will delay the issuance of your card and may prevent you from accessing the Georgetown building and other university services.
Your photo needs to be in color, on a solid white background and facing the camera. Photos with hats, sunglasses, as well as partial photos will be rejected.
► Please upload your digital photo via your Application Status Page by the deadline June 15, 2025.
Please follow this guide for your digital photo:
If you are a resident and have a Qatar ID, a copy must be submitted via your Application Status Page. If you are applying from outside Qatar and already have a Qatar ID, or have an old ID, please submit a copy.
Health and Wellness
All students are required, at the time of registration, to provide documentation of vaccination or immunity from Polio, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, and Meningitis. In addition, all students are required to have documentation of a Tuberculosis (TB) skin test in the last year and submit the Immunization History and Tuberculosis Screening form upon admission.
If you choose to waive the Meningitis vaccination, you should read the Meningitis Fact Sheet and complete and sign the Meningitis Vaccine Waiver.
The Immunization History Form and Tuberculosis Test Form must be completed by a health care physician. This process can take several weeks to complete. You will need to plan ahead to meet the deadline and avoid registration delays.
► Step 1: Upload your completed immunization documents via your Application Status Page.
► Step 2: Upload your completed immunization forms to the Student Health Portal and use the information on your completed forms to fill the electronic version of the forms here:
georgetown.studenthealthportal.com
You need your netID and password to log in. Here is a video tutorial of how to use the portal.
The Immunization History and TB testing requirements will appear under the My Forms tab after you log in. Please use your Immunization History and TB testing forms to fill in the details of the electronic form.
Finally, please upload your forms to the portal.
Here is a video tutorial on uploading your documents to the portal.
If you have any questions about uploading, please email us at this address (guqstudentwellness@georgetown.edu). Do not use the “messages” option in the health portal as we will not receive them.
PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL YOUR COMPLETED FORMS OR IMMUNIZATION DOCUMENTS TO US/
For more information on required immunizations, click here.
For inquiries, contact the Student Wellness & Counseling Center.
All enrolled students residing in Qatar are required to carry a supplementary private health insurance; therefore, GU-Q has negotiated a comprehensive medical and travel policy designed specifically for GU-Q students.
All students will be automatically enrolled and charged a premium fee for this insurance on their student billing accounts, unless they decline the coverage and provide documentation of adequate insurance coverage under another private policy.
If you have coverage by another private insurance policy that remains in effect throughout the academic year, and you wish to decline the student health insurance arranged by GU-Q, you must complete the Insurance Waiver Form and provide a copy of the front and back of your current private health insurance card.
► If you are eligible to opt out of enrollment in GU-Q insurance plan, please upload your completed Insurance Waiver Form along with a copy of the front and back of your current private health insurance card via your Application Status Page, should you choose to waive.
Students are responsible for understanding their insurance coverage and benefits and must carefully read the enrollment and benefit details, including the inclusions, exclusions, and limitations of their coverage.
For more information on Student Health Insurance and Medical and Travel Insurance Policy, click here.
For inquiries, contact the Student Wellness & Counseling Center.
You need to provide the following two pieces of information by logging into https://myaccess.georgetown.edu/ before you arrive. You will need your Net ID and password.
- Emergency contact information (Next of Kin tab). Please provide a name, relationship, address and mobile number for the person you want us to call in case of an emergency. You may add more than one person.
- Your mobile number (Addresses and Phone tab). We use your mobile number to reach you by SMS only when needed. For those who are coming from abroad, you can change the mobile/cell phone number later, once you get a Qatar SIM card. Use the format 974######## when entering your number.
Student Housing
QF residence halls are located within the grounds of Education City. Male and female students live in separate apartment blocks. Each residence hall floor has a community kitchen, laundry rooms, and lounges for studying and socializing. All first-year students will be assigned a “residence hall room”. Residence hall rooms have a bedroom, bathroom, TV, and mini-refrigerator.
► Both international students and local residents of Qatar are eligible to apply for housing.
For more information on Housing and Resident Life, click here.
For any questions related to QF Student Housing, please contact them at studenthousing@qf.org.q
To apply for housing is a two step process
- Step 1: First you have to fill out this form in order to start the application process for QF Residence Halls. After receiving your information a GU-Q representative will forward your application to QF Housing.
- Step 2: You will receive an email from QF housing directing you to their StarRez reservation system.
- First year students can check into the dorms aroud mid-August.
Expected Assignment Timeline
By the end of June, Qatar Foundation will email applicants a link to the StarRez system. You must follow the instructions emailed to you in order to reserve a space. This includes paying a housing deposit of 2,000 Qatar Riyal. Note that you will not hear back from QF Housing Residence Life (HRL) about your room assignment until the end of July.
New Student Orientation (NSO) and Convocation
Your New Student Orientation or the Hoya Welcome Week begins on August 18 and ends on August 20 with a formal convocation ceremony. It is mandatory for all incoming students to attend their NSO as you will meet all the people that play a role in your academic journey at Georgetown.
Why is this important? Well, university life is very different from high school and you will be expected to perform at a faster pace from your first day on campus. We have a lot of resources to help students manage the transition to university life and it will save you lots of time in the future if you get to know who they are, where they are located and how they can help you shine!
New Student Convocation will be on Thursday, August 21, 2025 and is mandatory for all new students. The dress code is business or traditional attire. Please be respectful of cultural norms. We encourage parents and family members to gather and celebrate the beginning of your Georgetown career together.
International Students
Process and Requirements to Get a Visa for Qatar
If you do not have a Qatari ID or residency permit, GU-Q will process a student entry visa for you and email it to you. You cannot enter Qatar on a visitor visa in order to study, and the only required document for GU-Q to begin the process is a valid passport. The visa will be emailed to you by GU-Q around mid-July.
Traveling to Qatar
- Once you have recieved your visa and entry permit, you can book your ticket. Please do not book your travel until we have notified you that your visas and entry permits have arrived.
- After you have booked your ticket, upload your flight itinerary via your Application Status Page in order to issue an OK to board on your flight.
- Print out your visa and take it with you to the airport (an electronic copy will not suffice). It may be necessary to present a copy at passport control.Getting your Residency Permit (RP)
After you arrive in Qatar, we will begin the process of obtaining a residency permit (RP). The RP allows you to stay in Qatar for more than 30 days and facilitates other processes, such as getting a national health card, a driver’s license, etc. The process includes:
- Upload Documents: Upload a passport size photo and blood type document via your Application Status Page. Not having these items will delay the process.
- Passport collection: At New Student Orientation (NSO), GU-Q will collect your passport temporarily to submit it to Qatar’s immigration department to get your RP.
- Processing: The process of getting a residency permit takes approximately 4-6 weeks. You will not be able to leave Qatar until your RP process is complete, unless there is an emergency. Please do not plan to travel for at least one month after your arrival.
- Getting Medical Clearance: To study and reside in Qatar, immigration laws require that individuals seeking residency be screened and test negative for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Tuberculosis. The issuance of the residency permit is contingent on passing the medical clearance process. We strongly recommend having these tests done in your home country prior to your arrival to Qatar. Positive findings may result in immediate repatriation from the country.
For more useful information for international students, click here.
For questions please contact The Office of Student Life.
It is easy to buy a SIM card with a Qatar number in Doha. You can add time by buying ‘top-up’ cards or buy a monthly plan. The two main vendors are Ooredoo and Vodafone. Please review their Qatar websites before your arrival so you can get connected quickly. Both Ooredoo and Vodafone have dedicated kiosks in the Arrivals Hall at Hamad International Airport and in major shopping malls.
GU-Q will assist international students with transportation from the airport if you provide your arrival information. For this reason, you must keep all contact information up-to-date and inform us of any changes to your flight.
► All international students must fill out the Transportation Request Form and upload your flight itinerary to your Application Status Page .
Note: If you request assistance, instructions will be emailed to you at a later time.
Please note the following:
- GU-Q assists with transportation for students only. If you are traveling with parents/siblings/companions, they will have to arrange their own transportation.
- We will only be providing transportation from the airport to QF Student Housing. If you plan to stay anywhere else besides QF Student Housing, you will have to arrange your own transportation.
- For questions, please contact the Office of Student Life.
GU-Q hosts a mandatory orientation session for international students (date TBD). During the orientation, we will host interactive information sessions and social activities on academic life, immigration regulations, health care, and cultural awareness of living in Qatar.
We require you to be in Qatar to attend this orientation.
You can download a pdf version of this packing list here.
Academic Related Information
Candidates for the Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) must complete the following requirements:
- Completion of at least 120 credit hours
- Completion of the Core Curriculum
- Completion of one of the major programs
- Achievement of Foreign Language Proficiency
- Attainment of a final cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better
- Completion of the university’s two year residency requirement, including completing one half of the courses required for the major in residence
For more information on the BSFS degree requirements, click here
The Core Curriculum (“the Core”) offers students a deep foundation on which their major and elective courses are built while instilling values of citizenship and service. GU-Q students take the SFS Core (Proseminar, Government, History, Economics, Science and Map of the Modern World) in addition to the University Core requirements (Theology, Philosophy, Writing, HALC, Quantitative Reasoning, Data Literacy, and Pathways to Social Justice). Together these courses give students the knowledge they need to understand and solve problems while maintaining the broad nature of a liberal arts education. For more information about the Core-Curriculum – First Two Years, click here
In order to earn the BSFS degree, every student in the School of Foreign Service must demonstrate that he or she has the minimum skills necessary to complete academic or professional work in a modern language other than English. please click here
The academic year is divided into two semesters: Fall and Spring. Hoya Welcome Week will start on the 18th of August and classes for Fall 2025 will start on the 24th of August. Please refer to the Academic Calendar for important dates regarding registration days, breaks, and other relevant events.
To view the current Academic Calendar, please click here
The University Bulletins and Handbooks detail university policies and regulations for Main Campus undergraduate and graduate students.
To view the Undergraduate Bulletin, please click here
Academic Resources
Georgetown University in Qatar is committed to providing academic support for all students and to integrating students with disabilities as fully as possible into all aspects of university life.
To learn more about academic accommodations, please click here
The Office of Academic Services offers a variety of resources that students can use in their journey toward achieving academic success. Whether you are seeking tutoring, mentorship, ways to facilitate your transition to university, or academic accommodations, OAS can provide you with the support that you need.
To learn more about academic support services, please click here
Useful Information
- Office of Admissions
- sfsqadmissions@georgetown.edu
- For enrollment-related matters (deposits, transcripts, transfer credits, etc.)
- Office of Student Life
- guqstudentlife@georgetown.edu
- For questions regarding housing, student ID card photos (passport size), immigration (visa & passports), NSO, and general student life
- Office of Student Financial Services (Financial aid)
- guqfinancialaid@georgetown.edu
- For questions about financial aid
- Student Wellness and Counseling Center
- guqstudentwellness@georgetown.edu
- For questions on immunization, health insurance, and student wellness in GU-Q
To learn more about IT services, please click here
To learn more about facilities, please click here
To learn more about finances, please click here.
GU-Q offers a number of on-campus employment opportunities for students. Departments hire students for a variety of functions, ranging from administrative assistance to peer tutoring. New vacancies are sent to enrolled students directly by GU-Q email.
GU-Q students can work up to 20 hours a week while classes are in session, and 40 hours during summer and winter semester breaks.
To learn more about student employment, please click here
Want to know more? Click here for more about GU-Q academics, activities, and general student life.