Congratulations on your admission to the George Washington University UK Scholars. We are looking forward to welcoming you to your first-year experience abroad at Harlaxton College in England this fall!

With the UK Scholars program, you will:

• Spend your first semester of college living in an English manor house located in Grantham, England.
• Attend classes taught at the manor by American and British faculty members.
• Participate in student life activities and events at the manor.
• Experience the culture, creativity and communities of Britain.
• Spend your 3-day weekends traveling around the UK.
• Earn a full semester of credits which will transfer back to GW.
• Receive academic advising and support to design your curriculum and keep you on track at GW.

The UK Scholars Program

An Introduction to Harlaxton College

Built in 1854, Harlaxton Manor has a long history of stewards who challenged the status quo and created a legacy of innovation. Since the 1970’s the manor has operated as a study abroad destination for American students from all over the United States. Harlaxton has since become known as a place where students open their eyes to new perspectives and pursue their extraordinary selves.

Major Dates for Fall 2025

• Move-in: August 28 arrival (flights must leave the day before from the US)
• On-Site Mandatory Orientation: August 29 – August 31
• First Day of Classes: September 1
• Break: October 17-26
• Last Day of Classes: December 10
• Departure/Move Out: December 12

You can find arrival information and additional footage of the manor here. 

George Washington University and Harlaxton: How it Works

What’s included

The program price for a semester at Harlaxton is $20,000. This comprehensive fee includes:

• Tuition
• Meal Plan
• London airport pick-up and/or return
• Shuttle service between Harlaxton Manor and Grantham
• Local cultural travel opportunities
• Weekend overnight trip to London
• Day trips to Lincoln and York
• Optional day trips on designated weekends
• 3 weekend overnight trips of your choosing OR 1 weekend overnight trip + the midterm trip
• Sports and gym facilities
• Health and wellness services, including the college nurse, counselling service and registration at the local medical clinic
• Technology and equipment usage
• Student activities and events

Preparing for GW while at Harlaxton

While at Harlaxton, you will be educated by dedicated and renowned faculty who hold degrees from the world’s most prestigious universities. You will share classrooms with students from around the world and with diverse interests, allowing you to gain a global understanding of today’s most important issues.

As a UK Scholar, you will work with advisors from BOTH institutions to choose from courses that will transfer back to GW and keep you on track for fulfilling your general education requirements and your major prerequisites. Note that not ALL courses offered at Harlaxton will transfer back to GW; your advisors from GW and from Harlaxton will help you make the best choices for your anticipated program at GW.

The UK Scholars Program has worked closely with the GW School of Business to ensure that the courses you take at Harlaxton set you up for success during the rest of your time at GW. Three to four specific major-dependent courses will be required in order to provide continuity with GW’s full-year classes. Before registering, you will be provided with a list of classes that will transfer to GW that will help you choose your courses.

Advising will begin in early summer after your commitment to Harlaxton. A Harlaxton advisor will host an orientation session for GW students, and their team is happy to answer any questions via phone or email. Students will have access to GW School of Business advisors throughout the summer and can join the Virtual Drop-In Academic Advising sessions or email gwsbadv@gwu.edu with any questions. GWSB will also host an advising webinar in early November specifically for UK Scholars.

Transferring to GW

Harlaxton-enrolled students who meet specific mid-semester academic benchmarks (3.0 for the semester and no grade lower than a C) will be invited to begin the Spring registration process with GW in the month of November. They will have the opportunity to connect with School of Business advisors in early November to ensure that the courses they select will complete any sequence they’ve begun at Harlaxton and continue to fulfill prerequisites for their intended areas of study.

Indicating your Interest and Confirming your Participation

If you are interested in the UK Scholars program as a pathway to transfer to GW in your spring semester, please  follow this next steps process:

1. Let GW know by April 10 whether or not you are interested in pursuing this option. Instructions are included in the “Next Steps” section of your admission portal at GW. You can authorize GW to release your application information directly to Harlaxton; there is no further application or application fee.
2. Once Harlaxton receives your information, you will begin receiving pre-arrival information and forms to complete for housing, roommates, confirming your enrollment, payment and everything you need to prepare for your study abroad in England.
3. The deadline to confirm your participation in the Harlaxton Program is May 1.  Although space is limited in the Harlaxton Program, expressions of interest received after May 1 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Harlaxton has over 50 years of experience working with the families of students who are coming to live and study in England from the US and will do everything possible to make the process fast, efficient and as comfortable as possible.

Capital City Scholars Program Information

Students who complete a semester at Harlaxton are in the vanguard of our students who are global citizens and scholars, one of the hallmarks of a GW education. As a result, upon completion of this program, you will be invited to make international education a central part of your academic experience at GW as a member of our Capital Cities Scholars Program. This exciting opportunity will offer you a chance to delve deeper into your global studies, building on the skills you have acquired and honing them with further international education opportunities.

Students in the program will have three distinctive experiences. You will:

• Take a one-credit course in your spring semester in which you will reflect on the meaning of your experiences abroad and how those experiences fit into your overall college education.
• Engage in two semesters of study at any of our GW study abroad locations worldwide (whether in a capital city or elsewhere). Here you will be able to investigate the questions you have posed about the culture you will visit and experience more fully what your foreign destination has to offer.
• Finish your studies by enrolling in a capstone course your senior year in which you will integrate what you have learned into a paper or presentation to share with our community.

Through this educational pathway, you will have the opportunity to think about the interconnected nature of our global society, experience different perspectives on pressing global issues, and embrace the cultural sophistication that comes with encountering diverse cultures. This is an opportunity to become a citizen of the world.

Students interested in this program will express their interest in November during course registration. GW will pre-enroll you in the one-credit course, Univ 2600, Global Citizenship, for this spring.

If you have any questions about the Capital Cities Scholars program, please email capitalscholars@gwu.edu or visit their webpage here.

Learn More

Now you have been offered a place with the UK Scholars, there are several ways to learn more about this opportunity, including consulting this webpage for regular updates on specific topics, such as transfer requirements, course choice, orientation and housing.

• You can attend this Online Information Session introducing you to the GW Scholars Program and Harlaxton, scheduled for Wednesday, April 3rd at 5:30PM Eastern Daylight Time.  Recording will be made available here after April 3.
• You can watch this informational video: https://youtu.be/oK3gPRlFubQ.
• For questions related to GW and the terms of your transfer offer, contact the program liaison and GW Assistant Director of Admissions, Ellie Frank, at ellie.frank@gwu.edu
• For questions related to Harlaxton College, contact our admission team at harlaxton@evansville.edu

Student Testimonials

Harlaxton Ambassadors are Evansville student alumni of Harlaxton who volunteer their time and enthusiasm to help recruit, support, and prepare non-Evansville students before they go to Harlaxton. They are from various majors. Check out their information below, and feel free to send them an email with any questions you may have about the Harlaxton student experience! [In particular, see McKenna Lewis (Marketing) and Quentin Meier (Electrical Engineering).]

https://www.evansville.edu/studyabroad/harlaxton-ambassadors.cfm

Connect with Harlaxton on the socials to hear from students firsthand!

https://www.facebook.com/HarlaxtonCollege

https://www.instagram.com/harlaxtoncollege/