Entering students are required to have Arabic language competence equivalent at least to that attained by the end of the third year of intensive language study in the undergraduate program at Georgetown University. A placement exam is administered upon admission to the program. Study in the Arab world is strongly advised before completion of the Ph.D. degree; course equivalences will be evaluated for possible transfer of credit upon approval of the Graduate Committee.

Bachelor

The Department provides several types of merit-based financial aid to graduate students:Five-year, full scholarship and stipend for Ph.D. students: a yearly stipend of $28,000 (in 2017- Updated Nov 201892018); full tuition support for 9 credits per semester; and health insurance. Students on stipend are required to work up to 15 hours per week, for 4 of their first 5 years, usually as a TeachingAssistant to a faculty member teaching a first-year or second-year intensive Arabic course. A fifth-year stipend without a service obligation is intended to support research towards dissertation and hence cannot be granted prior to fulfilling the comprehensive examinations requirements.