Georgetown Pre-College Online Program: Information for Parents and Guardians
You want to know who is teaching this, what it will ask of your student's schedule, what it costs, and what they will have to show for it. This page answers those questions in order.
Georgetown's Jesuit tradition of cura personalis — care for the whole person — shaped how these courses were built. Your student is treated as capable of real university work, and supported while they do it.
The program at a glance
Who it's for
Format
Time commitment
Session lengths
Taught by
Your student earns
Tuition
Financial aid
To apply
Your access to records
Students age 13 and older, enrolled in high school or within one year of graduating
100% online. No live sessions and no required log-in times
20–30 hours total (enrichment) · about 130 hours total (college credit)
1, 2, or 4 weeks (enrichment) · 6, 8, or 12 weeks (college credit)
Georgetown University faculty and industry experts
A Georgetown Certificate of Completion, or 3 college credits and an official transcript
$1,895 (enrichment) · $3,995 (college credit). No additional fees
Need-based scholarships available in every cohort
No transcripts or recommendation letters. One short personal statement
Limited by federal privacy law — see below
Is this a real Georgetown University course?
Yes. Every course in the Georgetown Pre-College Online Program is designed and taught by Georgetown faculty and industry experts, and built specifically for high school students.
Enrichment courses lead to an official Certificate of Completion issued by Georgetown University. To earn it, your student completes at least 70% of the course assignments and submits a final capstone project.
College credit courses are offered through Georgetown's School of Continuing Studies. Your student earns three Georgetown credits and a letter grade, recorded on an official university transcript they can request from the University Registrar.
Read a course syllabus
How much time will this take?
Every course is completed on your student's own schedule. There are no live sessions and no required log-in times. Students take it during the school year or over a summer, from any time zone.
Enrichment courses take 20 to 30 hours in total. Your student chooses a 1-, 2-, or 4-week session — roughly 30 hours in a single week, 15 hours a week across two, or 7.5 hours a week across four.
College credit courses take 128 hours in total. Sessions run 6, 8, or 12 weeks — roughly 21 hours a week, 16 hours a week, or 11 hours a week.
Read a course syllabusOne thing worth planning for
There are no weekly deadlines. All work is due by the session end date. Students who manage their own pace well find this freeing. Students who don't may need a check-in or two along the way.
How the work is structured
Your student watches video lessons taught by faculty, completes a set of assignments after each unit, and finishes with one capstone project on a topic they choose. Students may take more than one course. If yours wants to, we recommend different session dates so each course gets their full attention.
Can I see my student's grades and progress?
Once your student enrolls, federal privacy law treats them as the owner of their own education record. We cannot share their application, their grades, or their course progress with anyone other than the enrolled student, including a parent who paid the tuition.
You will still hear from us. You’ll receive enrollment reminders, start-date notices, and the practical information your student needs before the course begins. If you're paying, you'll get the payment confirmation. What we can't send you is anything from inside the course: assignment feedback, grades, or progress reports.
Your student can share any of it with you whenever they want.
How You Can Help
- Help them choose a session length that fits their schedule, not their ambition. For example, a one-week enrichment session is close to a full-time week of work.
- Put the session end date on the family calendar. It is the only hard deadline in the course.
- Ask what they're creating for their Final Capstone Project, and resist editing it as the work is meant to be theirs.
- If a week goes by without them mentioning the course, that's your cue to check in.
Who will my student be interacting with?
All instruction is pre-recorded. There are no live video sessions, no open chat, and no unsupervised contact with other students.
Your student works with a mentor (enrichment courses) or a teaching assistant (college credit courses) who knows the subject, answers questions, and gives feedback on assignments and the capstone project. All of that contact happens inside the course platform — through the Canvas inbox and the course discussion boards.
Accessibility
All course videos include closed captioning and variable playback speed, with unlimited viewing. The platform and course content are screen-reader friendly. Quizzes and assignments are untimed. If your student needs accommodations, have them contact {SUPPORT_EMAIL} before the session start date so there is time to arrange them.
If you have a question
Email support@precollegeonline.georgetown.edu. Our team replies within 24 to 48 business hours. If your question is about your student's record, see "Can I see my student's grades and progress?" above.
What Does It Cost, and What if Plans Change?
Enrichment courses are $1,895. College credit courses are $3,995. There are no additional fees.
Tuition is due the day before the course start date. We accept major credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay.
Need-based scholarships
We offer need-based scholarships in every cohort, for both enrichment and college credit courses. After your student submits an application, they can request one by selecting "Apply for a need-based scholarship" on the confirmation page. If they've already applied, they can request it from their profile.
If plans change
Your student can switch courses or session dates from their profile up to seven days before their start date. For enrichment courses, tuition is fully refundable up to seven days before the session begins. For college credit courses, tuition is fully refundable up to seven days before the start date and half refundable up to the published drop deadline. Full terms and dates are on our academic calendar.
Is It Worth It?
Depends what you want from it. If you want your student to finish something real and have a Georgetown credential to show for it, yes. If you're hoping it improves their odds of getting into Georgetown, no and we won't suggest otherwise.
Completing a pre-college course does not improve your student's chances of admission to Georgetown University. Credits earned through a credit-bearing course may transfer to another institution, but every college sets its own transfer policy and we can't guarantee a particular outcome.
What your student gets: a Certificate of Completion or college credit from Georgetown University, a finished Final Capstone Project in their own words, and an answer to a question most students don't get to ask until their second year of college.Is this actually the field for me?
Which type of course makes sense depends on what your student wants from it. Enrichment ($1,895, 20–30 hours) fits exploring a subject without a heavy time commitment. College credit ($3,995, 128 hours) is the stronger credential if they already know the subject and want an official grade on a Georgetown transcript. Either way, treat transfer credit as a bonus, not the reason to enroll, since transfer is never guaranteed.
How To List It on an Application
Enrichment courses should be listed as an extracurricular or experiential activity rather than an educational one, since they are non-credit. College credit courses appear on a Georgetown University transcript, which your student requests directly from the University Registrar.
Questions Parents Ask
Can I see my student's grades or progress?
No. Federal privacy law makes your student the owner of their education record, so we can share it only with them. Your student can pass along anything you'd like to see, and our support team will help them find it.
Do I need to be involved day to day?
No. The coursework, the pacing, and the Final Capstone Project are your student's to manage. Help them pick a realistic session length at the start, and check in periodically.
Is my student interacting with anyone in real-time?
No. All instruction is pre-recorded, and contact with a mentor or teaching assistant happens through the course platform's inbox and discussion boards. There are no live sessions and no open chat.
Can I pay tuition on my student's behalf?
Yes. A parent or guardian can pay the tuition (there is no application fee). The application itself should be your student's work, and it stays in their name, as does the course.
What happens if my student falls behind or can't finish?
Contact us as early as you can. Before the session starts, your student can move to a later session from their profile. Once a course is underway the options are narrower, but our team will tell you what’s still possible based on your student’s circumstances.
Who do I contact if something goes wrong?
Email support@precollegeonline.georgetown.edu. A member of our team will respond within 24 to 48 business hours.
The Next Step Belongs to Your Student
The application takes about 20 to 30 minutes. There are no transcripts, no letters of recommendation, and no fee, just some basic information and one short statement about why your student wants to take the course. Decisions arrive by email within a week.