Student Organizations
Org Help • University Student Center • 433A
By appointment or drop-in:
Mon-Wed, Fri: 12:00-5:00 pm
Thur: 12:00-6:00 pm
*Hours and availability may vary during holidays, breaks, and finals.
Student organizations provide students with an opportunity to explore interests, sharpen skills, and learn about themselves and others while enhancing the academic mission of the university. GW's 600+ student organizations offer students opportunities to get involved and create community. You can access information about any student organization at GW, find out about events and activities on campus, and stay up to date with life outside of the classroom on GW Engage, our online engagement platform.
Visit Engage & Start Exploring!
Policies & Resources
The Student Organization Handbook is the primary resource for organization expectations, requirements, and resources. Org leaders should refer to the Handbook when making decisions and reach out to their Staff Advisor or Org Help with any questions. The Handbook is regularly reviewed and updated, so please bookmark this page to ensure you are operating with the most up to date version.
- 2025 - 26 Student Org Requirements
Advisor Meetings:
- Required For: Red (3x/semester), Blue (2x/semester), and Orange (1x/semester) Line groups with an assigned staff advisor.
- Format: May be virtual or in-person based on discussion between you and your staff advisor.
- Due: October 31st, 2025 for initial meeting
Policy Training:
- Required For: All student organization presidents and financial officers (or an appropriate designee).
- Format: Student Org Summit (9/6, 9/7) OR makeup sessions - sign up on Engage.
- Due: October 31st, 2025*
Finance Training:
- Required For: All student organization presidents and financial officers (or an appropriate designee).
- Format: Student Org Summit (9/6, 9/7) OR makeup sessions - sign up on Engage.
- Due: October 31st, 2025*
Title IX Training:
- Required For: All student organization presidents and financial officers (or an appropriate designee).
- Format: Student Org Summit (9/6, 9/7) OR makeup sessions.
- Due: October 31st, 2025*
Leadership Development:
- Required For: All Red, Blue, and Orange Line student organization presidents and financial officers (or an appropriate designee); and all Silver Line student organization Presidents.
- Format: Student Org Summit (9/6, 9/7) OR makeup sessions - sign up on Engage.
- Due: Spring 2026, date TBA
Annual Re-Registration:
- Required For: All registered student organizations (alternative options for SBA and MCSC sub-organizations TBA)
- Format: Online form through GW Engage, more information to come Spring 2026.
- Due: Spring 2026, date TBA
*Note: Some trainings may not be offered on the day they're due.
- Events with Alcohol Training Module
Required For: Red, Blue, Orange, and Green Line organization that wish to host an Event with Alcohol
Format: Online training now available through Comevo!
Due: Prior to your first event with alcohol.
- Engage Support
Check out articles about some of the most commonly-asked Engage questions in our Engage Support Box Folder. Got a question about something not in the folder? Check out Engage's Support website!
- Finances and Fundraising Resource Guides
Hosting a Profit Share? Requesting an SGA Co-sponsorship? Guides and helpful forms can be found in our Finances and Fundraising Box Folder. Have other questions not available here? Reach out to the Org Finance Team at orgfinance
gwu [dot] edu (orghelpfinance[at]gwu[dot]edu).- Forming a New Student Organization
The Division for Student Affairs is not accepting new applications for student organizations during the 2025-2026 academic year. As we work to assess and improve the support structures in place for our 600+ existing student organizations, we look forward to reopening the application process next year.
Having trouble finding an organization that matches interests? Reach out to the Org Help Desk at orghelp
gwu [dot] edu (orghelp[at]gwu[dot]edu) for assistance finding an existing org that shares your passions! Students seeking to form a new organization related to religious, secular, or spiritual traditions are strongly encouraged to reach out to the Center for Interfaith and Spiritual Life for guidance and resources.
Conduct Violations
The Division for Student Affairs shares student organization conduct records to increase transparency, promote responsible behavior, and inform potential members about an organization's history of violations. For potential members, this information can be used to inform their choice for involvement in the community, promote discussion about the group's current culture and orientation toward campus policies, and protect them from potential risks.
This publication includes all incidents which resulted in a finding of responsibility for student organization violations of the Student Code of Conduct. Information on this page is updated each semester and will remain posted for four semesters following the date of the finding or completion of sanctions (whichever is longer) to show an organization's history and identify an organization's work towards changing the culture of the group.
In addition, this page aligns with the Virginia Anti-Hazing Law (also known as Adam's Law), which requires institutions to post student organization hazing violations and related information. The law is named after Adam Oakes, a Virginia Commonwealth University freshman who died from alcohol poisoning following a fraternity initiation in 2021. The first table provides information about all violations except hazing. The second table provides information about hazing violations in accordance with Adam's Law.
List of Student Groups and Organizations with Conduct Violations (PDF)