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Orientation and classes are held at 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß Washington College of Law, located at 4300 Nebraska Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016. The Academy offices are at Yuma-111. 

If you are staying in the dormitories, the address is:
17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß
Duber Hall, 3501 Nebraska Ave NW  
Washington, District of Columbia 20016

Please do not order packages or mail to this address.

Click here for a map of main campus.

The Metro system is very clean, efficient, and the employees are used to helping Washington visitors. Metro's website is useful, containing bus schedules, bus & train route maps, hours of operation, etc.

Metro's online Ride Guide provides route information from one location to another.

Contact them at 202-637-7000 or online at

There are three main airports in the DC area:

1. Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) - This airport has easy access to the metro and is closest to Washington College of Law. If you fly into DCA, you can take a taxi,shuttle service or the metro to your destination. If you take the metro, get on the yellow line in the direction of Fort Totten. Switch to the red line metro at Gallery Place/Chinatown metro stop. Get on the red line in the direction of Shady Grove. Get off the metro at the Tenleytown/17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß metro stop. From here, you will take the free 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß shuttle to the dormitories/Washington College of Law. The buses will be located directly in front of you as you exit the metro station. In total, this trip will be about 30 minutes.

2. Dulles International (IAD) -Dulles International (IAD) – This airport is located about 45 minutes from Washington, DC. There are public buses (around $8 each way),  shuttle buses, (about $30 each way service door to door), and taxis (about $70 each way) that can take you to WCL or the city center. If you decide to take the subway, you must get to the Washington Dulles International Airport station on the metro silver line, this being the one that leaves from the airport in the direction of Largo Town Center, to the Metro Center station. Change to the Red Line, heading towards Shady Grove, to the Tenleytown-17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß station. From there, you can take the free 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß shuttle to the dorms or to WCL. If you take the left exit at the top of the stairs, the buses are located directly in front of the subway station exit. In total, this tour should last about an hour and a half. 

3. Baltimore Washington International (BWI) - This airport is located in Baltimore, Maryland. You have the option of taking a taxi or a shuttle if you are not interested in taking public transportation. From the airport, you can take the B30 bus ($7 one way) to the Greenbelt metro station on the green line. From the Greenbelt metro station, you will travel to the Chinatown/Gallery Place metro station and switch to the red line in the direction of Shady Grove to the Tenleytown/17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß metro stop. The metro ride will take approximately 1 hour. From here, you will take the free 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß shuttle to the dormitories/Washington College of Law. The buses will be located directly in front of you as you exit the metro station. In total, this trip will be about an hour and 30 minutes or more, but it is not difficult.

• WEATHER: Washington area weather during the summer months is hot and humid. Temperatures usually range from 29 to 38 Celsius degrees (85 to 100 Fahrenheit degrees) with high humidity.

• DRESS: Dress for classes at the university is generally casual. Jeans, skirts, shorts and athletic shoes are acceptable for both men and women. Classrooms tend to be quite warm or very cold in the summer, so it is encouraged to dress in layers. Professional dress will be essential for some events.

• TRAVEL INSURANCE: If your health insurance does not cover care from US doctors and services, we advise that you get health insurance as these may be prohibitively expensive to attain while in the US. The Health Center on Main Campus is not open to participants.

Program participants will use a Canvas account.

To access course materials and exams, participants will use their Canvas accounts. This accounts will be available for use 24 hours a day.

The Academy does not handle housing in the university dormitories. Arrangements to stay in the dorms must be taken care of individually. For more information and the application, please visit the housing webpage. Housing will contact you once they receive and process your application. Please do not expect to hear back from them before the middle of May. This is when they do housing assignments and will send you an email confirmation. Do not worry if you have not heard from them before this time. If you have housing questions please email conferences@american.edu.

Sexual Assault/Harassment:

• 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß does not tolerate sexual misconduct of any kind, in any context.

• Intimidating or forcing a person into sexual activity violates 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß’s stated values and policies and is punishable with severe sanctions.

• Sexual misconduct includes, but is not limited to, rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment.

• Incidents will be reported to the University as well as local authorities.

• Various campus groups and offices are available for counseling and support

Failure to abide by these rules could result in dismissal from the Program and/or complications with the law.

Tobacco- and Smoke-Free Policy
This policy prohibits the use of tobacco products and medical marijuana on property owned, leased, or otherwise controlled or operated by the University including campus owned, leased or rented vehicles. The policy applies to faculty, staff, students, vendors, guests, and contractors. Tobacco is defined as all tobacco-derived or containing products, including, but not limited to, cigarettes (clove, bidis, kreteks), electronic cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, hookah-smoked products, and oral tobacco (spit and spitless, smokeless, chew, snuff).

Alcohol/Drug Policy

• 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß community members uphold university policies and abide by local, state, and federal laws pertaining to alcohol and other drugs. Individuals accept personal responsibility for the outcome of their decisions.

• Consumption or possession of alcohol/drugs is strictly prohibited in university residence halls. A participant that violates this rule will not only face immediate expulsion from the program but will also be charged for misconduct with the University and the local authorities.

• Shuttle from Metro
  The closest metro stop is Tenleytown-17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß on the Red Line in the direction of Shady Grove. 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß provides a free shuttle service from the metro to 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß Main Campus. Follow the directional signs when exiting the Metro. Shuttle bus information is available at www.wcl.american.edu/shuttle.cfm#metro or you can call 202-885-3111. The blue line will take you to the main 17³Ô¹ÏÔÚÏß campus and the dorms.

• Pence Law Library
  Pence Law Library is one of the most accessible and innovative academic libraries in the United States. It offers an in-house collection of almost half a million volumes, plus access to a vast amount of information in digital format. Pence Law Library also contains European Union and U.S. government depositories, the Baxter Collection in International Law, the Goodman Collection of Rare and Semi-Rare Law Books, and the archives of the Administrative Conference of the United States and the National Bankruptcy Review Commission. It is also the host library for the National Equal Justice Library, which serves as an archive, museum, and functional library of publications focusing on legal aid. Electronic resources include unlimited access to Westlaw and Lexis, and other on- and off-line databases at no charge. While enrolled at the Academy, students have access to the library, including borrowing privileges and use of Lexis and Westlaw.

• Computer Facilities
  There is a computer lab open to all students at the law school on the first floor of Pence Law Library. WCL maintains a high-speed network that enables both wired and wireless laptop access throughout the law school building. We encourage you to install an anti-virus software program on your computer because if your computer is infected, the information technology office will block access for your computer. We will not be able to do anything to help you at that point. You will have access to printing once you activate your university account. Printing is free, but we encourage you to print only what you need in an effort to be green.

• Parking
  Parking is available in the law school underground parking deck. All participants with cars must park in these facilities. A parking permit can be purchased in the Facilities office (suite Yuma-T05). Parking permits cost $6/day if they are pre-purchased or $12/day if paid on the day.

There are several options to purchase food around the university. On-campus, near the dormitories, there are a few , as well as a mini store. Near the Tenleytown metro, there are many restaurants and a couple of grocery stores. Most days, lunch will be provided at various events organized by the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, which are open to program participants. Participants will be on their own most days for dinner and every day for breakfast. There is a cafeteria at the law school open for breakfast and lunch. Meals are priced by weight. Plan to spend between $10 and $20 per meal at a restaurant. A 15-20% tip is generally suggested for service on each bill at a sit-down restaurant.