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Return to: Admissions
Office of Admissions
4400 University Drive, MS 3A4
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: 703-993-2400
Fax: 703-993-4622
Web: admissions.gmu.edu
Non-degree Status
Non-degree status enables visiting students from other institutions who have no immediate degree objective or those seeking personal enrichment to enroll in courses for which they are qualified without seeking formal admission to a degree program. Enrollment in specific courses is based on eligibility criteria and availability of space in courses; in high-demand fields, enrollment may be restricted or prohibited.
All non-degree applicants must complete a non-degree online application for admission and supply official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions they have attended. High school guest applicants must submit an official high school transcript.
International students are typically not admitted in non-degree status. The only exception is for those students who attend George Mason University pursuant to the terms of an exchange agreement or memorandum of understanding between Mason and their home university. Those students are required to process their applications and all documentation through the Center for Global Education, and to pay the associated fee.
Non-degree application information and deadlines are available online at admissions.gmu.edu.
Students are responsible for registering properly and paying by the deadline. Students should confirm the correctness of their enrollments (including drop and add) via Patriot Web. Incorrect enrollments may result in academic and financial penalties.
Standards for Admission
Admission to Mason as a non-degree student is competitive and based on space availability. Non-degree admission is not automatically granted, and non-degree admission does not guarantee enrollment in any specific course or any future degree programs. Non-degree applicants must meet the standards for admission that would apply to the equivalent degree-seeking status.
Undergraduate Non-degree
Qualified high school students, current college students and post-baccalaureate students may apply to enroll in non-degree undergraduate classes via the online undergraduate application. Transcripts from all colleges attended are required. High school transcripts may be required.
Applicants with a bachelor’s degree seeking to take undergraduate courses must meet the standards for admission for a bachelor’s degree. These students will be considered undergraduate students and are not eligible to take graduate courses or receive graduate academic advising. Students who later seek to enroll in graduate courses or wish to receive graduate academic advising must submit a new non-degree graduate application and be reconsidered for admission.
Non-degree studies students are allowed to register for a maximum of 10 credits per semester and may apply up to 30 undergraduate credits taken in non-degree status to an undergraduate degree program by the dean of the relevant undergraduate degree program.
All undergraduate non-degree students are subject to the academic standing regulations and sanctions described in the Requirements for Retention section in the Academic Policies section of this catalog.
High School Guest Matriculants
Exceptionally talented high school juniors and seniors may be considered for enrollment in lower-level undergraduate courses. These applicants will be evaluated based on their academic performance in high school. Only students who have excelled in high school and demonstrate the preparation and maturity indicative of the potential to succeed in Mason’s competitive course work will be admitted. Mason cannot guarantee that courses will fulfill high school graduation requirements or that courses taken while the student is a high school guest will transfer to other institutions.
High school guest matriculants taking dual enrollment courses through Governor’s School at Innovation Park may seek permission to exceed limits on the application of credits taken in non-degree status to a degree program by petitioning the dean of the relevant undergraduate degree program and the Dean of Admissions.
Graduate Non-degree
Admission to non-degree graduate study at Mason is competitive. Applicants must present an earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or international equivalent, verified from official transcripts with a minimum 3.00 GPA on a 4.00 grade scale. Among the factors that may be considered in the admissions process are previous academic performance, professional experience and academic fit. Some graduate units do not accept non-degree applications.
Individual units and majors may have additional requirements for non-degree graduate status. Once admitted to graduate non-degree status, students are considered graduate students and tuition charges are calculated as such, regardless of the level of course(s) in which they are enrolled. A student cannot graduate or receive a degree while in non-degree status. Non-degree graduate students may not register for classes numbered 800 or higher. Individual colleges, schools and programs may set additional restrictions on non-degree graduate student enrollment in 700-level courses. All master’s programs require at least 18 credits to be completed in degree status at Mason to be considered for graduation, and some graduate programs allow a maximum of 6 credits to be transferred from non-degree status. Students who plan to seek a degree from Mason are strongly encouraged to apply for degree status admission and seek departmental advising as soon as possible. Non-degree students are expected to maintain the same academic standards as degree-seeking students. See Academic Termination in the AP.6 Graduate Policies section of this catalog.
Academic Advising
On initial enrollment, non-degree students are assigned to one of the colleges, schools, or institutes at Mason according to their original course selection and level (graduate or undergraduate). Once assigned, the academic unit is responsible for advising and handling requests that require a dean’s permission.
Grades earned through non-degree studies remain a part of the student’s permanent non-degree record and are recorded on the standard university non-degree transcript. They will not appear on the degree transcript unless the student is accepted to a degree program and permission is given by the dean to apply the non-degree credit to the degree program. |
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