INTO Mason frequently asked questions (FAQ)
If your offer is for a 1-semester Pathway program, you may have received this offer because you did not meet the competitive academic requirements for admittance into George Mason University.
If your offer is for a 2-semester Pathway program, you may have received this offer because you did not meet the competitive academic or English language requirements for admittance into George Mason University.
If you’ve received an offer letter to be in a Pathway program, it was determined that you have a great potential to be successful at George Mason University, but could benefit from the extra support INTO Mason provides. That is why we have created the INTO Mason International Year One (undergraduate-level Pathway program) and the Undergraduate Transfer program. This opportunity is designed for students to enroll as a full-time student and demonstrate the capacity to thrive by getting a strong GPA in the first one or two semesters at Mason.
INTO is a university partnership program that provides students with the opportunity to study in the UK, US and Australia. INTO Mason has helped thousands of students succeed in higher education for over 10 years. We offer exceptional support services before, during and after your studies with us, so you can concentrate on your success. We pride ourselves on our diverse environment and provide different programs to suit your needs, whether it be learning English on its own or through a Pathway program that allows you to learn English alongside your other classes. We also prepare international students to adapt to the educational, social and cultural norms of their host country while pursuing a degree.
International Year One (Pathway program) allows you to earn credits toward your undergraduate degree even if you do not meet the academic and/or English requirements for direct admission. If you are enrolled in a 2-semester program, you will receive additional academic and cultural support in addition to English language courses. If you are enrolled in a 1-semester program, you will receive the same academic and cultural support, but not English language courses.
International Year One is designed to help you successfully complete your first year and graduate in the same amount of time as fellow undergraduate students.
More information is provided here.
A Graduate Pathway program is a 6-12 month program providing additional language, academic and cultural support leading to the next semester of a graduate degree.
A Pathway program provides academic, language and cultural support in order to succeed at a US university. Students are guaranteed progression to a graduate degree program through a curriculum consisting of credit-earning courses. Students will benefit from fully integrated classes with both domestic and other international students on campus while learning from highly trained university instructors and tutors.
The courses completed during the Pathway program will count towards your degree at Mason, so you will be able to graduate at the same time as your peers. No time is lost! You will have access to unlimited specialized tutoring in physics, calculus, economics, statistics, business and many other subjects designed to support students, as well as personalized academic advising to ensure your success with your individual study plan.
The Pathway program is set up to allow students an opportunity to complete their degree in the same amount of time as a direct entry student. Some undergraduate and graduate programs do have additional pre-requisite course requirements students will need to take, and this could add additional time to your specific study plan.
Costs vary from year to year but are similar to our direct entry pricing, in particular when a scholarship is applied. Most students that apply for a scholarship are eligible.
Yes, if you have not yet submitted or have updated SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores, we can accept them until the application deadline for your program.
You can schedule a virtual meeting with a staff member at intomktg@gmu.edu
For admissions questions, you can reach out to us at intoadmissions@gmu.edu
Please include your G number so that an admissions counselor will know how to best assist you.
The offer letter you received will outline exact instructions on how to confirm your place in the program.
1. Review the offer letter you received. 2. Complete and sign the declaration and acceptance forms and return to intoadmissions@gmu.edu quoting your Application ID number. This can be found in your offer letter (example: IN:E1234567Q). 3. Pay your deposit (instructions are in your offer letter). 4. If you are applying for an F-1 student visa, submit your passport and current visa, bank statement and Affidavit of Support.
Scholarships are available. If you have not been awarded a scholarship, please speak with your counselor to see if you qualify.
The INTO Mason program charges a program fee, not tuition. Financial Aid, provided through the university or other sources, or in-state fee designations are not able to be applied to this program. However, you may be eligible for a program scholarship, and if so, this would have been included with your offer letter.
Your confirmation letter outlines important details such as:
- Your start date and study plan - Statement of fees and balance - INTO Mason welcome guide
For students who require a visa:
- Visa support letter - Visa interview tips - INTO PASS service to help you with your student visa process
You can pay in full through the INTO pay online link. This link can be found on the last page of your offer letter in the Financial Questions and Answers (Q&A) section. Additional fees might apply for credit cards (Visa or Mastercard) or international money exchange. You can also pay through a bank wire transfer. We don’t accept cash payments.
Mason's portal is activated through "Patriot Pass," and includes your NetID, and Patriot Pass password.
Your Mason NetID is your username for your Mason accounts. This will allow you to access your accounts as a student, such as your Mason email, and connect to Wi-Fi once you get to campus.
To get started, you need your "G Number," "Claim Code" and a mobile phone. You will then follow the detailed steps below.
For step-by-step activation instructions, click here: [https://its.gmu.edu/knowledge-base/how-to-sign-up-for-patriot-pass-2/ ](https://its.gmu.edu/knowledge-base/how-to-sign-up-for-patriot-pass-2/)
To help you have the smoothest transition to Mason possible, please use the pre-arrival resources and information provided by our INTO Mason Student Experience team. Review the details through the links below, and watch your email closer to your arrival date for specific information about your starting semester:
- https://intomason.gmu.edu/new-students - https://go.intostudy.com/mason-pre-arrival