Application Deadlines

Spring 2012 Deadlines

October 1, 2011: MS, all applicants.

October 1, 2011: Graduate Certificate priority deadline, all applicants.

December 1, 2011: Graduate Certificate final deadline, all applicants.

Note: We do not have a spring admissions cycle for the Ph.D. program.
 

Fall 2012 Deadlines

December 1, 2011: Ph.D., all applicants.

January 15, 2012: MS, all applicants.

May 1, 2012: Graduate Certificate, priority deadline, all applicants.

July 15, 2012: Graduate Certificate, final deadline, all applicants.

S-CAR uses an On-line application for all S-CAR Graduate Programs. (Please click HERE for Non-Degree) The graduate application is self-managed, meaning that you submit all of your required documents online except for your academic transcripts and/or international transcript evaluations.

IMPORTANT: Once you have submitted your application, you are unable to go back to upload required documents, so please make sure to upload all of your documents before submitting your application.Please submit the online application before mailing transcripts to our office to ensure that your transcripts are matched with your application file. 

 Transcripts/translations/evaluations should be mailed to: 

S-CAR Graduate Admissions
3351 Fairfax Dr.  MS 4D3
Arlington, VA 22201

NOTE: We do not post receipt of your materials until the application has been submitted. If you sent materials to us earlier, they are placed in a holding file until the application has been submitted.

Once you submit your application, you will receive an email with information explaining how to view your application status online. This site will allow you to identify the specific items that we have received and those that still need to submitted. Please be patient with us during heavy admissions periods, it may take time to log in documents that have been received and move your application to complete status.

IMPORTANT: Due to the volume of applications received, the S-CAR Office of Graduate Admissions requests that applicants NOT contact us directly to find out if we have received application materials. We will contact you via email if your application is deemed incomplete because of missing required materials.  Otherwise you will hear from us when the Admissions Committee has made a decision, which can take approximately 6 to 8 weeks after the application deadline. Ph.D. admissions decisions can take up to 12 weeks for a decision to be made.  Once decisions are made, we will first contact each applicant by email and follow up with a hardcopy letter.  Decisions for MS and Ph.D. are all made at the same time.  We are unable to give out any early decisions. 

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all documents are submitted online and that transcripts are received by mail by the application deadline.

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.   

Printable Admissions Information Flyer

To help you complete your application, the university provides an online Application Status page at https://masongrad.askadmissions.net/vip/

The site identifies the items that we've received and those that you still need to submit.

Admissions decisions will not be posted to your on-line application. Decisions will first be emailed out and then followed up with a hardcopy letter. It is important to make sure you check your spam filters to ensure that you receive all email correspondence that we may send.

• In State Tuition: $461.00 per credit hour.
   
• Out of State Tuition: $1,100.25 per credit hour.
   
• For details on tuition and fees, please consult the Student Accounts Office Web Site.
   
• For questions regarding in state vs. out of state tution status, please consult the George Mason University Domicile Services Web Site.

Graduate Research Assistant Positions (GRA)

A small number of GRA positions are awarded each fall term to incoming Ph.D. level students. If there is a position available for an MS student, we will contact applicants at that time.  Unfortunately S-CAR is unable to fund each Ph.D student in the program. GRA positions include 6 credits of tuition per fall and spring semester, a living stipend and graduate student health insurance.  GRAs are expected to work 20 hours per week alongside a faculty member who is assigned to them.  We recommend to GRAs to seek additional funding to support them throughout their studies based on the high cost of the DC area living.  As part of the Ph.D. admissions process, you are automatically reviewed for a GRA position and are notified of the student funding committee decision around the same time as admissions decisions are finalized. 

Gradaute Teaching Assistant Positions (GTA)

A small number of Ph.D. level students hold positions as GTAs.  These positions are awarded to currently enrolled Ph.D. students, usually to those that have completed all coursework.  These positions usually include a stipend and some credits of tuition waived.  Advertising of these positions are made during the academic year. 

Presidential Scholar Award

The Presidential Scholarship is a pogram of support for first-time Ph.D. students. S-CAR nominates one incoming Ph.D. student each fall for this award.  The Office of the Provost makes the final decision on the award recipient.  Criteria for this award includes a minimum of a 3.5 GPA in the most recently earned degree, minimum combined math and verbal GRE score of 1,200 (score earned within the last five years). 
Review for this award is done automatically as a Ph.D. applicant. 

Other Funding Sources

Each year S-CAR hires a number of students in part time administrative roles.  As these opportunities open they are circulated to the entire graduate student community with information on how to apply.  These appointments are not set aside ahead of time but are done through matching of needs of the position and student experience and skills.

·         Each year S-CAR faculty hire a number of students in research assistant positions on grants they receive.  These positions are at the discretion of individual grant holders and vary in length.  Application for these positions is done through the faculty grant holder.

·         Students are eligible for a variety of on-campus positions.  In the past students have worked at:

o   University Information http://info.gmu.edu/employment.html  for the Arlington campus

o   Arlington Campus Library

o   University Life

o   Other administrative offices

o   Most on-campus positions are listed through HireMason, https://gmu-csm.symplicity.com/students/  a service available to active students and alumni

O    Off-campus employment- Washington, DC still enjoys one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.  Relevant off-campus employments has regularly been found at organizations such as the United States Institute of Peace, Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy, various International Development agencies and many others.  Several websites are particularly good sources for finding positions including:

o   Peace and Collaborative Development Network http://www.internationalpeaceandconflict.org/

o   Idealist.Org

o   S-CAR Community Network and Forum http://icarcommunity.ning.com/ (open to current students and alumni)

·         Financial Aid- The financial aid office at George Mason http://financialaid.gmu.edu/ processes both grant and loan assistance requests.  They also maintain a database of scholarship opportunities.  In addition, the office of Post-Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships maintains a list of additional opportunities and offers assistance with applications  http://www.gmu.edu/depts/saa/fellowships/opportunities/gradstudy.html

The GRE is not required but scores may be submitted.  The GRE has no bearing on the outcome of your application for admission.  The GRE is part of the requirements of the Presidential Scholarship which is awarded to only one first-time Ph.D. student per Ph.D. program.  See Funding Information above for more information.

An English Proficiency Test is required if applicable.  To determine if you are required to submit these test scores along with your admissions application materials, please review the entire GMU English Proficiency Policy. 

Students can also take S-CAR classes through the Non-Degree graduate program*.
This is a separate application, which is intended to be easy to complete through the non-degree office.
Non-degree students may take up to 10 credits of coursework each semester and are able to apply these credits to a future degree program. For graduate programs, a maximum of 12 credits may be considered for transfer. Please see the graduate non-degree page for more information.

Non-Degree Deadlines

• Fall Semester-August 1
• Spring Semester-December 1
• Summer Sessions-May 1

*Non-degree students can take CONF 501 as well as S-CAR elective courses.

E-mail: scarinfo@gmu.edu

Phone: 703.993.3655